2nds Reserves 2012

[justabaraker]

You're right Grimlock - it will be carnage next week. But don't forget that GWS/UWS doesn't have enough players to field two teams each week. They are still putting together their playing list and won't have all the vacancies filled until after the next draft.

Yes, it's disappointing that Swans reserves are not getting enough hard matches but it could only be better if they played in the VFL again and that sure ain't going to happen.

I can see in a couple of years that UWS will be strong, and the NEAFL will morph into something stronger too. That's the grand plan anyway.

 

[bedford]

Well an Aker-inspired Tuggeranong just beat the Giants reserves for their first win of the year. We play the Giants next week and given the results of their past month I don't think we are going to get much competition which is disappointing for a AFL reserves side was meant to offer more

Its gotta get better than this, especialy with a tough end of the season for the seniors

 

[grimlock]

Quick thoughts on the game.

• Seaby - Started well again, had many clear, effective taps most of them to Moore. The Uni ruckman wrested some control back in the 2nd quarter before Seaby went off injured. Didn't see the incident itself.
• Mitchell - Spent the first half in the tracksuit top warming up, and came straight on for the second half in effect 'subbing on' for TDL (see below). With one of his first kicks, he already had a shot on goal which unfortunately didn't score. He started many center bounces outside the square rather than his customary position next to the ruckman. He missed one game then had the bye last week but for him to regress to one half of NEAFL footy would indicate that there's still ongoing concern about his knee issues and that he's a long way from a senior debut.
• Meredith - Another comeback game, played more inside than in his previous games. Needs to find more of the ball at this level. A solid game without any real memorable moments but it's hard to pass judgment without knowing if any injuries have kept him out of the past few games and if it's still hampering him.
• Dennis-Lane - Starts forward for the center bounce but with a licence to push all the way back to defence to help out. He only played the first half before being taken off as the senior emergency, and kicked 1.2 but was named 2nd best so his tackling and defensive work must have really impressed the coaching staff.
• Malceski - Surprisingly started the game as a forward but once it was clear that Sydney Uni were starting to pose an offensive threat was switched back to defence. He had plenty of possessions as his teammates looked to get the ball to him and while most of his kicks hit their targets, the ones that didn't were the short kicks.
• Morton - A better game in terms of his defensive work, but it really grates on me how selfish he can be. If he gets half a sniff at goal, and you were his teammate don't be expecting a handball or kick to be coming your way.
• Walsh - Worked hard and presented multiple times on the lead but once the ball hit the deck he isn't likely to win it on the ground. He also needs to work on his body positioning as well and learn to use his significant bulk to outmuscle his defender. Having such a stacked forward line doesn't help his cause.
• White - Played as an onballer for the majority of the day with rests up forward. Didn't think he was particularly good as a midfielder as he lacks the finesse and composure when confronted with heavy pressure and tends to kick indiscriminately as a result. Up forward, doesn't seem to be improving in this regard, finding new ways to mess up either arriving way too late to the marking contest or just plain reading the play wrongly and having the ball bounce metres away from where he's positioned. Not sure where he's at and what this midfield role signifies in terms of his future
• Spangher - Wasn't as clean with his hands as he would have liked but kept competing when the ball hit the deck and ended up kicking 2 very lovely goals from left foot snaps. His competitiveness and agility for a man of his size are assets to be coveted, as is his unselfish nature - he's constantly looking for teammates in better positions.
• McNeil - One of his better games of the season despite rotating heavily off the bench. He worked well with the topup ruckman Naismith and pushed forward hard when not in possession.
• Moore - Dominant midfielder of the day. Won plenty of clearances through his grunt work and strength. Didn't have as much scoreboard impact as usual but probably didn't need to given the talent up front.
• Heath - Didn't have much to do after the 1st quarter, saw him on the bench a few times.
• Brown - Played mostly off a half back flank but also found himself on the half forward line and had a hand in 2 goals. Possesses a very deliberate kicking action, not too dissimilar to that of Alex Johnson which is not surprising since they both played at the same TAC Cup side.
• Lynch - As with Heath had a quietish game but a late, late cameo up forward to claim the last goal.
• Kruger - Saw plenty of bench time but when he was on the ground was playing in defence. Highlight of his day was a passage of play which saw him streaming down the middle of the ground at full pace and handballed it off to Morton for an easy goal. Haven't seen much dash from him this season which is disappointing as we know that his athletic background provides him with this advantage.
• Cunningham - On-ball role. We've all witnessed his fantastic pace during the pre-season but looks like he has a pretty solid tank as well.
• Gordon - Split time between the forwards and the midfield. He nailed all 4 of his set shots but wasn't as accurate with his field kicking and general ball usage.
• Biggs - I've been trying for weeks to come up with a succinct way describing the way he plays. Efficient is probably the closest term I can find although it doesn't fully explain it. He never seems fazed, avoids tackles with the minimum of fuss and hardly ever wastes a possession with his kicking. Played off the wing with patches as an inside midfielder and was involved in many plays as the linkman between defence and attack.

