Originally Posted by
liz
That's not the Swans' game plan - not the one we have when we're playing well. What they try to do is pinpoint passes from around CHB (and sometimes from a deeper position) into the middle, run and carry for a bit, and then kick forward. It's frustrating enough that they kick long into the forward line as much as they do, rather than try to carry it a bit further and then find a short to medium target. If we resorted to just kicking long from further back it would be unwatchable. Especially as we're not particularly strong overhead in the midfield. Not compared to other teams.
I think the issue with Stephens and his kicking is more around decision making than actual execution. At VFL level, where's he's mostly played in heavy traffic, he often tries to kick before he's created space for himself and has the kick smothered. Or when he does find space (which he's good at using his pace to do), he kicks while he's still off balance. And without thinking of a target. His short kicking - when he has a target to aim at - has been much better in the VFL this year than it was during his stint there last season where he frequently misjudged the depth of the kick.
If Sheldrick's ankle problem that he incurred last week means he's not right to play this week, I'd be quite happy to see them trial Stephens this week in the senior team, to be used as a part of the onball rotation. He does have the pace to create space in a way we don't really have while Chad is out. I think he's quicker than Chad, though he lacks the power through his legs to barge through tackles the way that Chad can. Right now, I'd back his defensive efforts (tackling) over Chad's too. It's one thing he's been consistently doing well in the VFL, and something Chad picks and chooses when to do.
I'm not advocating we would pick him instead of Chad, but Chad's not available this week. We don't know if he'll be available next week. With the season effectively over from a finals perspective, I do think it would be a chance to try a few things.
I do believe there is a good AFL player within Stephens, trying to emerge. He's almost certainly the most athletically gifted player we have. I think only Errol has the physical and mental endurance to run, run, run in the way I think Stephens can. And he's a little quicker than Errol.
I have a hunch - and maybe I'm way off base - that Stephens sees himself as, or wants to be, an inside mid rather than a specialist wingman. And the prolonged spell in the midfield at VFL level, with only one interruption to play as the senior sub - has almost been a deal between Stephens and the coaches to prove that he can play there.
I still reckon his best chance of a prolonged AFL career, whether at the Swans or elsewhere, will prove to be as a predominantly outside player. Or if he really wants to be an onballer, he needs to really work on his creative handball craft and how to use that more often in traffic rather than try to kick all the time. But he has a team mate - in Errol - who should act as a model of how not to be defined or limited by the role. Sometimes Errol is part of the centre bounce rotations, some games he rarely attends them. Sometimes he keeps his width even when it puts him in an unusable position, sometimes he goes ball chasing a bit more. But you never get a feeling that he's constrained by his starting position. He gets to contests and he gets to space regardless. I don't see any reason why Stephens can't achieve a similar balance. Sure, he's never going to have the vision or kicking skills of Errol. But he is a little quicker and a bit taller, which he should be able to use to his advantage. And in any case, even if he's not quite up to the level that Errol's trajectory suggests, that's no disgrace. It doesn't mean he can't be a valuable and effective contributor.
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