Changes for Swans - early thoughts

[The Royal Sampler]

People are dropped to the reserves to find form all the time, I don't know why Meds should be exempt. Clearly, he's not playing anywhere near as well as he can, and we need him in top form going into finals.

 

[Pies_10]

MM wont drop L Brown or Johnson and nor should he.
In: Fraser
Out: Dawes

N Brown may come in but dont know for who.

 

[Snag Breac]

Fraser is a big chance to come in. N Brown has no match up so wouldnt bring him in.

Like Dawes as back up for Wood. Would like to see Fraser as a floating player from a half forward position.

Rocca is not longer required and I hope he is given his marching orders at seasons end. Along with Stanley, Cook, Cox. Macaffer and Rusling will be lucky to stay.

Ben Johnson has done a great job since returning, Clarke does not warrant selection and is returning for his sisters wedding so that shows a lack of commitment and also poor planning by his sister.

You have to understand that there's a real cultural difference here. He simply COULD NOT have missed his only sister's wedding for any sporting event. Ireland does not share Australia's obsession with sport. He would have been an outcast if he'd let the family down by not going home for the wedding.

 

[Mansons Haircut]

^^^^Agree he had to go - thats why i blame his sister Next Clarke family wedding.....sunny Irish December!!!

 

[gopies1981]

In Fraser out Dawes. That is all folks!

 

[rebelcounty]

You have to understand that there's a real cultural difference here. He simply COULD NOT have missed his only sister's wedding for any sporting event. Ireland does not share Australia's obsession with sport. He would have been an outcast if he'd let the family down by not going home for the wedding.

That's a load of bull. He didn't want to miss his sisters wedding, family means a lot, and he all ready missed a lot of things back home.
And Ireland is crazy is about sport, just not AFL. He doesn't hold the same passion for Aussie Football then he does for GAA. And he pretty much said it to an interview in an Irish paper not so long ago.
He wouldn't have been an "outcast" if he didn't show up. He just wanted to go. He wouldn't have left anyone down if he didn't go, they would have fully understood. But the truth of the matter is, he's been away from home for so long. He'd rather be at home at his sisters wedding then not even starting with a team in a sport that he doesn't fully care about across the world from everything he does.

 

[TheClokes]

B: Toovey - Prestigiacomo - Maxwell
HB: Shaw - L. Brown - O'Brien
C: Lockyer - Swan - Johnson
HF: Didak - Cloke - Thomas
F: Dick - Anthony - Medhurst
FL: Wood - Pendlebury - Davis
INT: Beams - O'Bree - Wellingham - Fraser​

Out: Dawes (unlucky)

 

[Pie eyed]

Tough times at the selection table.
It's a pity we can't have 10 on the bench.
So many don't really deserve to be dropped but so many deserve a chance.

A fantastic situation to be in though for a change.

 

[Snag Breac]

That's a load of bull. He didn't want to miss his sisters wedding, family means a lot, and he all ready missed a lot of things back home.
And Ireland is crazy is about sport, just not AFL. He doesn't hold the same passion for Aussie Football then he does for GAA. And he pretty much said it to an interview in an Irish paper not so long ago.
He wouldn't have been an "outcast" if he didn't show up. He just wanted to go. He wouldn't have left anyone down if he didn't go, they would have fully understood. But the truth of the matter is, he's been away from home for so long. He'd rather be at home at his sisters wedding then not even starting with a team in a sport that he doesn't fully care about across the world from everything he does.

Of course he didn't want to miss it. I wasn't implying he was coerced into going. And the Irish might love their sport, but the Aussies live it. It's replaced religion here. Your last sentence would tend to reinforce the distinction, but I trust you've somewhat overstated the case.

 

[TwisTz]

OUT: Dawes, Wellingham (depending on if he pulls up or not)
IN: Fraser, Sidebottom.

 

[rebelcounty]

Of course he didn't want to miss it. I wasn't implying he was coerced into going. And the Irish might love their sport, but the Aussies live it. It's replaced religion here. Your last sentence would tend to reinforce the distinction, but I trust you've somewhat overstated the case.

Religion, please, ye're not alone, sport is religion here too. I mean football, hurling, rugby, soccer, it takes over. A red hot fever during each season. I mean, you've no idea. Not to mention when there's some sort of tournament on like a world cup..etc and there's a craze, I mean people were watching the cricket and we don't even like the game, or know the rules, or even knew we had a team until we were doing well in the World cup a few years ago.

My point was that Martin Clarke, and he said it in an interview there a few months ago, after Collingwood lost terribly, I can't remember against who, but he said that if Down had lost by that much he'd feel sick to the stomach, but he said he was guilty of not feeling anything when they lost, and that wasn't good enough, and he pretty much said that he'd be coming home earlier rather then later.
My point was that he doesn't have the same passion for the game that he randomly one day left for then a game that he grew up for and would bleed for, a game he loves so much that when every other one of his teammates were off tanning themselves on holiday he was back with his club and playing right through to the final and winning, and his game suffered massively at the start of the year because of it.

But not only that, he then gets grief about going home to his sisters wedding, it's a one off thing, clearly he's been a bit homesick of late, he lives thousands of miles away, he needs a break. It was a one off thing that could well have a good impact on his game.
But you can't blame him for feeling more passionate about the game he grew up with and would die for then a sport he just picked up there about 2/3 years ago. There's no comparison.

 

[Old Spice]

Leroy for Goldsack and Fraser for Dawes, although I didn't think Dawes game was too bad - the intensity was a lot better.

 

[Mental Magpie]

Fraser for Dawes. - Must have 2 in form rucks heading into finals.

