2nds Lions Reserves 2011

[POBT]

Is Nathan Clarke still in the honeymoon phase, or will there be calls for his head?

Crazy Clarke.

Works on a number of fronts.

 

[Grimreepah]

Crazy Clarke.

Works on a number of fronts.

That just might stick.

 

[Dylan12]

Just out of curiosity, where do tthe Swans reserves get their top up players from?

 

[dlanod]

Tops ups? What top ups? . I count 17 listed players in Sydney's team list, and I don't even know the full Sydney list or rookies so there's probably at least another three or more there. Our kids really were kids out there.

 

[liz]

Just out of curiosity, where do tthe Swans reserves get their top up players from?

Tops ups? What top ups? . I count 17 listed players in Sydney's team list, and I don't even know the full Sydney list or rookies so there's probably at least another three or more there. Our kids really were kids out there.

Swans had 14 listed players out there today (9 senior listed, 5 rookies). The top-ups were all Academy players and most have played regularly for the reserves this year and so know the game plan and the other players pretty well by now.

I wasn't sure how many listed Lions there were, but I figured it wasn't too many. And your top-ups all looked a bit younger and less assured than the Swans' brigade.

It was one of the stronger sides the Swans have fielded in recent weeks. We had a bad patch with injuries a few weeks ago and proceeded to get soundly beaten by both the Suns and Giants when we were down to just 8 or 9 listed players. It obviously makes a huge difference who is available.

Even allowing for the mismatch in experience and strength (Swans had Bevan, Moore, Kennelly, Seaby who are all truly seasoned senior AFL players), the Lions just came up against a team in a very switched on mood.

 

[dlanod]

7 seniors, three rookies by my count. Plus one NSW scholarship and two/three international scholarship holders. I noticed White wasn't out there (just saw he's been called up) and I can't remember seeing Rohan, but who else was missing from the named team?

 

[liz]

7 seniors, three rookies by my count. Plus one NSW scholarship and two/three international scholarship holders. I noticed White wasn't out there (just saw he's been called up) and I can't remember seeing Rohan, but who else was missing from the named team?

Not sure who was in the named team that you saw. White and Rohan are both playing for the senior team today. Luke Parker might have been named - he was watching from the sidelines in his civvies and is the emergency for the senior game today.

Edit: If you're referring to the team listed in post 810 of this thread, Spangher is also playing seniors today, while Lewis Johnston didn't come up from a rolled ankle last weekend.

 

[dlanod]

Yeah, I was referring to that one. Cheers, that'd account for the difference in number.

 

[Last of the Roys]

We really have to do something to fix our top-up situation. I thought it was meant to have been improved, but our results don't suggest that is the case.

We really need to be able to have a few older guys in the team to help the younger players with their development (I'm thinking of players of the ilk of Troy Selwood who now plays with Geelong's VFL side; or the likes of Tim Notting, Robert Copeland, etc... [I am talking about the type of older experienced players, not necessarily these particular players]).

Players develop much faster when they have good players around them.

I know the QAFL clubs were originally worried about our dominance - but that situation has never been close to eventuating.

I don't know what is holding us back now - the QAFL clubs, a lack of money, or both.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

The results may not indicate it, but I think it has improved this year. Blowouts like the last round have been few and far between. Couldn't give you the figures, but we've had more than our fair share of "honourable losses".

Like always our fortunes are closely linked to our injury list. But I think that we are carrying a bit of dead wood on the list combined with a fair few youngsters.

That all said, I think the notion of allowing us to field a couple of experienced campaigners would be of assistance.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Belgo is 100 percent spot on. The top-up situation has improved massively this year. Almost no comparison to previous years.

 

[Dylan12]

We really need to be able to have a few older guys in the team to help the younger players with their development (I'm thinking of players of the ilk of Troy Selwood who now plays with Geelong's VFL side; or the likes of Tim Notting, Robert Copeland, etc... [I am talking about the type of older experienced players, not necessarily these particular players]).

Is there any reason, if they were willing*, why guys, as an example like Chris Johnson, Max Kennedy, Notting, Johnstone and Copeland could not permanently play as Lions reserves players or "top up players", noting that Nathan Clarke has played the odd one or two games by reports this season?

I too quite like the idea of willing ex-Lions players familiar with the club's culture, ethos assisting with the development of our cubs as opposed to running around with other QAFL clubs.

* I cannot stress this point enough, that is they are willing and comfortable doing so.

 

[mikey127]

I only saw parts of the game as I was going between that game and the IC games on the other oval. In the parts i saw bartlett was prob our best. Who is number 45 for the Swans because he put a gutless late hit on Bartlett that was missed by the ump. he should have gone in the book

 

[LION UP]

I only saw parts of the game as I was going between that game and the IC games on the other oval. In the parts i saw bartlett was prob our best. Who is number 45 for the Swans because he put a gutless late hit on Bartlett that was missed by the ump. he should have gone in the book

45 Nathan Gordon from East Coast Eagles according to the player list in the Swans page.

 

[knaf]

Now that the magoos are over for the year I wanted to post my thanks to Mr Ripper and all others who kept supporters who do not live in Brisbane up-to date with developments in the twos.

This is one of my favorite threads.

