I know I shouldn't be worried but i am worried
I know I shouldn't be worried but i am worried
Gold Coast thrashed Geelong during the week. Early days.Originally Posted by Legs Akimbo
In reality half the team didn’t play, and our reserves are not all first round picks like GWS.
It wasn't great, but still early days.
We have shallow depth, so the absence of Mills, Heeney, Buddy, Papley, and Reid, which includes 4 of our top ten players, is keenly felt. I thought Gould and Stephens showed a bit. Blakey showed his class at times.
Having said that, we're still too light in the middle. The forward line was non-existent, but missing the four above.
Looking forward to seeing us play with more front-liners next week.
I know it's only preseason, but I can't really recall a lamer Swans performance. While I suppose that you don't really want to show full on desperation in a practice match, there was far too much jogging a few metres behind Giants players, as they did as they pleased. While offensively, our lack of cohesion was offensive. And making it worse, the Giants preseason training has probably been two or three weeks less than ours.
Good point.
Maybe. Maybe not. They played virtually an NEAFL team, at least half. Our NEAFL team beat theirs last year.
What I am worried about is the lack of effort from our senior players, Parker excepted. Too much 'I can't be bothered chasing'.
In 2016 we got absolutely blown away by these guys at Drumoyne. It was 60-94 in the end and as bad as that looked I always had a sense we were going to bounce back. Which we did in the next match and in the season itself. I don't feel that here. There is just a total lack of cohesion in this squad. They seem to totally lack direction and were playing to a 2017 Game Plan. Yes it could be a ruse by the coaches not to let the cat out of the bag so to speak and I hope it is. Because the alternative is frightening.
GWS are very a good team with great depth and talent who will finish top 4 (alongside Richmond, West Coast and likely Collingwood). For first game debutants like Gould, Stephens, Warner, Wicks and Knoll It would've seemed like a baptism of fire to face such a high quality team first up. It was like watching men v boys when you see how many mature bodies GWS fielded compared to us. Dermie mentioned couple of times our young team looked to be fatiguing quickly as GWS ran them off their feet. Nevertheless it was demoralising to watch us go goalless for almost 3 quarters till Hayward kicked that late clever goal. Our conversion was again found wanting compared to GWS who put away every opportunity presented to them and kept the pressure on all day.
The positives: NO INJURIES or REPORTS (Parker's head high contact on Briggs was completely accidental and hope it doesn't get over played by the media in light of this week's Polly Farmer CTE revelation). I also liked Naismith's aggression at times and Florent's game. I expect a better performance next week especially from the likes of McCartin, Rowbottom, Ronke, Hayward and Taylor who were found wanting for the time they were on the ground. The likely inclusions of Papley, Mills, Lloyd and possibly Heeney next week should gives a better indication where we're at. Not sure if Reid is a chance to play next week, otherwise it's almost certain we'll be without him and Buddy for R1. Rather they both wait till their 100% right rather being rushed for R1 and then forced to carry/manage niggling injuries for rest of the season.
+1 on those for you mentioned. If they are getting games we are in trouble, though Gray's endeavour today was admirable.
That was a spanking today. I was left shaking my head at the result. How the tables have turned since GWS first entered the competition. They don't really have a weakness and with excellent list management, are not likely to in the foreseeable future. We've got a lot of work to do and we need to build confidence and experience into our youngsters. I hope we can keep our list together long-term, but I can't see us winning a lot out of the middle this year. I'm with the Swans to the end, and I don't think I'm being pessimistic, but it would be miraculous if we play finals.
We need to go hard after Hately and / or Caldwell come seasons end. Just can't win a clean clearance to save ourselves. Shows how dependent we are on the JPK / Parker show.
Parker and Kennedy look pretty average. Am worried the game has gone past them as they aren’t superstars anymore. Would love to see Parker play forward this year.
Naismith is far from the saviour. Smashed in the hit outs by Jacobs. Sinclair no better mind you.
I liked Dawson, Colin O, Cunningham and Gray.
GWS were missing a lot more (and better) players than us, not even including Taranto. Greene, Cameron, Whitfield, Coniglio, Williams, Haynes, Ward, Kelly etc. They had their entire midfield missing and we had Longmires first choice mids (Parker, Kennedy, Hewett, Rowbottom, Florent). Very concerning!
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