Rotation Policy

[RUNVS]

I think we can all agree that 2008 season is a make or break season for the Swans. If we dont find some talented young players next season then the Swans will be in a really bad situation and it wouldnt surprise me if we spent afew seasons hovering around 10th on the table. I was thinking that about 10 years ago the Australian cricket team developed a rotation policy. This had several advantages 1. They were able to try out some younger players on the main stage and 2. It gave some of their older players a chance to rest. I think the Swans should do something similar for 2008. These are the players who i think should be rotated during the season to try and find some young talent

Brett Kirk
Barry Hall
Michael O'Loughlin
Leo Barry
Jered Crouch
Ben Mathews
Adam Goodes
Nic Fosdike
Jude Bolton
Nick Davis
Craig Bolton


I know that is a list of most our our best players but all of them are over 27 years old and its extremely important we find replacements for them sooner rather than later. If you only do a rotation of having 2 of those players on that list being replaced by young players then it shouldnt affect our results too much. I know its everyones first instinct to put our best team on the field but we have been doing that for the past 2 seasons and as a result we have produced vertually no young players in that time.

What do you guys think?

 

[magic.merkin]

other clubs dont do it and they win premierships.

we just need to trade/recruit better, and get our reserves into a competition where they dont have as big a step up to the AFL level as last year etc.

then if injuries and the gods smile on us we will win another flag.

 

[thesting]

I think we can all agree that 2008 season is a make or break season for the Swans. If we dont find some talented young players next season then the Swans will be in a really bad situation and it wouldnt surprise me if we spent afew seasons hovering around 10th on the table. I was thinking that about 10 years ago the Australian cricket team developed a rotation policy. This had several advantages 1. They were able to try out some younger players on the main stage and 2. It gave some of their older players a chance to rest. I think the Swans should do something similar for 2008. These are the players who i think should be rotated during the season to try and find some young talent

Brett Kirk
Barry Hall
Michael O'Loughlin
Leo Barry
Jered Crouch
Ben Mathews
Adam Goodes
Nic Fosdike
Jude Bolton
Nick Davis
Craig Bolton


I know that is a list of most our our best players but all of them are over 27 years old and its extremely important we find replacements for them sooner rather than later. If you only do a rotation of having 2 of those players on that list being replaced by young players then it shouldnt affect our results too much. I know its everyones first instinct to put our best team on the field but we have been doing that for the past 2 seasons and as a result we have produced vertually no young players in that time.

What do you guys think?

I hear where you are coming from, and even agree with the priciple to some extent, but I think you have included too many players in your group to be rotated.

Brett Kirk, Adam Goodes, and Craig Bolton are the ones who stand out as beig "must picks" in our team. Barry Hall would be in that group (despite his ordinary 2007). What we need is a system that allows younger players to step into our team and gain the necessary experience when the opportunity arises. The problem being that we have had a great run with injuries, and (not that this is a problem) we have had success. If you are having success on the field and your key players are keeping fit, then why tinker with your line-up?

I think 2007 presented us with the opportunity to rotate our line-up due to injuries and form, but we did not take advantage of it as much as we should have.

 

[is2SWaNz]

Whilst I love your thinking and your ideas, I just see some flaws in this plan. Firstly, the people you've listed is way too long. Of course we can exclude Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Craig Bolton and Leo Barry. Despite their age, I think their contribution to the team is vital and it gives us that structure. Although I've always despised Leo's dodging of players and his refusal to dispose the ball, at times I think he gives us that run off from the defensive side.

Secondly, as for Bolton, Goodes and Kirk, I think it would be very very ridiculous to drop any of those players. Because a) Craig Bolton is such an underrated defender and we need him b) Goodes, is there more to say? c) Kirk's leadership on and off the field is needed.

With the lack of injuries over the past few seasons, it has taken its toll with our younger players in the reserves. If only the reserves were able to play in the VFL competition, as we need the challenge because obviously playing in the Canberra League has been a lopsided competition.

This is why many youngsters from other clubs in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia who debut for their club and remain on the side for a while and become very successful players. They have tougher competition in the reserves. For us, its like touch and go (with the exception of Macleski), and drop the reserves players after our more experienced players are fit and healthy again. It was a bad idea to throw Baz back into the side for this years elimination final.

I don't think that made sense. Its the Sydney heat thats taking its toll on me..

 

[bloods01]

Lets be realistic, it's extremley hard to win premierships let alone play in a grand final. I would love to see us have one last crack at it next year. If we fail, then the club has to blood some youngsters and keep them in the team. Let them get the experience they need. If it means not making the finals for a year or two so be it.

We have to start taking along term view. Where will our list be at in 5 years time. Who on our list will replace Kirk? Barry? O'Loughlin? and Hall? Do we have anyone? We have to start asking ourselves these questions and start putting plans in place now.

 

[RUNVS]

other clubs dont do it and they win premierships.

we just need to trade/recruit better, and get our reserves into a competition where they dont have as big a step up to the AFL level as last year etc.

then if injuries and the gods smile on us we will win another flag.

