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Craig Bird

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swansfan51

swansfan51

Brownlow Medallist
Veteran 10k Posts Sydney Forum Service Medal Sydney Swans - Jake Lloyd 2020 Player Sponsor Sydney Swans - Harry Cunningham 2019 Player Sponsor BigFooty.com Tipping Champion Sydney Swans - Gary Rohan Player Sponsor 2018 Zombie Lover
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Jun 3, 2007
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Where does he sit now? Played almost all the games in 2008 and 2009 after being taken in the 2007 draft. He missed the start of the year due to injury, and when he finally came back into the team it was nothing like it was when he left. We've added several players into the midfield rotation, including Kennedy, Jetta, Hannebery and Meredith. He was forced to play long periods in the forward line, seemingly in an attempt to be the new Jarred Moore, and I cannot see him succeeding as a small forward. He is a midfielder, an overwhelming inside one, and he has not benefited from so much time out of the game this year.

Is there a spot for him in our best midfield? Who does he displace? Should he have to work his way back from behind players like McNeil who play a similar role and have had very good consistent form in the reserves? Bird in my opinion was someone who was developing slowly but very nicely, and the injury could not have come at a worse time for him.

The coaching staff rate him very highly - that much can be seen from the number of games he played in his first 2 seasons, and how quickly he was brought back from his foot injury. But our team has changed a lot this year with the addition of several tough players like McGlynn and Kennedy who can play the same role. I'm not sure exactly where he fits in 2011, and definitely don't see him displacing one of the 2 former Hawks.
 
F: McGlynn Bradshaw TDL
HF: ROK White McVeigh
C: Goodes Kennedy Hannebery
HB: Malceski Grundy Kennelly
B: Smith LRT C.Bolton
R: Mumford Jack J.Bolton

I/C from: Jetta, Seaby, Mattner, Shaw, Moore, Bird, Rohan

That's what i see essentially as our best 25 and i definitely think with Kirk retired and with the way the club rates Bird he will be in our best 22. He was the big mover in the off season at the beginning of this year and was being raved about by the coaches.

Bird, Kennedy, Jack, Jude, Hanners, Goodes, McVeigh, ROK, McGlynn, Jetta. That is one hell of a midfield and i think Birdy is definitely a part of that for our best 22 next year.
 
he was developing nicely before he was injured, at a similar pace as kieran jack.
In terms of where he fits in i see him taking kirks place in the midfield rotation alongside kennedy, jack, goodes, mcviegh, okeefe, bolton, jetta and hannebery. For me this is the midfield in our best 22
 
Agreed. With Kirk retiring, I see Bird as a logical replacement and should be able to step right back in. McNeil still only a back up next year pending injuries.
 

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Kirk's retirement leaves an inside midfielder position open.

It is not like for like but it rarely is at the top level. Bird is extremely strong and stays upright to dispose while being tackled and works very hard for the ball and his 2009 disposal was so much better than his 2008 version. To compare his two games back with the second game having had or creating a stress fracture is not a legitimate comparison, 2010 is a write off but one in which he will recover from.

With Kirk's retirement I well see a place for Bird in the Swans team of 2011.
 
Bird is not in our Best 22. he is Behind Jack, Bolton, McVeigh, Hanners, Jetta, Rohan, TDL, Goodes, McGlynn, Kennedy, Bevan, Merideth, Shaw, Smith, Moore in our midfield/smalls.

I have never rated him to be honest, is too slow, and makes poor decisions. Ok at most at extracting the ball from tight, but we dont need him. Will struggle to make the team next year.
 
Swans120 said:
F: McGlynn Bradshaw TDL
HF: ROK White McVeigh
C: Kennedy Bird Hannebery
HB: Malceski Grundy Kennelly
B: Smith LRT C.Bolton
R: Mumford Jack J.Bolton

I/C from: Jetta, Seaby, Mattner, Shaw, Moore, Bevan, Rohan

That's what i see essentially as our best 25 and i definitely think with Kirk retired and with the way the club rates Bird he will be in our best 22. He was the big mover in the off season at the beginning of this year and was being raved about by the coaches.

