Opinion 2024 and Beyond

[RampeRobe]

Only issue with that is we end up with a bit part midfield.

Plenty who can make that up.
Campbell’s time to go in.

 

[Dan87]

no worries ... he has good hands, sturdy shoulders, a cool head ...

... been injured for the majority of his two seasons

 

[the hypnotoad]

... been injured for the majority of his two seasons

he's tougher for that

 

[the hypnotoad]

Blakey is showing excellent leadership skills. He really is getting physically targeted week in week out now. Oppo genuinely fear him and are trying to take him out. Gets hit after the ball every single week, and despite only waking 37kgs and the physical structure of a plastic straw, he gets up every single time and continues to attack the contest with unwavering intent every single time.

He is an incredible player. Get rid of the likes heeney, papley and hayward out of the leadership group, the lizard oozes it

yeah, blakey doesn't get enough credit for being so friggin tough and resilient ... he does now seem to cop a physical pounding every week, and keeps getting up and going again

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

here is a stab in the dark B 22 for Round 1 next season. Have not included possible trades or 23 draftees, just players on our list

Rampe McCartin Florent
Blakey Arnold Hayward
McInerney Mills Gulden
Parker McDonald Heeney
Papley Buller Wicks

MacAndrew Warner Sheldrick

i/c McLean Campbell Lloyd Cunningham

outs from E Final - Melican Hickey Amartey Rowbottom

Ins - Arnold Buller, MacAndrew Sheldrick

Sub - Co Warner
Ems - Rowbottom Fox Ladhams

27-30 Depth - Melican Amartey Roberts Mitchell

Developing/next wave Konstanty Edwards Magor Hall-Kahan

Have assumed the end of year coaching and performance review will see some positive changes in tactics and use of players. Mills for example should be allowed to play as the lead mid. Papley, Parker and Heeney will all get Ltd time in the mids.

Have assumed Stephens is traded and Reid and Clarke are 50/50 on delisting/retirement.

 

[SGBeach]

here is a stab in the dark B 22 for Round 1 next season. Have not included possible trades or 23 draftees, just players on our list

Rampe McCartin Florent
Blakey Arnold Hayward
McInerney Mills Gulden
Parker McDonald Heeney
Papley Buller Wicks

MacAndrew Warner Sheldrick

i/c McLean Campbell Lloyd Cunningham

outs from E Final - Melican Hickey Amartey Rowbottom

Ins - Arnold Buller, MacAndrew Sheldrick

Sub - Co Warner
Ems - Rowbottom Fox Ladhams

27-30 Depth - Melican Amartey Roberts Mitchell

Developing/next wave Konstanty Edwards Magor Hall-Kahan

Have assumed the end of year coaching and performance review will see some positive changes in tactics and use of players. Mills for example should be allowed to play as the lead mid. Papley, Parker and Heeney will all get Ltd time in the mids.

Have assumed Stephens is traded and Reid and Clarke are 50/50 on delisting/retirement.

impossible stab.. but good conversation starter
Of course theres a lot to play out.
Both Reid and Amartey are highly skilled, and if one or both have a big (injury free) pre-season, I could see them playing
Rowbottom is a young, solid bodied midfielder who just broke the Swans record for most tackles in a season - hard to see him being left out
Arnold v Melican - like Reid and Amartey, Melican has fitness issues. If he has a big (fit) pre-season, he could potentially have a very big year. In saying that, Im a fan of Arnold and with his first pre-season may earn his spot?
Hayward in defence is interesting.. Horse played Clarke as a tagger on the oppos most damaging half back end of last season. He played Hayward as a tagger on the oppos best intercepter this season. it worked a couple of times, but hard to judge just how well?. Hayward did play well a couple of years ago when played in defence.

ps..
If Melican re-signs and Arnold and Edwards develop the way we'd want, Im becoming less keen on spending money on McKay.
The tall forwards of McDonald, McLean, Amartey, Buller and potentially Reid and even Gould (who kicked a lot of goals, laid hard tackles and got plenty of the ball when moved forward in the VFL) is looking pretty good and will get better
The ruck is the weak point. Ladhams ????? McAndrew looks good and committed to the contest, but is he good enough?

edit: very interesting off season ahead. How do the Swans see Gould (as a forward), HHK, Magor, Rankin etc

 

[sthmelb_dimmies]

here is a stab in the dark B 22 for Round 1 next season. Have not included possible trades or 23 draftees, just players on our list

Rampe McCartin Florent
Blakey Arnold Hayward
McInerney Mills Gulden
Parker McDonald Heeney
Papley Buller Wicks

MacAndrew Warner Sheldrick

i/c McLean Campbell Lloyd Cunningham

outs from E Final - Melican Hickey Amartey Rowbottom

Ins - Arnold Buller, MacAndrew Sheldrick

Sub - Co Warner
Ems - Rowbottom Fox Ladhams

27-30 Depth - Melican Amartey Roberts Mitchell

Developing/next wave Konstanty Edwards Magor Hall-Kahan

Have assumed the end of year coaching and performance review will see some positive changes in tactics and use of players. Mills for example should be allowed to play as the lead mid. Papley, Parker and Heeney will all get Ltd time in the mids.

Have assumed Stephens is traded and Reid and Clarke are 50/50 on delisting/retirement.

