2014 Onwards to Victory!

[GotTheGoodes]

Yes, injury has cruelled us this year but it has let us utilise some great young talent. Rampe is honestly one of my favourites toight. He's come so far so soon. Really looking forward to seeing guys like Rampe, Cunners, Biggsy, B.J, Lamby etc start to get some shots at seniors and thrive. This year may have been that 'blessing in disguise' type senerio where we get some good game time into some young guys that should help next year & onwards.

I know we can bring it more-so in 2014 than 2013.

- Goodesy back and leading the guys through the banner round one.
- Tippo, Reidy & (hopefully) Jesse up fwd (reid swingman).
- Aj back fit & firing.
- Shaw back fit & firing.
- Gazza with a pre-season under his belt.
- A fit & flying Jets.
- LRT back linking up with Reid in 2014 really mixing it up for the opposition.
- Mitchell having played some good time in 2013 to have a full pre season and smash 2014.

So much to look fwd to everyone.

I'm off to finish a couple of bottles of red now... Cheer cheer.

 

[SSwans2011]

To be honest, I don't think I'll be able to look forward to 2014 until tomorrow. I was fine when that final siren went, disappointed and sad about Jude but still alright.

I was fine, until I watched this video.



Surely this will make and true Swans fan choke up a little with the memories of last year. It seems like just yesterday.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Can't believe it's has been a year already.

 

[RUNVS]

Assuming we have a better run with injuries next year I fully expect us to to be there at the pointy end of the season. Oddly enough what I am most looking forward to next year is a fit and firing Jetta and Rohan in the same team. Both are such damaging players when they have the ball.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

It's going to be a tough year with Freo, Richmond , North , Port and Gold Coast all expected to improve strongly.

We will be right up there again and im tipping us to finish 3-5th.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

I'm off to finish a couple of bottles of red now... Cheer cheer.

Two bottles of red? I always have a bottle of cab sav and a bottle of riesling, so my mates and I can all go Cheers Cheers the red and the white.

 

[Ed_Gein]

It's going to be a tough year with Freo, Richmond , North , Port and Gold Coast all expected to improve strongly.

We will be right up there again and im tipping us to finish 3-5th.

I think we're good enough to be challenging for minor Premiership next year. Those teams you mentioned are improving, but don't think they have enough to beat us except Freo.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

I think the Freo game plan can get found out with some well executed kicking. I think the Hawks will try to employ such a strategy against them in the GF and all the other teams in the comp will be taking close note and trying to combat their 'zone/pressure' strategy in the off season. Just like we became the hunted this year and our slingshot strategy was highlighted and worked against in last off season I think Freo's game style will get the same treatment next year.

We're looking good IMO to go deep into September again next year. After looking over the year I'm pretty stoked we got to really give Rampe and some of the other fringe players some good game time that they wouldn't have otherwise had. It's again opened up some options for us going forward into next year and I'm hoping that finals experience and game time will come in handy in the years to come for our young brigade. I think we just need to be mindful of resting the older guys when we can and trying not to get too much out of them next year.

 

[RW]

I'm optimistic about our prospects next year but our much vaunted midfield will need to respond to the challenge yet again after struggling with opposition pressure in the second half of the season.

Can't believe a year ago we were preparing for the grand final and organising meet ups and such... so much has happened since then.

 

[YorshireSwan]

Interesting that the so called "experts" are already predicting our demise ...

http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/2013-09-25/the-2013-washup-sydney-swans

 

[replicant]

Interesting that the so called "experts" are already predicting our demise ...

http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/2013-09-25/the-2013-washup-sydney-swans

Yeah, they did that in 2012.

 

[TriX78]

Interesting that the so called "experts" are already predicting our demise ...

http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/2013-09-25/the-2013-washup-sydney-swans

Someone should really start to question how and where these so called experts, how they come to their conclusions.

Someone should also tell Darcy to start reading more books. He has about 5 cliches that he uses and when done he mixes them all up and repeats them thinking he has said something new.

 

[replicant]

I'm pretty excited by 2014. I watched the NEAFL finals and GF, and saw really good signs from the ressies. People thinking our ageing list means we will drop off might be in for a rude shock.

