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Thread: 2017 NEW team list

  1. #37
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    Newman, COR and Leonardis are three more who might come in and provide some of that outside run. I realise all are completely untested at senior level but they all showed pleasing signs in the NEAFL last year. Leonardis is probably the least celebrated (on here, at least) of the trio, but his improvement throughout last season impressed me. His defensive work (especially his tackling) was one particular area where he showed major improvement as the year wore on.

  2. #38
    I partially agree, Auntie. I perhaps don't see the need as being as pressing as you do - we did after all manage to be minor premiers and grand finalists last season and should be stronger in the season ahead thanks to the experience our squad gained (albeit the competition will be stronger too).

    I agree Laidler will be under pressure. He already was at the end of last season. He is a good player but with limitations and run and carry is not his thing. I agree that Hewett is under pressure in that he needs to lift his game above where it was last season but he is young and I expect him to do this - last year was his first ever season at senior level. He brings a lot of great attributes: tough, skilful, disciplined, smart, can kick on both sides. Whereas while Laidler can continue to improve you would expect less rapid further development as he is more mature and has done the bulk of his improvement already.

    I can also see Macca coming under pressure as the season rolls along, especially if he is stripped of the captaincy. We need him to transfer his leadership skills and effectively groom his successors to point fingers in his absence. His ability to influence a match is diminishing and so perhaps is his consistency. I say that with great respect and also with a bit of a caveat because injury made it hard for him last season and if he has a good run with injury he could have a better year in 2017.

    This morning I woke up feeling a little bit optimistic about Towers after being ready to write him off last season. He is someone that is capable of running and carrying. He has a lot of talent and is evidently trying really hard, evidenced by his 6th place finish in the time trial. His problems seem to be more mental and psychological. I don't think he has a great footy brain so I can't see him ever becoming a great player (I wish this didn't sound so harsh - not everyone can be "great") but if he can really believe in himself and have confidence, he can still become a valuable role player for us, at least until someone else (Dawson? Edwards? Fisher? BJ??) overtakes him.

    I don't think Florent is ready for senior footy and I don't see him getting many, if any, games next season. Hopefully he's going to be a wonderful addition for us but he is going to need a one or two pre-seasons and seasons in the magoos to build strength (less sure whether he needs to build his tank - he's already run a 15 beep test I think). Probably the same for Hayward, especially with Dawson in front of him playing a similar role. I'm so stoked that Dawson finished in front of Rampe and Lloyd in the time trial - amazing effort. I'm thinking they have only just returned from their off seasons and may improve over the pre-season. But if Dawson can hold his position in the top 10 of the time trial, that definitely bodes well for his season. If he's doing the other things the coaches are asking of him (defensively or whatever) then I can definitely see him getting games this season.

    Someone who is overlooked is Leonardis. I'm not really sure how he's tracking and what he needs to work on before he gets a game but he is an attacking player with the ability to run and carry of the HBF I reckon. Would be excellent to see him come on and develop in to the player we are hoping he can be for us.

    p.s. Thank you, Liz - I totally overlooked O'Riordan! And he is the player I am most looking excited to seeing getting a game this year (after AJ!!!!). He is the goods! And he can totally run and carry.

  3. #39
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    Why is Hewitt 'under pressure'? He had a very good first year and you'd expect plenty of improvement in a young guy like him. Pretty harsh....

  4. #40
    Well, I've seen a number of posters question his place in the 22 and his output did fade at the back of last season (perhaps with injury or exhaustion). However, I'm a fan and don't want to see him relegated to the twos nor do I think he should be. As I've said, it was only his first season at senior level and I think he'll come back refreshed after an off-season and pre-season, improved as a player and fully deserving of his spot.

  5. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by jono2707 View Post
    Why is Hewitt 'under pressure'? He had a very good first year and you'd expect plenty of improvement in a young guy like him. Pretty harsh....
    I think he's under pressure to the extent he's not really a natural forward and there are a fair few others in the squad who look set to challenge for a medium forward role (eg Dawson, Rose, maybe Hayward). He should be vying with Mills, Foote, Heeney et al for an opportunity to fill the midfield void left by Mitchell. Will he step up enough to play a more significant role in the midfield or will others grab the opportunity?

