Analysis 2020 List, Game Plan and Best 22?

[SGBeach]

This won't be a popular opinion, but I'd argue he's a lot more important for us than most here give him credit for. A man who was playing predominantly in one-on-one roles in the backline posting those stats is highly impressive, and we seriously need good distributors in the side, of which Cunningham is clearly one of our best.

Yep agree, when ever he's had a good run with injuries he's been very good. Im sure Horse loves him for all the reasons you've stated.. and he's quick - speed is something the Swans have been very keen to get in the side; he's 26 with 100+ games - so his experience is highly valued in this young developing side; he's a very reliable and consistent player - Horse loves that, and he probably doesn't use up too much of the salary cap. Thats why they offered him another three years on his contract - until the end of 2022

 

[caesar88]

Cunningham seems to be a confidence player. Round 1 against the Crows was just his third senior game since May of 2019. Ie didn't have form behind him and it showed. Looked sloppy, didn't back himself in.

But I distinctly remember him breaking lines and pulling off risky kicks in a number of matches early last year, and the year before. He was not changing games by any means, but he was possibly building to something better, and in both cases, injury robbed him of his chance to continue improving.

Let's see how he goes once he's had a handful of games and consistency under his belt, because it will probably be a different Cunningham we see.

 

[sataris]

The most important thing to remember, is that morons on internet boards are morons on internet boards.

 

[Angry Red Bull]

The most important thing to remember, is that morons on internet boards are morons on internet boards.

True. But statistically we seem to have a greater concentration

 

[wills2g]

It's weird to think that Cunningham is playing in his 9th season.

And unfortunately it's still debatable whether he's a best-22 lock

 

[mtooler]

And unfortunately it's still debatable whether he's a best-22 lock

Yeah agree, can't really hold down a spot, Im happy to give development time to kids instead of Cunningham and Hewett (because of the role that our coaches make Hewett play as opposed to his talents).

 

[mtooler]

Cunningham seems to be a confidence player. Round 1 against the Crows was just his third senior game since May of 2019. Ie didn't have form behind him and it showed. Looked sloppy, didn't back himself in.

But I distinctly remember him breaking lines and pulling off risky kicks in a number of matches early last year, and the year before. He was not changing games by any means, but he was possibly building to something better, and in both cases, injury robbed him of his chance to continue improving.

Let's see how he goes once he's had a handful of games and consistency under his belt, because it will probably be a different Cunningham we see.

Its a hard one when it comes to him regarding roles. Do we play him or Gould in defence, do we play him or stephens on wing, do we play him or gray/taylor off hff. He's kind of handy off the bench if we get an injury, but I just dont know where we play him, even as a tagger we have Hewett who will struggle to get game time I reckon being too one dimensional.

 

[RUNVS]

Yeah agree, can't really hold down a spot, Im happy to give development time to kids instead of Cunningham and Hewett (because of the role that our coaches make Hewett play as opposed to his talents).

Hewett should be a proper in and under midfielder. He is good at it and has close to the perfect body for it.

 

[mtooler]

Hewett should be a proper in and under midfielder. He is good at it and has close to the perfect body for it.

Very much agree with you, needs to be released into it, hard to have him, jpk and parker in a centre square, pretty one dimensional and I think we've seen the start of the squeezing out of that set up.

 

[caesar88]

Its a hard one when it comes to him regarding roles. Do we play him or Gould in defence, do we play him or stephens on wing, do we play him or gray/taylor off hff. He's kind of handy off the bench if we get an injury, but I just dont know where we play him, even as a tagger we have Hewett who will struggle to get game time I reckon being too one dimensional.

You've really hit the nail on the head there with Cunningham. He can do a number of roles, but there will always be someone else who can offer more in that role. It's why he'll probably never be more than player 18-22 in our side, but that's okay. Not everyone has to be a world-beater and if he did end up falling out of favour, he'd be handy depth as his best footy can be very good.

 

[caesar88]

Very much agree with you, needs to be released into it, hard to have him, jpk and parker in a centre square, pretty one dimensional and I think we've seen the start of the squeezing out of that set up.

I agree re Hewett, but it depends a lot on the young duo of Florent and Rowbottom. If they become the midfielders we hope and need them to be, then we could get away with Hewett remaining a very defensive mid. If anything it would make their job easier then. But if they don't come on as we hope they will, we may rue not releasing Hewett as a pure ball-winner.

 

[The King!]

i think swans fans overrate hewett, hes An average player

wouldn't want him as a leading inside mid like jpk has been, not a great user, better with a role.

If he was a great leading mid he would have been released more often by now, hes a good solid best 22

 

[caesar88]

i think swans fans overrate hewett, hes An average player

wouldn't want him as a leading inside mid like jpk has been, not a great user, better with a role.

If he was a great leading mid he would have been released more often by now, hes a good solid best 22

The leading inside mid shouldn't be doing anything more than getting first hands on it and distributing it out to the more dangerous players. It has become the most over-complicated role in footy IMO.

 

[Millky95]

The leading inside mid shouldn't be doing anything more than getting first hands on it and distributing it out to the more dangerous players. It has become the most over-complicated role in footy IMO.

Because they want it to be the Martin types where they get the ball, clear the ball to themselves to go forward and kick the goal from 55m out

 

[caesar88]

Because they want it to be the Martin types where they get the ball, clear the ball to themselves to go forward and kick the goal from 55m out

Martin is not even the leading inside mid at Richmond though. He plays like a bull but actually positions himself on the outside a lot. Very rarely does he actually go in to get first hands to it. That's usually left to either Edwards, Prestia, and to a lesser extent, Lambert. Teams undo themselves because they put too much focus on Martin, who will beat his direct opponent 9/10 times anyway because he's such a beast. Shut down Edwards or Prestia though, who are more limited but still so important in getting it to Martin, and you can cut off Martin's supply. Hardwick has figured out that Martin will draw so much opposition attention that it's actually smarter to have the less-dominant guys like Edwards and Prestia at the ball-drop.