The one i'm most excited to see step up is Membrey. Just makes me feel we found that Jack Darling that everyone thinks was such a missed opportunity. Really strong, mid-sized forward, who just uses his body so well. If he has a good defensive game and gets a good fitness level over pre season, he has the potential to be a gun.

But from what i saw, Armstrong has really improved, and Lamb, Brown, Perris, Towers and Lockyer all are good enough to get a run in the seniors (whether they're all up to it is another question). Robinson also seemed ok as a rookie. With our injured seniors coming back, and those guys for depth, it looks like a pretty good list being assembled. I remember at the start of the year we were worried about depth, but i think this year has solved most of that. A lot of younger guys have had some exposure, and a lot more are ready.

Bring on 2014!

 

[swansfan51]

The one i'm most excited to see step up is Membrey. Just makes me feel we found that Jack Darling that everyone thinks was such a missed opportunity. Really strong, mid-sized forward, who just uses his body so well. If he has a good defensive game and gets a good fitness level over pre season, he has the potential to be a gun.

This is an incredibly unfair comparison. Jack Darling already has an excellent defensive game, and a great fitness level - in the 2 areas of weakness you want Membrey to fix, Darling is already better than he will ever be. Darling would have won our leading goalkicker award for the past 2 seasons. Membrey is not in his league, literally or figuratively.

 

[replicant]

This is an incredibly unfair comparison. Jack Darling already has an excellent defensive game, and a great fitness level - in the 2 areas of weakness you want Membrey to fix, Darling is already better than he will ever be. Darling would have won our leading goalkicker award for the past 2 seasons. Membrey is not in his league, literally or figuratively.

I knew you'd reply to that one!

In terms of fitness, i'm not sure Membrey is that far behind Darling. Certainly he leads well and gets a lot of the ball, which is a good sign and suggests he's on the move a lot. He makes 1-2 tackles a game, while Darling makes 3.8, so he's behind there.

But i just wasn't impressed with Darling this year, so the call that Darling is better than Membrey will ever be is a big one. I thought Darling had a very average season. Darling's best season was 2011, his first, when WC were really good and ended up 4th. As WC have slipped, so have his stats (not unusual) which makes his first season look really good, but his last two seasons not so impressive. I guess what i'm saying is he might be a little over-rated based on that first season, while he hasn't really shown that same performance over his (admittedly limited) career.

If Membrey can up his tackling pressure, he could really be a great forward option. And since defensive pressure is what seems to be what;s required to get a senior game, i expect he'll improve in that area if he wants to play.

 

[swansfan51]

But i just wasn't impressed with Darling this year, so the call that Darling is better than Membrey will ever be is a big one.

I only said he was better in those 2 areas than Membrey will ever be. And I don't think that's a controversial call, given Darling's record as an elite junior in athletics I would not expect him to be surpassed in terms of fitness and athleticism.

 

[replicant]

I only said he was better in those 2 areas than Membrey will ever be. And I don't think that's a controversial call, given Darling's record as an elite junior in athletics I would not expect him to be surpassed in terms of fitness and athleticism.

Sorry, misread your post.

 

[BloodRet]

If we keep away from extended injuries next year we will be hard to stop. Our best 22 when we have a full squad to select from is scary and I'd say the best in the competition. 2012, 2014, 2016. I'm feeling it.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

If we keep away from extended injuries next year we will be hard to stop. Our best 22 when we have a full squad to select from is scary and I'd say the best in the competition. 2012, 2014, 2016. I'm feeling it.

Simply put, you go and put a fully (not partially) fit Rohan, Jetta & Tippet in our team and you've got a pretty damn good improvement. Add to that the return of LRT, Reid, Shaw & AJ and I think we'd be the envy of many a club given also the amount of experience we were able to get into Rampe, Everritt, Mitchell, Parker etc.

Next year we could have both LRT & Reid (hopefully) playing as swingmen, bulking up our flexibility and meaning we can better cover opponents fwd/back strength/weaknesses. And having them be aable to combine with Tippett up foward and a new & improved AJ in defense should mean an even better chance at a flag next year IMO. We're also going to be able to get a full pre-season with Tippett and be able to really drill up on our structures with him there. Not to mention the excitment of having a fully fit Rohan and Jetta in the same team... man, all of that extra on top of what some of our guys showed thsi eyar could mean some trouble for opposition coaches next year. I'm really looking forward to it.