Preview SEASON OPENER - Sydney Swans versus Western Bulldogs

[RobbieK]

You use the word waltzing like he doesn’t deserve his spot. Which KPP would you pick ahead of him? McCartin?


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The King doesn't think Reid deserves to be on the list at all, so it isn't surpring he doesn't think he deserves to be best 22.

 

[Kennedy Parker]

Interesting selection to say the least. I'd have kept Ronke in the team just for balance with Buddy, Reid and Sinclair already spending time down there at stages. Not that Blakey isn't impressive. Although historically Dogs struggled against talls I think if we're not marking the ball this game they'll be able to stroll out of their defensive 50.

Midfield performance is something to watch closely, a big unknown on how Clarke goes, Mills goes when he's in there, whether Florent takes another step up will be a big indicator in our fortunes this year.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

We might get away with the talls against the Dogs but what happens against say Richmond...they will burn us on the outside

 

[caesar88]

Won't be surprised if we get blown off the park. In a league that has been dominated by quick smalls, we've decided to put out our best weapon in ronke. I'm furious with that decision. Blakey shouldn't just be gifted games, has to earn it in the twos. We're not Carlton. Talk about being fed with a silver spoon. We won't be able to mount a proper challenge unless ronke, paps, and Menzel are playing in the same team. Minus Rohan aswell were going to make marvel look like a farken nursing home.

Unless we somehow pluck blistering run and transition out of our arsses this is going to end up being a very long year.

Reg the Boeing 747 will be flipped inside out trying to lead that defence with no cover from aliir. Newman ends up looking like an all Australian tonight aswell just to top it off.

Calm down Zyzz, it's not all that bad. You say Blakey shouldn't be gifted games, but neither should Ronke. That's what the pre-season was for. He had two JLT games and a NEAFL practice match to stake a claim that was already shaky after he faded towards the back end of last year (understandably so.) On all three of those occasions, his output was bested by Blakey's, who kicked 3, 1 and 2 in his three major pre-season outings. He also just looked to be in the zone, playing with confidence and competitiveness while Ronke looked uncertain and to be lacking confidence. Blakey's selection and Ronke's dropping was more than justified IMO.

As for our height, I actually like that Horse & co have gone the route that's most likely to really hurt the Bulldogs instead of just what's the best way to match them. We don't want to beat them at their own game, we should want to beat them at our game. In the air, where they could seriously struggle against us.

I get what you're saying about the quick smalls, but I think the 6-6-6 rules may render them a little more redundant than in recent times. Being able to have isolation for your forwards, and more one-on-one contests instead of packs forming everywhere inside 50 plays more into the hands of taller, stronger marking targets (ie Dawson, Blakey) than smaller players expecting to get the ground ball. I don't think the ground ball is going to be as prevalent in these early rounds and it will limit Ronke's role in some ways.

 

[caesar88]

My concern about us loading up on talls is that it may well equal the same old game plan of just bomb it in and hope for the best.

Hopefully we'll adapt accordingly to the new rules and maybe get some isolation for our forwards, some one-on-ones that might inspire our boys to lower the eyes and find the right target (or am I being too optimistic here?)

 

[caesar88]

Imo the criticism of mcveigh is a tag harsh. Is he old? Yes, is he out of his prime? Yes, has his abilities diminished? Yes...is this in all likelyhkod his last season ? Yes.....however, his form last year was sensational considering his age and calls for retirement early on. In all likelyhood he will be poor this year, however his form last year warrants selection and the chance to prove his worth. If he fails he fails, but given his performance last year, he is 100% in the lineip for rd 1

Forget about his age. I wouldn't even have him in the top 20 half back flankers in the comp based on last year. That's all that matters, I couldn't care less if he was 23 or 33.

 

[caesar88]

2 goals in a game scrapped by a small player makes a massive difference. It's the type of players they are, they can do little things, place pressure at important moments which can have a massive bearing on the final result even if they don't have a great game on pure numbers. I remember in that game he hit a contest against two defenders, the ball was destined to slingshot the other way but he kept at it won the ball some how and set us up for a goal. Higgins, Butler and rioli do it all the time for Richmond even when they have crap games numbers wise. They're game breakers. That's why I've always been an advocate for Rohan even with s**t 5 disposal games. He's already shown in the JLT what he's capable of and will be the difference for Geelong in games this year e'en with low posessions

But there were too many games last year when games just weren't broken, and it was because we had passengers who were out of form but getting selected every week due to lack of other options.

