Preview Sydney Swans vs Port Adelaide Power, Rd 15, Saturday June 26 @ Adelaide Oval

[Swans22]

The commentary hear reminds me of the sentiment after the Suns game.. and guess what we beat the cats after that.
For some odd reason we're struggling to play to a high level against the lower teams and on the other hand raise the bar against top 8 teams. For this reason I think that we'll put in a good performance. We have a fit list and will have had a well earned rest which should bode well.
However we really need to address some major issues in the defensive unit.. since Melican went down our defence has looked very vulnerable. Rampe has been unRampe like this year and I'm sick of seeing him play on guys 10-15 cm's taller than him, he used to be able to take them but seems to to get badly exposed now. Only exception was against an out of form King. McCartin needs a lot more help against the talls and he hasn't been getting it from Fox. Unless we can bring Melican back in we need to play Brand. He looked so solid a couple of weeks ago. Opposition talls are taking way too many marks forward. Lets replace Fox with Brand. Move Hewett up the field to tag Ollie Wines and bring in O'Riordan. We need GENUINE defenders!

 

[Swans22]

We are NOT premiership contenders this year - nowhere near it.

But squeaking into the 8 would offer some valuable experience to the young players.

Alas, I can see us 8-10 & back outside the 8 in five games from now.

Agreed not close to being a premiership contender yet. Despite the performance we still deserve our spot in the 8 and hopefully can stay in there. Maintain our forms against top 8 teams and we should win 2 or 3 of the next 4. I'm predicting 2.

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

Out: Wicks (susp) Cunningham (inj)
In: Taylor Ling

 

[SwansProudly]

Out: Wicks (susp) Cunningham (inj)
In: Taylor Ling

no Warner?

 

[dosser]

Out: Wicks (susp) Cunningham (inj)
In: Taylor Ling

If you want to bring in Ling then be prepared to go sideways more than we already do. On Saturday probably 80% of his kicks were dinky little sideways passes. Stats may be good, but will add nothing.

 

[HPKS]

If you want to bring in Ling then be prepared to go sideways more than we already do. On Saturday probably 80% of his kicks were dinky little sideways passes. Stats may be good, but will add nothing.

Didn’t watch the reserves game but did it appear that these sideways kick were part of the game plan & that he was instructed to move the ball like that?

 

[dosser]

Didn’t watch the reserves game but did it appear that these sideways kick were part of the game plan & that he was instructed to move the ball like that?

Only insofar as it was always to a loose man. It was frustrating to me because I wanted to see him take the game on.

 

[HPKS]

Only insofar as it was always to a loose man. It was frustrating to me because I wanted to see him take the game on.

I totally get the frustration but if this is what he’s instructed to do he’s playing his role perfectly. I think sometimes, me included, we get caught up in how we want the club to play and forget that the coaches may have a different game plan to what we imagine in our head.

 

[dosser]

I totally get the frustration but if this is what he’s instructed to do he’s playing his role perfectly. I think sometimes, me included, we get caught up in how we want the club to play and forget that the coaches may have a different game plan to what we imagine in our head.

But when he was drafted, his two attributes were speed and foot skills. He seems to now slow play down and chip around the backline. We could have got a 3rd round pick to do that.
I don't know if it is coaching, no confidence, or lack of bravado, but he won't add anything to the seniors like that.

 

[HPKS]

But when he was drafted, his two attributes were speed and foot skills. He seems to now slow play down and chip around the backline. We could have got a 3rd round pick to do that.
I don't know if it is coaching, no confidence, or lack of bravado, but he won't add anything to the seniors like that.

When Leo Barry was drafted he was a spring heeled Hff with a lot of flair and not a lot of defensive pressure in the forward half. He turned into one of the best undersized key backs going round. What they get drafted as doesn’t mean that’s what they’ll finish their career as. Same goes for Ted Richards. And Heath Grundy. I understand what you want. Sometimes what they get told to do goes in the opposite direction of what their natural flair is.

 

[SwansProudly]

But when he was drafted, his two attributes were speed and foot skills. He seems to now slow play down and chip around the backline. We could have got a 3rd round pick to do that.
I don't know if it is coaching, no confidence, or lack of bravado, but he won't add anything to the seniors like that.

Ling has been unlucky with injuries writing off his first 2 years as a Swan

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

But when he was drafted, his two attributes were speed and foot skills. He seems to now slow play down and chip around the backline. We could have got a 3rd round pick to do that.
I don't know if it is coaching, no confidence, or lack of bravado, but he won't add anything to the seniors like that.

