Predictions for Season 2022

[liz]

I'll have to chase up the Fox footy discussion. It's a bit premature to be making decisions after one practice match but with Mills out and JPK not having much influence I am questioning the decision to let George Hewett go.

Do you not consider that JPK's relative lack of influence was by design? He attended very few centre bounces, with the coaching panel choosing to use other (mostly smaller and faster/more nimble) players there instead. And that choice was made with Mills unavailable. If they were experimenting with ways to make the team more dynamic at centre bounces, George would surely add to the problem, not solve it.

I acknowledge we were well beaten at centre clearances against the Giants last week. Maybe that will push the coaches to go back and look at their use of Kennedy, particularly if/while Mills is unavailable.

The other thing that is a bit concerning is that last year we took the whole competition by surprise and had 4 wins, or something like that, on the board before teams began to work our new game style out a bit. Now, as evidenced in the practice match, teams have strategies in place to much more effectively counter it.

I'm not sure you can draw that conclusion based on a single game, especially one where the Swans' work-rate was well down on where it needed to be (and on the Giants'). The thing most obviously lacking - to me - in that game was any decent attempt to move the ball as they were last year. There was too much long, aimless bombing to a forward line that wasn't working hard enough. You might interpret that as "teams" (or maybe just the Giants) finding ways to counter our ball movement style. I interpret it as a team that was too rusty or lethargic to make an effort to move the ball the way they did last year.

Only time will tell. Not one scratchy pre-season game.

[rojo]

In reply to Liz's comments I did acknowledge that it was a bit premature to make observations after one practice match. They were just thoughts I had as I was watching a replay of the game. I was aware that JPK was playing different roles. As Liz says, only time will tell. I am hoping I will have to make some amendments re big bodied-mids and our 2022 game plan execution after watching the game on Sunday!

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I think we will win less games this year than last in the home and away season, but do better in the finals.

I also think the ruck forward setup may take loner to bed down than most think.

[Aprilbr]

I watched the Brisbane v Bulldogs practice game last night and felt that those two teams are probably still a step ahead of us. Many players for both in their absolute prime. So breaking into the top 4 will be tough when you consider Port and Melbourne are also full of players at their peak. I think a finish between 5 and 8 is our most likely scenario.

[Auntie.Gerald]

The hard thing to get a sense of right now is the development of teams circling the top8 and or top4

The Swans were an amazing example of that in 2021........it was very hard to see the Swans only 2 wins behind Melb and Port last year.

I am quite bullish on the GWS list as I under estimated their depth of talls they now have developed, drafted and or attracted via smart trades.

The Bears, Dogs, Melbourne, GWS, Port and Tigers probably have better top22 player lists than us right now...........that doesnt mean we dont have strong upside in emerging players.

It also doesnt mean we cant make the top6.

I know we deliberately were testing our contested ball footy the first 2 qtrs and driving it long and fast in the trial intra last week vs GWS........ugly to watch but necessary for us to really really test our contested footy in that trial against GWS so we know where we are at in a semi style dog fight game.

Sadly we are a long way behind to be honest.......i loved our bravery but we were a long way off GWS

What does that mean vs other top6 teams only time will tell in 2022.

To hard to call for me.......i think we are top7 but i hope top6

Top4 will come down to injuries for us and other top teams

[i'm-uninformed2]

Brownlow Medal: JMac
Norm Smith: JMac
B&F: JMac
AA: JMac
Player most likely to score a goal and run past every single team mate demanding a high five: JMac

[Ludwig]

Brownlow Medal: JMac
Norm Smith: JMac
B&F: JMac
AA: JMac
Player most likely to score a goal and run past every single team mate demanding a high five: JMac

You could be right. I can see a big year coming for Jackson Macrae.

[i'm-uninformed2]

You could be right. I can see a big year coming for Jackson Macrae.

I certainly wouldn't have picked you as part of the whole Mac/Mc nanny state thing doing the rounds on here.

[Bloods05]

I certainly wouldn't have picked you as part of the whole Mac/Mc nanny state thing doing the rounds on here.

"Nanny state"??? It's a simple matter of clear communication.

[i'm-uninformed2]

"Nanny state"??? It's a simple matter of clear communication.

Who else am I possibly talking about?

There is only one JMac. He's a damn fine young player who I'm seriously high on and have consistently raved about on here. And after watching him on the weekend, my post might have been a little cheeky, but not preposterous.

Any other imitators are poor substitutes. I mean, can you imagine Jackson Macrae, who is part of a team of cheats who deserve to be wooden spooners forever, being talked up on here like that, or doing a lap of all his team mates, strutting over the ground, collecting high fives? No, it defies logic.

What next? Accusing me of leaving people confused as to whether I'm talking the great Justin McInerney, or the Brisbane ruckman (who as an aside, was the nephew of a friend and I saw play as an 11yo, though he was a bit shorter then). Honestly.

[Bloods05]

Who else am I possibly talking about?

There is only one JMac. He's a damn fine young player who I'm seriously high on and have consistently raved about on here. And after watching him on the weekend, my post might have been a little cheeky, but not preposterous.

Any other imitators are poor substitutes. I mean, can you imagine Jackson Macrae, who is part of a team of cheats who deserve to be wooden spooners forever, being talked up on here like that, or doing a lap of all his team mates, strutting over the ground, collecting high fives? No, it defies logic.

What next? Accusing me of leaving people confused as to whether I'm talking the great Justin McInerney, or the Brisbane ruckman (who as an aside, was the nephew of a friend and I saw play as an 11yo, though he was a bit shorter then). Honestly.

JMac is OK. Buddy is OK. The concern that was expressed was about the routine use of nicknames and abbreviations that may or may not be well-known even to Swans supporters. Personally I find that in-crowd, faux-insider stuff irritating and unnecessary, perhaps even a bit self-important, and clearly I'm not alone.

[bloodspirit]

JMac is OK. Buddy is OK. The concern that was expressed was about the routine use of nicknames and abbreviations that may or may not be well-known even to Swans supporters. Personally I find that in-crowd, faux-insider stuff irritating and unnecessary, perhaps even a bit self-important, and clearly I'm not alone.

I doubt I'm one of the worse offenders but, to the extent that I am, it's just laziness not hubris.