Well several months on we have actually gotten worse with our trading and recruiting as we have traded away solid young players like Schneider and recruited players for positions which we dont need filled. I really do think a rotation policy is the best bet next season as it will mean it wont be such a huge shock when players like Hall, Barry, Kennelly, O'Loughlin, Crouch, Mathews and Spida retire as we will have some replacements ready.

 

[bedford]

I think we can all agree that 2008 season is a make or break season for the Swans. If we dont find some talented young players next season then the Swans will be in a really bad situation and it wouldnt surprise me if we spent afew seasons hovering around 10th on the table. I was thinking that about 10 years ago the Australian cricket team developed a rotation policy. This had several advantages 1. They were able to try out some younger players on the main stage and 2. It gave some of their older players a chance to rest. I think the Swans should do something similar for 2008. These are the players who i think should be rotated during the season to try and find some young talent

Brett Kirk
Barry Hall
Michael O'Loughlin
Leo Barry
Jered Crouch
Ben Mathews
Adam Goodes
Nic Fosdike
Jude Bolton
Nick Davis
Craig Bolton


I know that is a list of most our our best players but all of them are over 27 years old and its extremely important we find replacements for them sooner rather than later. If you only do a rotation of having 2 of those players on that list being replaced by young players then it shouldnt affect our results too much. I know its everyones first instinct to put our best team on the field but we have been doing that for the past 2 seasons and as a result we have produced vertually no young players in that time.

What do you guys think?

can we add mcveigh to the rotation,i think he might be good enough to play 50 minutes in the ACT

 

[scottwade]

Two points.

Firstly I don't think we are good enough that we can rotate players & certainly not our best players such as Bolton(c) or Goodes.

Secondly as I posted in another thread, I think we would all like to see a rejuvenation of the team (but) ALL positions (whatever the player's age) have to be earned.

 

[Corpuscles]

Two points.

Firstly I don't think we are good enough that we can rotate players & certainly not our best players such as Bolton(c) or Goodes.

Secondly as I posted in another thread, I think we would all like to see a rejuvenation of the team (but) ALL positions (whatever the player's age) have to be earned.

Spot on

Kennelly , Malceski are.... examples did their time and took their chances even Bevo & LRT at their first shot at it (Crouch the most "famous") in the games they got. Roos tends to give them more than one game.... rarely ever drops after first game promotion

There is only 22 spots and ya have to be ready to go on with it and deny smeone a spot. The Eski couldn't be dropped but even he was eventually

Strangely the exception is Laidlaw I thought he played v well against Cats? first up!

But Barlow and Brennan showed they are very close! Schmidt has to show he really wants it!

 

[rancidpants13]

Spot on

Kennelly , Malceski are.... examples did their time and took their chances even Bevo & LRT at their first shot at it (Crouch the most "famous") in the games they got. Roos tends to give them more than one game.... rarely ever drops after first game promotion

There is only 22 spots and ya have to be ready to go on with it and deny smeone a spot. The Eski couldn't be dropped but even he was eventually

Strangely the exception is Laidlaw I thought he played v well against Cats? first up!

But Barlow and Brennan showed they are very close! Schmidt has to show he really wants it!

i agree on laidlaw v cats, apart from his duffed shot at goal, and i think he got injured after that and wasn't able to get back into the senior side, i'd like to see him get a shot ahead of luke brennan, simply because we haven't seen enough of laidlaw whereas brennan has had a crack (and done okay, without starring)
the problem with a set rotation policy, to my mind, is that it's basically conceding that our best 22 isn't good enough, which i don't believe
it's a matter of giving players a chance in the preseason and picking them if they deserve it
equally, certain older players need to prove themselves worthy of the first 22 after very ordinary finishes to very disappointing 07 seasons

 

[mj23]

would like to see Pat Ves and DOK play at least 11 games each next year

 

[chalbilto]

................certain older players need to prove themselves worthy of the first 22 after very ordinary finishes to very disappointing 07 seasons

Irregardless who they are

 

[CAS79]

I'm not sure I would be a fan of such a policy. I can understand the potential for subjective needs of older players who may need a break occasionally, something the lions managed to do effectively with Jonathan Brown and his illness. Sometimes young recruit bodies need a break as well but we rarely play them early so that may not be a factor.

But in terms of turning an official policy I don’t think that would be a great idea.

 

[rancidpants13]

Irregardless who they are

i've been naming and shaming for months, i can do it again but most posters here are already sick of my rants

but ask me nicely and i'll have another crack...heh heh

 

[RUNVS]

Sorry for bringing up this thread again but after yesterday's performance by some of our young kids i think some sort of rotation policy is more necessary than ever. Players like Ed Barlow, Craig Bird, Kieran Jack, Matthew O'Dwyer, Daniel O'Keefe, Jesse White all deserve a decent amount of game time next year and i would also be happy to see players like Ryan Brabazon, Aaron Bruce, Peter Faulks, Dean Terlich and Kristin Thornton get atleast 1 game aswell.