NAB Challenge v Lions

[magic.merkin]

Most of my thoughts have been covered. I will just say there hasn't been enough love for Jetta, I thought he played well. And his two boundary line tackles were aggressive and strong. Hope to seem him exposed one out a few more times with the ball coming in, but I may be comfortable with him off the HB by the time it's over.

Bird is important. Played ok, but disposal was poor on the far tv wing a few times.

And I think the only mid with any real intent, was the reigning champ Parker. I also loved his tirade at their #8 who Parker felt squibbed/didn't take the ball with Parker baring down on him thus free kick. A part of the audio came through over TV.

[Conor_Dillon]

I still feel there were far more positives than negatives from Friday night's game...Heeney was all class from limited game time, Hiscox didn't look out of place, KJ, Joey, Parks, Hanners and Mitchell all might have been rusty but they all found plenty of the footy with relative ease. Jetta did some good things and younger guys like Naismith, Towers and B.Jack all showed some promise.

If anyone cares to watch the replay you'll notice that 90% of the players from Sydney weren't going in hard and were definitely thinking self preservation ahead of contested posession. This has to be a direct result of the horror injuries we've seen so far this pre-season...any NAB Challenge game that results in zero significant injuries should be seen as a success! Sydney only use them to improve match fitness, we've always kept our cards close to our chest with regards to tactics/positional set-ups etc.

[RogueSwan]

Another outbreak of Bird nonsense.
Bird has his place: he is widely regarded as the best stopper in the team. He also manages to get his own share of the ball. He is there until someone does the job better, which has not happened yet.

Even though various RWOer's have called for him to be dropped many a time over the past five years.

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I have this GF vision in my head that I can't shake. It was Brad Hill in the first quarter with miles of space at half forward with only Parker chasing 20m away. He was cantering towards Brad Hill as Hill kept pulling further away.

The only people on the Swans list with a hope of keeping up with Hill are Cunningham, Brandon Jack and Hiscox. Hiscox and Brandon may disappoint on occasions but they are electrifying and have huge upside. They must be given more time than most.

This was not due to pace but the way the team was set up defensively. Anyone given 20m of space in this game, at that level, will (should) capitalise on it. BTW BJ has had plenty of chances to show his "huge upside" and has produced nothing.

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I agree Bird might be a footballer first and athlete second but in modern day footy you need the second to be the first...

I don't agree. Last year the Hawks won with football skills, especially kicking, not because they posted the best 3km times.

[Matt80]

Another outbreak of Bird nonsense.
Bird has his place: he is widely regarded as the best stopper in the team. He also manages to get his own share of the ball. He is there until someone does the job better, which has not happened yet.

This is the question. How do you bring Tom Mitchell and Issac Heeney in and keep Bird in as well? Who is the one to miss out? You can't have them all!

[dimelb]

Another outbreak of Bird nonsense.
Bird has his place: he is widely regarded as the best stopper in the team. He also manages to get his own share of the ball. He is there until someone does the job better, which has not happened yet.

[Ludwig]

I have this GF vision in my head that I can't shake. It was Brad Hill in the first quarter with miles of space at half forward with only Parker chasing 20m away. He was cantering towards Brad Hill as Hill kept pulling further away.

The only people on the Swans list with a hope of keeping up with Hill are Cunningham, Brandon Jack and Hiscox. Hiscox and Brandon may disappoint on occasions but they are electrifying and have huge upside. They must be given more time than most.

What about Jetta, Rohan, KJ, AG, Rampe, Towers and Buddy to name a fsw. Remember the man with possession has to bounce the ball, so can run as fast.

[goswannies]

I agree Bird might be a footballer first and athlete second but in modern day footy you need the second to be the first.

The way fast teams open us up in the middle with ease is a massive concern when we have too many Bird type players.

Yup, I can just imagine the headlines at the end of the year when there is a cry from some on RWO for Bird to be traded to Collingwood "Swans flip Eddie the Bird!"

[JPK12]

I agree Bird might be a footballer first and athlete second but in modern day footy you need the second to be the first.

The way fast teams open us up in the middle with ease is a massive concern when we have too many Bird type players.

[Matt80]

Craig is highly by those in the Swans (based on his B&F perfomances) because, IMO, he is a footballer first and athlete second. We have quite a few midfielders (I may be wrong) that are good athletes that decided to play football. You don't have to be super fast if your quick with your head, feet and hands.

I have this GF vision in my head that I can't shake. It was Brad Hill in the first quarter with miles of space at half forward with only Parker chasing 20m away. He was cantering towards Brad Hill as Hill kept pulling further away.

The only people on the Swans list with a hope of keeping up with Hill are Cunningham, Brandon Jack and Hiscox. Hiscox and Brandon may disappoint on occasions but they are electrifying and have huge upside. They must be given more time than most.

[S.S. Bleeder]

The spectrum of opinion on Birdy is amazing. Bigfooty is also discussing him; Opinion - who's set for a big year? who needs a big year? Swans | BigFooty AFL Forum.

[RogueSwan]

A lot of the posters here don't seem to think too much of Birdie but he consistently finishes high in our B&F every year. Too many people simply look at the stats rather than what a player does. Preventing an opposition player from gaining possessions doesn't show in the stats.

Maybe because we already have plenty of bird type players.

Bird isnt fast either (like those mentioned) but he's a tagger. The players you've mentioned aren't. I agree that we need more midfield pace but unless we can get someone to fill Birds position he has to stay.

Craig is highly by those in the Swans (based on his B&F perfomances) because, IMO, he is a footballer first and athlete second. We have quite a few midfielders (I may be wrong) that are good athletes that decided to play football. You don't have to be super fast if your quick with your head, feet and hands.

[jono2707]

Good point. Analysis of Craig Bird's depth chart position as an inside midfield extractor has him in 4th spot behind Kennedy, Parker and Mitchell.

That'd be your analysis of your own fabricated depth chart...... Or an alternative way of repeating your misguided notion that Bird should be dropped. We've heard it all before and it hasn't happened yet so how about contacting the club directly with your concerns and not going on about it on RWO?

[S.S. Bleeder]

Bird isnt fast either (like those mentioned) but he's a tagger. The players you've mentioned aren't. I agree that we need more midfield pace but unless we can get someone to fill Birds position he has to stay.

[Matt80]

Maybe because we already have plenty of bird type players.

Good point. Analysis of Craig Bird's depth chart position as an inside midfield extractor has him in 4th spot behind Kennedy, Parker and Mitchell. Some would argue that he should be in 3rd spot ahead of Tom Mitchell.

Kennedy, Parker, Mitchell and Bird are not fast players. How many can you play in the one team when you play Port Adelaide, The Hawks or the Lions. If you play them all then you may end up with a match up against a player such as Isaac Smith, Brad Hill or a Cyril Rioli. They will be destroyed in open space even if they are competitive in tight.

You then have Heeney coming through who can play inside and has better pace to spread than both Mitchell and Bird.

I like Craig Bird as well but you cant play four slower players in the one team (Kennedy, Parker, Mitchell Bird). One of those four will need to drop out. It wont be Kennedy or Parker. It may be either Mitchell or Bird.

This is just my opinion.

[Mel_C]

Kennedy's kicking for goal has been terrible the last couple of years. He had one real shocker on Friday.