Preview Round 3 vs Richmond @ MCG, Sunday 4.00pm AEST

[The King!]

A lot of the stuff in footy that is perceived as tough/hard I don't rate as tough/hard at all. Going after opposition players with the intent to hurt them is cowardly. Remonstrating with opposition players with a game of shirt-front and smack talk is surface level. Starting fights with an opposition player because you have a temper and are easily riled-up is faux toughness.

I rate hardness as simply who is most prepared to hurt themselves to win a ball, contest or game.

Agree, not shirking the issue and the ball is the sole object and not deterred from it.

Mind you anyone who makes it to this level is tough at the end of the day or you couldn't get to the comp.

 

[Callipygian]

OK, so we're hard enough. Do we have enough mongrel? If we win a flag the answer is clear. Until then is it up for discussion? Does anyone want to make a case that we don't have enough mongrel? If not, go away and forever hold your peace (or at least for the rest of the season).

 

[BloodySwan]

OK, so we're hard enough. Do we have enough mongrel? If we win a flag the answer is clear. Until then is it up for discussion? Does anyone want to make a case that we don't have enough mongrel? If not, go away and forever hold your peace (or at least for the rest of the season).

This is the best Swans unit I've seen in a long time. Right mix of everything

 

[MR0808]

OK, so we're hard enough. Do we have enough mongrel? If we win a flag the answer is clear. Until then is it up for discussion? Does anyone want to make a case that we don't have enough mongrel? If not, go away and forever hold your peace (or at least for the rest of the season).

I think mongrel isn't the problem. It's nerves on the really big stage in September

 

[Callipygian]

I think it's not nerves or mongrel. I think it's the absolute hunger and determination to win.

2022 we weren't quite ready but 2016 and 2014 in particular we just didn't match our opposition's want to win. Fortunately there are enough survivors from those grannys that I don't think we'll be caught short in that regard this time. Pity that Buddy won't be there but I'd be sorrier to see Rampe miss out (assuming we're good and lucky enough to do it).

 

[Dan87]

Towards the end of 2022 we were the new way to play and cutting teams up. They got cocky and beat up in a GF

Last year was a non start on any level because of fitness imo real painful and crazy we made finals

This is now a team in position BUT steady hands and one week at a time is absolutely required. Horse is the right man and has had a generation to build this list.

Get to work and don't look up til October

Still need some luck

Key forwards are one loss away from being an issue

 

[dosser]

dosser wouldn't hurt a fly

My feelings bruise easily

 

[dosser]

Ladhams seems to have mongrel but isn't playing seniors, and he also lacks discipline.

That's what we in the industry call "edge"

 

[The King!]

Do they have it all when it counts? on the biggest stage?

thats the question.

Most of our senior players have failed in Grand Finals

 

[zyzzbruh]

Towards the end of 2022 we were the new way to play and cutting teams up. They got cocky and beat up in a GF

Last year was a non start on any level because of fitness imo real painful and crazy we made finals

This is now a team in position BUT steady hands and one week at a time is absolutely required. Horse is the right man and has had a generation to build this list.

Get to work and don't look up til October

Still need some luck

Key forwards are one loss away from being an issue

I rekn the boys just burnt off too much nervous energy pre game. A recent interview with Isaac the Norm Smith he mentioned he doesn't go out onto the ground pre game at all because of that and prefers to rock up late.

I also remember that game v pies 10 years ago when our players rocked up late after having to take the tram to the game, they played like men possessed. Conversely the pies a couple weeks ago were 2 hours early to unfurl their flag and played like dog s**t.

There's something to it imo. Even personally the best local footy I ever play is when I rock up late and literally walk straight to the first bounce from the car.

There was wayyy too much hype for our boys that whole week looking back at the pressers and player interviews. If we get there again Horse has got to approach the week as mundane as possible and kill the hype.

 

[Jewelsbon]

I rekn the boys just burnt off too much nervous energy pre game. A recent interview with Isaac the Norm Smith he mentioned he doesn't go out onto the ground pre game at all because of that and prefers to rock up late.

I also remember that game v pies 10 years ago when our players rocked up late after having to take the tram to the game, they played like men possessed. Conversely the pies a couple weeks ago were 2 hours early to unfurl their flag and played like dog s**t.

