Changes for Round 19 v Freo

[i'm-uninformed2]

Ahhhh, 2006- I remember it well. Our family "oh, we didn't come down for 2005 but we splashed the cash for 2006!" Grand Final experience.

Goody Stella, who is usually rather sedate about such things, still passionately blames Darren for his somnambulist performance, and frankly the whole team for nobody being unsportsperson enough to do a hit job on Mr Judd's shoulder.

I didn’t know young Goody had such a penchant for violence.

My main memory of 2005 was being at the ground and knowing Leo had taken a mark because he came up with the ball but where we were seated was not a great spot for viewing the actual mark. I didn’t actually know how good it was till I saw a replay the next day.

My main memory of 2006 was leaving the ground the second the siren went, having my first drink on the walk back into a pub in town, going hell for leather from there to drown my sorrows, and inexplicably, waking up on some random persons lawn in Prahran. They weren’t too impressed finding me there when they went out to get the morning paper off the door step, and given I had no idea where I was, nor was I.

[dejavoodoo44]

I didn’t know young Goody had such a penchant for violence.

My main memory of 2005 was being at the ground and knowing Leo had taken a mark because he came up with the ball but where we were seated was not a great spot for viewing the actual mark. I didn’t actually know how good it was till I saw a replay the next day.

My main memory of 2006 was leaving the ground the second the siren went, having my first drink on the walk back into a pub in town, going hell for leather from there to drown my sorrows, and inexplicably, waking up on some random persons lawn in Prahran. They weren’t too impressed finding me there when they went out to get the morning paper off the door step, and given I had no idea where I was, nor was I.

I hope there wasn't a trip to a tattooist, somewhere on the way to Prahran?

[i'm-uninformed2]

I hope there wasn't a trip to a tattooist, somewhere on the way to Prahran?

Oh, no, I definitely have some standards and discipline.

[dejavoodoo44]

Oh, no, I definitely have some standards and discipline.

Me too. The only thing I can't resist, is temptation.

[Bangalore Swans]

Well, the 'one hit wonder' comment on Ronke and the fact that you are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes re: his rehab, just shows that this post is flawed. Stephens and Ronke have obviously been given a path to follow by the club and it seems only one is succeeding with that task at the moment and has duly been rewarded. I like Stephens but if he's having the thoughts you've attributed to him.....I can't see why the Swans would commit to him. The ball is in his court....he has to rise to the challenge he's been set.

I said to my wife after the 2018 Hawks game that Ben Ronke or Buddy Ronke as he became known would never play a game like that again. He also had a game that year against North in 2018 where he kicked 5. Maybe he is 2 hit wonder like Billy Ray Cyrus. In between those two iconic games there have been many games where he’s been quieter than Westfield Bondi during a lockdown.

You can see and feel the talent in Stephens. You can see the speed, the lovely left foot arc and the great kick that he can be there. Maybe like Blakey and Rowbottom they need to keep backing him in. Build Stephens’s confidence and belief and very quickly you’ll have a player.

I would be backing him over Ronke based on the fact that he is a much better technical footballer and has huge upside. I would be certainly backing Stephens over James Bell.

I would be interested in the opinion of TheBloods in the Stephens v Bell v Ronke debate as he has very sound opinions on our young players.

[Faunac8]

I said to my wife after the 2018 Hawks game that Ben Ronke or Buddy Ronke as he became known would never play a game like that again. He also had a game that year against North in 2018 where he kicked 5. Maybe he is 2 hit wonder like Billy Ray Cyrus. In between those two iconic games there have been many games where he’s been quieter than Westfield Bondi during a lockdown.

You can see and feel the talent in Stephens. You can see the speed, the lovely left foot arc and the great kick that he can be there. Maybe like Blakey and Rowbottom they need to keep backing him in. Build Stephens’s confidence and belief and very quickly you’ll have a player.

I would be backing him over Ronke based on the fact that he is a much better technical footballer and has huge upside. I would be certainly backing Stephens over James Bell.

I would be interested in the opinion of TheBloods in the Stephens v Bell v Ronke debate as he has very sound opinions on our young players.

Here we go again 🥱

[Ludwig]

I've always been a Ronke fan. We haven't seen much of him the past year because of injuries. My feeling last year was that he was improving the part of his game that could make him a regular, which was to become a more effective pressure player and stick more of his tackles. The rest of his game should take care of itself. His speed and goal awareness are excellent. He's a hard worker and plays a physical game. I hope he can restart his career with this game.