  6. #42
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    Having a sort of 'designated' run and carry player out of the backline is not necessarily the answer to getting more drive from defence. It's more of a label that gets placed on the player that makes it happen most often, like Johannisen or Rhyce Shaw or Heath Shaw. But they are all helped by having several attacking players so oppositions can't focus on one player.

    The Bulldogs are very good a switching play quickly and finding players on the opposite side of the ground when play closes down on one side. The Giants have a bevy of good runners so it's difficult to concentrate on a single player, although tagging Heath Shaw seems to be effective at times. Malceski and Jetta gave Rhyce more freedom to take the game on for us, in all were willing runners.

    Our defence was truly a work in progress last year and will continue on this year. I've got my tentative back 7 as Reg, Talia, Aliir, Rampe, Smith, Newman and Jones. As a group they are quicker and have more of an attacking mindset than the variety of options last year. Talia has medium pace, but likes to attack. I thought Jones did very well taking the game on under pressure, very much in the mould of a Rhyce Shaw. Newman is quick, can run and is a good kick. I've compared his game to Malceski in the past, although we can only guess at this stage how close he can get to that level. Newman can also take the kick ins, which he usually did for the Reserves. We saw what excitement Aliir adds to the back line and if we could have a big strong defender like Talia taking a key forward, that should release both Aliir and Rampe to take on more attacking roles.

    I think we once hoped that Towers would become a HBF, but he's not that kind of player at AFL level, unless he turns into a tackling machine and learns to read the play better. I doubt it would happen. If Dawson, Rose or Hayward can play a part in the Forward line, then Rohan can become a HB option, who can give us genuine breakaway speed out of defence. I don't think it will happen, but it's an option.

    It is more that the Swans as a team that is in transition to having a quicker style of game plan when we were previously viewed as a stoppage type team. I said many times that I suspected we low-balled our salary offer to Tom Mitchell to trade him out in a respectful manner in order to push along this process. I have a tentative starting 21 and lots of candidates for that last spot, McVeigh being one of them, but not at the top of the list. I think he's a very competent depth player now, but not one that fits well with the direction the Swans are taking.

    We just drafted a bevy of good runners to add to the ones already pushing for selection this year. The pace of the team as a whole will continue increase as more of these players make the senior side.

  7. #43
    I still think Lloyd is one key to the run out of defence. His 'gut running' to good positions is enormous so he provides an alternative to a 'break the lines' runner.

  8. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by Billericay View Post
    This is what Gary Buckenara said about Hayward and Florent: "I wouldn't expect he or Florent to play much next year..."
    Buckenara also said this:
    QUESTION FROM STUART: How do you feel the Swans went? They look to be picking forwards and backs. Do you think this is because of Mills and Heeney?
    I don't think it's because of Mills and Heeney, it's because it's a structural need. I think the Swans have done a good job in the draft in addressing the needs that could be a problem. I definitely like the strategy of getting Darcy Cameron from Claremont as the back-up ruckman. It won't surprise me if he becomes their No.1 ruckman.

    That's a very big statement. I would suggest that he isn't even aware that Naismith exists.

  9. #45
    Quote Originally Posted by S.S. Bleeder View Post
    That's a very big statement. I would suggest that he [Buckenara] isn't even aware that Naismith exists.
    That would surely require Buckenara didn't watch the AFL grand final. Could he actually rate Cameron as highly as Naismith?

  10. #46
    Apparently David King considers the Swans the team to beat this year and someone called Glen Luff agrees: Pure Footy: What CAN Sydney do in 2017?. Personally, I think it's hard to go past the Giants as pre-season favourites but certainly we'll be right up there. I reckon, our best players are better than their best players but we don't have their incredible depth of talent. They quite possibly have 30 players that would make any other team's best 22.

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