It is almost a futile exercise trying to predict the selected 22 each week. This week�s game brings more questions:
What will the club do with Rohan?
Will Stoddart get another game or has COR or Newman earnt a go?
Will McCartin stay in as long as Reid is out?
When will we add another tall?
For me, I don�t see the point in playing a kid only one game. I reckon Stoddart is given another this week. I think McCartin is the one who may well be rotated into the NEAFL replaced by Towers.
I mostly agree. I'd be happy to see us stay unchanged for another week. Great opportunity to get some games into the youngsters while also allowing Buddy and Hanners to get back up to speed.
Towers seems underdone, can't see him returning yet despite his versatility and good form earlier in the year. If anything I'd rather reward the form of Robbo/Newman/Fox/COR.
Why didn�t Rohan play in the NEAFL on the weekend?
Possibly he was the designated senior emergency. All the other named emergencies played NEAFL.Originally Posted by Markwebbos
He looked pretty sore at times during the Freo game, so I wonder if they chose to give him a week off playing footy, but in the knowledge he could come into the senior team if needed at the last minute.
If Stoddart is okay to back up after 6 days rest then I'd give him another game, as much as I would like to reward some of our well-performing reserves' players. It's a tossup for me between COR, Newman and Fox as to who should come in next (non-KPP replacement).
I would make 2 changes this week:
1. Bring in Cameron for McCartin. I think it's the right time to give Darcy his debut. He's been performing consistently well in the reserves and McCartin has had a good run in the seniors and can now go back to the NEAFL to further develop his game. I'm also looking to ease the workload on Sinclair ahead of the game against West Coast in 3 weeks, where he will likely be up against 2 ruckmen. Cameron and Sinclair have both played as regular key forwards, so swapping them between ruck and forward should be natural. Reid should be back not long after the bye and we can reassess the forward ruck situation at that time.
2. Aliir in for Marsh. With Melican now looking to miss the next 3 games, I think it's time to roll the dice with Aliir. He hasn't really done enough to warrant a call up, but he's been solid enough in the reserves. The thing I haven't liked about Aliir's game this year is his lack of urgency. He lopes rather than runs as the play moves around the ground. But his skills and vision are good and he looks like an AFL player when he's not complacent. We need another tall defender to ease the pressure on Rampe and allow him to play more as loose man in defence, where he is most valuable. I would give Aliir a run in the seniors for the next 3 games and reassess after the bye when Melican is due back.
I thought Marsh was ordinary. I would. Like to see Newman replace him. I thought Cameron deserves a go, with McCartin dropped. It will also give Sinclair a bit of a break.
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I thought Marsh was solid, and excellent in the last quarter. He is a much more defensive player than Newman and offers less going the other way. But he�s accountable to his man and the team and I think that�s why he�s getting picked.
Agree with AB that it�s very difficult to predict the changes and there�s likely to be some change.
And at NEAFL level, where's he more confident, he provides plenty of run too. He's quicker than Mills and a better kick, plus around the same height. He doesn't measure up to Mills on the "game reading" index and his overhead marking isn't as good, but he has plenty to offer.
I suspect that, if Melican were available (or Aliir in better form), they'd bring a taller player into the defence. But surely Marsh deserves a couple of weeks to readjust to playing in the senior team? Some of our cemented in defenders (including Mills) played some ordinary games at the start of the year but the coaches stuck by them. The same treatment isn't often afforded the senior fringe players.
I think it is interesting that Ludwig is now supporting the idea of 2 ruckmen
I'm sympathetic with this viewpoint, and I quite like Marsh as a competent fill in player when required. It's been a long road for him and he's hung in there to become a reliable enough player.
The other side of the coin is that there has to be a considered projection of where a player will be in the future and Marsh doesn't quite project as a regular in the Swans' lineup. I have commented in the past that I thought Marsh was good enough to make it as a regular AFL player for a lesser team, but probably not the Swans.
I've suggested bringing Aliir into the side even though his recent form has been less than inspiring, but contrary to Marsh, Aliir does project as a regular KD in the future which looks most likely to have a Melican-Aliir key defender combo once Reg retires. If Aliir falls over, then perhaps Maibaum will be the 2nd KD. I still like Rampe as a 3rd tall and Mills in the midfield. Toby Pink is likely to switch to defence with the positive form of McCartin and Amartey, as well as the impending recruiting of Nick Blakey.
I sent a memo to Tom Harley at the start of the season titled "The Return of the Ruckman." I am now projecting that the norm for clubs a few years down the road will be to play 2 forward-ruckmen. If they are good enough, Sinclair, Cameron and Amartey can all play that position. If Aliir were a better forward, he might fit the bill as well.I think it is interesting that Ludwig is now supporting the idea of 2 ruckmen
PS: Harley was so impressed by my memo that my recent trip to the Balkans was on company business looking for a ruckman from the crop of basketball players not quite good enough to make the NBA and might want to give AFL a go. There are some excellent tall NBA stars that come from this region, like Bojan Bogdanovi?, Dario �ari? and Nikola Joki?. KB would normally go on recruiting trips, but they decided to send me since I can read Cyrillic and am fluent in Vulgarian. I'm happy to report that I've signed a Croatian player as an international rookie. His name is Hugo Pani?.
Some of your best work Ludwig - brilliant!!!
"You get the feeling that like Monty Python's Black Knight, the Swans would regard amputation as merely a flesh wound."
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