Prospects for 2004?

[David Votoupal]

How many of you guys feel that next year might just be the start of something special? We've got a promosing young team, we were one game away from the Grand Final this year, and I'm sure the feeling among players and fans must be very optimistic.

Who/what do you think:
- will be key players for us next season?
- which players will likely improve, or must improve?
- will be the most likely lineup for 2004?
- most importantly, where will we end up on the ladder?

 

[bloodsports]

Well i recon holding onto Warfe was a mistake, so was getting rid of Mcgoo.
Unless they have somthing up there sleeve like a sart up player from the irish squad who can play as a gorrila in the back line and / or a super tough and quick inside midfeilder, then we may well find ourselves closer to tenth than 3rd next year.
Don't get your hopes up too soon. what people teand to forget is that this team is still rebuilding (or should be), and also the swans are notorious for dissapointing when expectations are high . (somthing they must get over if they are to win the premeirship. IMHO)

 

[David Votoupal]

Yeah tell me about it. Who could forget '96, it was supposed to be our year but we fell over in the Grand Final

 

[Its All Goodes]

I will settle for another solid year, being competitive in the finals...not sure we are GF material yet.

So much depends on injuries

e.g. If Ball stays fit, Goodes plays CHF or even CHB, with occasional burst on the ball
e.g. if O'Loughlin stays fit, a player like Davis gets an easier opponent etc

If we have a good run with injuries I actually have a hard time picking our best side....players like Roberts-Thomson and Doyle either are on the bench or running around ovals in Canberra.....and players like Mathews, O'Keefe etc might be on the bench...I am just not sure where Mathews plays his best footy...but he certainly gets alot of the ball. BUT OH TO HAVE SUCH SELECTION DILEMMAS!!!!

Players like Barry, Crouch and Mathews cant be expected to improve...we can just hope for repeats of this year. Maybe a similar situation with Jude Bolton and Fozzy...maybe a few more goals from each

I think Davis and Schneider are keys...and I want to see Williams play more on the ball and up forward...again more goals needed across those three

We had a year based on a high % conversion upforward...not sure how long that type of game can work...we need to get the ball in our 50 metre area more and have more shots on goal...and more legitimate options

I am excited to see which of the following steps up - Malceski, Dempster, McVeigh and Thewlis.... from keeping an eye on the reserves team I think all four are chances

I am still a Jason Saddington fan at CHB....its only the likes of Carey, Jonathan Brown etc he has troubles with

And I am hoping O'Keefe and Fixter can have solid years...both guys are under-rated by opposition teams and can sneak in a few goals

One thing for sure...I cant wait for it all to start again

 

[robbieando]

Originally posted by Its All Goodes
e.g. If Ball stays fit, Goodes plays CHF or even CHB, with occasional burst on the ball

But why??? Goodes is the All Australian ruckman and won both the Rising Star and Brownlow playing most of the season in the ruck. To play Goodes at CHF or CHB is a waste of his talent. Sure he can't play ruck for the entire game, but he should only go forward to rest, not play there for an entire game - it didn't work before and it won't work now.

 

[bloodsports]

Originally posted by Its All Goodes
I

We had a year based on a high % conversion upforward...not sure how long that type of game can work...we need to get the ball in our 50 metre area more and have more shots on goal...and more legitimate options

-------------------
yeah, this fact is a real worry I reckon, as well as the boys played last year, their percentage of goals to points kicked only has to fall marginly, and they fall down the ladder. this is why I still think they played above themselves, and that all the fans are a little over pumped. There is still a lot of improvment required for this team to go all the way.

 

[Its All Goodes]

Its just my gut feel that if Ball is fit he plays in the ruck...in part because he is less flexible than Goodes. This was the set up for most of the early part of the seaon prior to Ball being injured. Perhaps this year it will be more 50:50, with Ball resting in the forward pocket. I just wonder where the best place to play Goodes is when he isnt on the ball??? He is too good to just put down in the goal square..when statistically we get the ball in our inside 50 less often than most sides

As for playing him at CHB I am only thinking about when we play the likes of Adelaide and Brisbane...Saddington has trouble against the really big CHFs...whereas I reckon Goodes would be able to compete in the air with them..and run off them

Just asking opinions on 3 players - whether people think they will develop into anything - Powell, Sundqvist and Mieklejohn????

 

[kindashiney]

It's All Goodes - I agree with you on so many points. Except one:

We arn't GF material yet??!!?

How many prelim's do we have to play in before we are? These peaks don't hang round for very long, and anything less than a prelim or GF appearance in 2004 would disappoint everyone - the team included, I daresay. With the line-up remaining fundamentally the same, we should be entering into the 2004 season confidant in ourselves and also fully aware that we are now a high profile team who will demand respect from our opponents. Nowhere to hide! And don't we love it.

 

[robbieando]

It's all Goodes, I think if Goodes wasn't to be our number 1 ruckman then I would love to see him line up at Ruck-rover. He has the pace and the fitness to play the position and as we all found out this season he is very hard to match up on. I think Goodes is a waste in a set position as season's 2000, 2001 and the first half of 2002.

 

[David Votoupal]

We have to think long-term, and we must take advantage of every opportunity. Our team is young, talented and could be together for a long time.

The Lions may have won three in a row, but their success surely won't last forever. A number of teams- Sydney, Port Adelaide (if they can overcome their "choking" habit), Collingwood and Essendon- will be looking to take advantage of that over the next couple of years.

That's what we have to think about, how we will make use of the golden opportunity handed to us now.

 

[Minkus_Swan]

Originally posted by Its All Goodes
Just asking opinions on 3 players - whether people think they will develop into anything - Powell, Sundqvist and Mieklejohn????

I'm a big fan of both powell and sundqvist. Powell should play more games next year as a half back/ half forward flanker. He's a good mark, but needs a haircut.

Sundqvist is a good wingman/flanker type, is still a bit light - hopefully he hits the weights. He can find the ball pretty well and has good disposal. Again, he should get more games next year.