I used to go to the twos a bit when I followed a team in Melbourne. You have that great experience of feeling in touch with the development of the club, seeing some potential stars run around in the team jumper and if we lose you can console yourself that it's just the seconds anyway.

I hope during my next trip to Brisbane to get to a Lions seconds match.

Thanks again to all who have posted here.

 

[blynd_freddie]

Now that the magoos are over for the year I wanted to post my thanks to Mr Ripper and all others who kept supporters who do not live in Brisbane up-to date with developments in the twos.

This is one of my favorite threads.

I used to go to the twos a bit when I followed a team in Melbourne. You have that great experience of feeling in touch with the development of the club, seeing some potential stars run around in the team jumper and if we lose you can console yourself that it's just the seconds anyway.

I hope during my next trip to Brisbane to get to a Lions seconds match.

Thanks again to all who have posted here.

+1

Pity the ressie fixture isn't released at the same time as the AFL [would love to plan a weekend or two knowing where/when the twos played]

 

[MSB ROYS]

Pity the ressie fixture isn't released at the same time as the AFL [would love to plan a weekend or two knowing where/when the twos played]

Not quite at the same time but most of the games are in Brisbane so there is a very good chance of attending both games. To be honest I enjoy the 2nds almost more than the big time - listen to the coaches 1Q and 3Q time adresses, kick the ball on the ground at breaks etc.

 

[Grimreepah]

knaf showing good mod potential there.

Summed up my thoughts nicely.

 

[Mayestro]

Now that the magoos are over for the year I wanted to post my thanks to Mr Ripper and all others who kept supporters who do not live in Brisbane up-to date with developments in the twos.

This is one of my favorite threads.

I used to go to the twos a bit when I followed a team in Melbourne. You have that great experience of feeling in touch with the development of the club, seeing some potential stars run around in the team jumper and if we lose you can console yourself that it's just the seconds anyway.

I hope during my next trip to Brisbane to get to a Lions seconds match.

Thanks again to all who have posted here.

Here here. All efforts have been greatly appreciated.

 

[knaf]

Grim said "knaf showing good mod potential there"

knaf says "thanks......... but no thanks"

 

[TheGong]

Is there any reason, if they were willing*, why guys, as an example like Chris Johnson, Max Kennedy, Notting, Johnstone and Copeland could not permanently play as Lions reserves players or "top up players", noting that Nathan Clarke has played the odd one or two games by reports this season?

I too quite like the idea of willing ex-Lions players familiar with the club's culture, ethos assisting with the development of our cubs as opposed to running around with other QAFL clubs.

* I cannot stress this point enough, that is they are willing and comfortable doing so.

I would not recommend this. The aim of your reserves is to develop younger players and playing Chris Johnson, Max Kennedy, Notting, Johnstone and Copeland etc could hinder their development. You would risk these very experienced players taking over and running the show.

You have had a terrible year for injuries and your reserves results reflect this. In a normal year you would have more experienced players in your reserves.

The Swans academy scheme is a bit more advanced than the Lions. We rolled over our scholarship players into our academy. We have academy players who have been in the Swans system for longer and they are more experienced. Our 17 and 18 year old academy players train with the Swans reserves once a week.

I think that next year you will have a number of 17 year olds in your academy. Use these as your top up players. In two years you will have a strong group of top up players.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Absolutely no doubt that the Western Magpie alliance has worked better for the club than the ad-hoc arrangements we've had over the past two years.

Discounting last Saturday's result, the team was in a winning position at some stage in all bar one match all year (that's off the top of my head, don't crucify me if I've forgotten one).

The problem has been injuries, not only to our own players (as has been well documented, but also to many of our better top-ups. Another issue regarding player availability (or lack thereof), is how unbalanced it's left the team on occasions. We had 6'3" top-up play Scott Clarke rucking through the early part of the year when McCulloch was injured and McCauley was in the seniors, but by the middle of the season we were playing a top heavy forward line, yet with Brad Harvey playing as an undersized key defender.

One more thing that upsets the reserves side is the lack of continuity some players are getting due to a) the AFL's sub rule and b) the Lions' policy of yoinking one of the emergencies out of the reserves match to go on stand-by for the seniors. The likes of Jesse O'Brien, Rohan Bewick, Josh Green and Ryan Harwood all suffered from a lack of game time due to these reasons.

Nevertheless, despite the W-L record, it's been great following the twos this year.

Oh and thanks for all the thank-yous.

 

[Nuggo]

Yep cool thread and cool photos. Look forward to it next year

 

[Sammy94]

Maybe not next year, but I'm sure in two years time our older academy players will play in the reserves. Nathan Clarke said a couple of months ago that this would be the case. I believe it was on BLTV on the NEAFL segment they do for Fox Sports.

 

[Fatcat08]

Maybe not next year, but I'm sure in two years time our older academy players will play in the reserves. Nathan Clarke said a couple of months ago that this would be the case. I believe it was on BLTV on the NEAFL segment they do for Fox Sports.

Yes will be a few years for this to take affect. Sydney have had their academy for quite a bit longer and you can see the affect this has on the strength in their reserves. In time it will mean we will have a more competitive side with stronger top ups as well.