Slotting Buller in ahead of McLean off the back of that final from Hamish is almost criminal.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Slotting Buller in ahead of McLean off the back of that final from Hamish is almost criminal.

have McLean doing more ruck work esp around the ground.. why I had him as number 1 on the IC.

 

[The King!]

yeah, blakey doesn't get enough credit for being so friggin tough and resilient ... he does now seem to cop a physical pounding every week, and keeps getting up and going again

I agree

but also a bit like Heeney and J Brown

need to be. slightly smarter and not risk their bodies as much at times. Play with no fear a bit and sometimes put themselves at risk. Obviously all AFL guys are tough, but yeah Blakey cops a fair bit and just goes and goes

 

[Punts]

As much we want Parker in the front half , with McLean , amartey , heeney , etc etc I think the ball will walk out at times

Be very slow

 

[Punts]

Reid I hope stays fit as he will replace amartey in the 22

 

[dosser]

There are a few posts in here suggesting that we need to get a small defender (such as Smooch) as Cunningham is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. I agree with this, however I don't think we ever draft or trade for that role, we usually find the player from within the list.
Smooch was drafted as a mid but we played him in defence and the rest is history. Cunningham was a wingman with pace, etc.
I had hopes that someone like Rankin may be the replacement but the ressie watchers have cooled on him. For those same watchers, who do we have that you think may be able to do the job?

 

[Adnico26Parker]

There are a few posts in here suggesting that we need to get a small defender (such as Smooch) as Cunningham is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. I agree with this, however I don't think we ever draft or trade for that role, we usually find the player from within the list.
Smooch was drafted as a mid but we played him in defence and the rest is history. Cunningham was a wingman with pace, etc.
I had hopes that someone like Rankin may be the replacement but the ressie watchers have cooled on him. For those same watchers, who do we have that you think may be able to do the job?

Cooper Vickery?

 

[dosser]

And while I'm at it, of McLean, Mcdonald and Amartey, it is McLean who has the most games experience with 52. Big KPFs take a long time to develop so now that buddy has gone, who will lead and organise our forwards? Thoughts?

 

[The King!]

Cant believe I am saying it, but if his injuries are done, we need Reid to stay

 

[Ticky009]

I feel we should have 3 emerging inside mids with Sheldrick, Roberts and Cleary. So there is a good chance that at least one of them will be able to step up.

Sheldrick seemed to get better after a run of games. Coaching staff appeared to rate Roberts highly and he was getting games at the start of the season. Cleary looked promising in the U18s and VFL. He looked very competitive with his repeat efforts and intensity at the contest.

But we could mix up our midfield in other ways. Parker could play more forward. Warner more outside. Maybe try guys like Campbell or Gulden inside in small bursts if we want more running attacking players.

Would have been interesting if Roberts & Sheldrick had been fit and available all year. Our midfield needs a bit more variety and backup.

 

[The King!]

Maybe let Rowbottom get more involved, beyond just trying to tackle

 

[Ticky009]

Cant believe I am saying it, but if his injuries are done, we need Reid to stay

Agreed. We need his experience and his work down the line when we're trying to get out back will complement McLean.

 

[Tedeski]

have McLean doing more ruck work esp around the ground.. why I had him as number 1 on the IC.

McLean was Mike Pike like the other night. He sensed someone needed to do something & of all the big blokes, he absolutely stepped it up. I would have no problem with him being a part of the leadership group at some point because that was something special.
His body seems to hold up well. He can kick clutch goals & he holds his marks.

 

[The King!]

Agreed. We need his experience and his work down the line when we're trying to get out back will complement McLean.

Worse case scenario he is a presence around the young forwards.

I'd fit I'll take him over Amartey on current outputs

 

[The King!]

McLean was Mike Pike like the other night. He sensed someone needed to do something & of all the big blokes, he absolutely stepped it up. I would have no problem with him being a part of the leadership group at some point because that was something special.
His body seems to hold up well. He can kick clutch goals & he holds his marks.

The more the club persisted and showed faith the better he got

 

[Ticky009]

Worse case scenario he is a presence around the young forwards.

I'd fit I'll take him over Amartey on current outputs

Yes. Amartey still very inexperienced and needs to work on consistent output during games. Goes missing a bit too much but again, only played 24 games or something so needs more experience.

 

[TheMase]

Cant believe I am saying it, but if his injuries are done, we need Reid to stay

If I only had a Time Machine…

Your former self may have disowned your future self

 

[SGBeach]

There are a few posts in here suggesting that we need to get a small defender (such as Smooch) as Cunningham is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. I agree with this, however I don't think we ever draft or trade for that role, we usually find the player from within the list.
Smooch was drafted as a mid but we played him in defence and the rest is history. Cunningham was a wingman with pace, etc.
I had hopes that someone like Rankin may be the replacement but the ressie watchers have cooled on him. For those same watchers, who do we have that you think may be able to do the job?

Vickery, Rankin, Magor, Sheather, Hayward, Clarke ??? Wicks if Konstanty plays small forward
Thought Cunningham had a good year, and likely to have another couple of good years left which gives time for the Swans to develop the next small defender.. Who that will be ,, Ive no idea

 

[SGBeach]

Maybe let Rowbottom get more involved, beyond just trying to tackle

Rowbottom is still only 22. He averaged 18 disposals and 7.3 tackles this year.. If he can up his disposal numbers closer to 25 next year (which is very do-able with another year experience) .. thats him being more involved