Oppo Camp Where Are the Swans At? (Serious Question)

[Hawk Dork]

relies on no injuries too

 

[RW]

I am not familiar with your reserves but when I went through your list it appeared about a third of them are HFF types capable of playing midfield or forward (on paper). Assuming you have the talent on board (Membrey, Jack and Towers) then it should be easy enough to restructure your forward line but that means Reid and Goodes have to go. I actually can't believe Goodes is playing on. I can imagine how hard it is to tap a club legend on the shoulder but his time has come.

When I looked at your young defenders. . . well there is not a lot there. I expect you to try and bring in some more running defenders and blind freddy can see you need a new KPD or two. I think McVeigh is a stop gap for one season (maybe two if Shaw goes). With good trading you can fix those holes but it isn't easy. Took Hawthorn several years of trying to bring Lake over and there are not exactly a whole heap of KPDs looking to move each season. IF you had the cash I'd throw it at Carlisle and hope to dislodge him from Essendon. With the weight of Buddy and Tippett on the cap I have doubts you will be able to address the KPD easily which is why I have a pessimistic view of your prospects. At least Tippett's deal will expire at the end of 2016 but is that too late to do anything about the structural issues? If Reid comes good down back then I think you can probably restructure enough to have another tilt with your quality midfield and forward line. A lot of pressure on a player that has yet to stand up.

It's a concern, it looks like Reid might have to go to defence full time.

I'm happy for Goodes to go around one more year, he is one of our leaders and he might not be the player he used to be, but he is definitely still in our best 22, he still has plenty of footy smarts around goals, which makes up for his lack of pace.

 

[stevoswan]

Top 4 next year but other sides would have looked at the GF and observed what tackling and pressure can do. They will be hunted.

Yeah because Sydney know nothing about tackling pressure..... Well, at least in games that aren't a GF

 

[stevoswan]

It's a concern, it looks like Reid might have to go to defence full time.

I'm happy for Goodes to go around one more year, he is one of our leaders and he might not be the player he used to be, but he is definitely still in our best 22, he still has plenty of footy smarts around goals, which makes up for his lack of pace.

He will have a full pre-season this time, that alone makes playing on worth the gamble. So will Buddy............Scary!

 

[Cyrilyouchampion]

Could there not be a 5th option to this question,
ie. "I couldn't be less interested"??

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Yeah because Sydney know nothing about tackling pressure..... Well, at least in games that aren't a GF

Interestingly, the one area that we exposed on Saturday was the lack of leadership in the Swans team. We didn't just win the game, we bludgeoned Sydney to a pulp.

It's the blueprint for beating Sydney. Hit them hard physically, close down their space and their ball winners go missing. The difference between the two leadership groups is stark. Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell and Burgoyne welcome the physicality a Grand Final brings. After Saturday, the same cannot be said of McVeigh and co.

 

[stevoswan]

Interestingly, the one area that we exposed on Saturday was the lack of leadership in the Swans team. We didn't just win the game, we bludgeoned Sydney to a pulp.

It's the blueprint for beating Sydney. Hit them hard physically, close down their space and their ball winners go missing. The difference between the two leadership groups is stark. Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell and Burgoyne welcome the physicality a Grand Final brings. After Saturday, the same cannot be said of McVeigh and co.

You make some good points, but if you think we won't learn this, do so at your own peril. You don't lose culture overnight(I hope not anyway! That GF result will pose some off season challenges no doubt), and I think we can agree, your club and ours have cultures envied by most others. Ours existed long before your club got it's act together(post 2006), so next season should be a cracker. Hawk/Swans games will be very interesting......you hate us, we hate you, yada yada yada, it will be great!

 

[Phil McCreviss]

You make some good points, but if you think we won't learn this, do so at your own peril. You don't lose culture overnight(I hope not anyway! That GF result will pose some off season challenges no doubt), and I think we can agree, your club and ours have cultures envied by most others. Ours existed long before your club got it's act together(post 2006), so next season should be a cracker. Hawk/Swans games will be very interesting......you hate us, we hate you, yada yada yada, it will be great!

We are the most successful club of the modern era. Our culture was established with John Kennedy back in the 60's and we have won 12 flags in 53 years. That stat in itself is astonishing and is unparalleled.

I have respect for Sydney but the Bloods culture does not come close to what Hawthorn have achieved. I'd dare say, in our lifetime, it's unlikely that will change.

 

[HammerHawk]

The fans can go back to watching NRL now. I cant see the interest being there in a few years time. They couldnt fill ANZ for their pre lim against North. Expect it all to fizzle out in 3 seasons time.

 

[stevoswan]

We are the most successful club of the modern era. Our culture was established with John Kennedy back in the 60's and we have won 12 flags in 53 years. That stat in itself is astonishing and is unparalleled.

I have respect for Sydney but the Bloods culture does not come close to what Hawthorn have achieved. I'd dare say, in our lifetime, it's unlikely that will change.

Agree.....with the last sentence...

 

[stevoswan]

The fans can go back to watching NRL now. I cant see the interest being there in a few years time. They couldnt fill ANZ for their pre lim against North. Expect it all to fizzle out in 3 seasons time.

You hope......but it won't, with or without AFL 'help'. Sydney love us, and yes, while we have many 'fair weather' fans, I expect GWS to maybe fizzle, but the Swans are here to stay! We look forward to this rivalry to continue, but over time, I won't hold my breath for more overall success than the Hawks, you are a great club. It's just your fans.........

