Preview Sydney Swans vs Geelong Cats, Rd 7, Saturday May 1 @ SCG

[Wolfgang West]

Pretty much what he said

If that’s the case he wants to watch some blokes at senior level a little more carefully.

 

[caesar88]

If that’s the case he wants to watch some blokes at senior level a little more carefully.

Laidler's not wrong though. Clarke averaged 2.5 tackles a game last year, and that was playing in a run-with role. Nowhere near good enough. For a bloke who is not dangerous with the ball at all, he's gotta be able to have a presence at the contest. Just a non-factor too often and gets rag-dolled.

Other wingers like McInerney, Florent etc might not be great at the defensive stuff but they are far more dangerous with their run and in McInerney's case his foot skills.

 

[Wolfgang West]

Laidler's not wrong though. Clarke averaged 2.5 tackles a game last year, and that was playing in a run-with role. Nowhere near good enough. For a bloke who is not dangerous with the ball at all, he's gotta be able to have a presence at the contest. Just a non-factor too often and gets rag-dolled.

Other wingers like McInerney, Florent etc might not be great at the defensive stuff but they are far more dangerous with their run and in McInerney's case his foot skills.

Clarke is not soft. Rag dolled ? Watch some Dawson & Lloyd's efforts one on one.

 

[caesar88]

Clarke is not soft. Rag dolled ? Watch some Dawson & Lloyd's efforts one on one.

I never said he was soft and neither did Laidler. He said his strength over the ball was his issue and I agree that has been his issue. He's not hard enough. And by that I don't mean he doesn't try as that's not the case at all. He's just not good enough in contested situations, the basic body strength just isn't there.

I am not a Bell fan and would prefer Clarke over him, but I can also see why Bell is getting himself in the senior frame over Clarke because he will at least throw his body around and put a bit of heat on the opponent. If you're not gonna be damaging with the ball you've gotta make yourself a factor against the opposition.

You're not wrong about the other two though.

 

[SGBeach]

did anyone else notice Paps was the only one in the photo gallery of the last training session, wearing a t shirt? everyone else wearing training singlets.
Im thinking his ankle might be very sore.. in doubt this weekend?

 

[DST]

I was also under the impression that the caps meant a 'non-contact' player (eg not to be tackled etc) and not necessarily passed fit to play at this point.

A cap simply means they don’t like to get sunburnt on their head and face.

The coloured singlet denotes whether a player is non-contact or on a limited program.


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[Dubai Quacker]

Laidler's not wrong though. Clarke averaged 2.5 tackles a game last year, and that was playing in a run-with role. Nowhere near good enough. For a bloke who is not dangerous with the ball at all, he's gotta be able to have a presence at the contest. Just a non-factor too often and gets rag-dolled.

Other wingers like McInerney, Florent etc might not be great at the defensive stuff but they are far more dangerous with their run and in McInerney's case his foot skills.

Can’t quite agree here.

Clarke’s job was to stop his opponent getting the pill - which he did pretty effectively.

Not much need to tackle a bloke who can’t get the ball.

 

[Tedeski]

Horse on 3AW with Healy tonight. Not sure if anyone else heard it but when Healy mentioned Sinclair in the ruck, Horse mentioned that Hickey had done a few sessions & has recovered amazingly well & hasn't ruled him out yet.
Expect some surprises folks. The guy has obviously put his hand up & having a crack to come back early.

 

[caesar88]

Can’t quite agree here.

Clarke’s job was to stop his opponent getting the pill - which he did pretty effectively.

Not much need to tackle a bloke who can’t get the ball.

If you're suggesting that taggers should have low tackle numbers then... we might just have to agree to disagree lol

 

[caesar88]

Horse on 3AW with Healy tonight. Not sure if anyone else heard it but when Healy mentioned Sinclair in the ruck, Horse mentioned that Hickey had done a few sessions & has recovered amazingly well & hasn't ruled him out yet.
Expect some surprises folks. The guy has obviously put his hand up & having a crack to come back early.

