Changes for Round 9 vs. Collingwood

[Bloodthirsty]

frustrating isnt it.

the truth is we are continually tinkering with that last position. maybe it is the game plan that is the problem if the cattle aren't right for the current game plan. I don't quite know what to do, and fortunately so because if i was asked i suspect id soon be out of a job. the long kicks are not working and we lack run from behind the ball which is a function of no shaw or mattner which reduces the running power by 2/3. mcveigh isnt the answer for the running and we are robbing peter by playing him too deep because he really is the only player that consistently lowers his eyes to find a target inside 50. but he does give us another player that can find a target coming out of defence.

i want to see morton and lamb starting and i am not opposed to everitt and white. if mattner is right i'd bring him in and if mummy is right - and i mean really right - id play him instead of jesse. the last place comes down to bird v everitt. tricky. I'd play everitt because i think he has more upside but the coaches would play bird because everitt has more downside. you know what you will get with bird.

so i guess for me it would be outs: walsh (mummy) (bird)
ins: lamb (white) (mattner)

more generally we need to consider goodes, bolton and rok - we need them to find form throughout a game and not for fifteen minutes each. i've been really disappointed in rok this year - not in the midfield where he has been fine, not brilliant, but fine but he was such an amazingly good hff and now he seems unable to take a mark forward of the ball. goodes always starts badly but i think hawthorn aside he is not bringing very much to the game and jude is really playing as a defensive forward now which means he has a lot of pressure on him.

apologies also to jpk - i thought it was his best game of the season on sat night and i forgot to give him votes in the tlm - if he loses it by less three it will have been my fault.

+1 re team.

I also think that in general we're not playing like the reigning premiers (for whatever reason), and there's a big question mark surrounding if or when we will. I am relatively confident we will (with a bit of luck with injuries) be right for September, but if we don't make top 4, then it doesn't look good for the flag defence. It looks like at this stage that there's only really going to be 2 top 4 spots up for grabs, given how many wins the Hawks and Cats are stringing together. It's just not a nice feeling watching a team of such potential and feel that they look as helpless as a lowly side for large stretches of time. We need cohesion via a stable team (a big factor in last year's success), and a spark via the Bloods spirit with some guys stepping up. It can't just be Hannebery all the time.

I agree that at some point soon we need to blood Mitchell as sub.

[Matimbo]

Collingwood's small forwards and midfielders are the danger. Although Cloke is a monster, they are not a tall team. Krakouer, Elliot, Dwyer, Blair will be difficult to cover with last weeks team.

Walsh out, Mattner in (Armstrong if Mattner not fit)

If Jolly is suspended, Mummy should go out for Armstrong or Lamb.

Play Jetta as a small forward and Benny in the midfield. Jetts needs to get himself away from the congestion and run into open spaces. We need a dangerous scoring threat again.

I'd still play Mummy unless he's injured. Agree that it's highly likely that Jolly will be gone for at least a week. I guess they will promote a reserve tall/ruck which should give Mummy/Pike the rucking advantage. We will need all the advantage we can get in the clearances. Their tall experienced fwds will be limited to Cloke and Lynch. Ted on Cloke, Pike/Reg rotating on Lynch plus if Marty (if fit) plays the floater role to help out with intercepts on each. On this basis, I'm optimistic we can limit their impact ... but only if we stop the flow of good delivery.

So obviously we need to match up their key 8 mids/small fwds ... Swan, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Ball (just back I know but looked OK), Krakouer, Elliot, Dwyer, Blair. We have enough good calibre players to match them ... Smith, ROK, Keiran, McVeigh, Josh K, Hanners, Jude, and Parker. Add to this Rampe and Nic Mal and Benny. This game looks well suited to Rampe with less height on their side. He could take Dwyer or Elliot. Plus Nic Mal on another. Armstrong to continue this theme as sub. Benny to rotate between fwd and midfield with Jude and ROK.

From the Pies perspective, they have to be worried about matching up Goodsey and Jetts who should play their recent roles rather than full time fwds. Then stick with Ried and Mitch as the key fwds. Out of Walsh and Everitt, I think I'd go with Everitt for his better kicking.

Concerned that Bird doesn't have the pace or current form to be in the mix for this game.