It may well be that options present themselves in a better fashion in seniors. Much like Amartey’s senior performances have looked better than did his reserves.

 

[Kapers]

It may well be that options present themselves in a better fashion in seniors. Much like Amartey’s senior performances have looked better than did his reserves.

A bit of a misnomer, Amartey had 4 very good weeks in a row, and a reported 6.3 on his last before getting the senior call up. It was vs the Carlton team, and I'm pretty sure a Carlton supporter mentioned this/him

 

[caesar88]

To me these look like 5 danger games. And before anyone says something like ‘But if we’re going to be serious about playing finals’ I don’t think we are that serious.

Yeah but to be fair, you left out the part where I said all of those sides might be out of contention by the time we play them. And never under-estimate how that can set lower ranked sides into an end of season slump because they have nothing to play for.

By then, we just might've learned our lesson about needing to show up to win the games we're expected to win...

 

[caesar88]

I hope we don't wait til half time to tag one of Gray/Wines/Boak this time...

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

I hope we don't wait til half time to tag one of Gray/Wines/Boak this time...

You’ve missed the boat on Wines I think.

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

A bit of a misnomer, Amartey had 4 very good weeks in a row, and a reported 6.3 on his last before getting the senior call up. It was vs the Carlton team, and I'm pretty sure a Carlton supporter mentioned this/him

Not sure they were that good. I hadn’t heard about the Carlton game.

My understanding (and observation) was that he was gradually improving and I did actually pick that he’d get selected.

I see similar with Ling. They’ve been wanting him to play less freestyle and more Swanstyle. The question is whether he was accountable or not. I didn’t see but someone said he was pretty good.

 

[Tedeski]

We will play in our first "elimination final" for a few years against West Coast in a few weeks.

 

[Mister B]

Based on previous years, 12 wins will most likely get a team into finals. Effectively, we need to win 4 more games for the reminder of the season. Sounds manageable but ultimately depends on whether the players bother to turn up in the games we should win.

 

[rustycrate]

Based on previous years, 12 wins will most likely get a team into finals. Effectively, we need to win 4 more games for the reminder of the season. Sounds manageable but ultimately depends on whether the players bother to turn up in the games we should win.

I think the team misses Warner and Gulden more than they realise. These two are just unbelievable. They are the glue and the magic that hold this team together and make things happen.

 

[SwansProudly]

I think the team misses Warner and Gulden more than they realise. These two are just unbelievable. They are the glue and the magic that hold this team together and make things happen.

Chad Warner 14 games, Errol Gulden 8 games
Amazing what the young Bloods have done for our team

 

[HPKS]

Based on previous years, 12 wins will most likely get a team into finals. Effectively, we need to win 4 more games for the reminder of the season. Sounds manageable but ultimately depends on whether the players bother to turn up in the games we should win.

Possible 6 more wins for the season. Should make the 8. It’ll turn out a great season if this happens. The experience of finishing in the 8 & playing finals would be invaluable for the youth of our side in years to come.

 

[Kapers]

Not sure they were that good. I hadn’t heard about the Carlton game.

My understanding (and observation) was that he was gradually improving and I did actually pick that he’d get selected.

I see similar with Ling. They’ve been wanting him to play less freestyle and more Swanstyle. The question is whether he was accountable or not. I didn’t see but someone said he was pretty good.

I'm not discussing Ling, have no idea how he played, just saying that Amartey was rewarded for his good form.

 

[rustycrate]

I'm not discussing Ling, have no idea how he played, just saying that Amartey was rewarded for his good form.

I think the Ling Gould thing is overplayed. The defence at Sydney is locked up tight. There are very few injuries to our back 6. And when there are we have mids with experience that fill in. I also think that Sydney develops their players with long stints in the reserves. I can mention Papley, Dawson, Melican, Lloyd as examples. The fact that Amartey played was amazing on this board. I expect that a few other players are developing under the Swans watch and are where they are expected to be development wise.

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

I think the Ling Gould thing is overplayed. The defence at Sydney is locked up tight. There are very few injuries to our back 6. And when there are we have mids with experience that fill in. I also think that Sydney develops their players with long stints in the reserves. I can mention Papley, Dawson, Melican, Lloyd as examples. The fact that Amartey played was amazing on this board. I expect that a few other players are developing under the Swans watch and are where they are expected to be development wise.

Not sure you can mention Papley. He’s the exception.

Im only bringing Ling in to replace Cunningham. Who I think got injured. And I get the sense that Ling has been playing to instruction.