I am also remaining positive about Stephens. His speed, skills and decision making are all at a high level. He needs more AFL game time to improve his awareness of what's going on around him and generally pick up the speed of the game. The other thing which will delay his progress is his slight body frame. He's not quite up to handling the physicality of the game. He needs another pre-season or 2 to build his strength. He should develop into a fine player in due course.

[MattW]

I didn’t know young Goody had such a penchant for violence.

My main memory of 2005 was being at the ground and knowing Leo had taken a mark because he came up with the ball but where we were seated was not a great spot for viewing the actual mark. I didn’t actually know how good it was till I saw a replay the next day.

My main memory of 2006 was leaving the ground the second the siren went, having my first drink on the walk back into a pub in town, going hell for leather from there to drown my sorrows, and inexplicably, waking up on some random persons lawn in Prahran. They weren’t too impressed finding me there when they went out to get the morning paper off the door step, and given I had no idea where I was, nor was I.

Did you ultimately piece it together as coherence returned?

[stevoswan]

I said to my wife after the 2018 Hawks game that Ben Ronke or Buddy Ronke as he became known would never play a game like that again. He also had a game that year against North in 2018 where he kicked 5. Maybe he is 2 hit wonder like Billy Ray Cyrus. In between those two iconic games there have been many games where he’s been quieter than Westfield Bondi during a lockdown.

You can see and feel the talent in Stephens. You can see the speed, the lovely left foot arc and the great kick that he can be there. Maybe like Blakey and Rowbottom they need to keep backing him in. Build Stephens’s confidence and belief and very quickly you’ll have a player.

I would be backing him over Ronke based on the fact that he is a much better technical footballer and has huge upside. I would be certainly backing Stephens over James Bell.

I would be interested in the opinion of TheBloods in the Stephens v Bell v Ronke debate as he has very sound opinions on our young players.

I would put Stephens over Ronke on talent alone as well but it's about the goals your club sets for you and I stand by my previous post. The same goes for Bell who is obviously doing better than Stephens in meeting the requirements the club has set for him. Rather than just building Stephens confidence, maybe they are set on building his character.

[TheBloods]

I said to my wife after the 2018 Hawks game that Ben Ronke or Buddy Ronke as he became known would never play a game like that again. He also had a game that year against North in 2018 where he kicked 5. Maybe he is 2 hit wonder like Billy Ray Cyrus. In between those two iconic games there have been many games where he’s been quieter than Westfield Bondi during a lockdown.

You can see and feel the talent in Stephens. You can see the speed, the lovely left foot arc and the great kick that he can be there. Maybe like Blakey and Rowbottom they need to keep backing him in. Build Stephens’s confidence and belief and very quickly you’ll have a player.

I would be backing him over Ronke based on the fact that he is a much better technical footballer and has huge upside. I would be certainly backing Stephens over James Bell.

I would be interested in the opinion of TheBloods in the Stephens v Bell v Ronke debate as he has very sound opinions on our young players.

I dont see it as stephens v bell vs ronke

Bell and ronke are both playing so we obviously want huge pressure in our fwd half . that has nothing to do with Stephens who is a wing

i am a believer , he has great natural talent as you say and if best course of action is to harness it in the VFL then i trust the coaches will make the right decision . No idea why we bothered with Ronke though as we know what he can offer and its not great . One great game 3 years ago has kept him ont he list , he wouldve been delisted by now if not for that night at the G

Im less POd about Stephens omission than i am about rowbottom's inclusion . He is seriously average but he gets countless chances that others dont and made worse by the fact he played 2 games last week . Dumb decision. Team is travelling great atm but watch it cost us carrying these liabilities

[TheBloods]

Stehpens suffers from the exact same thing as Rowbottom , too passive and not willing to take the game by the horns . They are young but they play like they are young , rather than using JMAC as a comparison to save myself being accused of being too positive , i will use BLAKEY who i have criticised in the past as an example . His confidence is sky high and he wants to make the team better . He does not think of himself as a 3rd year player trying to learn some role , he thinks of himself as a BLOOD who will take charge of a situation and make things happen on the footy field for himself and for the team. He plays fearlessly as do many other young swans. Stephens and Rowbottom do not do this and that is why they wont be there come finals

[i'm-uninformed2]

Did you ultimately piece it together as coherence returned?

No. The best I ever established was after two seperate pubs, I said I was off to try to meet a woman I knew in Melbourne but given she said she never heard from me that night, I clearly decided cuddling a hedge was sufficient.