In: Mattner, Armstrong (sub)
Out: Walsh, Bird

[0918330512]

Walsh isn't even close to Morton's level. No way in hell would Morton have missed everything on Saturday night, for a start.

Do you mean his shot at goal or the ball with his foot after he marked?

[0918330512]

I'd still play Mummy unless he's injured. Agree that it's highly likely that Jolly will be gone for at least a week. I guess they will promote a reserve tall/ruck which should give Mummy/Pike the rucking advantage.

Hmmm you'd have thought that we had the rucking advantage big time last week. Didn't look it.
Pike is actually Pyke.

[0918330512]

Morton, Walsh and White are all of about the same level regarding our forward options.

If, by "same level", you mean they have played in the ressies & play as forwards, then I agree.
If you mean level on potential output, experience or ability ... are you serious??

White is a 50+ game player. Has kicked a bag in the ressies on a number of occasions. & had at least one good game in the seniors.

Morton is a premiership player. Also a 50+ game player (in fact closer to 100 games than 50). A former leading goal kicker at Richmond. & kicked over 100 career goals.

Tommy ... has a friendly smile. He's by far the second best Irishman to wear the number 17 for the Swans since the club was founded in 1874. & doesn't always fail to make contact with the ball with his foot when kicking after marking (though when he does make contact successfully, it doesn't necessarily translate into an effective disposal).

Don't get me wrong, I want to see all these boys succeed for us, but to suggest that they are all currently at the same level ... I'll have what Barry's having! Sounds like it's good stuff!

[longmile]

In: Tippet, Shaw, Johnson
Out: Walsh, Rampe, Everitt

[Ludwig]

Despite having a poor game, I would be willing to give Walsh another go, including using him as a defender, but this game against the Pies is not the one. We need to get a smaller quicker player to counter their current squad, which will also include at least one change with Heath Shaw coming back from suspension, which will make them even quicker.

Out of the tall options that include Walsh, White and Everitt, I would be inclined to give Drey a run of games. He hasn't overly impressed, but has done a few good things. He also has the best chance of succeeding in the end, is the youngest of the 3 and is unlikely under any circumstances to be cut from the side after the end of the season. He can also play as a second ruck option, ala LRT. Good enough to fill in at the taps and can compete around the ground.

Not long now before the MRP will decide on Jolly, but I would think that the Cats would be upset if Kelly got suspended and Jolly didn't. But then, logic has never been the MRP's strength. In any case, I would think that Shaw will come in for a ruckman and they will go with Lynch as the ruck/forward. We are all wondering what the problem is with Mummy, whether it's injury or a form slump. He hasn't been awful, but you have to consider if we could not find a better contributor until he gets over whatever it is that's ailing him. The Pyke/Mummy combo is not producing the dominance one would hope for, so let's try a bit more speed instead of height. I don't think we have any combination of tall that can exploit the Collingwood defence. They have always been more vulnerable to small forwards.

Mitchell as a sub is intriguing. Maybe it is time. Plenty of good rolls for Bird against the Pies and should be given a start.

[0918330512]

In: Tippet, Shaw, Johnson
Out: Walsh, Rampe, Everitt

While you're naming players who (while excellent) can't, for a variety of reasons, play for us this week, lets pick Plugger, Pratt, Nash, Deisel, Skilts, Kelly & Healy (all in their primes tho)

[Matimbo]

Hmmm you'd have thought that we had the rucking advantage big time last week. Didn't look it.
Pike is actually Pyke.

I actually did think we looked better in the clearances on the w/e despite the result. In particular, Josh K seems to rack up many more possessions when Mummy is in the side. Overall, the clearance stats v Freo were almost even. This despite Mummy being first game back and looking rusty. Hence, if fit I'd keep Mummy in the side on the expectation he will improve with gametime.

Opps, my bad re the spelling. Have to remember to use the "Y". I lyke Myke Pyke.

[erica]

No Shaw this week, Mattner to do fitness test and Reid to stay in the forwards.

Reid to remain a forward - SYDNEYSWANS.com.au

[The Big Cat]

Jolly no charge to answer! MRP

[aardvark]

While you're naming players who (while excellent) can't, for a variety of reasons, play for us this week, lets pick Plugger, Pratt, Nash, Deisel, Skilts, Kelly & Healy (all in their primes tho)

Don't leave out Wazza!