Hawthorn at their peak had a similar method, where so much of the attention was drawn to guys like Mitchell and Burgoyne and Smith who were all so damaging and crucial at getting their uncontested game going, but it was actually Liam Shiels who was the pivotal player involved in getting it out to them more often than not. He was very no-fuss during that era, got his standard 20-25 touches, and nearly every one was just a simple handball or short clearing pass. But they were always to Hawthorn's key play-makers.

This is the role that I feel like Hewett could nail for us. He will eventually be surrounded by midfielders who are more dynamic and damaging than him, like Florent, Rowbottom, Blakey, Stephens, McInerney, potentially Campbell, potentially Dawson. If his role as our leading inside mid was to just win possession and get it out to them with efficiency, would it even matter if he wasn't the next JPK?

 

[Millky95]

Martin is not even the leading inside mid at Richmond though. He plays like a bull but actually positions himself on the outside a lot. Very rarely does he actually go in to get first hands to it. That's usually left to either Edwards, Prestia, and to a lesser extent, Lambert. Teams undo themselves because they put too much focus on Martin, who will beat his direct opponent 9/10 times anyway because he's such a beast. Shut down Edwards or Prestia though, who are more limited but still so important in getting it to Martin, and you can cut off Martin's supply. Hardwick has figured out that Martin will draw so much opposition attention that it's actually smarter to have the less-dominant guys like Edwards and Prestia at the ball-drop.

Hawthorn at their peak had a similar method, where so much of the attention was drawn to guys like Mitchell and Burgoyne and Smith who were all so damaging and crucial at getting their uncontested game going, but it was actually Liam Shiels who was the pivotal player involved in getting it out to them more often than not. He was very no-fuss during that era, got his standard 20-25 touches, and nearly every one was just a simple handball or short clearing pass. But they were always to Hawthorn's key play-makers.

This is the role that I feel like Hewett could nail for us. He will eventually be surrounded by midfielders who are more dynamic and damaging than him, like Florent, Rowbottom, Blakey, Stephens, McInerney, potentially Campbell, potentially Dawson. If his role as our leading inside mid was to just win possession and get it out to them with efficiency, would it even matter if he wasn't the next JPK?

Always thought that the games we would lose against the top sides in recent years were because we had too many going for the ball and they'd get picked off when handballing it out because the opposition would sit off the pack

 

[caesar88]

Always thought that the games we would lose against the top sides in recent years were because we had too many going for the ball and they'd get picked off when handballing it out because the opposition would sit off the pack

Nail on the head there. Not enough balance between the inside and outside. Even in 2016 when our midfield was arguably at the peak of it's powers with guys like JPK, Parker, Hanners, Jack and Mitchell all in there, teams like GWS and Bulldogs were so much more effective with their spread, they gave us repeated head-aches. Really hope as this next generation coming through develop together they can figure out each other's strengths and weaknesses and start to compliment each other. Hewett could be key to that as the consistent but limited mid of the bunch.

 

[sataris]

Always thought that the games we would lose against the top sides in recent years were because we had too many going for the ball and they'd get picked off when handballing it out because the opposition would sit off the pack

This,

but you'll see our outside players (Lloyd) get torn to shreds on here because they're 'soft' and won't 'go after the ball'.

Even though they're job is to sit on the outside of the pack and hope that one of our 17 inside midfielders gets their hands on the ball.

 

[mtooler]

This,

but you'll see our outside players (Lloyd) get torn to shreds on here because they're 'soft' and won't 'go after the ball'.

Even though they're job is to sit on the outside of the pack and hope that one of our 17 inside midfielders gets their hands on the ball.

Reminds me of our 2000s, 17 taggers and Goodes.

 

[RUNVS]

Reminds me of our 2000s, 17 taggers and Goodes.

Goodes got to run around and do what he liked.

 

[BloodySwan]

People arguing that we don't have a good enough balance of inside/outside yet believe Cunningham isn't best 22. Most fans seem to want a 22 of Kennedy's

 

[caesar88]

People arguing that we don't have a good enough balance of inside/outside yet believe Cunningham isn't best 22. Most fans seem to want a 22 of Kennedy's

Cunningham has nothing to do with how our on-ballers set up or operate.

 

[JeremyVanHolden]

Noticed COR a lot in the match sim video. Notably at the start where he is giving instructions to the team. I know some here don't rate him but he is clearly a leader and is looked up to by other players and staff. And in my opinion which I believe is unpopular, his kicking is very very good and apart from 1 or 2 a game he might do that can go anywhere, the majority would actually be pretty decent.

 

[Angry Red Bull]

Nail on the head there. Not enough balance between the inside and outside. Even in 2016 when our midfield was arguably at the peak of it's powers with guys like JPK, Parker, Hanners, Jack and Mitchell all in there, teams like GWS and Bulldogs were so much more effective with their spread, they gave us repeated head-aches. Really hope as this next generation coming through develop together they can figure out each other's strengths and weaknesses and start to compliment each other. Hewett could be key to that as the consistent but limited mid of the bunch.

Yeah. But in defence us creating a scrum controlling the tempo of the game and setting our defence worked well for a long time. The game moves on and we now have to adapt and are I think. The choice of new recruits shows out intent with speed endurance and skill. I can’t wait for it to gel and see success of that new style.

 

[WillHayward]

We should have gone hard for Dan Butler. Absolute gun. Was available.

Miles better than Gray and Taylor and younger.