If you could ask one question to the Swans (recruiter/ coach etc), what would it be?

[Hopelesslyaddicted]

Rather naive of me, but I was thinking that together as a group of Swans supporters, we could put together a list of questions for our great club to look at and hopefully reply?

I would appreciate it if we could all refrain from bagging individuals and keep the questions reasonable and "answerable".

To start things off I would like to know what it was that the coaches saw in the "chosen one" Craig Bird, that prompted him to be given the sacred number?

 

[rancidpants13]

Rather naive of me, but I was thinking that together as a group of Swans supporters, we could put together a list of questions for our great club to look at and hopefully reply?

I would appreciate it if we could all refrain from bagging individuals and keep the questions reasonable and "answerable".

To start things off I would like to know what it was that the coaches saw in the "chosen one" Craig Bird, that prompted him to be given the sacred number?

i have a few, but this would be first:
Why has the club persisted with jarryd mcveigh in the senior team for so much longer than so many other young players in the past 2 seasons?

Probly another one would be: Why was heath grundy played as a defender so often when he was selected in the seniors last season, when he had shown so much potential as a marking forward in 2006?

 

[Sanecow]

What did Spida have for breakfast on his wedding day?

 

[is2SWaNz]

Hey, this looks fun.

"Roosy, when will you get a new hair cut?"

On a serious note though,

"Why have you developed an interest in recruiting small to medium defenders, midfielders and forwards?"

 

[rancidpants13]

Hey, this looks fun.

"Roosy, when will you get a new hair cut?"

On a serious note though,

"Why have you developed an interest in recruiting small to medium defenders, midfielders and forwards?"

yeah, that'd be a fairly obvious one too.....i think there's a lot of us would like to ask about the height of our recruits

 

[Hopelesslyaddicted]

The big question which IMO has impeded the development of our younger players.

Why has our club chosen to play our reserves (mostly younger draftees) in the Canberra league rather than the stronger VFL?

 

[Sanecow]

The big question which IMO has impeded the development of our younger players.

Why has our club chosen to play our reserves (mostly younger draftees) in the Canberra league rather than the stronger VFL?

But they would just trot out the same reasons they have already given. Why even ask?

 

[FM0226]

The big question which IMO has impeded the development of our younger players.

Why has our club chosen to play our reserves (mostly younger draftees) in the Canberra league rather than the stronger VFL?

That I actually have an answer and that probably has to do with logistics and costs - though some sort of deal with jetstar and the likes might do the trick. Another reason is that our 'rookie/draft' structure is slightly different to the other clubs where we are allowed to take in more rookies than the other clubs - Some clubs may only need to accomodate 8-10 players to play regularly in the ressies, we need to accomodate 12-15 minimum, the other thing is control over the players. Obviously if we are given total control of a VFL club, then it's a worthy move to VFL, but if we can only send down 5-6 players each game and see the likes of Barlow or White thrown in the ruck without a say in it, then it's just not worth it.

My question will be: "Why isn't Kirk a stand-aline captain?"

 

[bloods01]

i have a few, but this would be first:
Why has the club persisted with jarryd mcveigh in the senior team for so much longer than so many other young players in the past 2 seasons?

Probly another one would be: Why was heath grundy played as a defender so often when he was selected in the seniors last season, when he had shown so much potential as a marking forward in 2006?

I have a better one. Why was he drafted? Surely Salopek would have been a better option?

 

[rancidpants13]

I have a better one. Why was he drafted? Surely Salopek would have been a better option?

if we go back to the draft, i think there'd be more than just salopek we'd find as a better option

 

[Bonz]

Why did we look over rance in the draft?
isn't he exactly what we need

 

[liz]

Why did we look over rance in the draft?
isn't he exactly what we need

You could argue that a mid / half forward with truly explosive pace and good skills is exactly what the team needed too. Since the retirements of Willo and Stuey the team has really lacked that explosiveness. And this need is right now, while the need for replacement KPPs is a year or two away. (And yes, I do know they take time to develop.)

Reckon we need to wait and see how good Rance and Vezspremi turn out before we determine whether the club made the "right" decision or not. Certainly several WA junior watchers have suggested that Rance was grossly over-rated by many of the BF phantom drafters. We shall have to wait and see.

