R20 V Essendon @MCG

[bloodspirit]

Me too! I was pretty lukewarm on his recruitment and he has almost straight away become one of my favourites. I don't know how long he can keep it up, but I am enjoying it while it lasts.

[KTigers]

I had a similar afternoon. I started watching and we weren't going great so I decided to put in the earphones, tune into the radio and go and wash the car. We started playing much better

mmm.... interesting. I washed the car just before the game. Perhaps there is something in this. I will contact Horse later today and see what he thinks.

[111431]

Players like Hickey and Mumford go a long way to showing the value of a powerful ruck. Both of them have made their sides 2-3 wins better sides this year. There is no player more important than Hickey in our line up right now. Not Buddy, not Parker, not Papley, not even McCartin. Interestingly, Hickey and Mumford show their value differently. Hickey throws his body around and does his best to apply pressure but he is not the same physical presence as Mummy. However, he offers a lot more offensively with the ball in hand - he uses the ball well and even contributes goals. He also runs hard and gets into good positions offensively and defensively to help the team out.

this is 100% on the money. Hickey is the difference between us been in the also rans and where we are now. I just hope his knee can hold together for another 8 weeks

[TheBloods]

I know you have been encouraging of Bell and that he does play a specific role. Should it be Chad (without VFL warm up) in for the next game for Bell. I think you could rotate a few midfielders into Bell’s role such as Chad, Florent and Parker and have Chad able to jump into the midfield as another rotation.

J-Mac into the centre square is the big chess piece move of the upcoming Swans Dynasty. I always pictured J-Mac as a wingman or half back. Now that he can be adapted to the centre square as well, you can find future half back or wing positions for Campbell and Stephens.

I know this a big call but I think the current and future Swans team will change the AFL forever. No longer will teams be able to win with a defensive zone and contested football. Clarko’s cluster or other forward pressure games can’t beat the Swans speed and ball movement. You can’t defend the entire width of the field, the corridor or someone running at you like Blakey at the same time.

Other teams will start adapting their play to the Swans style of play. It’s a copy cat league.

The way to beat the Swans team of 2022-2025 will be to counter attack them off half back at break neck speed and win shoot out games.

It’s a welcome change to the defensive AFL game plans of the last 20 years.

Yes its a performance based sport and Bell didnt perform . If it was one bad game ok you could excuse it but he only had one in the last 5 games that really impressed me . Still think hes got the right attributes but is nothing more than a depth player at this point and should be first one out for Chad .

+1 that we have a style thats hard to stop . We have all 3 important facets of the game well covered

Good foot skills are what the basis of our great game is built on nearly 200 years ago . No amount of defensive zoning can stop an elite kick that opens up the field of play . We 've got a number of great kicks now - Dawson , Gulden , Blakey, Jmac , Parker and soon to be Campbell .

2nd to foot skills is contested footy ,. Starts at the contest at stoppages and centre bounces and we have some real hard nuts , led by Parker and Kennedy , Mills is a weapon , Heeney clean in the contest ,Hewett can do a selfless role, Chad a future superstar and as we saw yesterday Jmac is great in the contest .

Third to contested footy is speed . Very hard to stop players constantly breaking lines and taking the opposition on . We have a number of speedy players too - Blakey , Jmac, Chad , Florent , Papley , Gulden , Campbell,


So many options in all of these areas mean you can stop one of them but then 1 or 2 others will pop up and be just as dangerous . Great drafting to get these players on the list and great coaching to make them all work in the team . And more great talents waiting in the wings to fill in when theres injuries - Campbell , Stephens, McDonald , Amartey Sheather and even Bell who is serviceable

[AB Swannie]

It’s a real skill to be able to insult someone without mentioning their name.

[Kafka's Ghost]

I can't imagine what I would have said to you if you had told me this time last year that Tom Hickey would be one of my favourite players to watch.

Ditto.

[MadCanuck]

I've heard no mention of Heeney's right thumb injury. It must be sore, he had to shake hands at the end of the game with his left.

[bloodspirit]

It’s a real skill to be able to insult someone without mentioning their name.

rofl

[Agent 86]

I've been happy to acknowledge Bell's role structurally but he did himself no favours with that game. Not so much the lack of possessions, but the lack of pressure. It's not a side and the time of year to be having a down game.

Hmmm, i've been supportive of Bell's role in the team - but when that role is limited, you have to do it well for 4 quarters. The pressure did pick up in 2nd half & it showed in that we kick 80 points after half time – but we're not gonna win a lot of games where we concede 100 points.

Unfortunately the players who should be coming back in are not getting game time in the 2s – so there's gonna be some hard decisions.

[Hotpotato]

Is The Mongrel Punt out yet ?

[Agent 86]

Is The Mongrel Punt out yet ?

…”When the siren sounded, I looked over to Mrs Mongrel, who, let’s be honest, couldn’t give a rat’s ar5e about the game, and said “that was close to the best quarter of footy all year”.

[Kafka's Ghost]

Sydney v Essendon - The Good, The Better and the Best - The Mongrel Punt

This is almost a thesis, but well worth the read.