There's something to it imo. Even personally the best local footy I ever play is when I rock up late and literally walk straight to the first bounce from the car.

There was wayyy too much hype for our boys that whole week looking back at the pressers and player interviews. If we get there again Horse has got to approach the week as mundane as possible and kill the hype.

I think this is a very good point and hopefully, as someone said last week, March to the Match might help get the boys used to a lot of hype and pizzazz pre game.

 

[bloodsbigot]

A recent interview with Isaac the Norm Smith he mentioned he doesn't go out onto the ground pre game at all because of that and prefers to rock up late.

I also remember that game v pies 10 years ago when our players rocked up late after having to take the tram to the game, they played like men possessed. Conversely the pies a couple weeks ago were 2 hours early to unfurl their flag and played like dog s**t.

That's a very good point actually.

The best samurai of all time Musashi Miyamoto showed up hours late for his duel with Sasaki Kojirou in 1612, unnerving him.

We should just skip the Grand Final parade, arrive in Melbourne on the day, have a few coffees at a cafe, and rock up 2 hours before the bounce.

Probably one of the reasons why Melbourne teams have such an advantage.

 

[caesar88]

I think it's not nerves or mongrel. I think it's the absolute hunger and determination to win.

2022 we weren't quite ready but 2016 and 2014 in particular we just didn't match our opposition's want to win. Fortunately there are enough survivors from those grannys that I don't think we'll be caught short in that regard this time. Pity that Buddy won't be there but I'd be sorrier to see Rampe miss out (assuming we're good and lucky enough to do it).

LONG POST INCOMING

Been thinking a bit about why we've perhaps underperformed in grand finals and, to a lesser extent, big games (hate that term as it's so broad - so many games can be 'big games'.)

The general theories seem to be we select injured players too often, Horse coaches us to be too conservative, or he's just not good at communicating to his troops.

I don't know if those are right or not (personally I don't think so) but I'd like to put forward another theory... it's about hype & pressure, and our inability to deal with it.

Just a gut feel but I feel like we try hard to be modest and low-key as a club, but the prevalence of social media and just footy media in general has tipped the ledger in favour of teams that embrace the attention they get.

Thinking about the final four teams this year, they all came with a great deal of hype. Teams like Collingwood, GWS & Brisbane were overt and almost antagonistic in how good they thought they were. From the way their players conduct themselves on the field and off it, to the things their coaches said and did, to even their social media presence. My initial thought when I see these things is, "arrogant, flogs, etc." But then I look at how the finals panned out this year, and I think... well, it kinda worked?

And not just this year. Geelong absolutely thrived on their favouritism last year. Melbourne rode a drought-breaking wave all the way to the flag in 2021, Richmond did the same in 2017 and so did the Bulldogs the year before (though obviously in dubious circumstances.) And even Carlton, though they didn't go all the way this September, made a prelim and won two finals despite all the weight of expectations.

Players are acutely aware of what the perception of them within the industry is, because they're all active on social media. The whole "we don't pay attention to what they say" company line just doesn't fly anymore. They do pay attention to what's being said about them, they just need to learn how best to deal with it. Ignore it or lean into it?

Being "under the radar" has its perks no doubt (overall club stability, strength of culture, etc.) but I feel like between our coaches and our players and even sometimes our social media team, we try to stifle hype about our ability, our accomplishments etc., to avoid pressure/scrutiny or not to get ahead of ourselves. But then when big moments come, we're asking blokes who we've kept in the shadows for years to suddenly be comfortable in the spotlight, owning 'the moment.'

Going forward I'd like to see us create more buzz and excitement about our players. I don't think it's a coincidence that every time a Swans player has generated a great deal of external hype - Buddy (though he came with that), Papley, Warner last year, Gulden this year - their performances have only elevated. It's like they've fed off it. Combined with what I've seen from opposition players and teams in recent years, I don't know that trying to keep players modest is the way to go in the current game. It seems to me like players need to believe that they can be great and then see where that belief can take them.

Apologies for the rant. Just my thoughts after a September of observing, I could be way off.

