Preview Sydney Swans vs Richmond Tigers, Saturday April 3 @ MCG

[momentbymoment]

We ran out of legs against the Crows.

Did we run out of legs?
Or did we relax after smashing them in the first 3 quarters, doubling their score and passing 100 points.

I don’t think we will really know how well we can run out a game until we are pushed in the final term.

 

[caesar88]

Worrying about running out of legs against Richmond is pointless. The reason they are the fittest team in the competition is because they don't play consistently across four quarters, because they don't need to. When you're right in the premiership window age and experience-wise, and the best team in the comp, you can play tempo footy and only rely on surges of great footy to get you the win. Hawthorn used to do it, and Richmond do it better than anyone.

We are not there yet, so we will have to be full throttle, giving our all from the first bounce just to even keep in touch with this Tigers outfit. Which means we will tire. To pretend we won't is just naive. The game for us will be won or lost in the first three quarters.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

My sources tell me a huge blow up between Buddy and the Swans.

Swans wanted him to play and Buddy was passed fit by the conditioning/medical staff but he refused to travel.

To paraphrase Buddy's angry outburst;
"It's ******* Thursday and I'm not going to travel down to Melbourne and miss bin night".

First bit had me shitting myself. Second bit had me pissing myself.

I look like a Hawthorn cheer squad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Gong]

Worrying about running out of legs against Richmond is pointless. The reason they are the fittest team in the competition is because they don't play consistently across four quarters, because they don't need to. When you're right in the premiership window age and experience-wise, and the best team in the comp, you can play tempo footy and only rely on surges of great footy to get you the win. Hawthorn used to do it, and Richmond do it better than anyone.

We are not there yet, so we will have to be full throttle, giving our all from the first bounce just to even keep in touch with this Tigers outfit. Which means we will tire. To pretend we won't is just naive. The game for us will be won or lost in the first three quarters.

Hawthorn and Richmond were similar in that they didn't focus on winning clearances but applied huge defensive pressure and built their game around turnovers. In attack Hawthorn played possession footy and were all about short, accurate kicking while Richmond are all about moving the ball fast and keeping it moving forward at all cost. I think Richmond's approach has definitely required a higher fitness level. Hawthorn applied tempo footy eseentially the whole time.

The biggest thing about us this year is that we're able to move the ball fast and our accuracy by foot has improved dramatically. If we're able to minimise our turnovers and kick accurately into our forward 50 we'll give this thing a big shake. The Richmond backs have been so good because their mids and forwards apply so much defensive pressure and they've been able to feast on the oppositions poor forward 50 entries.

 

[Wolfgang West]

He is purely marketing now.
We'll play better without him against the Tigers.
Unpredictable & dangerous on the MCG.
The Tigers will have no idea where our goals will come from.
I now have us as a chance to win.

That first line of your post is spot on Ted. Actually makes me really pissed off but we actually caught a glimpse of it last game 2 years ago, Swans are now no different to any other club. As long as we are putting our hand in our kick they could not give a ****. Well I might be in the minority and that’s ok but not liking the way this club has gone since Colless departure. He run a football club that listened and cared about the rank and file. Having said that the last 12 months has certainly put a little more emphasis on the dollar so you either cop it sweet or please yourself. I’m up in the air.

 

[caesar88]

Hawthorn and Richmond were similar in that they didn't focus on winning clearances but applied huge defensive pressure and built their game around turnovers. In attack Hawthorn played possession footy and were all about short, accurate kicking while Richmond are all about moving the ball fast and keeping it moving forward at all cost. I think Richmond's approach has definitely required a higher fitness level. Hawthorn applied tempo footy eseentially the whole time.

The biggest thing about us this year is that we're able to move the ball fast and our accuracy by foot has improved dramatically. If we're able to minimise our turnovers and kick accurately into our forward 50 we'll give this thing a big shake. The Richmond backs have been so good because their mids and forwards apply so much defensive pressure and they've been able to feast on the oppositions poor forward 50 entries.

I think Richmond play a lot more tempo footy than they get credit for. Everyone sees them as this run and gun side, but that's when they want to be, and their periods of dominance in matches are often preceded by periods of relatively safe footy where you start to wonder if their opponent has a sniff. But it's really just them absorbing the opposition's momentum so they can then play that run and gun style when they have their momentum.

It's like clockwork. So many Richmond matches follow the same script, and fans and commentators alike fall for it every time, thinking Richmond are a little off their game and are gettable, only for them to do what they need to do in the windows of opportunity where they get to do it.

