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Preview Round 13 Swans vs Tigers

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The Tigers should be up and about for this game, as should every side playing us at present. Play strong pressure, tackle hard, clog up the corridor and keep Heeney and Chad on the chain (essentiallywhat they did last year) and they will win . We are literally the perfect team for a rebuilding side to play.
 

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At this point any win is detrimental.

We get a few back , go on a run and we have to use our first to match the king bid.

Or

We don’t, and we get a pick before king and essentially two bites of the top 8 pick cherry.

I get winning culture blah blah, the season is a write off, may aswell take advantage of the situation
 
At this point any win is detrimental.

We get a few back , go on a run and we have to use our first to match the king bid.

Or

We don’t, and we get a pick before king and essentially two bites of the top 8 pick cherry.

I get winning culture blah blah, the season is a write off, may aswell take advantage of the situation
Tbh I was relieved a bit when we lost to the Cats in 2020, which meant we got Logan before matching Campbell.

But I was glad to see us fighting it out. Which is what we should always do.

We can try different things, get at least some back to form going into next year etc. Even if we play the kids, they aren't going to learn a lot if we're half arsing it (or less).

The problem with accepting mediocrity is it's not a tap that can always simply be turned off. It sets in.
 
Tbh I was relieved a bit when we lost to the Cats in 2020, which meant we got Logan before matching Campbell.

But I was glad to see us fighting it out. Which is what we should always do.

We can try different things, get at least some back to form going into next year etc. Even if we play the kids, they aren't going to learn a lot if we're half arsing it (or less).

The problem with accepting mediocrity is it's not a tap that can always simply be turned off. It sets in.
If the culture is strong enough , you can get by no worries .

It’s simple for me.

We can’t win the flag and we won’t make finals.

Would I rather not make finals and draft king

Or would I rather not make finals and get a duursma and king.
 
At this point any win is detrimental.

We get a few back , go on a run and we have to use our first to match the king bid.

Or

We don’t, and we get a pick before king and essentially two bites of the top 8 pick cherry.

I get winning culture blah blah, the season is a write off, may aswell take advantage of the situation

Even with two tries we somehow **** it up

So yeah 2 tries is essential this year, just tank
 
Tbh I was relieved a bit when we lost to the Cats in 2020, which meant we got Logan before matching Campbell.

But I was glad to see us fighting it out. Which is what we should always do.

We can try different things, get at least some back to form going into next year etc. Even if we play the kids, they aren't going to learn a lot if we're half arsing it (or less).

The problem with accepting mediocrity is it's not a tap that can always simply be turned off. It sets in.

100% agreed. We can't accept mediocrity for a better pick. I'm fine with us trying different things to find out who is a keeper and who isn't, but at no point can we even hint that losing is acceptable if it means we get a better pick. That's a slippery slope and a culture killer. If it means we win a couple more games than expected I'd fine with that.
 
It’s time for Cox to punt guys who he doesn’t think is part of the rebuild next year.
He’s got to expose as many kids as possible to AFL football, preferably in their actual position.
Buuuuttt so far we’ve had nothing but limp wristed decisions when it’s got tough so I’m expecting.
Out Ladhams and Cleary or Warner.
In Mills and some other underwhelming under performing vet.
 
Starting to hear about tanking to get best pick. You do that as a club and you deserve to dwell at the bottom.

You fight and scrap for every win and you have "Winning culture" or something resembling bloods culture. Even if I've just about put the cue in the rack as a soft supporter I hope the Swans as a club don't ever go down that road again.

So that said on paper we look ok. About as much positivity as I can muster.
 
All this talk about players in vs players out, form, dropping senior players etc etc is all just pissing in the wind. The problem is the game plan and overcompensating our focus on defence and contested ball. Until we get back to offence focussed footy where the players aren't scared to run off their direct opponent and progress the ball in numbers, it’s going to be a shit show.

