Changes for Round 11 v Carlton

[longmile]

I'd be dropping Blakey back to the academy.

I hate to sound like how The Bloods does about Rowbottom and keep going on about Blakey, but I find it hard to fathom how he has close to 50 games and is still yet to do anything consistent or really even partake in any gamechanging moments. I feel like there are brief flashes of brilliance ruined by either skills or decision making ineptitude. He really needs to stop being treated as start up 22 when he has yet to prove it. We have much better players, who - while not perfect - are battling manfully week in week out in ressies and should be given a shot over him

[Scottee]

McLean has 3 great strengths and 3 great weaknesses. He is an excellent mark, a great set shot and has an enormous tank. On the other hand he lacks speed and agility and has no ground game. He should never be played in the wet with a profile like that.

Amartey can take a mark, is a reasonable kick, has agility and a ground game but has the worst tank on the list. Perfect fit for an emergency but until he improves his tank he will be of limited value in a full game. He will be kicking 6 in ressies games if his tank does improve.

Sinclair, well we all know about him. Can play well as forward target when in form but is also a risk for being run off due to lack of speed, agility etc.

McDonald does not have any of the above weaknesses and his only weakness is his youth and inexperience. He is in form and played very well in a side that was thumped yesterday. He should be playing against Carlton imho if it is wet. McLean stays if dry.

[Captain]

Knee jerk reaction to drop McLean after one ordinary game.

It was an extremely poor game. He needed to bring the ball to the ground (if not mark it) but simply couldn't provide a contest.

[111431]

I hate to sound like how The Bloods does about Rowbottom and keep going on about Blakey, but I find it hard to fathom how he has close to 50 games and is still yet to do anything consistent or really even partake in any gamechanging moments. I feel like there are brief flashes of brilliance ruined by either skills or decision making ineptitude. He really needs to stop being treated as start up 22 when he has yet to prove it. We have much better players, who - while not perfect - are battling manfully week in week out in ressies and should be given a shot over him

I strongly disagree with your view we have players ready to call up in the 2's. Having watched a bit of yesterday's game, the only one i would consider would be Lewie Taylor. The rest looked very ordinary

[Blood Fever]

McLean has 3 great strengths and 3 great weaknesses. He is an excellent mark, a great set shot and has an enormous tank. On the other hand he lacks speed and agility and has no ground game. He should never be played in the wet with a profile like that.

Amartey can take a mark, is a reasonable kick, has agility and a ground game but has the worst tank on the list. Perfect fit for an emergency but until he improves his tank he will be of limited value in a full game. He will be kicking 6 in ressies games if his tank does improve.

Sinclair, well we all know about him. Can play well as forward target when in form but is also a risk for being run off due to lack of speed, agility etc.

McDonald does not have any of the above weaknesses and his only weakness is his youth and inexperience. He is in form and played very well in a side that was thumped yesterday. He should be playing against Carlton imho if it is wet. McLean stays if dry.

Fair call

[The Runner]

Disagree that Cox was prevented from having a large impact on the game - Cox's dominance over McLean was decisive. Cox had a game-high five contested marks and I don't think Hayden brought the ball to ground once. It was an absolute bath.

Generally speaking, options for the second tall are: Reid, McLean, McDonald, Sinclair, Amartey. With our number 1 rucks hobbled and back-up options otherwise few (they've tried Blakey, Fox and even Dawson), we really need that second tall to ruck at the moment.

They don't seem to want Hayden to ruck.

Given all of that, they might turn to Amartey. Otherwise, aside from selecting Sinclair (who's reached Dean Towers status re selection), I can't see who else will back up Hickey.

Yeah, that's my point. He lost his 1-1 battles, against a very good and underrated defender. But, him being there meant that Buddy got a lot of 1-1 contests himself. If McLean didn't demand a good opponent, Cox would have peeled off a lot more.
I'm not defending his poor match from a contests perspective. But his role in the forward line, and why I'd give him another chance this week. Jones and Weitering are very good in the air, and will need to be made accountable. Bringing in Amartey is not the right call this week.

[TheBloods]

If the selectors dont drop Blakey they need to take a good look at themselves and where they want to take this team. This kid has played 46 games and who can honestly say with a straight face how many of those 46 were actually good ? Anyone who says over 10 is absolutely lying. The writing's on the wall , if you are nearly 50 games into your career and about two thirds of them have been no good , then you're no good ! Take off the rose coloured glasses and imagine he was from an opposition team , we would be thanking heavens that we dodged a bullet not taking him in the draft because he's a bust !

