Unofficial Preview Early Thoughts: Rd 22 - Sydney v Western Bulldogs @ ES 24th Aug 3:20

[Superstar swan]

We have to appreciate the talent on our list. Names like jones, Mitchell, membrey, Biggs, Lloyd , Cunningham are all really young players and all have claims to be in the side . Not to mention proven senior players like okeefe, shaw, smith and Johnson are all injured/out of the side. Depth is incredible

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

We have to appreciate the talent on our list. Names like jones, Mitchell, membrey, Biggs, Lloyd , Cunningham are all really young players and all have claims to be in the side . Not to mention proven senior players like okeefe, shaw, smith and Johnson are all injured/out of the side. Depth is incredible

At the end of 2012 i thought ROK and LRT would retire and was petrified at the thought of watching our midfield without ROK in it, fast forward to 2014 and our club legend has been replaced MIDSEASON! and we haven't missed a beat.

Has any other top 4 side had 2 rising star nominations?

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Guys honestly all the talk about resting players it is vastly overblown did we rest anyone in 2005,06 and 2012? Freo rested due to the travel factor of having to play in Melbourne the last round and then the next week travel to Simmonds again.

 

[Hugh_W]

I think Georgie Boy will debut and Mitchell back to seniors.
Although Shaw can play half forwards to run out of a game, i don't think he will make it this week.
Tippo 2nd ruck.

Out: JPK, Bird, Reid
In: Smith, Hewett, Mitchell

 

[Swansujelly]

Yeah, let's see Hewett get a game. Toot Toot!

 

[McRobie]

Guys honestly all the talk about resting players it is vastly overblown did we rest anyone in 2005,06 and 2012? Freo rested due to the travel factor of having to play in Melbourne the last round and then the next week travel to Simmonds again.

I think everyone is talking resting players because of the way we burnt out last year, the difference this year being we don't have 15 key players on and off the injury list. I say keep the continuity in the side so close to finals.

 

[swansfan51]

At the end of 2012 i thought ROK and LRT would retire and was petrified at the thought of watching our midfield without ROK in it, fast forward to 2014 and our club legend has been replaced MIDSEASON! and we haven't missed a beat.

Has any other top 4 side had 2 rising star nominations?

No they haven't had any but its a quite arbitrary measure of what their young talent is.

Geelong have Caddy, Horlin-Smith, Kersten, Thurlow, Menzel, Murdoch, Guthrie all 22 and under (I didn't stretch it to 23 because it looks frightening)

Fremantle have Crozier, Neale, Taberner, Fyfe, Sutcliffe, Morabito

Hawf have Anderson, Hartung, O'Brien, Hill, Litherland, Gunston, Langford

Port in 5th have Wingard, Impey, Polec, Wines, Hombsch, Young

So yes they all have young talent too.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

No they haven't had any but its a quite arbitrary measure of what their young talent is.

Geelong have Caddy, Horlin-Smith, Kersten, Thurlow, Menzel, Murdoch, Guthrie all 22 and under (I didn't stretch it to 23 because it looks frightening)

Fremantle have Crozier, Neale, Taberner, Fyfe, Sutcliffe, Morabito

Hawf have Anderson, Hartung, O'Brien, Hill, Litherland, Gunston, Langford

Port in 5th have Wingard, Impey, Polec, Wines, Hombsch, Young

So yes they all have young talent too.

Most of those guys wont make it i would give a rundown but will derail the thread even further, wouldnt trade our list with any side.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

I can think of a few like Libba, Boyd, Griffin. I'd prefer to rest JPK against a hard contested midfield, and let him loose against weak as piss Tiggers.

Are Richmond's midfield that bad?

 

[Tuco]

Guys honestly all the talk about resting players it is vastly overblown did we rest anyone in 2005,06 and 2012? Freo rested due to the travel factor of having to play in Melbourne the last round and then the next week travel to Simmonds again.

We didn't have the depth in any of those years, of course. I think we had more seniors play every game than any other team in 05.

I don't think you rest players. We still need to secure top two!

But we're currently seeing sore players not being risked which is slightly different. McGlynn, Smith and possibly Shaw all currently are in that category. A couple should return this week.

If it was a final this week you might roll the dice on Joey. But it's not so you'd think they'll sit him out.

 

[Grongey]

I don't think we should risk Kennedy away against the Doggies. Or any other player that's doubtful.