(And that's ignoring the fact that it doesn't sound like Rance was really on the Swans radar immediately leading up to the draft.)

 

[rancidpants13]

You could argue that a mid / half forward with truly explosive pace and good skills is exactly what the team needed too. Since the retirements of Willo and Stuey the team has really lacked that explosiveness. And this need is right now, while the need for replacement KPPs is a year or two away. (And yes, I do know they take time to develop.)

Reckon we need to wait and see how good Rance and Vezspremi turn out before we determine whether the club made the "right" decision or not. Certainly several WA junior watchers have suggested that Rance was grossly over-rated by many of the BF phantom drafters. We shall have to wait and see.

(And that's ignoring the fact that it doesn't sound like Rance was really on the Swans radar immediately leading up to the draft.)

i'd reckon malceski fits the bill as you describe it, for the williams/maxfield role
he's got acceleration, brilliant foot skills (when he's not injured) and can kick a goal
i know how important he is off half-back, but with kennelly fit again, and the addition of mattner, maybe we could afford to push malch up a bit

 

[liz]

i'd reckon malceski fits the bill as you describe it, for the williams/maxfield role
he's got acceleration, brilliant foot skills (when he's not injured) and can kick a goal
i know how important he is off half-back, but with kennelly fit again, and the addition of mattner, maybe we could afford to push malch up a bit

Malceski has some fine attributes and ones that hopefully will stand the team in good stead as the baton passes from the current veterans to the next generation of "champs". But his pace is decent, not express, and he's not one to crash through traffic in the midfield in anything like the way Maxfield used to.

I - like everyone else - am yet to see Veszpremi play so it is premature to conclude he will offer what Maxfield or Williams did. But the descriptions of his style indicate that he might, and it is something that is desperately needed to completely the more sedantry ball extraction skills of Bird or Schmidt and the athletic hustle of a Barlow, together with the stylish evasion and delivery of a Malceski (and maybe even one day, a McVeigh - I am yet to completely give up hope on him).

 

[Hopelesslyaddicted]

IMO we definately need explosive pace and as Liz has suggested.


Liz given your understanding of the Swans I am curious and would love to hear what questions that you would ask the Swans if you had the opportunity.

 

[Undisputed_King]

What is it about Collingwood that brings the worst out of our players?

 

[bedford]

why did you play mcveigh against collingwood when monty could have played.
three times we played them with the same game plan

 

[rancidpants13]

What is it about Collingwood that brings the worst out of our players?

a temporary state of affairs
and, hopefully, we can be grateful that the pies have given us the blueprint for our immediate future
play kids, as many and as often as possible...as they did in 07
i reckon the pies can win the flag this year, but if roos and co do what malthouse did last year, and just keep sticking young blokes in the seniors and letting them play, we'll have set up a terrific squad for the next few years

 

[liz]

why did you play mcveigh against collingwood when monty could have played.
three times we played them with the same game plan

And for the first two of those games Monty played and had an absolute shocker.

We were so comprehensively beaten in that final that there is no way Monty would have made any difference.

 

[liz]

a temporary state of affairs
and, hopefully, we can be grateful that the pies have given us the blueprint for our immediate future
play kids, as many and as often as possible...as they did in 07
i reckon the pies can win the flag this year, but if roos and co do what malthouse did last year, and just keep sticking young blokes in the seniors and letting them play, we'll have set up a terrific squad for the next few years

Playing kids is not a blueprint for success. If it were, Richmond and Carlton would have the next few premierships sown up.

Collingwood have stumbled on a group of 3 or 4 very good youngsters who have made an impact quickly. Thomas and Pendlebury look like they've got very good careers ahead of them - but then they were both taken with top 5 draft picks, gained after a season of crapness for Collingwood far worse than anything the Swans have dished up in the past decade. The system is one that rewards crapness if a club is smart enough to make the most of it.

Cloke is very promising and if he learns to kick straight at goal could become a very potent forward. He'd have been a first round draft pick had he not been a FS. His promise was known at junior level.

Shaw also looks to be a fine young player, but he was in his fourth year last year - so he's the equivalent of a Schmidt, not a DOK.