Hes signed til 2024 . Big mistake imho but its done now . Keep him on the list , let him try and improve and hope he can overcome very obvious odds that suggest he'll be a bust. Until then keep him as FAR AWAY as possible from our AFL side ! He is NOT AFL standard right now ! He is barely reserves standard !!

[Ruck'n'Roll]

McLean did go into the ruck against Darcy at one stage but failed to get a hitout.

I was beginning to think he had a note from his mum.
Not surprising he was unsuccessful against Darcy, but maybe he could take on relieving rucks?

Agree about Scottee's comment on BigMac's current lack of a ground game, but hopefully that can be worked on. Less confident on redressing the lack of speed and agility.

[Bangalore Swans]

I'd be dropping Blakey back to the academy.

What is it with Blakey that is upsetting so many Swans fans? When your at the SCG you can feel the lack of crowd love towards Blakey.

He seems like the perfect player that a Swans crowd would love:

- Great potential
- Great mullet
- Went to Waverley College
- Played his junior AFL in the Eastern Suburbs
- His father was a longtime coach at the club
- Is fast with magic skills

Help my understand the negativity towards this player?

I was critical of Blakey in an earlier post but my post was attempting to be constructive.

[TheBloods]

What is it with Blakey that is upsetting so many Swans fans? When your at the SCG you can feel the lack of crowd love towards Blakey.

He seems like the perfect player that a Swans crowd would love:

- Great potential
- Great mullet
- Went to Waverley College
- Played his junior AFL in the Eastern Suburbs
- His father was a longtime coach at the club
- Is fast with magic skills

Help my understand the negativity towards this player?

I was critical of Blakey in an earlier post but my post was attempting to be constructive.

Mate have you been to the scg ? We dont give a stuff about his mullet or where he played junior or went to high school ! That is the elitist @@@@ you'd expect from the Demons supporters sipping their chardonnays ! TRUE bloods fans have always admired the hard workers and the team lifters ! We dont wanna see a bloke running around out there like a peacock thinking hes the number 1 pick then stuffing it up ! If you are gonna carry on on the field you gotta be able to back it up with pure talent - Jmac, Chad these boys always get the SCG going with their energy and huge plays at crucial moments. We love THEM ! We cheer Blakey on and want him to succeed just as much as them but unfortunately he gives us more facepalms than reasons to cheer !

[Bangalore Swans]

Mate have you been to the scg ? We dont give a stuff about his mullet or where he played junior or went to high school ! That is the elitist @@@@ you'd expect from the Demons supporters sipping their chardonnays ! TRUE bloods fans have always admired the hard workers and the team lifters ! We dont wanna see a bloke running around out there like a peacock thinking hes the number 1 pick then stuffing it up ! If you are gonna carry on on the field you gotta be able to back it up with pure talent - Jmac, Chad these boys always get the SCG going with their energy and huge plays at crucial moments. We love THEM ! We cheer Blakey on and want him to succeed just as much as them but unfortunately he gives us more facepalms than reasons to cheer !

Yes I have been to the SCG on a few occasions. When they introduce the players on the scoreboard Blakey gets the softest acknowledgement. Wherever I sit there is always seems to be someone sitting close by who is critical of Blakey.

I have been accused of being elitist sometimes and that’s ok.

I was saying that Blakey is as local a product as you can find. He probably grew up playing, schooling and living within 15 minutes drive of the SCG. His father worked in the building.

That should mean something to Swans fans, just like it means something to Man U fans when the kid from the suburbs of Manchester plays for Man U.

Do you have evidence that Blakey is running around the field with arrogance like he’s the number one pick?

I see Blakey as a player who is giving effort. He gets in to make his tackles. He seems (in my opinion) to be trying to impress and do too much. I think he just needs to calm down and see an easy option.

Most people like a good Mullet I would say.

[Bexl]

What is it with Blakey that is upsetting so many Swans fans? When your at the SCG you can feel the lack of crowd love towards Blakey.

He seems like the perfect player that a Swans crowd would love:

- Great potential
- Great mullet
- Went to Waverley College
- Played his junior AFL in the Eastern Suburbs
- His father was a longtime coach at the club
- Is fast with magic skills

Help my understand the negativity towards this player?

I was critical of Blakey in an earlier post but my post was attempting to be constructive.

For the odd person with Blakey it's personal but for 99% of fellow swannies people I think it's just he's not living up to his potential and while he does have ability doesn't seem to have a very good football intelligence and decision making is not great so he needs to really improved and get consistent otherwise it's quite possibly he won't have a future at Sydney. hope he improves because he could be very good but he is just not showing it.