Not surprisingly the ressies game plan is very similar to that of the seniors. They like to push numbers back and when they win the ball they move the ball quickly and have players spread at speed into the open spaces of the forward half. There were numerous instances of a chain of quickfire handballs as they transferred play from the defensive 50 into the forward 50. This happened less in the 2nd half when the Swans were well on top and they could just rely on winning the clearances and dominating possession.

 

[AG]

I'd still like to see Moore get one more crack in the seniors.

 

[swansfan51]

How has Morton's goalkicking accuracy been? If good, then he doesn't need to pass to others (hasn't that been our complaint about Jetta?)

 

[S120]

I don't remember too many questioning Jetta's selfishness. Maybe his placement in kicking to others ( how he used to just blindly bomb it long rather than kick long to advantage or spot up shorter targets like he does now) but I don't remember too many complaining about him ignoring his teammates.

He is so damaging that I don't mind if he does ignore teammates and goes himself from time to time btw.

 

[scottwade]

.

• White - Played as an onballer for the majority of the day with rests up forward. Didn't think he was particularly good as a midfielder as he lacks the finesse and composure when confronted with heavy pressure and tends to kick indiscriminately as a result. Up forward, doesn't seem to be improving in this regard, finding new ways to mess up either arriving way too late to the marking contest or just plain reading the play wrongly and having the ball bounce metres away from where he's positioned. Not sure where he's at and what this midfield role signifies in terms of his future
• McNeil - One of his better games of the season despite rotating heavily off the bench. He worked well with the topup ruckman Naismith and pushed forward hard when not in possession.
• Moore - Dominant midfielder of the day.

Good read, thanks Grim.

Glad they are trying something with White.
I think his days are numbered unless he can add another string to his bow and at least worth a go.

Hard to see us upgrading McNeil I would have thought.
Think its 3 years on the rookie list and reading the accounts it looks like he has stagnated, if not regressed.

Naismith a rookie chance?

As for Jarred, how many times this year has that same comment been made about him?
Sadly it looks like his cards are marked.
Perhaps a formal (playing) coach role next year.

 

[swansfan51]

I don't remember too many questioning Jetta's selfishness. Maybe his placement in kicking to others ( how he used to just blindly bomb it long rather than kick long to advantage or spot up shorter targets like he does now) but I don't remember too many complaining about him ignoring his teammates.

He is so damaging that I don't mind if he does ignore teammates and goes himself from time to time btw.

My point was that people have been complaining about Jetta passing the ball instead of having a go himself, because he is so effective at having a shot. If Morton is delivering bags of goals every week why should he be passing?

 

[grimlock]

Morton's goalkicking is very good, especially if he gets to use the around the body kick. The difference with Jetta is that Morton loves to take the tackler on, and succeeds quite often in doing so. It's not a case of just ignoring teammates in better positions, it's the fact that he actively goes for the glory all by himself. It's so antithetical to the Swans' ethos of team-first footy that it stands out like a sore thumb.

I also have to question whether that tactic can be replicated successfully at the top level against quality defenders.

 

[justabaraker]

Naismith a rookie chance?

.

scottwade, where did Sam Naismith play on the weekend ? I see he didn't play for North Shore and he wasn't listed with Swans Reserves either.

 

[grimlock]

He played for the swans reserves. Started at fullback, was interesting to watch, then played the rest of the game in the ruck when Seaby was injured

 

[justabaraker]

Thanks Grim.
These are facinating times for tragics like me who are straddling the Sydney AFL and the two AFL reserves teams, as well as the other NEAFL teams.
It's hard to keep up with all that's going on !

 

[grimlock]

Can you tell us more about Naismith? Is he a late convert from another sport?

 

[justabaraker]

Can you tell us more about Naismith? Is he a late convert from another sport?

Came to my attention when I saw him play for North SHore in the SFL. He's last week's nominee for Rising Star of the SFL.
I only know what anyone can find out, and that is that he comes from Gunnedah (Swans' zone). Joining the dots, I would think that he has been embedded in North Shore to ripen him up a bit as a potential rookie pick. But I'm only guessing at that.

Guessing again. I wouldn't mind betting that any kid growing up in Gunnedah is probably good at some other sport as well as AFL. Might be a lonely life otherwise !

