The Melican comparison doesn't stand up as Melican has only played as a defender, while this was the first game I can remember where Sinclair did not share the ruck duties. He's often played as our number 1 ruckman, albeit not particularly well.
The only real knock I've had on Sinclair has been his marking, which seems to have significantly improved.
Hopefully the days of playing 3 tall forwards are long gone, after we've been playing our best footy since dropping the 2nd ruckman.
I've long stated that we made a mistake by investing too much in spots and cap space into ruckmen and now find ourselves with superfluous players. I hope we can unload Tippett after this season, but he's still on our list and potentially our best player for that spot in the side and I think this week, with Reid under and injury cloud, we should give Tippo a go. I don't know what we would do if Tippett and Sinclair both played very well. It would present a real selection dilemma for the following week.
BTW, if Sinclair can play consistently with the form of last week, he would be more useful than Naismith as a primary ruckman, even if he's not as good as Sam at the stoppages. His coverage around the ground and goal kicking would more than compensate for deficiencies as a ruckman. Replacing Naismith is not the same as replacing Mummy of Max Gawn.
All that said, I don't expect any changes this week. I'm only suggesting a couple that I believe would improve the side, but I can understand that Longmire doesn't like to change a winning side.
PS: We are not playing Aliir this year for fear that if he played in the seniors the AFL would impose an Excessive Talent Luxury Tax on the Swans.
Those are impressive stats especially the tackles, which I must admit I didn't figure in. Dawson is a fine player but there are two aspects of his game that disturb me and perhaps colour my opinion:
A) his marked lack of leg speed
B) his unwillingness to share the ball on the forward line
I hope I am wrong about him and that any deficiencies in his game are not irreversible.
Hayward won every contest in which he was involved, he was a target for players coming out of defence and he played a strong defensive role covering one side of the ground when we were locking down the D50.
Naismith is developing really well. He suits our clearance set up really well and is deceptively agile. He also pressures the opposition much better than either Tippett or Sinclair. With our set up, he hardly ever goes forward. If he spent more time up forward, he would kick goals. He is obviously regarded by the match committee as our best ruckman and he will get a lot better. Tippett is not reliable physically and is now back up, albeit a talented one.
"Fortunately, this is the internet, so knowing nothing is no obstacle to having an opinion!." Beerman 18-07-2017
Going to the game tomorrow night. Should be a cracker. Barring late injuries I forsee no changes but I would love to see Dawson first hand. It's a pity his superb is form is coinciding with the seniors great form. Haywoods injury was ill timed as well. He may find it tough to break back in.....but should at some point. Allir maybe unlucky this year as well....Go Swans!!
Just on everyone talking about Sinclair not playing solely as a forward. Please stand corrected. He was recruited to wce predominantly as a forward who got turned into a forward/ ruck then ruck/forward then a ruck who helped occasionally down forward. personally I've always thought his spot was forward.
Back on topic we win this week we win comfortably. No change unless Reid gets called up.
Yeah, me too. To the point that I thought maybe I misinterpreted how he came to the Swans as many here seem to see him as a Ruck who drifts forward from time to time.
I've always seem him (ideally) as a forward who can be used in a ruck as an option.
In a perfect world you've have 2 talls who can more than adequately relieve the ruck - one from the forward line and one from the back line depending on how the game is travelling.
The difference between insanity and genius is measured only in success.
I think Tippett will have to come into the side IF he is fit. Naismith has been great for us and he will only get better, but he won't dominate a game for us like Tippett can. Come finals time, we'll need Tippett's big body around stoppages -- PLUS he can rotate with Sinclair and snag a goal or two at FF. Tippett + Sinclair will offer more than Naismith + Sinclair, and there's no reason we shouldn't be playing Tippett if he's fit.
Also, what are our thoughts on Cunningham? Was definitely in our best 22 before he got injured, and is now listed as Test on the injury list. Obviously, he'll play through the reserves first, but is there even a place for him in the seniors anymore when he's fit again?
You sound like you'd like us to revert to the "rounds 1-6" team structure?
The thing about playing 1 ruckman is it removes the temptation to play them elsewhere. Sometimes flexibility is overrated. Be a specialist.
Interesting to note that statistically-speaking, "The Swans are now about as good as they were this time last year".
Footy Forensics Sydney Swans could rewrite history how have they done it?
Main change I want to see is in the "versus Hawthorn mindset". I think we've won 7 of the last 20 encounters...time to believe that this great streak of form can take them down.
As a pure ruckman I've never believed he could carry a side to a premiership but as a forward who relieves in the ruck occasionally he could play a part. When he first started at wce he looked like he could develop into something pretty good as I expected as he matured he would start holding his marks. Being turned into a ruck could have slowed his development as a forward so maybe, n that's a big maybe, he might turn it around. The next month will say a lot about his future. Good luck to him.
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