Opinion Posts That Don't Deserve a Thread (Random Opinion or Questions)

[The King!]

Im having a hard time getting pumped in 2015

Cant shake the feeling it could be a crap year still feel gutted about the last game of 2014

Not feeling it in 15 despite the membership slogan

 

[The King!]

I vote Bird for captain. About the right age. Wears the No. 14. What he lacks in skill he makes up for in grim determination (aka, Kirk). Consistently brave, talks the talk, walks the walk and never ever points.

Does he point enough to lead this side?

All i know is mcveigh should never of been captain

 

[RW]

Im having a hard time getting pumped in 2015

Cant shake the feeling it could be a crap year still feel gutted about the last game of 2014

Not feeling it in 15 despite the membership slogan

We're still a good side on our day, just not sure that we're a great one. We'll soon see.

 

[The King!]

We're still a good side on our day, just not sure that we're a great one. We'll soon see.

Most experts rate us

Ill get over it soon

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

We are not a "great" side as in a multi premiership team i would classify those as Geelong, Hawthorn over the last 10years

We are currently a "good" side with the potential to be a great in the next 2-3yrs we need another flag during this period to get into that category.

 

[The King!]

Barring injury round 1 ins from the grand final side at this stage imo

Heeney mitchell and possibly Towers

 

[The King!]

We are not a "great" side as in a multi premiership team i would classify those as Geelong, Hawthorn over the last 10years

We are currently a "good" side with the potential to be a great in the next 2-3yrs we need another flag during this period to get into that category.

Im thinking purely 2015

Will this side win the flag? it should be contending but im concerned we have stuffed up and been stuffed by the afl

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Im thinking purely 2015

Will this side win the flag? it should be contending but im concerned we have stuffed up and been stuffed by the afl

I think Hawthorn have us by the balls so no i would not be confident of facing them again but any other team yep back me in.

I feared the worst when they got over Port in the prelim sort of like they had nothing to lose + the Buddy factor and 2012.

Trade ban has no affect for this year.

 

[The King!]

I think Hawthorn have us by the balls so no i would not be confident of facing them again but any other team yep back me in.

Trade ban has no affect for this year.

Big call especially if grundy richards or even pyke went down

Lets not forget shaw and even goodes looked done at times in 2014

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Big call especially if grundy richards or even pyke went down

Lets not forget shaw and even goodes looked done at times in 2014

Ok pretending we had no restrictions on trading this year who was out there in defence stocks? Patfull? we have Laidler.

Goodes best games were in big matches.

Port in Sydney
Hawks MCG
Hawks GF

He stood up at the biggest moments.

Shaw i agree with but he is replaceable.

 

[The King!]

Ok pretending we had no restrictions on trading this year who was out there in defence stocks? Patfull? we have Laidler.

Goodes best games were in big matches.

Port in Sydney
Hawks MCG
Hawks GF

He stood up at the biggest moments.

Shaw i agree with but he is replaceable.

If you can trade who knows who is out there though

 

[GoTheSwannies]

shaws definitely replaceable on field, torches the ball at times and not as quick as he used to be.

still a great leader of the club tho, but definitely nearing the end of his career

 

[The King!]

Might be past the end

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Might be past the end

He might be but he deserves all the accolades to come back from a ACL at 32

 

[Dan87]

Thing with Shaw(to me) is his decision making is declining. Athletic attributes are intact. But his decision making is what will be the reason he will be out of the 22.

Weird way for a veteran to go out.

 

[S120]

The more I see him play, the more I want Jeremy Laidler to be in the side and stay there. Give him the right matchup (ie. not on a really quick small forward) and he will not let anyone down. He doesn't have the attention-grabbing qualities of Rohan and he doesn't have the reputation of brilliant kicking of Malceski but he's strong in the tackle and marking contest, fearless in throwing his body around, very skilled by foot and is athletic enough to play on small and tall forwards. He's in my 22 for round one.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

the thing about laidler is that he's purely defensive, and great at that role. the difficult thing is, if the rest of our defensive unit is sound, then you can forego a player with laidlers defensive qualities and opt for an.attacking option that will offer you drive from the.backline.

i think thats where the swans are at.

we have 2 very solid kpd in richards & grundy.

smith is a lock on the small defender position.

rampe is a versatile defender with speed, who can also take a mid-sized tall or a pacey forward.

so we've got 2 positions left.

one is shaws, the other belongs to jetta/rohan/mcveigh.

if shaw loses his spot, we'll probably opt for another attacking defender to replace him.

laidlers only hope in the short term is if rampe takes a more attacking role and fills shaws or the other vacant attacking position and laidler takes the 3rd tall.

if the 3rd tall is too agile, laidler loses his spot and rampe goes back to the 3rd tall position.

so for me, laidlers role is very much dependent on match ups.

i think the rampe/laidler combo could work well to cover a variety of options, but if laidler can't cover his man adequately, then we're an attacking player down.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

that's without throwing reid in the mix

 

[The King!]

Yeah unless rampe takes over malceskis spot not sure laidler fits, especially if reid goes back

 

[S120]

Well I think one of Jetta or McVeigh will start the year in defence so that takes care of replacing Malceski as one attacking defender. And I don't think Reid is a lock to start the season in defence. In fact I think he'll begin the season in the forward line, particularly if Tippett doesn't start in round 1 (and I suspect he won't given how poorly out club tends to be at predicting missed time when it comes to injuries).

Smith Richards Rampe
Rohan Grundy McVeigh/Jetta
Laidler

If it came down to Shaw and Laidler, I'd be happy with either of them in side but I'd go with Laidler. I don't think Shaw is a spent force but I have more confidence in Laidler to not make mistakes under pressure than Shaw at this stage.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

while i don't disagree with you 120, i think its still shaws spot to lose at this point.

time will tell, but if rok is anything to go by, shaw will need to perform consistently to retain his spot.

 

[The King!]

Depends a bit on who is available for essendon as well. Presuming no bans they do have some tall timber down there, carlisle, daniher and possibly a resting bellchambers/giles for a start

 

[S120]

That's a fair point. If Essendon have Daniher, Carlisle, Bellchambers and Giles in the same 22 then Reid will have to spend time in defence.

I think that's the point of Longmire playing Reid and Jetta in defence so often in the preseason though. As he says, it gives real flexibility so if a really tall forward line like Essendon come up, Reid can go into defence and maybe Jetta or McVeigh or even Rohan can push onto a wing or into the forward line. And vice versa, if a smaller, quicker forward line like Hawthorn's come up, Reid can go forward again and Jetta/McVeigh/Rohan can head into defence.

 

[Swansujelly]

Jones is made for Shaws role. And Laidler plays when someones injured, he's depth, no more.

 

[Dan87]

Think someone has forgotten to tell Laidler he's strictly depth.

Looked pretty good across all the footage I've seen this pre season.