Preview Sydney Swans vs Fremantle Dockers, Sunday 12:30pm @ Metricon

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Bell’s pressure acts of 11 last week was one of the lowest in the team, and behind both Rowbottom and Stephen’s who had significantly less game time

Caj, I was delighted when we traded Rohan. The guy was a serial offender in Finals, on good coin and frequently played for reasons that still mystify me. When he was finally dropped in his last season, he 'apparently' did not take too kindly to it.

His cards were marked and I suspect we met part of his wage when he went to Geelong. Good riddance. Shyte happens in families and relationships and I am not going to judge him on that.

Bell is 22 or 23, came to footy late and he is still learning. He would be on pretty much min chips and unless he improves will remain a marginal selection. I think he is on the improve. He strikes me as a thorough team first battler who will do as he is told.
 

the hypnotoad

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Caj, I was delighted when we traded Rohan. The guy was a serial offender in Finals, on good coin and frequently played for reasons that still mystify me. When he was finally dropped in his last season, he 'apparently' did not take too kindly to it.

His cards were marked and I suspect we met part of his wage when he went to Geelong. Good riddance. sh*te happens in families and relationships and I am not going to judge him on that.

Bell is 22 or 23, came to footy late and he is still learning. He would be on pretty much min chips and unless he improves will remain a marginal selection. I think he is on the improve. He strikes me as a thorough team first battler who will do as he is told.

yes, which is where the idea of team chemistry comes into it ...
this team, with bell in it, is going pretty well
 
I don't mean to be harsh on him as he's had a tough year, but Rowbottom really needs to have a good game tomorrow. Mundy is a bit of a nightmare match-up for us, as he's too big and strong for our young mids, and too clean and powerful for our older mids. The only one with the profile to match up well on Mundy is Hewett, but in the absence of Mills, I imagine he'll be in more of the ball-winning, clearance beast role he was in last week, otherwise too much is left for JPK and Parker to shoulder.

There will be other guys rotate through our midfield - Florent, Heeney, maybe even Gulden or Wicks - but Rowbottom's forte is winning the hard ball, getting clearances and distributing cleanly. We just haven't seen enough of that this year, but if he can provide that and help out the two skippers in this regard, then Hewett could be used more to shut down Mundy. And as I've said for a long time, stop Mundy and you stop Fremantle.

Not to mention Rowbottom needs to find some touch for his own sake. If he has another 'meh' game he's a goner, with Mills and potentially Warner returning next week.
 
Oct 18, 2018
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I don't mean to be harsh on him as he's had a tough year, but Rowbottom really needs to have a good game tomorrow. Mundy is a bit of a nightmare match-up for us, as he's too big and strong for our young mids, and too clean and powerful for our older mids. The only one with the profile to match up well on Mundy is Hewett, but in the absence of Mills, I imagine he'll be in more of the ball-winning, clearance beast role he was in last week, otherwise too much is left for JPK and Parker to shoulder.

There will be other guys rotate through our midfield - Florent, Heeney, maybe even Gulden or Wicks - but Rowbottom's forte is winning the hard ball, getting clearances and distributing cleanly. We just haven't seen enough of that this year, but if he can provide that and help out the two skippers in this regard, then Hewett could be used more to shut down Mundy. And as I've said for a long time, stop Mundy and you stop Fremantle.

Not to mention Rowbottom needs to find some touch for his own sake. If he has another 'meh' game he's a goner, with Mills and potentially Warner returning next week.
Don't we all miss Warner. Excitement, exuberent, creative, tough and has blond hair!! So he sticks out and gets noticed.
 

Swan4Life

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After the game on weekend Horse went around hugging all the players and was quite animated. When it came to Stephens it was half hearted and luke warm just go through the motions. Right then I said to myself that a good chance there is stalling in negotiations from Stephens because he is gone. Shame if so but that's life I guess. Long way to go but just hasn't been hard enough at the contest. He will regret that choice if that's his path

I noticed that too and couldn't help but feel that something wasn't quite right.
 
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I personally don't like the favourtism that seems to be shown, how Bell and Rowbottom can have bad games and keep their spots but someone like Stephens, who had a better game than either of them somehow gets dropped. Bell and Rowbottom are favourites to Longmire, and for some reason Stephens isn't, but there is no reason why Rowbottom should be playing tomorrow and Stephens should not.
 
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I personally don't like the favourtism that seems to be shown, how Bell and Rowbottom can have bad games and keep their spots but someone like Stephens, who had a better game than either of them somehow gets dropped. Bell and Rowbottom are favourites to Longmire, and for some reason Stephens isn't, but there is no reason why Rowbottom should be playing tomorrow and Stephens should not.
But more is going on in clubland than we are privy to. All is not maybe what it seems.
 
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If he's gone he will just not sign and hope to be picked up as a DFA. That sounds a hell of a risk unless another club has been making promises.
Or if Stephens is Swans material he will stick it out, have a great preseason and prove the doubters wrong. I hope he has this resolve.
 

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Or if Stephens is Swans material he will stick it out, have a great preseason and prove the doubters wrong. I hope he has this resolve.
I think that would be most people's preference.
Now hold your breath but I wonder if he's considered playing back pocket? Seriously. Too small for any other defensive position but quick, agile and combative. Worth at least a few minutes' thought.
Unusual for such a high draft pick for sure but how else is he going to break into.the team? As a winger or midfielder he has an awful lot in front of him.
 

Wolfgang West

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Caj, I was delighted when we traded Rohan. The guy was a serial offender in Finals, on good coin and frequently played for reasons that still mystify me. When he was finally dropped in his last season, he 'apparently' did not take too kindly to it.

His cards were marked and I suspect we met part of his wage when he went to Geelong. Good riddance. sh*te happens in families and relationships and I am not going to judge him on that.

Bell is 22 or 23, came to footy late and he is still learning. He would be on pretty much min chips and unless he improves will remain a marginal selection. I think he is on the improve. He strikes me as a thorough team first battler who will do as he is told.


You are talking about

Gary Casanova Rohan the underachieving front running bum ?
When the chips are down and the contest right on the line where one act of desperation and courage could make the difference to the outcome ? Give me a battling James Bell over the other any day of the week.
 
I gotta say I'm not loving the character assessments we are giving Stephens. We don't even know him.

Maybe he does have confidence issues on the field, and that would be my best guess at this point just based on what I've seen of him. But that is very different to saying that because he might be a quiet/low-key/modest kinda personality that he will be up against it in his career. There are plenty of blokes who are unassuming characters off the field but become beasts when on it. I mentioned this a few weeks ago in regards to Jack Steele's captaincy at the Saints.
 

Wolfgang West

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I gotta say I'm not loving the character assessments we are giving Stephens. We don't even know him.

Maybe he does have confidence issues on the field, and that would be my best guess at this point just based on what I've seen of him. But that is very different to saying that because he might be a quiet/low-key/modest kinda personality that he will be up against it in his career. There are plenty of blokes who are unassuming characters off the field but become beasts when on it. I mentioned this a few weeks ago in regards to Jack Steele's captaincy at the Saints.

Where has his character been judged ?
 
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