 

[SydneyGoose]

Naismith was impressive. Don't think we'd get him in the rookie draft given that other clubs are in want of Ruckmen and talls more than we are.
Liked Morton's play this week more as well. Only had two moments were I thought his attitude was impairing him. First was an across the body shot from 40m out on a 45 deg angle when Nippa was un marked directly in front at 30m and I think Jesse freeish in the goal square. He missed badly. I know Kizza and Jets try those shots often and get them, but they don't have the options Morte had.
Second was Kruger's intercept that he ran forward and then tried to use Morte for a threeway/triangle pass to get around a defender. Morte never gave it back and ran with it to goal with Kruger running next to him. I hope he's not expecting to have a good night out with Kruger anytime soon because it was the kind of selfishness that leaves a mark.
The rest of the night I was pretty impressed. He's making leaps and bounds from week to week, which is encouraging.
Watching Mitchell warm up at half-time and then play showed a few things. Everyone of the shots that he took and missed he nailed during the warm up. I think his problems are a bit mental and a bit about being overwhelmed when he's out there with a break into space and kick, then realising he was two meters over from where he thought he was. Liked what I saw and am looking forward to seeing him play a few seniors games before the end of the year.
Also, for two weeks running I've been really impressed with Biggs. Only concern I have is that two weeks ago against Quean B I thought he was an academy player based on his body mass. Doesn't look like he'll be a star at AFL level, but would be mid-level on a list after a season at seniors I think.

 

[scottwade]

Naismith was impressive. Don't think we'd get him in the rookie draft given that other clubs are in want of Ruckmen and talls more than we are.

I presume we could take him as a zone selection in the rookie draft.
Only been playing since 2009 and in Tamworth until moving down to Sydney this year so presumably a fair bit of development left, both physically & football wise.
A 20yo 208cm country lad relatively new to AFL worth @ pick 60 in the rookie draft?

 

[SydneyGoose]

We have Mumford, Pyke, and Seaby capable of being the No.1 Ruck, with LRT and the White Knight able to back them up. I'm fuzzy on the Rookie Draft rules, but if someone else wants him bad enough they can get him if we aren't willing to Ante Up. I think GWS for example would take him with their first pick. I also don't know what other talent will be in the rookie draft this year though. Also, I think we'd want to chase a decent rookie defender along the mould of Duigan more than we would a ruckman, even if he did do a good job of Full-back.

 

[scottwade]

We have Mumford, Pyke, and Seaby capable of being the No.1 Ruck, with LRT and the White Knight able to back them up. I'm fuzzy on the Rookie Draft rules, but if someone else wants him bad enough they can get him if we aren't willing to Ante Up. I think GWS for example would take him with their first pick. I also don't know what other talent will be in the rookie draft this year though. Also, I think we'd want to chase a decent rookie defender along the mould of Duigan more than we would a ruckman, even if he did do a good job of Full-back.

At the start of next season, Pyke will be turning 29, Seaby a month away from his 29th birthday, LRT is strictly a back up and White possibly not on our list. I'd suggest only Mummy is a long term #1 ruck and even he has had a few injuries of late.
We have no developing rucks.

If Naismith is not selected in the national draft, we can pre-select him as a zone selection in the rookie draft, with a pick in the 50s/60s.
We are likely to have 3 or 4 rookie draft picks so there is the opportunity to take other players.

 

[J_Moore]

Yep, I don't think it would hurt to get a young ruckman or two on the list at the end of this season.

Seaby and Pyke are old and not getting much better, and Mumford is injury prone. We either draft a young one into the side in the next 1-2 years, or trade for a more developed one in the next 2-3.

And it's disappointing about Moore. I assume if a role could be carved out for him, the club would be pursuing that option. I guess there's just nowhere they can see him fitting in.

 

[grimlock]

Naismith was getting personal coaching from Taubert at the quarter time huddles while the rest of the group were listening to instructions from Crouch.

 

[grimlock]

MITCH MORTON OUT!

Swans
B: Brett Meredith, Nick Malceski, Nathan Gordon
HB: Jack Lynch, Alex Brown, Shane Biggs
C: Trent Dennis-Lane, Jackson Potter, Eugene Kruger
HF: Campbell Heath, Tommy Walsh, Jesse White
F: Harry Cunningham, Jarred Moore, Dylan McNeil
Foll: Matt Spangher, Lachlan Kilpatrick, Mitch Crawford

Int: Bradley Plug, Tom Mitchell, Lewis Broome, Andrew Moody

Giants
B: Ben Wharton, Jack Hombsch, Matthew Buntine
HB: Tim Golds, Josh Bruce, Sam Darley
C: Matthew Eastman, Kurt Aylett, Logan Austin
HF: Gerald Ugle, Israel Folau, Sam Frost
F: Karl Merson, Tom Downie, Nick Haynes
Foll: Mark Whiley, Andrew Phillips, Stephen Clifton

Int: D.Killworth, C.Jansen, Y.Harris, L.Carter, TopUp TBC

 

[Sanecow]

Called up to the big leagues!

 

[RUNVS]

Called up to the big leagues!

I would hope so but somehow i doubt it.

 

[SM]

Nah I reckon he's been dropped. Not good enough for the Reserves.

 

[BarneyBent]

Is that the Lewis Broome I think it is?