Enter the DOK - RWO Reserves match report

[liz]

We bring it all to you here at RWO. A bit like the seniors, the Swans reserves have started this year as they finished the last. Except that means a very comfortable victory. Old Royboy was there from the opening bounce and he brings you a report (http://redandwhiteonline.com/content.php?id=919_0_2_0_C) on what he saw.

Great way to kick off the match reports for this season!

And check back later on, when we'll hopefully have added some photos from Ugg.

[ugg]

Thanks for the report ORB, I agree with many of your observations.

What sort of position do you think DOK could take up in the seniors? I noticed in the Record he kicked 30+ goals in the TAC Cup last year so he could possibly follow in ROK's footsteps even though he's a smidgin shorter. His kicking style is so like his cousin's if he dyed his hair blonde and put on #5 jumper he could definitely pass for ROK.

[Frog]

Thanks ORB. Good read.

[liz]

Now has some photos from Ugg added.

[Old Royboy]

Thanks for the report ORB, I agree with many of your observations.

What sort of position do you think DOK could take up in the seniors? I noticed in the Record he kicked 30+ goals in the TAC Cup last year so he could possibly follow in ROK's footsteps even though he's a smidgin shorter. His kicking style is so like his cousin's if he dyed his hair blonde and put on #5 jumper he could definitely pass for ROK.

Waay too early to tell, as I said in the report lets see him in the midfield. The similarity in kicking is unreal, set shots the same, under pressure the same funny stutter kick. If he's just as good we have a gem.

[liz]

How does he look physically? Is he a chance to play senior football this year, do you think?

And based on what you saw of Schneider yesterday, did he look ready to come back into the senior team next week or did he look like he needs another run in the twos first?

[Old Royboy]

His build is slight but I don't particularly see that as a problem. Bryce Gibbs is no Schwarzeneger, but I just saw him do some nice things at the G today. I'm more interested in how big DOK's engine is, how he goes at the contested ball, how elusive he is and can he make the correct decisions under pressure. These are all unknowns until we see a bit more, but his debut was pretty good.

On what I saw, Schneider is definitely ready to come back. It will dpend on whether the club deems him fit enough.

[dimelb]

Thanks ORB, the way one or two in the firsts are playing it is very encouraging to hear what's happening in the twos. Our midfield needs revitalising - or a cattle prod.

[giant]

Interest in the DOK increases given the performance of Mitch Brown on Saturday night, the player some pundits think we should have gone for on draft day.

[ugg]

Official website report: http://sydneyswans.com.au/Season2007/Reserves/tabid/9298/Default.aspx

Great, there's a bye next week.

[Wardy]

We bring it all to you here at RWO. A bit like the seniors, the Swans reserves have started this year as they finished the last. Except that means a very comfortable victory. Old Royboy was there from the opening bounce and he brings you a report (http://redandwhiteonline.com/content.php?id=919_0_2_0_C) on what he saw.

Great way to kick off the match reports for this season!

And check back later on, when we'll hopefully have added some photos from Ugg.


Hey I was there with him - helping trying to decifer the players numbers (ok so I was reading the paper as well) but I was helping in some way!!!!

[hammo]

Apologies if this is discussed in another thread, but no Crouch?

Also, is that Donk's first or second game back? I wonder how far he is off senior selection.

[Sanecow]

Barlow appears to have had a growth spurt over the summer

Move along, nothing to see here.

[Wardy]

Apologies if this is discussed in another thread, but no Crouch?

Also, is that Donk's first or second game back? I wonder how far he is off senior selection.

No Crouch - Schneids & Doyle were there though and they seemed to pull up well. I personally think we missed Crouch in the seniors - he would have tagged Judd and made a difference.

[Old Royboy]

No Crouch. Somebody may be able to confirm if the Donk had a run at the bus stop oval, but AFAIK it was his first game. He probably played about 60 minutes - when Shaw wasn't rucking he went forward, but Donk rested on the pine when Duke took over. Reckon he will need a couple more weeks - no magoos next week won't help him much either.

[Jeffers1984]

Interest in the DOK increases given the performance of Mitch Brown on Saturday night, the player some pundits think we should have gone for on draft day.

Yep so have my interests. Let's hope we haven't made a huge @@@@ up here. DOK could become a very good attacking midfielder for us and one we've been screaming for (goalkicking midfielder).

