With five matches left in the H&A Season, it looks like we're set to give the finals another good shake. Some punters are even beginning to tip us as favourites for the flag. Personally, I can't place us above the Hawks and Cats with any real confidence, but time will tell. One thing's for sure ... we are a very different side in 2013.
Looking at the 22 likely to tackle the Bulldogs this weekend, we're down eight players from the GF side ...Goodes, Jetta, LRT, Shaw, AJ, Morton, Mattner & Sam Reid ... that's more than a third of a team gone.
Question is, are we a better team this year?
I reckon our forward line is stronger. With the addition of Tippett, the improvement of White and the growing power of our ruck stocks, this year we seem to rely less on our mids to get the goals. It's more of a conventional set up. As such, we're stretching teams that do not have three strong defenders. And yet, we still have the likes of Benny McGlynn, Mitchy and Lamb to pick up the crumbs. Sam Reid is gone, but I'm not convinced he'd get a game in our current squad. And while Goodesy is undoubtedly a match winner, I still prefer our set up this year. If we can get the dual Brownlow medallist back, he's likely to play more of a midfielders role, anyway. Heaven help the opposition if we do.
The backline is a slightly different story. In my opinion, the loss of AJ and Mattner makes the backline our achilles heel. Don't get me wrong. I think Dane Rampe has been a revelation. Everitt has slipped back to help out, and the elite form of Mal and McVeigh can't be questioned. The big concern is how our backline copes against three strong tall forwards. The Hawks big three toweled us up in round 7, and they'll seek to exploit us in that area again in coming weeks. Richards has not quite found last year's form. And while Rampe gets better every outing, he still needs our midfield to stop that quick ball coming in. Wouldn't it be great to get LRT back?
I don't think there's any doubt our midfield is even better this year. In 2012 there was much debate as to which team had the best mids. This year, Hanners, JPK, ROK, Parks, Jack and co. have put that debate to bed once and for all. They're simply awesome, and if we're to go deep into September, it's likely to be on the back of this hard-running bunch of on-ballers. Hanners will go closer than most to the Brownlow. Jack is amazing. And if you wanted any other proof of our depth, just look at first year player Tommy Mitchell. He'd be first mid picked in most other teams, and he's only played 8 games. Amazing.
It's true. Other teams will have improved, too. But across the board, the Swans are bursting with players in career-best form. Among them are Pyke, McVeigh, Hanners, Malceski, Lamb, Everitt, Bird, KJack, White, Parker and yep ... even Grundy.
I think we are a better team this year. Looking good for September.
Looking at the 22 likely to tackle the Bulldogs this weekend, we're down eight players from the GF side ...Goodes, Jetta, LRT, Shaw, AJ, Morton, Mattner & Sam Reid ... that's more than a third of a team gone.
Question is, are we a better team this year?
I reckon our forward line is stronger. With the addition of Tippett, the improvement of White and the growing power of our ruck stocks, this year we seem to rely less on our mids to get the goals. It's more of a conventional set up. As such, we're stretching teams that do not have three strong defenders. And yet, we still have the likes of Benny McGlynn, Mitchy and Lamb to pick up the crumbs. Sam Reid is gone, but I'm not convinced he'd get a game in our current squad. And while Goodesy is undoubtedly a match winner, I still prefer our set up this year. If we can get the dual Brownlow medallist back, he's likely to play more of a midfielders role, anyway. Heaven help the opposition if we do.
The backline is a slightly different story. In my opinion, the loss of AJ and Mattner makes the backline our achilles heel. Don't get me wrong. I think Dane Rampe has been a revelation. Everitt has slipped back to help out, and the elite form of Mal and McVeigh can't be questioned. The big concern is how our backline copes against three strong tall forwards. The Hawks big three toweled us up in round 7, and they'll seek to exploit us in that area again in coming weeks. Richards has not quite found last year's form. And while Rampe gets better every outing, he still needs our midfield to stop that quick ball coming in. Wouldn't it be great to get LRT back?
I don't think there's any doubt our midfield is even better this year. In 2012 there was much debate as to which team had the best mids. This year, Hanners, JPK, ROK, Parks, Jack and co. have put that debate to bed once and for all. They're simply awesome, and if we're to go deep into September, it's likely to be on the back of this hard-running bunch of on-ballers. Hanners will go closer than most to the Brownlow. Jack is amazing. And if you wanted any other proof of our depth, just look at first year player Tommy Mitchell. He'd be first mid picked in most other teams, and he's only played 8 games. Amazing.
It's true. Other teams will have improved, too. But across the board, the Swans are bursting with players in career-best form. Among them are Pyke, McVeigh, Hanners, Malceski, Lamb, Everitt, Bird, KJack, White, Parker and yep ... even Grundy.
I think we are a better team this year. Looking good for September.