The only other two who made a real impact on Collingwood's success last year were Clarke and Goldsack. And while they were impressive, they were absolute first year players and have to show sustained development before they can be classed as very good prospects. It might happen - not saying it won't - but bear in mind that Bevan finished a very deserved 4th in the RS award in his debut season. When players first burst onto the scene you tend to see their strengths only. In subsequent seasons the opposition tends to identify their flaws and find ways to exploit them. Fans also tend to factor in a continued increase in development at the same pace - it rarely happens.

The rest of the Pies youngsters who played the odd game last year didn't really make that much difference and none looks totally convincing an as AFL prospect yet - the Iles, Cooks, Stanleys, Nichols, Tooveys, even Rusling (for all his undoubted pace on the lead).

If the Swans had a group in the wings with the pedigree of Cloke, Shaw, Thomas and Pendlebury, I'd agree with you that throwing them in the deep end might have a quick rejuvenating effect on the Swans. But I don't think we do have a group ready to make such an "instant" impact. Those who could make a difference in the longer term had - and still have - limitations and major areas of development that will take time before they're ready, if ever, to become good AFL players.

If you're Carlton or Richmond you play young players regardless of whether they really deserve a senior spot. And mostly because you have no good senior players and have been crap beyond crap for a sustained period. Some may become long term players but many others will never become good enough to win a spot in a top flight team. They're just getting games because there is no-one else.

 

[bedford]

And for the first two of those games Monty played and had an absolute shocker.

We were so comprehensively beaten in that final that there is no way Monty would have made any difference.

you carn't say that,he has been a proven big game player.
in that final we needed hard nuts and monty is one of those,he deserved a game before MCDUD.

 

[bedford]

somebody on here is never wrong

 

[The natural]

somebody on here is never wrong

AH Bedford !!!!! Run into a mate of mine last night watching him put his boys through their paces at preseason training and he told me you are also a mate of his.Small world !!!!!!!Having a chat to him about the Swans board on BF and he told me you and him have come to the conclusion that the person you refer to as never being wrong on this board is actually the front office receptionist at Swans headquarters in Sydney.Not a bad perception old friend but like you i have also had dealings with the watch dog from the front office and she is far to good for us plebs who post on here to lower herself and offer her wisdom of comings and goings at the club.So you might be barking up the wrong tree. Imagine the lively conversations your mate and mine would have with the person you refer to if he had not been barred for ripping into those morons from the West.I shudder to think !!!!!!!!

 

[Hopelesslyaddicted]

Kind of had a bit of a gut feel myself that there was an individual posting on Big Footy who was an insider from the club and having just read some of the threads that that person has started I don't think that they have totally hidden the fact.

Might explain how come that person is so good at critiquing others rather than necessarily offering controversial points of view.

Good on that person if it is true, I certainly welcome her point of view and whilst I don't always agree with her, she certainly always explains her beliefs in a rational manner.

Further more if the girl in the front office has enough love for the club and team that shes posts on this site in her own time, then IMO she is a real asset to the club and to this site as well.

Perhaps maybe if we are all really lucky she would be kind enough to pass on the questions from this thread to the relevant people at the club?

 

[The natural]

Kind of had a bit of a gut feel myself that there was an individual posting on Big Footy who was an insider from the club and having just read some of the threads that that person has started I don't think that they have totally hidden the fact.

Might explain how come that person is so good at critiquing others rather than necessarily offering controversial points of view.

Good on that person if it is true, I certainly welcome her point of view and whilst I don't always agree with her, she certainly always explains her beliefs in a rational manner.

Further more if the girl in the front office has enough love for the club and team that shes posts on this site in her own time, then IMO she is a real asset to the club and to this site as well.

Perhaps maybe if we are all really lucky she would be kind enough to pass on the questions from this thread to the relevant people at the club?

Firstly the person in the front office isnt a girl.Secondly she has a love for the position she is in not the club.Thirdly she would not be kind enought to pass on the questions of supporters to relevant people at the club as she takes it upon herself to be a human filter system deflecting the thoughts of us mere members and playing club watchdog.Dealings i had with her in the past indicated to me that private ownership was back on the agenda at the club and she was Geoffery Edelstone reincarnated.If she has been replaced or left the club and there is a person that you would call a girl in her place i sincerely apologise to that person as it is a while since i have had the misfortune of dealing with the said individual.