Stoked to hear he's going well but geez I hope we don't play him. I know we have lost two in a row and we might be desperate because of the amount of injuries, but **** me we are 4-2. There's no need to panic just yet. It's a long season and it's far more important we have everyone fit and firing in the second half of the season. We've got blokes banged up left right and centre. Papley, Heeney and Rowbottom were just a few who looked like they shouldn't have been out there last week. Do we really want an important big guy to join them?

 

[Tedeski]

I reckon Ramps will play too.

 

[Punts]

Hicky has a shin guard on , not wearing them if walking laps

 

[BloodySwan]

We need Gould or O'Riordan to come in and act as the 3rd tall. We'll be destroyed if we just have 2 key talls, and we'll be beaten on the ground if we go with McCartin, Melican & Brand.

 

[Donza]

Gould is a hoax at this stage.
Miles to go.
I'm confused why his name keeps getting tossed up?

 

[JeremyVanHolden]

Gould is a hoax at this stage.
Miles to go.
I'm confused why his name keeps getting tossed up?

Would have to agree here. Nothing against him and he has talent and is one for the future but I think he is a long way off the mark to play AFL level yet. In particular, his name popped up a lot for having a great game in the reserves game last week but he made tons more mistakes than COR for example who he will be fighting for a place in the team this week against. COR is far more solid and although mightn't get the spot light a lot of the time at AFL level, he can be relied on to play a solid game.

As an Irish fan who follows COR (and BOC now too), I always wondered why COR plays close to his own goal and isn't picked more often at half back (apologies if that is the wrong terminology) as this is where he plays his best games in the reserves matches. Is it due to the talent we have at half back that we can't fit him in? Honest question!

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Would have to agree here. Nothing against him and he has talent and is one for the future but I think he is a long way off the mark to play AFL level yet. In particular, his name popped up a lot for having a great game in the reserves game last week but he made tons more mistakes than COR for example who he will be fighting for a place in the team this week against. COR is far more solid and although mightn't get the spot light a lot of the time at AFL level, he can be relied on to play a solid game.

As an Irish fan who follows COR (and BOC now too), I always wondered why COR plays close to his own goal and isn't picked more often at half back (apologies if that is the wrong terminology) as this is where he plays his best games in the reserves matches. Is it due to the talent we have at half back that we can't fit him in? Honest question!

Agree. COR has terrific quality attacking skills. Too often he has played very deep in our defensive line. COR can defend but is creative, tough and clever and should HB.

____________________

I have a sense there is debate in the coaching and strategy crew about our game styles going forward. We probably have crudely Plans A and B with gradations in between.

The first three games were Plan A (Cox, McVeigh, Pyke) and the last 3 were Plan B (Horse).

In Game 1 JPK was our worst player according to the data and my eyes. Yep he has improved and many rate Game 6 as his best game.

Plan B is the Horse Plan. It is tried and sorely tested and burnt out other than for tactical moments in the game. Plan B suits JPK and Parker in the mids. We got over the line v Druggies, lost in a photo to GWS and were flogged by the GoCo. No accident the latter was JPK's best game.

Plan B is a loser game. Oppo clubs will always be delighted to see it.

 

[The Gong]

Agree. COR has terrific quality attacking skills. Too often he has played very deep in our defensive line. COR can defend but is creative, tough and clever and should HB.

____________________

I have a sense there is debate in the coaching and strategy crew about our game styles going forward. We probably have crudely Plans A and B with gradations in between.

The first three games were Plan A (Cox, McVeigh, Pyke) and the last 3 were Plan B (Horse).

In Game 1 JPK was our worst player according to the data and my eyes. Yep he has improved and many rate Game 6 as his best game.