At the moment we are allowing our opponents to dictate the state of play because we are reacting to their moves instead of worrying about our own. The end result is a delay in mental attacking transition by the ball carrier and his teammates which creates lack of support for the ball carrier and getting caught.
 
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Starting to hear about tanking to get best pick. You do that as a club and you deserve to dwell at the bottom.

You fight and scrap for every win and you have "Winning culture" or something resembling bloods culture. Even if I've just about put the cue in the rack as a soft supporter I hope the Swans as a club don't ever go down that road again.

So that said on paper we look ok. About as much positivity as I can muster.
We are in a unique position as we have a high academy pick .

Most clubs when tanking are just trying to get one pick as high as possible.

We can essentially get 2 for the price of one, mad not to.

Besides many thought that getting humiliated in 2 straight grand finals would have no lasting effects on the group, so how bad can dropping a few extra games in a lost season be ?
 
100% agreed. We can't accept mediocrity for a better pick. I'm fine with us trying different things to find out who is a keeper and who isn't, but at no point can we even hint that losing is acceptable if it means we get a better pick. That's a slippery slope and a culture killer. If it means we win a couple more games than expected I'd fine with that.
We got belted off the park in consecutive grand finals , that’s also a culture killer. I’m not sure dropping a few games in a lost season is going to really tear the fabric of the club apart anymore than has already been done.

We have a unique situation where we can get a top 5 pick plus another top 10 essentially for free.

A good club would wipe the year off, take the picks and run
 
We are in a unique position as we have a high academy pick .

Most clubs when tanking are just trying to get one pick as high as possible.

We can essentially get 2 for the price of one, mad not to.

Besides many thought that getting humiliated in 2 straight grand finals would have no lasting effects on the group, so how bad can dropping a few extra games in a lost season be ?

I just can't get on board with that view no matter what we miss. I'll have to respectfully disagree on this one. I understand where you're coming from but nope just not the way forward for me. But heck might not have to tank to achieve what you desire anyway.
 
All this talk about players in vs players out, form, dropping senior players etc etc is all just pissing in the wind. The problem is the game plan and overcompensating our focus on defence and contested ball. Until we get back to offence focussed footy where the players aren't scared to run off their direct opponent and progress the ball in numbers, it’s going to be a shit show.

At the moment we are allowing our opponents to dictate the state of play because we are reacting to their moves instead of worrying about our own. The end result is a delay in mental attacking transition by the ball carrier and his teammates which creates lack of support for the ball carrier and getting caught.

This is a theory a few (including Josh Jenkins) have put forward recently -
Cox’s focus on “the contest” has stifled our no.1 weapon - which was fast ball movement.

I’m on the fence. That game style (fast ball movement, zone defence) got exposed by opposing coaches in the second half of last year, culminating in the GF.

Having said that, until we start to get some run & carry out of defensive 50, we are utterly screwed.

My head is spinning a bit - as I’m not quite sure what the answer is.

One thing I do know: Gulden has to be part of it.
 
We got belted off the park in consecutive grand finals , that’s also a culture killer. I’m not sure dropping a few games in a lost season is going to really tear the fabric of the club apart anymore than has already been done.

We have a unique situation where we can get a top 5 pick plus another top 10 essentially for free.

A good club would wipe the year off, take the picks and run
A weak club would wipe the year off and tank.
 

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This is a theory a few (including Josh Jenkins) have put forward recently -
Cox’s focus on “the contest” has stifled our no.1 weapon - which was fast ball movement.

I’m on the fence. That game style (fast ball movement, zone defence) got exposed by opposing coaches in the second half of last year, culminating in the GF.

Having said that, until we start to get some run & carry out of defensive 50, we are utterly screwed.

My head is spinning a bit - as I’m not quite sure what the answer is.

One thing I do know: Gulden has to be part of it.
I'd argue that we switched to a more contest focus in that 2nd half of last year after a couple of dour games, rather than coaches exposing it. Horse was banging on about the contest since round 15. And at the end of the day it's not going to work 100% of the time, you are bound to lose the odd game where you are seemingly 'found out'- Doesn't mean that gameplan is dead. We sure as shit didn't play offensive footy in the GF and it's not because Brisbane stopped us from doing it, we made the decision to not do it.