Rocca for Dick. - 2 reasons - 1. Rocca to get 2 games under his belt to get up to speed with AFL prior to the finals & to see if he can still cut it at AFL level. 2. Need hard mature bodies. (which Brad Dick isn't)

Fraser can play Dawes role no problem, with extra strings to his bow.
Rocca to play FF with Anthony / Medhurst / Davis / Didak / Thomas rotating through Brad Dick's role. (Applying forward pressure and crumbing)

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

No way imaginable that Rocca will come in for Dick.

 

[4#Didak#4]

Fraser if 100% in for Dawes.

That is all folks depending on injuries.

Until Rocca is destroying them in the VFL I don't think he has earned a place.

Having said that I think he would be very handy if we were to play Geelong in the first final.

 

[The Dawes]

Thought Dawesy was pretty solid again, as he has been in pretty much every senior game he's played IMO..... but if Josh is fit, he has to come in and Chris is the obvious bloke to make way.

Unless there's injuries or (surely not) suspensions, then can't see the need to make any further changes.

 

[Mental Magpie]

No way imaginable that Rocca will come in for Dick.

Timmy; I only chose Dick as he was struggling with his shoulder.

Rocca comes in for Rocca. Big burly contested marking full forward!

Did you watch last nights game between Saints & Bombers?

In that last quarter, Saint Kilda was literally just bombing it long with Kosi & Roo taking contested marks.

Invaluable when a game is in the balance and everyone's knackered!

 

[1eye]

As long as Rocca can 'hold up', he has to come in.

On the Richmond game e.g. the forward 50 was free on numerous occassions. Rocca (and Rusling for that matter) playing 1 on 1 is a potent weapon. Cloke up the ground and Anthony and Rocca alternating targets.

Beautiful I tells ya

 

[ksardog]

You serious hes not playing good footy hes playing crap he was our WOG probably got 3 or 4 goals kicked on him

re. leigh brown, i am really worried about this guy in a big final against a decent opponent, i would be bringing in nathan brown straight away and get some serious game time into him so he can demand his spot back.when fraser comes back in for dawes [ who is looking better with each game ] i would still have wood first ruck with fraser in a forward pocket letting fraser ruck against the oppositions second ruck.

 

[Old Spice]

What can lever Leroy out of this team? I'm certain he will cost us badly V Geelong or Saints. Goldsack should replace him against Mick O and then Brown back against the Dogs. Leroy is surely going to have his utility spot nicked in the ruck by Fraser / Wood and in the backline by Rambo.

EDIT: Mick needs to let him down gently now on the eve of finals on a horses for courses rationale.

Johnson has been servicable too, but I'd be favouring Marty Clarke if he can play well in the VFL next week.

 

[Coin_Toss]

Just a thought, I might even bring in Rocca for Cloke. Now it's not a form based omission, but I think Cloke could do with a week off to freshen up for the finals and it gives us a chance to see if Rocca has anything to offer the side.

 

[DiDzz]

why would u rest cloke, he is just hitting some good form and u want to rest him.
Dont think its a good idea

 

[Snag Breac]

Religion, please, ye're not alone, sport is religion here too. I mean football, hurling, rugby, soccer, it takes over. A red hot fever during each season. I mean, you've no idea.

I have some idea. I've just come back from Ireland, where my brother is heavily involved in the GAA. But it's at a different level here.

Not to mention when there's some sort of tournament on like a world cup..etc and there's a craze, I mean people were watching the cricket and we don't even like the game, or know the rules, or even knew we had a team until we were doing well in the World cup a few years ago.

Exactly, whereas in Australia, it's ingrained. But you'd need to live here to appreciate the extent of the sporting obsession.

My point was that Martin Clarke, and he said it in an interview there a few months ago, after Collingwood lost terribly, I can't remember against who, but he said that if Down had lost by that much he'd feel sick to the stomach, but he said he was guilty of not feeling anything when they lost, and that wasn't good enough, and he pretty much said that he'd be coming home earlier rather then later.
My point was that he doesn't have the same passion for the game that he randomly one day left for then a game that he grew up for and would bleed for, a game he loves so much that when every other one of his teammates were off tanning themselves on holiday he was back with his club and playing right through to the final and winning, and his game suffered massively at the start of the year because of it.

I'm sure he's torn, but do you have to advertise it?

But not only that, he then gets grief about going home to his sisters wedding,

Not from me. I was sticking up for him.

it's a one off thing, clearly he's been a bit homesick of late, he lives thousands of miles away, he needs a break. It was a one off thing that could well have a good impact on his game.

I'm doing a novena for that.

But you can't blame him for feeling more passionate about the game he grew up with and would die for then a sport he just picked up there about 2/3 years ago. There's no comparison.

I don't blame him. Exile is a bitter thing. But until Ireland provides a professional path for it players, more with his talent will be tempted to follow Martin.

 

[The Dawes]

OUT: Dawes, Medhurst.
IN: Fraser, McCarthy.

Sorry Meds, but you've been crap of late. Get some form in time for a finals return.

Medhurst has been going OK - has averaged 17 possessions last 3 games - the main problem is he isn't getting on the score board - has kicked 2.7 in that time.

 

[rdangelo]

Fraser in for Dawes.

To win the flag we need both Fraser and Wood playing well. This week id go 30% Fraser in the ruck 70% Wood. Then stick Fraser in the forward line to see how he goes up there.

HF: Medhurst Cloke Fraser
FF: Didak Anthony Dick

Then rotating Didak and Davis in the midfield, looks like a potent forward line.