I commented that end of last year and I stand by it today. Everything from Papley's frank comments about the Bombers game to Blakey's audacious boasting about our game plan in that CODE article last week, to Heeney stepping up to be 'the man' in the middle and playing arguably career-best footy because of it, to Gulden & McInerney's fancy goal celebrations, have me thinking that a decent portion of this team frankly enjoy the hype and attention.
I don't think some of these players want to fly under the radar at all, so if there's a bit of ego there, and feeding that ego makes them play better, then we should embrace that, and I feel like we have done this well so far this year (even back to the pre-season with the media content etc.)

Of course it's a balancing act as you'll have others in the team who aren't into that hype or extra attention. I think this was exemplified in Horse's comments re the March to the Match. He said a lot of the boys loved it but was cognisant of the fact some of the boys weren't that into it. I'd imagine this would be where Horse's people skills come in real handy - encouraging those who have a bit of FIGJAM to be themselves whilst reinforcing to those who are more low-key that they're equally as valued so he gets the best out of them, too.

 

[Ticky009]

Dear lord is it sunday yet?

How are we for matchups people? Do we have them for height up forward?

 

[Donza]

Dear lord is it sunday yet?

How are we for matchups people? Do we have them for height up forward?

Steady on. You'll get your eggs.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

A lot of the stuff in footy that is perceived as tough/hard I don't rate as tough/hard at all. Going after opposition players with the intent to hurt them is cowardly. Remonstrating with opposition players with a game of shirt-front and smack talk is surface level. Starting fights with an opposition player because you have a temper and are easily riled-up is faux toughness.

I rate hardness as simply who is most prepared to hurt themselves to win a ball, contest or game.

Exactly.

 

[anotherletdown]

I rekn the boys just burnt off too much nervous energy pre game. A recent interview with Isaac the Norm Smith he mentioned he doesn't go out onto the ground pre game at all because of that and prefers to rock up late.

I also remember that game v pies 10 years ago when our players rocked up late after having to take the tram to the game, they played like men possessed. Conversely the pies a couple weeks ago were 2 hours early to unfurl their flag and played like dog s**t.

There's something to it imo. Even personally the best local footy I ever play is when I rock up late and literally walk straight to the first bounce from the car.

There was wayyy too much hype for our boys that whole week looking back at the pressers and player interviews. If we get there again Horse has got to approach the week as mundane as possible and kill the hype.

Nervous energy is a killer. I kid you not, arrival time of 31 mins before tee-off was optimal when I use to play competitive golf. Enough time to get your head screwed on but not enough time to overthink things. Rep golf with a team bus was living hell, start out 3 hours early and everyone amping up and wanting to talk golf and tactics. Leave it out.

Anyway, moral of the story is, fine margins absolutely count. Sport at a high level is operating in the very highest percentile, 1% off can easily be a severe thrashing, even being on your game can sometimes not be enough.

Collingwood took their chance last year but their path there was razor edge the whole way, a minimal drop this year is magnified because they weren't as far ahead as the bathwater drinkers suggested.

 

[Bonz]

RICHMOND

In: N.Broad, T.Sonsie, M.Rioli, S.Naismith, T.Young
Out: J.Trezise (ankle), J.Clarke (omitted)

Last week's sub: Judson Clarke

SYDNEY

In: R.Fox, C.Mitchell, P.Ladhams, J.Konstanty, A.Francis
Out: H.Cunningham (concussion), S.Wicks (omitted)

Last week's sub: Corey Warner

 

[Millky95]

Wow Wicks dropped that surprises me

 

[sthmelb_dimmies]

CRAZY PETE

 

[SSwans2011]

Very disappointed that Wicks was dropped. I thought he was average last week, but deserved another run at best or should have gone back to the sub role that he was excelling at at worst. That's a mindboggling decision IMO.

 

[Donza]

So basically Fox for Wicks and Warner sub.

Don't hate that.

Fox to play defensive fwd again

 

[Kiama Chris]

Wow Wicks dropped that surprises me

Maybe he's done something wrong.
Hard to pick the sub as there's been no announcement about a debut.

 

[Millky95]

Very disappointed that Wicks was dropped. I thought he was average last week, but deserved another run at best or should have gone back to the sub role that he was excelling at at worst. That's a mindboggling decision IMO.

Maybe they want Wicks to get game time and Konstanty to get experience travelling with the squad?

 

[Millky95]

Maybe he's done something wrong.
Hard to pick the sub as there's been no announcement about a debut.

My guess would be Warner Jr as sub