[Northern_Swan]

In accordance with the new ACTAFL rules that there can only be 15 listed players on the ground at one time there were 5 top up players in the 22, Craig Bird plus four unknowns with 50 plus numbers. The four unknowns spent most of their time occupying largely redundant backline positions.

The AFL Canberra site had the players names & numers listed as:
49 BIRD, Craig
50 WOODS, Ben
51 EDIRIWICKRAMA, Ranga
54 ANGEL, Tom
55 HAINES, Ben

This rule could mean that more RAMS players get significant time at a higher level which can only be a positive come national championships.


Good report & photo's too, cheers :D

[ugg]

The AFL Canberra site had the players names & numers listed as:
49 BIRD, Craig
50 WOODS, Ben
51 EDIRIWICKRAMA, Ranga
54 ANGEL, Tom
55 HAINES, Ben

This rule could mean that more RAMS players get significant time at a higher level which can only be a positive come national championships.


Good report & photo's too, cheers :D
44 was also a top up player, not Matthew Davis.

[strange]

The AFL Canberra site had the players names & numers listed as:
49 BIRD, Craig
50 WOODS, Ben
51 EDIRIWICKRAMA, Ranga
54 ANGEL, Tom
55 HAINES, Ben


I played footy with both Ranga and Tom last year at Penno and was shocked to see them run around ina swans jumper. Great opportunity for these guys

[smasher]

I am still a believer that Moore could develop as the type we need in the midfield.I watched him through his junior games and then in the TAC cup where he was All Australian and Victoria's B+F in the carnival.All this footy was in the midfield and he is very good at getting the hard ball.He's an in and under player and over time will develop into a key player for us.

[SimonH]

Only 15 on the field at one time-- no arguments there, fair enough, and yes it does provide a good development opportunity for Rams squad members as well.

But only 18 selected in a 22-man squad? This means that (presuming the 3 league emergencies are available to play 2nds, and big Currie is not), if we have any fewer than 5 out through injury, someone doesn't get a game. Which would be absolute freakin' insanity, and would seem to undercut the whole point of having a dedicated Swans reserves side.

Based on my guesswork, it seems that out of our Currie-free squad of 45, Bevan, Brennan, Crouch, M O'Dwyer, Heath Grundy, LRT and Smoky Davis didn't play at either level on the weekend. So 38 warm bodies available; 22 league, 16 reserves, 6 reserves top-up. That's fine. But all except for LRT are expected to become available in the next month or so. So, barring another spate of injuries (touch wood), there is a real chance that we will be saying to some of our junior squad (the ones who benefit most from playing in Canberra), 'Sorry, we'd like to play you but can't.'

What's the contingency plan? They play for the opposition (whether or not the opposition wants 'em)? They get thrown into a Sydney comp side (losing the consistency of coaching, team plans etc)? They are told to go have a dob in the park and do 20 situps at the end?

Surely the solution is that if the 2nds have more than the quota available, they (and their opposition for the day) can just play with a bigger bench. That would allow the Canberrans to keep the rule that we must pick 4 non-squad players, and must have 3 of 'em on the ground at any one time, without stuffing up the idea of a Swans reserves.

PS Don't know about anyone else, but I'm rootin' for Ranga Ediriwickrama to become a huge star of the AFL. Apparently he plays a little cricket, too.

[ugg]

Simon I believe the limit of 18 is purely for logistical reasons. Since only 15 can be on the field at once, that means the other 3 are on the bench with 1 top up player as a reserve. We can't increase this number to 19 because then all the benchwarmers would be listed players and if one of the top up players get injured we have no one to replace him.

[SimonH]

Simon I believe the limit of 18 is purely for logistical reasons. Since only 15 can be on the field at once, that means the other 3 are on the bench with 1 top up player as a reserve. We can't increase this number to 19 because then all the benchwarmers would be listed players and if one of the top up players get injured we have no one to replace him.I follow the logistics of the current setup. That doesn't change the fact that the rule is likely (barring a continual flow of injuries) to cause very unfavourable results for the Swans at some point during the year.

The only way out, as far as I can see, is to allow us (and our opponents of course) to name a side of more than 22 players, and play an extended bench, in circs where we have more than 18 able-bodied squad members available to play in the 2s. For example: 24 man squad, comprised of 20 Swans-listed players and 4 top-ups, with a 6-man bench. On game day, at any one time: 15 Swans-listed players and 3 top-ups on the field; 5 Swans-listed players and one top-up on the pine.