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Thread: Centre clearances - WTF?

  1. #1
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    Centre clearances - WTF?



    What the heck is going on here? Last 3 weeks have been (Swans noted first):
    - v Carlon w/o Judd, Murphy, Gibbs - 10-15
    - v GCS w/o anyone! - 10-9
    - v Norf - 3/16!!!

    Granted Goldstein was immense last night but clearly a concerning trend. I've been trying to spot what's wrong but don't see anything obvious. Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Veterans List Ludwig's Avatar
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    Answer: Pyke is a rugby player. We need a ruckman.

  3. #3
    On the Rookie List jetts32's Avatar
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    I was about to post something like this.

    I've never been more disappointed in Pyke honestly. I know he's had about 10-15 games where he's been brilliant but the other are either average or terrible.

    Last night was terrible and it was covered up by the fact we won.

    Not just losing hit outs which is bound to happen from time to time.

    But when Pyke went up against Brown and Waite he was giving away too many free kicks, this is something experienced ruckman should not be doing against the second rucks.

    We honestly need a ruckman that's a football player, what I mean by this, look at Goldstein, Nic Nat and even Bliscavs now (aswell as many others).

    The provide a second midfield option, they're actual football players, where Pyke is just a tap ruckman and when he loses the taps, what is he? He went through a lot of improvement but it's been lost in my opinion.

    I know a lot want to see Naismith but we also have Derickx and Nankervis so why do we stick with Pyke?

    What I've seen from reserves highlights it's Nankervis is a genuine football player (fill me in if you get to watch the reserves).

    To me, he doesn't look like an uncoordinated ruckman, he can kick, he can take marks and he can also rest forward with results.

    Derickx has a bit of X factor about him, a bit uncoordinated but good pace and energy, we also know he can kick from outside 50 off one step, we saw that last year.

    Naismith looks a little uncoordinated but he's generally a huge beast which will be hard to match up on if he rests forward.

    Thoughts?

  4. #4
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    Further data - hit-outs (Swans noted first):
    - vs Carlton: 70-34
    - vs GCS: 51-28
    - vs Norf: 37-44

    Pyke is not the (major) problem.

  5. #5
    On the Rookie List Conor_Dillon's Avatar
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    It's not just Pyke, the midfield has a lot to answer for. The hit-outs to advantage were reasonably even so that means there are a lot of 50-50 balls that we got beaten to last night.

    To lose the centre clearances so dramatically but still win the game is a credit to our defenders.

  6. #6
    Can you feel it? Site Admin ugg's Avatar
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    Despite their positions on the ladder, Carlton and Gold Coast are among the best centre clearance teams in the league, North not so much.

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    Quote Originally Posted by giant View Post
    Further data - hit-outs (Swans noted first):
    - vs Carlton: 70-34
    - vs GCS: 51-28
    - vs Norf: 37-44

    Pyke is not the (major) problem.
    Heard an interview with Damien Hardwick about the Tigers win against Freo. Nat Fyffe had heaps of clearances because the tigers decided not to try to stop him getting the ball but influence the game once he had it. It seemed successful. Could this be the Swans thinking with centre clearances?

  8. #8
    On the Rookie List Conor_Dillon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by baskin View Post
    Heard an interview with Damien Hardwick about the Tigers win against Freo. Nat Fyffe had heaps of clearances because the tigers decided not to try to stop him getting the ball but influence the game once he had it. It seemed successful. Could this be the Swans thinking with centre clearances?
    With a forward line as potent as ours I would hope not.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by ugg View Post
    Despite their positions on the ladder, Carlton and Gold Coast are among the best centre clearance teams in the league, North not so much.
    Which would suggest centre clearances aren't necessarily the be all and end all. Although I'm sure it would make life a bit easier if we won a few more of them.

  10. #10
    I've been watching closely and I can't figure it out. Parker, Mitchell and Kennedy. But they are really bad at wining it and getting it out. Well actually seems like they can get it but they can't get it out, so ball spills free and opposition gets it.

    Seems feels like we did better with birdy in the team!

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Melbourne_Blood View Post
    Which would suggest centre clearances aren't necessarily the be all and end all. Although I'm sure it would make life a bit easier if we won a few more of them.
    I agree with this sentiment. I think centre clearances are a bit of an overrated statistic, with that said we don't want to lose it 16-3 against Hawthorn or Freo.

    Pyke is a weak spot in our team, but I'd much rather be deficient in the ruck than any other position. The problem is when he can't stop the Goldstein's, Naitanui's, Hale/Mcevoy destroying him around the ground in general play.

  12. #12
    Regular in the Side WauchopeAnalyst's Avatar
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    I believe the coaching panel takes a position from the defensive tactic. The strategy starts from every ball up, bounce, with defensive position and trying to stop teams from running straight to goal. Trying to close exits and pressure around the ball but that means we are second to the ball or no attacking structure if we win the ball. We struggle to get away clear and must of the time hacking forward. All teams know have we handpass backwards trying to release pressure and most of the time we are tackled or fumbling losing the ball. I would like to see trying to win centre clearances and kicking goals after 1 kick. I am not sure but i dont think we kicked more then 2 or 3 in 11 games and maybe we kicked none.

    And PYKE's biggest problem is not rucking, coached to tap that way, he just gives us nothing around the ground for marks and goals. I don't why but he has gone backward from the last couple of years.

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