 

[mikey_san]

The thing with those types of players tho is that you don't necessarily need them to have great games all the time. Even if they're not great on the day it atleast gives us the tools to mount pressure on the ball carrier and try to create run to open up the ground. Smaller players have a lower centre of gravity and find it alot easier to inside out their opponent. Instead with talls we're going to have no choice but to kick it long to a contest every time.

Look at Richmond, either rioli or Butler has a s**t game every time, but 1 just needs to turn it on. We have one in paps and we're not even using him as a pressure forward anymore

Sure - but in JLT2 Ronke didn't land a tackle from memory - indicates he's not playing at capacity, or just out of sorts.
It's good that we have competition for spots, no? An in form Ronke would be pretty handy no doubt - he's young. Let' see if he can bounce back.

 

[mikey_san]

Odd to see Nick Smith on the outer. Stranger still to feel it's the right decision.

If this is the beginning of the end for Smithy, what a stellar career he's had.

Injured - we'll have to wait and see what happens in 3 weeks when he's fit again. My feeling is they'll give him another crack at it before moving on to faster players.
We simply must have speed - as good a defender as he has been I don't think what he gives us now makes up for what the collective doesn't have back there.

 

[mikey_san]

Will need to be accountable. English is a midfielder when the ball is in play.

98.5% as fast as Florent.
Luckily it was that 1.5% that counted.

 

[mikey_san]

You use the word waltzing like he doesn’t deserve his spot. Which KPP would you pick ahead of him? McCartin?


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On form McLean. - He took numerous contested grabs around the ground in his last outing. More than Reid can claim.
McCartin is injured - which is a shame because I think Reid is absolutely in our best team, but could have used a NEAFL game to bring down 8 marks and kick 4 goals before coming in.
Could still see Reid kicking 3 on the weekend though if Buddy and Sinkers are keeping their KPDs busy. With no Ronke we'd want to have Papley playing the whole game forward.

 

[Punts]

If they just walk it out of defence with little pressure while now papley is more mid and ronke is in the 2s it will be the match committee problem

Still think the game is built on pressure, Blakey will be gased by half time being his first game , Reid is underdone

Can’t see the front half putting on much at all and the dogs walking it out at times
Lucky johanison is out

 

[zyzzbruh]

Sure - but in JLT2 Ronke didn't land a tackle from memory - indicates he's not playing at capacity, or just out of sorts.
It's good that we have competition for spots, no? An in form Ronke would be pretty handy no doubt - he's young. Let' see if he can bounce back.

I would've liked to see more of a like for like swap rather than going all tall, especially putting a kid out there straight off the bat without seeing what kind of form he can actually hit. The competition is excellent and im stoked we actually have a bit of depth finally. Just uneasy on how we might be approaching this particular game

 

[zyzzbruh]

Calm down Zyzz, it's not all that bad. You say Blakey shouldn't be gifted games, but neither should Ronke. That's what the pre-season was for. He had two JLT games and a NEAFL practice match to stake a claim that was already shaky after he faded towards the back end of last year (understandably so.) On all three of those occasions, his output was bested by Blakey's, who kicked 3, 1 and 2 in his three major pre-season outings. He also just looked to be in the zone, playing with confidence and competitiveness while Ronke looked uncertain and to be lacking confidence. Blakey's selection and Ronke's dropping was more than justified IMO.

As for our height, I actually like that Horse & co have gone the route that's most likely to really hurt the Bulldogs instead of just what's the best way to match them. We don't want to beat them at their own game, we should want to beat them at our game. In the air, where they could seriously struggle against us.

I get what you're saying about the quick smalls, but I think the 6-6-6 rules may render them a little more redundant than in recent times. Being able to have isolation for your forwards, and more one-on-one contests instead of packs forming everywhere inside 50 plays more into the hands of taller, stronger marking targets (ie Dawson, Blakey) than smaller players expecting to get the ground ball. I don't think the ground ball is going to be as prevalent in these early rounds and it will limit Ronke's role in some ways.

If we can dominate the air and not let them get a run on then all is good. The problem is if they do get to play their game, even inspurts, we might be in trouble cause we're not going to have the tools to change things up. This game will go one of two ways. Either our talls will dominate the air and we win easy, or it will be a one dimensional scrap where the only thing getting us over the line will be sheer talent.

Looking at last nights game, the 6-6-6 deffs came into play at times, but a minute after a centre bounce it kind of became irrelevant. Both teams had their best moments running in numbers rather than hoofing it.

 

[Tedeski]

Pessimists.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Odd to see Nick Smith on the outer. Stranger still to feel it's the right decision.

If this is the beginning of the end for Smithy, what a stellar career he's had.

Smith is injured, out for another three weeks.