 

[Brishawk]

• Malceski goes and the first block in the jenga tower that is Sydney's defence is lost...
• Shaw plays on for another year....but is that a good thing?
• Goodes plays on and so the change that is needed in their forward half remains unmade.
• Membrey seeks to leave the club thus further undermining the potential for change in their forward line.
• Buddy plays the fool trying to bring a sixer of beer into a night club.

Is this offset by the acquisition of Heeney? Not in the short term....

 

[Davo-27]

Malceski going hurts them
they lost LRT, O'Keefe to retirement
Richards is on his last legs, from what i've seen of him this year, he should've retired
Shaw and Goodes are going at 75% if that
bunch of kids wanting to leave, phasing out of COLA is gonna hurt them
they have Tippett on big $$ doing sweet FA

on the positive they have a few highly rated kids coming in
they still have enough depth to cover these loses this yr and to come
they will probably still be competitive, kind've like how Geelong is still competitive(which isn't a great positive)

 

[arupist]

The stupidity is that if they had given Goodes a gentle shove (he would probably scream RACISM), they may have had a few extra dollars to throw at Malceski.

 

[B0SK]

I think they're an outside chance to win it next year but after that I'm not so sure. Many parallels you could draw between Freo of 2013 and Sydney of 2014, both at their apex and failed to cash in.

This year they had the kindest injury run of any team, a cushy fixture and zero suspensions. While the AFL will be just as desperate to help them next year, if Grundy or Richards go down for any significant stretch I'd say they'll be pretty much ****ed. Can you imagine a spud like Reid being asked to defend Hawkins or Cloke? It'll be like watching one of those pr0n videos where the poor woman is surrounded and forced to do questionable things.

Of course their forwardline is also the most overrated in the comp. Goodes is already cooked, Tippett is a s**t truck and we've all saw how things turn out when a team becomes solely reliant on Buddy to kick a winning score - I'm just glad them and not us!

 

[B0SK]

This is how their 2013 Draw was described



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ub-analysis-20121031-28imy.html#ixzz3EnXgxz4k


They obviously fixed up their tough run home for 2014 thinking that might have caused the Freo apocalypse last year.
It will be interesting to see what the AFL manufacture this year.
Maybe just try harder to hobble their opposition.

Expect to see lots of teams coming off multiple 6 day breaks and/or traveling to Perth in the weeks before they play Sydney.
Swans will also play the majority of their games against Hawthorn, Port, Norf, Geelong & Freo at home.
Sydney will have most of their matches against tough teams bookended with games against bottom 8 sides.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn's FIXture will look something like this

Home vs Essendon
Away vs Freo
Home vs Geelong
Away vs Port
Home vs Norf at Etihad
Away vs Sydney

 

[Taskmaster]

Could it be the beginning of their downfall and the AFL can do nothing about it?

I mean makceski gone, is this the sign of things to come? A revolt against Lance and Kurt??

 

[robiecampbellbrown]

Expect to see lots of teams coming off multiple 6 day breaks and/or traveling to Perth in the weeks before they play Sydney.
Swans will also play the majority of their games against Hawthorn, Port, Norf, Geelong & Freo at home.
Sydney will have most of their matches against tough teams bookended with games against bottom 8 sides.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn's FIXture will look something like this

Home vs Essendon
Away vs Freo
Home vs Geelong
Away vs Port
Home vs Norf at Etihad
Away vs Sydney

Are those all in the same week?

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

The stupidity is that if they had given Goodes a gentle shove (he would probably scream RACISM), they may have had a few extra dollars to throw at Malceski.

Don't think Malcekski could have got ambassador payments.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

• Malceski goes and the first block in the jenga tower that is Sydney's defence is lost...
• Shaw plays on for another year....but is that a good thing?
• Goodes plays on and so the change that is needed in their forward half remains unmade.
• Membrey seeks to leave the club thus further undermining the potential for change in their forward line.
• Buddy plays the fool trying to bring a sixer of beer into a night club.

Is this offset by the acquisition of Heeney? Not in the short term....

Then worst thing for Sydney is that they're still trying to make a player out of Reid. He is so far off the pace it's not funny.

Goodes playing on is a bad news. We played through him so often it was unreal.

Both Reid and Goodes are blocking a place for membrey to come in and develop. He's now seeking chances elsewhere.

No Malceski is bad news for them. He's a great player and they'll now have to play McVeigh off a back flank to try and remedy the situation. It opens the door for Mitchell to come in, which isn't actually too bad for them.

The ruck situation isn't great. Pyke can be great but no support. Tippett can't ruck, and the more he rucks the worse forward he becomes.

 

[robs_drunk]

they will still beat majority of teams, sure on grand final day we were better across all 22 players, issue is only us have more talent then them.
Cats going backwards
port on the rise could match them
north and freo both will rely on luck and an off day to beat Sydney

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

That Swans culture eh?
Yeah, Michael O'loughlin paying $200k of hush money to a woman who was sexually assaulted. That culture.

 

[m1kest4r]

Then worst thing for Sydney is that they're still trying to make a player out of Reid. He is so far off the pace it's not funny.

Many people would say exactly the same of Schoenmakers, I mean physically they are near identical. Schoe was drafted a year earlier, but I would put pre-ACL Schoe ahead of Reid.

 

[Gold Member]

That Swans culture eh?
Yeah, Michael O'loughlin paying $200k of hush money to a woman who was sexually assaulted. That culture.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Many people would say exactly the same of Schoenmakers, I mean physically they are near identical. Schoe was drafted a year earlier, but I would put pre-ACL Schoe ahead of Reid.

Yes, but even so Schoey isn't in our best 22 on last team selection. When he is he accounts for Reid quite easily.

Reid is no good.