 

[alanlau34]

Are Richmond's midfield that bad?

Nah not bad, just more of an outside style then the Doggies. They do enjoy a good run away from the ball, rather than win it themselves.

 

[vonn]

Guys honestly all the talk about resting players it is vastly overblown did we rest anyone in 2005,06 and 2012? Freo rested due to the travel factor of having to play in Melbourne the last round and then the next week travel to Simmonds again.

On the flip side, how easy a run do we have in the last few weeks? I don't think we were given the luxury of having secured a Top 2 position 3 rounds before the season ended.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

On the flip side, how easy a run do we have in the last few weeks? I don't think we were given the luxury of having secured a Top 2 position 3 rounds before the season ended.

We finally have a easy month to finish off the season unlike the last few years of playing every top 4 side and travelling to Geelong..

 

[Ticky009]

If Smith is in will he play on Bontempelli? - who, for reasons I cannot explain, I keep calling bomboniere

 

[McRobie]

It would nonsense to rest guys for the sake of resting, if they are 100% or close to then they play. It would be more detrimental to the side if we rested guys and we lost one of these games going into finals. There is no substitute for that winning feeling and confidence in your team and team mates you get after a win or string of victories. disrupting the continuity in the side is also detrimental.

 

[vonn]

There's no point pretending a rest isn't valuable to the players though, there's a reason why the qualifying winners are rewarded with it, and the difference is very obvious come prelim.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

There's no point pretending a rest isn't valuable to the players though, there's a reason why the qualifying winners are rewarded with it, and the difference is very obvious come prelim.

You might be on to something Vonn.

"I certainly feel fresh, physically and mentally," said Hannebery, who has played two matches since returning from his injury.

''I felt great on the weekend, a lot fresher than I felt last year, that's something I did notice.

"I felt full of run, something that probably towards the back end of last year I was feeling a little bit tired, so that's probably a small positive from the injury.

"It’s not ideal, you don't want to miss any footy.

 

[McRobie]

There's no point pretending a rest isn't valuable to the players though, there's a reason why the qualifying winners are rewarded with it, and the difference is very obvious come prelim.

How do you explain the terrible record of teams coming off the bye mid year? There is certainly a difference between having a whole team missing the week and having 3-6 players missing for one game. Im not disputing it doesnt freshen players but as I said in a previous post losing momentum and continuity via resting is detrimental

 

[vonn]

How do you explain the terrible record of teams coming off the bye mid year? There is certainly a difference between having a whole team missing the week and having 3-6 players missing for one game. Im not disputing it doesnt freshen players but as I said in a previous post losing momentum and continuity via resting is detrimental

I know, but I also said that if we had niggles I would not oppose resting them vs. WB and get the winning form back via Richmond.

 

[Cadsky]

How do you explain the terrible record of teams coming off the bye mid year? There is certainly a difference between having a whole team missing the week and having 3-6 players missing for one game. Im not disputing it doesnt freshen players but as I said in a previous post losing momentum and continuity via resting is detrimental

Id argue that players are more mentally focused during the finals than the regular season. How many times do you hear about players going home or interstate during the regular season bye compaired to the finals? Pretty sure they are focused on only two things if they get that break in finals and thats recovery and preparation to make the GF. Vastly different to the relaxed approach they take during the year.

 

[MickyG]

We didn't have the depth in any of those years, of course. I think we had more seniors play every game than any other team in 05.

There was an article last year on how the Swans had lowest number of injuries over the last ten years(?). Also the fewest number of players that played over the course of the home and away season. We would be on track for that again this year.

 

[McRobie]

I know, but I also said that if we had niggles I would not oppose resting them vs. WB and get the winning form back via Richmond.

I think there are certainly pros and cons for both, I think we were smashed from pillar to post last year and the side was running on empty I think this is why everyone is so keen to rest players. Having said that there is every chance you could be on the money with the resting players this year.

 

[McRobie]

There was an article last year on how the Swans had lowest number of injuries over the last ten years(?). Also the fewest number of players that played over the course of the home and away season. We would be on track for that again this year.

Its because of COLA.

 

[Number37]

There was an article last year on how the Swans had lowest number of injuries over the last ten years(?). Also the fewest number of players that played over the course of the home and away season. We would be on track for that again this year.

I am sure Matt Cameron is considered the anti-christ round these parts, but that is somewhat of a ringing endorsements for Mr 4-6.