Resting Players

[CAS79]

This is something that the Swans have ever focused on before but this year, at this point... Were in the mix and if we remain so we need to give some consideration to breaks for certain older players to see if we can lessen the lieklehood of further injuries like the Goodes one to other players.

The likes of O'Keefe, Bolton, Richards, Mattner, LRT and Shaw. Do we need to ensure that not pushing there bodies too hard through the event of the season to see that soft tissue or degenerative injuries don't take their toll.

this sucks in conversation for Jude as we know the push is for 300 but what if a second cup can be achieved for him.

if we do rotate do we stagger or pick a couple of games or Game like the Gold coast in round 18 to give several older players a break before the run at the finals.

Or is this rotating thing overhyped and to be ignored.

 

[bungee]

This is something that the Swans have ever focused on before but this year, at this point... Were in the mix and if we remain so we need to give some consideration to breaks for certain older players to see if we can lessen the lieklehood of further injuries like the Goodes one to other players.

The likes of O'Keefe, Bolton, Richards, Mattner, LRT and Shaw. Do we need to ensure that not pushing there bodies too hard through the event of the season to see that soft tissue or degenerative injuries don't take their toll.

this sucks in conversation for Jude as we know the push is for 300 but what if a second cup can be achieved for him.

if we do rotate do we stagger or pick a couple of games or Game like the Gold coast in round 18 to give several older players a break before the run at the finals.

Or is this rotating thing overhyped and to be ignored.

Jude does not have any soft tissue.

Besides, these players have got to where they are, playing the way they do, through careful management of their bodies. If they thought there was a concern they'd raise it with the medical staff. Otherwise we need our best available on the ground

 

[scottwade]

I think the current theory of resting players seems, primarily, to have come about because of the practice in European soccer.

Last season (2010/11) Man Utd played 56 league and cup games games, plus many of their players were involved in matches for their country. Their season ran August to May (10 months).

By comparison Geelong played 25 games in the period March to September (7 months). The 2011 AFL season included 2 byes providing rest for the players. There will be one bye this year. Our bye is in Rd 12.

It could be argued that AFL is more physically taxing than soccer, but the NY Giants in a greater collision sport in the NFL played 20 games (1 bye week and a week off prior to the Superbowl)) in their season (basically 5 months Sept - Jan). Although players do rest far more during the actual games, having separate defence/offense teams.

Looking at those raw figures and bearing in mind the different physical requirements for each sport, there doesn't appear to me to a clear case why AFL players would particularly need to be rested during the season. Also I've not seen any mention of data which indicates players are more likely to get soft tissue/fatigue type injuries late in the season in comparison to the early weeks.

What does seem more important IMO is managing players with injuries.
Hannebery, ROK and now it appears Reid have all played when underdone. And it affected the performance of all three.

Resting a player because he might become mentally or physically fatigued at a later point seems to me to be redundant, particularly given how much time is spent on managing training workloads, recovery sessions etc.

On the other hand resting a player because he hasn't been able to train seems to me to be perfectly reasonable.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

It appears that you're assuming players are rested for the sake of it. When players are rested, its usually because they've got a few niggles that would be helped by having a week off.

Bolton, goodes & rok, and probably Shaw & lrt would he my main targets, obviously due to their age. When you get past your 3
0s it takes longer to recover after a physical game, particularly if your carrying a few minor injuries. Having a week off gives a senior a 2 week window to really get their body right for a block of games where they're going to be putting their bodies through constant punishment.

I'm a firm believer in resting players. However I disagree with wholesale resting of players, I think that messes with form. My preferred method would be to rotate every now and again. Particularly if you've got a short injury list, it gives the fringe players some game time so they can be called upon in finals if need be. Otherwise, you're relying on inexperienced players when it matters most. However, if you've got a large injury list you can't afford to have too many of your best on the sidelines.

I think we're in the perfect position to rest some of our backs with lrt & Armstrong capable of slotting in down back. And I think its crucial to do this with lrt just in case someone like teddy or grundy go down late in the season. I wouldn't feel confident with lrt stepping in during finals without having had a run during the season. Plus with guys like mal n McVeigh who can play hb we've got options.

Resting bolts n rok would give tdl a shot.

Resting lrt would give white a go in the ruck with an opportunity for either Morton or Walsh to go up forward. However with goodes gone lrts probably not gonna get a rest.

We've got the depth to do it, particularly once goodes gets back.

 

[Gongswan]

Rest Jude? He might go play for someone else just so he doesn't miss a game lol. Jude and ROK are being rested, at HF. Until they're needed in teh middle. Good point with the backmen though.Ted plays 100% game time, not many do that, Marty, who tends to look tired and then pull off amazing tackles in the dying seconds of games, Reg, never looks out of puff, AJ only when some **** belts him and gets suspended. On the whole I'd say our blokes thrive on footy every week, more the better, bigger challenge the better. They are a fairly competitive bunch

 

[Riders of Rohan]

Think resting one here and there is a good thing, especially if we're bringing in a new player to replace them, like walsh lamb etc to get some much needed experience. No point making them sit in the reserves (especially our league, seriously) and tell them to work harder, give them a game and show them exactly how hard you have to work and they wont be back until they achieve that. Would like to see us do it this year.

 

[barry fu]

Never flirt with form they say Comrade Cas.
Fu feels that natural selection shall result in resting of Bloods. Such as Thomas The Twit taking out Rohan The Redskull. Our own Doc dealings with Mummy The Swanheart, the Spangher strain and so on.
If any resting is to take place, it will most likely be by others - or on the training track.

Onward!

 

[Wagamama]

Jude does not have any soft tissue.

Like it!

IMHO you don't rest players unless they have a serious injury. Our best players need to play through niggles and harden up as we need them on the park not in the stands in their trousers scoffing pies with sauce.