Either way i'd back us to win our way, even if it leaves the zone exposed i'd back our offensive weapons to score more than the opposition. I'd rather win that way as I would also rather lose that way than the pile of garbage we're seeing now.

All out attack and zone is a higher % means of playing for this squad, and in general when it comes to finding success in the games current state of play. We still made the GF for goodness sakes, there was absolutely no need for drastic change, that just feeds into the doom and gloom of the GF review rather than letting go of it.
 
This is a theory a few (including Josh Jenkins) have put forward recently -
Cox’s focus on “the contest” has stifled our no.1 weapon - which was fast ball movement.

I’m on the fence. That game style (fast ball movement, zone defence) got exposed by opposing coaches in the second half of last year, culminating in the GF.

Having said that, until we start to get some run & carry out of defensive 50, we are utterly screwed.

My head is spinning a bit - as I’m not quite sure what the answer is.

One thing I do know: Gulden has to be part of it.
The perplexing thing is we haven’t really improved at the contest.
 
Having a think about this game and I find it hard to see how more players don't get axed after that woeful performance. But additionally, I don't see how Florent gets a game this week after what appears to be an underwhelming performance. Finals are gone so it's got to be about prioritising sending clear messages to the playing group that moving forward if you aren't performing then you aren't playing. Now you can't drop the whole side of course but I think the consistent underperformance of some players implicates them in being demoted.

Anyway, this is the side I'd go with:

B: Rampe - McCartin - Melican
HB: Blakey - Roberts - Cunningham
C: Jordon - Rowbottom - McInerney
HF: Campbell - Hanily - Francis
F: Hayward - Heeney - McLean
R: Grundy - Mills - Warner

I/C: Sheldrick - Mitchell - Buller - Cleary
Sub: Warner

Emer: Florent - Ladhams - Adams

In: Mills, Hanily, Cunningham, Buller, Francis
Out: Adams, Lloyd, Ladhams, Hamling, Bice

No idea if Francis is fit to play this week given he didn't play anywhere last weekend, but if he's fit I'd go with him despite my concern that he'll be lower on confidence. Hanily's numbers aren't half bad so he can get a game and we need some actual tackling pressure up forward so I'd be directing him and Cleary to be frothing at the mouth. Buller deserves to be given a shot if for no other reason than he hasn't been tried yet. Mills comes back of course and if Cunningham is 80% fit then I'd pick him given that Wicks isn't passed fit to play.

As for the outs, IMO Lloyd either needs to be dropped or be the sub. It's beyond time that he is made accountable for his play this year and we've gotta be prioritising young players so I'd rather he get dropped than Corey Warner or Cleary or Sheldrick. Adams wasn't aided by a lot of long bombing on his head but even so, Hanily deserves a game and the younger guys are prioritised. Ladhams hasn't been awful on the surface but my eyes tell me our clearances are really bad when he's in the ruck. I don't think he's a competitive AFL standard ruck so I'd have McLean go back to the role that he was good at last year and be 2nd ruck. I liked that Cox tried to make the forward line smaller against Adelaide but our delivery was awful and we refused to man up Mark Keane for too long. Get the ball in lower and along the ground and man up Vlastuin or Broad or Balta and we'll give ourselves a chance.

I don't know what in the name of god we've been doing playing Hamling for this long but for the love of god he's gotta go. Not defensive FF, not in defence, he's got to go from the side. He simply does not provide enough as a defender as a lockdown, interceptor, or rebounder to play in 2025. And Bice has been off for a while now so he can have a bit of time in the 2's to consolidate. Not unusual for a guy so new to professional footy to tail off after a good start - he'll be right I suspect and having a bit of a break over the bye and some reserves time to reclaim some touch would be good for him.
 
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