Bird, Kennedy, Jack, Jude, Hanners, Goodes, McVeigh, ROK, McGlynn, Jetta. That is one hell of a midfield and i think Birdy is definitely a part of that for our best 22 next year.
Click to expand...
Wheres Goodes ? !!!!!
 
Clearly veszpremi has shown more to date.
 
Aus eBloke said:
how could you forget our best player?
Click to expand...

Cause I'm not a worthy Swans fan, don't know what I'm doing and everything i do from now on must be judged on the fact i missed Goodes in a best 22 on one thread that one time.

Or it was an honest mistake.

One of the two.
 

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Though everyone in this thread was singing praise last year for Bird.
Bird is easily ahead of Jetta, Jetta is just in everyone's minds because he is a cult figure with his speed and his inaccurate boot. Jack and Bird were ruling last year, though everyone has forgotten that. Bird should be the replacement for Kirk.
 
I think Jetta is ahead of Bird because he adds a unique dimension to our team. We need speed on the wing and someone who can spark us. Bird is good and in our best 22 for next year but Jetta is more important now imo.
 
In Roos' team i think Bird is ahead of Jetta, not sure what Longmire's take will be on it though. Roos has had Bird in the side really whenever possible and clearly rates him very highly.

I agree that Jetta is the more unique player and in that sense offers us something different relative to Bird who is a more similar player to a few of our other players. But i think i would pick Bird ahead of Jetta in my team still next year to replace Kirk (though Kirky hasn't really been playing much midfield lately).
 
Just because i would pick Bird ahead of Jetta doesn't mean they can't play in the same side. I hope they do play in the side and they are both in my best 22 for next year.
 

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Plugg3r said:
Bird isn't a winger, so I dont see why both cant play?
Click to expand...
??? You're the one that made the first comment saying Bird is ahead of Jetta.

They can and I'd pick them both for next year. I think the performances of Kennedy, Jack and Hanners have put more pressure on Bird for next year. Jetta and Rohan have something special about them and add a little bit more because they are different players so Bird has to hit the ground running next year.
 
Will be very interesting to see how Longmire uses Jude next year. Roosy seems to be using him across HF more and as a tagger sometimes as well as where he is best as an inside clearance winner. With Hanners, JPK, Jack all on big upward curves in production as genuine midfielders and Bird to challenge for a midfield spot as well, Jude may have to continue to see less time.

I hope he doesn't see less time and gets to play as much as possible as the inside clearance king. He is still a very effective player there and can be a very good player there for a few more years i think. Plus he's my favourite Swan and i just want to see him play for as long as possible.
 
Not having a great season, injury interrupted obviously, but showed genuine talent over the last two years. Players don't always improve on a steady incline and I reckon Bird will end up being one of our most important players in 2-3 years time.

Mumford, Jack, Kennedy, Bird as our starting four. Will be class.
 
Bird, when fit, is a certainty in our best 22. Before this season he was arguably the best of the "new" midfield pack pushing to replace Kirk and Jude, and I was one of many who saw him as a future captain.

The most important "number" is the one on his back. The club doesn't give out the No 14 jumper to blokes who lack heart and can't play. Also, I think he was the first Sydney youngster to get a round 1 debut after being drafted, so there's no doubt he's very highly regarded by the club. And rightly so.

If he'd been playing regularly this year, no one on this board would have him behind Jetta, Rohan or Meredith, at the very least. Craig Bird is a very good player who'll continue to improve when he's back fit. It's been one of the disappointments of this generally positive and exciting year not to have seen him develop with the team.
 
He started the year getting the biggest wraps and hype from players and coaches after working his arse off in the preseason and started the NAB Cup really well.

He should now get another full preseason on top of last year's and he should be primed and ready to really explode next year.
 

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