More exotic Swans to debut tomorrow

[ShockOfHair]

Mike Pyke and Rhyce Shaw are not the only exotic Swans on debut tomorrow.

Ex-volleyballer Jake Orreal:

The former Marist Brothers Ashgrove schoolboy will complete one of the most bizarre journeys to mainstream football
Orreal set to make Swans debut - AFL - Fox Sports (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25085783-23211,00.html)

And a Pom who's teaching our players to beat the goalkicking yips.

He readily admits he doesn't actually know how to kick a Sherrin.
Pom to kick-start Swans season - AFL - Fox Sports (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25086038-23211,00.html)


Whatever the shortcomings of the Swans list, it certainly doesn't lack for diversity.

[satchmopugdog]

Mike Pyke and Rhyce Shaw are not the only exotic Swans on debut tomorrow.

Ex-volleyballer Jake Orreal:

Orreal set to make Swans debut - AFL - Fox Sports (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25085783-23211,00.html)

And a Pom who's teaching our players to beat the goalkicking yips.

Pom to kick-start Swans season - AFL - Fox Sports (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25086038-23211,00.html)


Whatever the shortcomings of the Swans list, it certainly doesn't lack for diversity.

Will we be the first team to have a woman coach or player????????????

[ShockOfHair]

We'll work our way towards that through gays, bis and transgenders.

[givekidsakick]

We'll work our way towards that through gays, bis and transgenders.

Thats why we kicked in $500k to open the recruiting office at Club Swans...

[dimelb]

Good on them for not being stuck with the SOT.

[573v30]

I'm surprised they haven't approached any of us RWOers to help them out.

[mcs]

I hope the Yips removal expert does his job!

It is one area imo that no club does enough work on. If you can consistently kick straight week in week out, you are going to be up there, even if you are not the best team in the competition. For you can be outplayed and still win matches if you kick straight enough and take your chances. Something that we have been guilty of at times of not doing!

[Jewels]

I hope the Yips removal expert does his job!

It is one area imo that no club does enough work on. If you can consistently kick straight week in week out, you are going to be up there, even if you are not the best team in the competition. For you can be outplayed and still win matches if you kick straight enough and take your chances. Something that we have been guilty of at times of not doing!

If memory serves me correctly, didn't we have one of the highest conversion percentages in 04 & 05?

[liz]

If memory serves me correctly, didn't we have one of the highest conversion percentages in 04 & 05?

I think it was 2003 where we had an extraordinarily high conversion rate. Since then we've been close to the bottom of the pack.

[goswannie14]

I thought the same as Jewels. I thought our 05 conversion rate was amongst the top 3 or 4 in the league.

[Nthblood]

I like the idea that the swans think outside the box when it comes to recruiting, training etc etc. Can't knock them for trying different things, I can't wait for the game today to see how these new guys like Pyke and Orreal go.

[mcs]

You could be correct about 03,04,05 but I was thinking more the last couple of seasons.

The games that stick in the mind are the nights we have played terribly and come back with a flurry (I.e Collingwood a couple of times at ANZ) in the 3rd or 4th quarter to have a sniff and invariably blown 3 or 4 fairly simple chances in a short period to give up any real chance to come back.

Often it is matches where we are totally outplayed, but where taking our chances when they present themselves would have kept us closer to being in the contest and allowed us maybe to sneak home over the top.

It will be very interesting to see how the new blokes shape up today!

[connolly]

I like the idea that the swans think outside the box when it comes to recruiting, training etc etc. Can't knock them for trying different things, I can't wait for the game today to see how these new guys like Pyke and Orreal go.

Today reminds me of seasons of some time ago. The new recruit, usually some raw boned hayseed from some tiny spot in the Wimmera would stride out onto the Lake Oval with our high hopes and expectations. By round three he was in the twos and reality was grinding us down for another season of gallant defeats. Todays game is worth seeing just for the big mountie. One prediction - after todays game he will be the MOOSE (Wayne Henwood where are you son?)

[ugg]

Goals and behinds, of course it doesn't take into account OOBOTF and the like.


Year|Goals|Behinds|Accuracy
2008|302|283|51.6%
2007|297|249|54.4%
2006|304|274|52.6%
2005|287|252|53.2%
2004|287|216|57.1%
2003|320|222|59.0%
2002|310|263|54.1%
2001|307|279|52.4%
2000|333|256|56.5%

[ShockOfHair]

Goals and behinds, of course it doesn't take into account OOBOTF and the like.


Year|Goals|Behinds|Accuracy
2008|302|283|51.6%
2007|297|249|54.4%
2006|304|274|52.6%
2005|287|252|53.2%
2004|287|216|57.1%
2003|320|222|59.0%
2002|310|263|54.1%
2001|307|279|52.4%
2000|333|256|56.5%


Whoa! That 2008 figure is telling. It certainly felt like it at the time.

I hope Ben Moore has taught the lads how to bend less with the Sherrin.

[satchmopugdog]

[QUOTE=connolly;427200]Today reminds me of seasons of some time ago. The new recruit, usually some raw boned hayseed from some tiny spot in the Wimmera would stride out onto the Lake Oval with our high hopes and expectations. By round three he was in the twos and reality was grinding us down for another season of gallant defeats. QUOTE]


And that was why the play "The Big Men Fly" with Achilles Jones the recruit from Manangatang who could kick wheat bags but had never played a game of Aussie Rules was based on a team that had not won a Premiership since 1933. I wonder which team that could be???

[ShockOfHair]

If that were made today, it would be called "The Talls Execute Well".

The new recruit would be from Ireland with a fast-talking manager, a Nike sponsorship and a blonde WAG. Or from somewhere really obscure, like northern Tasmania - no. 1 in the draft with dreadlocks and the highest vertical leap ever recorded.

The footy club will have 15 coaches: forwards coach, small forwards coach, tall forwards coach, assistant forwards coach, etc.

The club, despite its losing investment in a chain of pokie clubs, will be overloaded with the latest training kit. It will have just acquired an experimental "medical weapon" that supposedly makes players five years younger. A celebrity surgeon will be on permanent standby to perform miracle operations.

In between the yoga and home economics classes the players will have media training where they learn to be "really proud of the guys" even after a "disappointing" 150-point walloping and to describe every other club as "a quality team".


.... I must be bored. Bring on the footy!