I would've liked to see more of a like for like swap rather than going all tall, especially putting a kid out there straight off the bat without seeing what kind of form he can actually hit. The competition is excellent and im stoked we actually have a bit of depth finally. Just uneasy on how we might be approaching this particular game

Blakey has exactly the same experience that the likes of Mills, Heeney, Florent and Papley had when they debuted.

 

[kickthething]

2 goals in a game scrapped by a small player makes a massive difference. It's the type of players they are, they can do little things, place pressure at important moments which can have a massive bearing on the final result even if they don't have a great game on pure numbers. I remember in that game he hit a contest against two defenders, the ball was destined to slingshot the other way but he kept at it won the ball some how and set us up for a goal. Higgins, Butler and rioli do it all the time for Richmond even when they have crap games numbers wise. They're game breakers. That's why I've always been an advocate for Rohan even with s**t 5 disposal games. He's already shown in the JLT what he's capable of and will be the difference for Geelong in games this year e'en with low posessions

I think we agree, this is my point. I know Ronke is a good player and can be a valuable asset for us...his output is inconsistent though which is why imo the hype does not match the reality. He will come back in rnd 2 I predict as the match ups v the crows probably make room for him.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Hopefully we'll adapt accordingly to the new rules and maybe get some isolation for our forwards, some one-on-ones that might inspire our boys to lower the eyes and find the right target (or am I being too optimistic here?)

Yeah and I’ll be the Pope. I’ll believe it when I see it

 

[The Gong]

Yeah and I’ll be the Pope. I’ll believe it when I see it

I'm glad to see your bright-eyed optimism hasn't dimmed over the break.

I think we're a considerably better side than we were last year with a few small changes and some key payers back in so I find it strange that most see us sliding. I know there's more than a few Reid haters here but I think many underestimate how important he is to our forward structure and I think it's going to make a huge difference. He isn't a superstar but he's a reliable lead up marking forward and it's what he allows Buddy to do that is so important.

We made finals with little semblance of a forward structure last year and predominantly kids playing around Buddy. I think we'll be better this year.

 

[The King!]

Interested to see how JPK looks in the real stuff this year, he looked half gone last year

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I'm glad to see your bright-eyed optimism hasn't dimmed over the break.

I think we're a considerably better side than we were last year with a few small changes and some key payers back in so I find it strange that most see us sliding. I know there's more than a few Reid haters here but I think many underestimate how important he is to our forward structure and I think it's going to make a huge difference. He isn't a superstar but he's a reliable lead up marking forward and it's what he allows Buddy to do that is so important.

We made finals with with little semblance of a forward structure last year and predominantly kids playing around Buddy. I think we'll be better this year.

I’ve heard it before with Horse. The proof is in the pudding so to speak. Let’s see a new gameplan that better not be bomb it long and hope for the best...that won’t make finals this season. Up to Hirse to show he can evolve. Based on the past I’m not sure and thus it is why I expect a 11th-12th finish. However if I see improvements from the kids I don’t mind where we finish.

Personally our side is still too slow, and watch us bring Jack back when he should be in the NEAFL...

 

[The King!]

You use the word waltzing like he doesn’t deserve his spot. Which KPP would you pick ahead of him? McCartin?


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Yeah I know we essentially have no choice

But how did he earn his spot exactly? and this is not to even have a go at him intentionally, but he played 1 quarter of senior AFL footy in the last what 18 months?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yeah I know we essentially have no choice

But how did he earn his spot exactly? and this is not to even have a go at him intentionally, but he played 1 quarter of senior AFL footy in the last what 18 months?

Why do we need to play a tall? We are as slow as a cement truck...can’t we play a guy with foot speed!

 

[The Gong]

I’ve heard it before with Horse. The proof is in the pudding so to speak. Let’s see a new gameplan that better not be bomb it long and hope for the best...that won’t make finals this season. Up to Hirse to show he can evolve. Based on the past I’m not sure and thus it is why I expect a 11th-12th finish. However if I see improvements from the kids I don’t mind where we finish.

Personally our side is still too slow, and watch us bring Jack back when he should be in the NEAFL...

Yeah I'm interested to see how we go early on in the season. There was lots of "We know we need to move in quicker through the middle" talk and I'm very much hoping the players have been given license to take the game on. Jones looked good working through the middle in the pre-season and I felt it gave us a much pacier attack through there. Cunningham has really hit his straps and is breaking the line more, Florent has a lot of upside and I think Clarke could be a solid gut running player for us. I really want to see us play on a lot more, run and carry and get some flow into our ball movement.

 

[Skystyler]

can't believe they couldn't find a spot for Ronke. He's fully fit, right? I thought I might have read that he's coming back from a shoulder injury, but I cant find mention of it.