Challenges season 2013

[Hartijon]

This season is quite different .We are the reigning Premiers ,a point which will not be overlooked by opposition coaches. "Knocking off the reigning Premiers " will be used as a motivation and a good motivation it is. Regardless of what the media prattles on about we will not be under rated by the opposition teams.They know exactly how we play.This will make winning harder.

Going back to back is an enormous challenge as there is also the Premiership hangover syndrome where other teams are hungrier for the success you have already enjoyed.

We have a great bunch of players but not enough spots for all of them.For example Mike Pyke played his best game in the GF yet with Tippet a certainty to get in the team along with LRT,what do we do with Mike?Success brings its own set of problems and selection of players will be a major headache with deserving players regularly missing out.

IMO 2013 will be harder for the Swans than 2012 despite having a better team ! I am anticipating a first half of the season where we struggle and lose a few too many.However we will come home strongly in the second half to make the finals and defend our cup!

[ernie koala]

This season is quite different .We are the reigning Premiers ,a point which will not be overlooked by opposition coaches. "Knocking off the reigning Premiers " will be used as a motivation and a good motivation it is. Regardless of what the media prattles on about we will not be under rated by the opposition teams.They know exactly how we play.This will make winning harder.

Going back to back is an enormous challenge as there is also the Premiership hangover syndrome where other teams are hungrier for the success you have already enjoyed.

We have a great bunch of players but not enough spots for all of them.For example Mike Pyke played his best game in the GF yet with Tippet a certainty to get in the team along with LRT,what do we do with Mike?Success brings its own set of problems and selection of players will be a major headache with deserving players regularly missing out.

IMO 2013 will be harder for the Swans than 2012 despite having a better team ! I am anticipating a first half of the season where we struggle and lose a few too many.However we will come home strongly in the second half to make the finals and defend our cup!

Yeah, I agree with your thoughts entirely.... Even the first 2 games against GWS and GCS will be challenging....

They have a 5-6 week headstart, will be fresh and highly motivated. I'm not saying we'll loose, but these games will be hard fought.

These young teams will be much easier to beat later in the season.

I would of much preferred us to be playing Hawthorn and Adelaide in the first 2 rounds.

[Doctor]

I think the Giants will be very tough first up, but we should be ok with the Gold Coast.

[Primmy]

The biggest challenge in my opinion is whether the younger boys can get their minds back to Game One 2013 mode, and not rely Last Game of 2012 mode.

The 2005 and 2006 Granny players will have a better grip. But I do place a lot of respect and trust in our leadership group to push everyone past this (even some redandwhiters).

there is another factor I consider to be a plus. the number of new kids on the block who are kind of ready to go will probably act as a red light alarm to any complacency that may surface. Knowing there is someone ready to step into your shoes is a great motivator.

[Swansongster]

I think injuries might be our challenge in 2013. Goodes may never be the same with a 30-something knee injury legacy. Jude, likewise. Mummy's hammy, Tippett's noggin, ROK's groin, Hanners' shoulders etc. We have players to cover but if they all go down, we are quickly a shadow of the Premiership line-up.

A bit pessimistic, I know, but we have had a good run with injuries (arguably because of great management from the meds team) in recent years. Can our luck hold? Do we have enough cover?

All that said, we have strengthened the list in the off-season and I genuinely think we should be favourites for the flag.

[chuckie]

I am not sure if we have strengthen our list.
Last year we had depth players that had senior experiences.
Seaby
Meredith
Dennis Lane
Spangher
Moore
Gordon
This year i reckon there will be a lot of players making their debuts which is exciting but can take a slight edge of the teams performance ala Geelong last year when they played so many debutants.

[wolftone57]

I am not sure if we have strengthen our list.
Last year we had depth players that had senior experiences.
Seaby
Meredith
Dennis Lane
Spangher
Moore
Gordon
This year i reckon there will be a lot of players making their debuts which is exciting but can take a slight edge of the teams performance ala Geelong last year when they played so many debutants.

Meredith, Gordon and Dennis-Lane were fringe players but yes can do a job. They are replaced by Cunningham, Rampe, Towers and Lamb and Lloyd. There seems to me to be a bit more talent in that pool. Bulldog was a great clubman and a good player for us but the pace of the game found him out. Seabs and Spangher were injured most of last season or just not up to the grade. Seabs was never going to be our third ruck and even Jesse surpassed him in the 'Two's' by the end of last year. Speaking of Jesse he is going quite well I think, I hope for his sake he keeps it up as he has the talent just lacks confidence. I hope he has been talking to Teddy's Psychologist as he will have confidence after that. We also have Tippett to come in. Tony Armstrong is a strong chance for round one. towers spent last season in the VFL playing in a Premiership team and I don't think it is going to take him long to adjust.

[ScottH]

I am not sure if we have strengthen our list.
Last year we had depth players that had senior experiences.
Seaby
Meredith
Dennis Lane
Spangher
Moore
Gordon
This year i reckon there will be a lot of players making their debuts which is exciting but can take a slight edge of the teams performance ala Geelong last year when they played so many debutants.

Seaby, Spangher and Moore yes.
Meredith, TDL have played only a handful of games,
And Gordon was 1, IIRC.

Seaby and Spangher struggled with injury last year.
Pyke has stepped up leaving no place for Seaby.
Moore was too slow for the modern game, although he had some skill.

I don't think we've lost too much there.

[Big Al]

I am not sure if we have strengthen our list.

I'll give you a tip it has been strengthened this season.

[Triple B]

In fairness to Chuckie, he was commenting that last year our depth had seniors experience, in some cases considerable experience including a premiership.

This year our depth has CONSIDERABLY less seniors experience, although in terms of pure talent and potential we may have lost nothing.

Just sayin'

[Auntie.Gerald]

yeah it is a fair comment re depth

I was extremely bullish on our depth.........i might be half a season to a season ahead but I still think there is some serious depth below........8 players minimum

White
Armstrong
Dre
Lambie
Rampe
Cunningham
Towers
Walsh
etc

it would be fair to say that Morton maybe in this list given he is coming back from injury and 22 players may jump ahead of him

That makes 9 players that will do us proud

plus Tommy Mitchell and Gaz if they both recover from injury !!!!

[jono2707]

I'll give you a tip it has been strengthened this season.

I'll give you a curt response....