Plan B is the Horse Plan. It is tried and sorely tested and burnt out other than for tactical moments in the game. Plan B suits JPK and Parker in the mids. We got over the line v Druggies, lost in a photo to GWS and were flogged by the GoCo. No accident the latter was JPK's best game.

Plan B is a loser game. Oppo clubs will always be delighted to see it.

Team plays well - It's the assistant coaches.

Team plays poorly - It's Horse.

Gotcha.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Team plays well - It's the assistant coaches.

Team plays poorly - It's Horse.

Gotcha.

Horse's game last 3 - yeah?

 

[The Gong]

Horse's game last 3 - yeah?

No, it's a ridiculous concept that they would chop and change the gameplan one week to the next. Or this whole Plan A and Plan B nonsense people go on with.

Every team has a set gameplan which they work on and build their structures and processes around but no plan survives contact with the enemy (except maybe that Richmond game). If the players don't execute or the opposition brings elite pressure then structures and processes can and will break down if the players don't handle it. What is so difficult about the concept that we were outworked and outplayed? Instead you create conspiracy stories about some battle of wills in the coaching staff.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

No, it's a ridiculous concept that they would chop and change the gameplan one week to the next. Or this whole Plan A and Plan B nonsense people go on with.

Every team has a set gameplan which they work on and build their structures and processes around but no plan survives contact with the enemy (except maybe that Richmond game). If the players don't execute or the opposition brings elite pressure then structures and processes can and will break down if the players don't handle it. What is so difficult about the concept that we were outworked and outplayed? Instead you create conspiracy stories about some battle of wills in the coaching staff.

I did speak of gradations between Plans A and B. Have a milo mate.

 

[Donza]

No, it's a ridiculous concept that they would chop and change the gameplan one week to the next. Or this whole Plan A and Plan B nonsense people go on with.

Every team has a set gameplan which they work on and build their structures and processes around but no plan survives contact with the enemy (except maybe that Richmond game). If the players don't execute or the opposition brings elite pressure then structures and processes can and will break down if the players don't handle it. What is so difficult about the concept that we were outworked and outplayed? Instead you create conspiracy stories about some battle of wills in the coaching staff.

This in spades.
Essendon went more contested and closed down the corridor to a degree.
GWS went even more contested and pushed the swans wide.
GC went full on pressure and made the swans go wide and high. Stoppages around the ground.

It wasn't plan A, B or C. It was just a game style that was pressured into occuring.
The coaching staff need to work out how to bring it .

 

[The Gong]

This in spades.
Essendon went more contested and closed down the corridor to a degree.
GWS went even more contested and pushed the swans wide.
GC went full on pressure and made the swans go wide and high. Stoppages around the ground.

It wasn't plan A, B or C. It was just a game style that was pressured into occuring.
The coaching staff need to work out how to bring it .

Bingo.

You can only do what the opposition lets you. We need to be better and respond with our own elite pressure.

Everyone focused on our high scoring in the first three rounds and the quick ball movement. What allowed us to do that was an insane amount of defensive pressure we applied, particularly in the forward half, that forced turnovers and we feasted on them. The Bombers, Giants and Suns applied better pressure than us and it showed in the results.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I did speak of gradations between Plans A and B. Have a milo mate.

I haven’t had Milo in years.

But I’m now on my way Woolies to get some!

But on topic - Hickey, Rampe etc being ready is just a smokescreen. There’ll be more outs than we expect. This week could be a very VFL looking side selected.

And if Gould was being selected, I reckon we’d have seen the usual media coverage (family sitting on lounge together as he gets the news) type schtick.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I haven’t had Milo in years.

But I’m now on my way Woolies to get some!

But on topic - Hickey, Rampe etc being ready is just a smokescreen. There’ll be more outs than we expect. This week could be a very VFL looking side selected

Truth is I do not want to see banged up players running around. Horse has a history of playing busted players. This is not even a Final.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Hey I know - let’s pull an Adelaide & make Buddy the medical sub!

Genius!