FF: Papley Franklin Gulden
HF: Wicks Reid Hayward
M: Dawson Hewett Heeney
HB: Blakey Fox Cunningham
FB: Rampe McCartin Lloyd
R: Hickey Parker Mills
I: Warner Kennedy McInerney Rowbottom
Sub: Florent
FF: Papley Franklin Gulden
HF: Wicks Reid Hayward
M: Dawson Hewett Heeney
HB: Blakey Fox Cunningham
FB: Rampe McCartin Lloyd
R: Hickey Parker Mills
I: Warner Kennedy McInerney Rowbottom
Sub: Florent
True TB- just my opinion. Take yesterday’s game as an example, though of course it was just 1 game, albeit a final.
Both Rowie and Wicks were playing in their first final: now compare their respective contributions. True, one was an on- baller and the other a forward, but we had heaps of entries into our forward 50.
Chalk and cheese in my book. Of course, you may beg to differ, but please back it up- anyone can have an opinion but it helps if it is based on solid facts and figures.
B Cunningham ? Rampe
HB Lloyd McCartain Blakey
C JMac Mills Dawson
HF Gulden McDonald Heeney
F Papley Buddy Hayward
Foll Hickey Parker Hewett
Int JPK Campbell Rowbottom Warner
Medi sub Florent
Can't name our second tall defender. Could be Melican or Gould / BOC depending on preseason. Fox if we are happy to play Rampe as second tall. Paddy? Convert Reid / Amartey / McLean. It's really the great unknown but will play a big part in our fortunes moving forward. Hope management gets it right!
I'm hoping McDonald will fullfill his talent and have a breakout year next year. Good chance for the rising Star award. Logan to ruck in F50 to give Hickey a breather - he's a solid young fella, should be serviceable.
Florent has plateaued. I'm predicting he will fall behind our young midfielders. Should still play a fair bit in 2022 but if everyone is fit, will be just on the outer.
Don’t you watch games. Two of heeneys goals were fed by wicks. 5 tackles, 6 contested possessions. For a defensive forward I would say 11 disposals and 5 tackles easily equals row bottoms 16 disposals and 9 tackles as a mid. Almost won the game himself. Finally in the last quarter when the game was there to be won Wicks was busting his arse. Unlike Papley, 1 disposal, Hayward 2 disposals and Buddy 1 disposal. Seriously mate if you are going to call players shocking and wiping them off get your facts right.
Last edited by barracuda; 29th August 2021 at 11:35 PM.
Cunningham McCartin Fox
Lloyd Rampe Blakey
Dawson Parker McInerney
Gulden Reid Hayward
Papley Franklin McDonald
Hickey Mills Heeney
Kennedy Rowbottom, Warner, Campbell
Sub: Florent
In: Mills, JPK, Blakey, Reid, Campbell, McDonald, Fox
Out: McLean, Bell, COR, Melican, Wicks, Florent, Hewett (assuming he leaves)
Ok barracuda- I will watch the replay and happy to be wrong! My comments were based watching the game live and that was my impression. Maybe frustrated by that miss which was very gettable. I don’t like criticising players as every one of them tries his best but sometimes come up short. I guess I would like Wicks to impose himself more, but maybe I missed it! Thanks for pointing out his stats.
I am sure he would like to impose himself more as well. The number of times he has got himself into space in recent weeks in front of the goals only to be ignored was very frustrating. The side on the weekend was way too buddy centric. The ball kept getting banged in high to buddy who was beaten on the day. In fact if you go to AFL.com.au stats pro and looks at Wicks extended highlights he was one of the players who was actually lowering his eyes and delivering to the best option. That option was Heeney and wicks delivered key passes to him that resulted in goals. The swans have to recognise when buddy is getting beaten and look for other options. I think this is what cost them the game. One other thing, everyone loves beating up the young guys like Belly and Wicks, but as I outlined above it was actually the young guys that stood up in the last quarter whilst some of the superstars went missing.
This is a tough ask given we don't know what changes (and how many) there are going to be between now and then. But, I'll join the game. I'm going to guess that we will lose one of Parker or Hewett. Let's say it's Hewett.
From your team I would move McInerney to the wing in place of Florent and replace him with another KPD, let's say Paddy McCartin (who could also swing forward as needs be). Could also be Gould, Melican or O'Connor. Florent takes Hewett's place one the bench. Then, I'm going to back Campbell to develop his game and overtake Wicks in the forward pressure role. (If Campbell can't do that, then Wicks keeps his spot and Campbell doesn't get a place until he does.) Amartey (or another forward/ruck - again, could be P. McCartin or another new recruit) takes Campbell's place on the bench. Warner and Rowbottom will need to have good pre-seasons and earn their spots. Their best is more than good enough but if they're not fit and firing they could be replaced by others on the fringes.
All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated, and well supported in logic and argument than others. -Douglas Adams, author (11 Mar 1952-2001)
I'm with you on JMac. I get they moved him back at one point for good reason, and he had to probably stay there once Blakey went down, and he did the role well.
But, I desperately want him through the centre of the ground. He covers so much terrain as a winger, folds back to help defence anyway, and then goes on long searching runs down the ground and delivers the ball inside 50 pretty well too. As well as use his speed to cover fast breaks from defence by the opposition.
The other element - and we got one glimpse of it a few games back - is his ability to occasionally go into the centre square to give us a dynamic mix in there. I prefer him to play predominantly outside, but he's got clear potential in there, and like Papley, can go in for bursts.
As I said, he can play defence well. But he's a player with so much impact, and I reckon it's maximised as a winger.
'Delicious' is a fun word to say
I think the best thing about all of this thread, is there are going to be 25-28 players who you could mount a good argument for their Round 1 selection.
The last 5-8 years have probably felt like 16-18 quality locks and then rationalising then splitting hairs over some middle of the road players.
This will be the deepest we've batted for some time. And we aren't even discussing players coming from back of the pack (O'Connor, Sheather, Gould) or new draft picks pressing a case.
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