But it's why I'm a fan of playing McLean along with McDonald, Heeney and Reid, and really putting pressure on their defenders. We've gotta be able to capitalise on every bit of momentum we can possibly get. What I'd hate to see is us winning so much of the ball but Richmond just toying with us and cutting off all our scoring opportunities before they've even eventuated. Need to rattle them and not let them get comfortable dictating when the game will be quick and when they'll slow it down.

 

[caesar88]

How many matches do we think Buddy will need before he can start playing a consistent block of footy? I'm talking like 3-4+ games in a row. Surely we're not actually serious about him playing a couple of matches at a time in between a week off for the rest of his career? Can't see how that can be good for continuity and chemistry in our forward line.

 

[Punts]

How many matches do we think Buddy will need before he can start playing a consistent block of footy? I'm talking like 3-4+ games in a row. Surely we're not actually serious about him playing a couple of matches at a time in between a week off for the rest of his career? Can't see how that can be good for continuity and chemistry in our forward line.

He will play next 2

 

[caesar88]

He will play next 2

Probably, but then what?

I get doing the FIFO, 2-3 weeks in, 1 week out thing as he's eased back into footy, but surely it won't be sustainable in the long-term. Can't be chopping and changing a key player and part of our forward line around like that a couple of times every month.

 

[Indie_]

As much as it sucks that he won't be playing this weekend, I think it makes sense in the long-run to rest Franklin this week. We probably won't win this game whether he plays or not, and he's definitely risking himself by playing two games in a row so soon. Get him up for Essendon where we should win (and go 3-1, which all of us would have taken pre-season) and then he's also very likely to play GWS at home too.

If we end up 4-1 after 5, can't really be complaining about the club has managed the season.

 

[JZ_Skitzo]

Clarke has the best endurance of all our players... Just saying

What is with this boards obsession with Clarke?

 

[RUNVS]

What is with this boards obsession with Clarke?

He is a good quality tagger.

 

[robbieando]

That first line of your post is spot on Ted. Actually makes me really pissed off but we actually caught a glimpse of it last game 2 years ago, Swans are now no different to any other club. As long as we are putting our hand in our kick they could not give a ****. Well I might be in the minority and that’s ok but not liking the way this club has gone since Colless departure. He run a football club that listened and cared about the rank and file. Having said that the last 12 months has certainly put a little more emphasis on the dollar so you either cop it sweet or please yourself. I’m up in the air.
That first line of your post is spot on Ted. Actually makes me really pissed off but we actually caught a glimpse of it last game 2 years ago, Swans are now no different to any other club. As long as we are putting our hand in our kick they could not give a ****. Well I might be in the minority and that’s ok but not liking the way this club has gone since Colless departure. He run a football club that listened and cared about the rank and file. Having said that the last 12 months has certainly put a little more emphasis on the dollar so you either cop it sweet or please yourself. I’m up in the air.

This is not a response directly to you WW, more an overall response to this topic but.....

Our annual report has finally been published overnight and it’s pretty grim reading. We lost $6million dollars last year and our sponsorship fell from $19million in 2019 to just $10 million last year. Our revenue was only $30million, compared to $52 million in 2019.

We took out a $1.5million loan from the AFL to survive the season.

We are only a “going concern” as long there are no major restrictions and border closures this season. If not AFL funding will be required again.

So if the club wants to focus on making money (such as making sure Buddy is available to play all possible SCG games) it means we will be that little less reliant on the AFL for money and plans like the Royal Hall of Industrys training facility can be put back in place.

 

[hairy biker]

Richmond definitely the best defence going around, but a couple of very handy components in Houli & Vlaustin missing this week.

League wide average intercepts per game 2020; Vlaustin 5th, Astbury 10th.

Richmond R50s 2020 (ave per game); Short 4.5, Vlaustin 3.8, Houli 3.6, Balta 3.1

Richmond metres gained (ave per game) 2020; Short (1st- over 100 metres better than anyone else), Houli 6th, Vlaustin 9th.

Presumably Wicks goes to Short and that match-up will obviously be important in curtailing Richmond's defensive run.
Equally the ability of our fwds to spread and engage the Richmond defenders will be crucial, as will the necessity for our ball carriers to deliver to the best option so that the defenders respect each of our fwds and not seek to constantly zone off.

PS
Looking at the intercept/rebound stats for 2020 some of our guys rated a mention.
Rebound 50s (lge wide) Lloyd ranked 4, Rampe 5th. (Short 16th).
Interestingly (on the small sample size for 2021), Lloyd & Dawson =9th, Campbell =28th.
Yet I think most would agree that our rebound this year is more dynamic & effective.

As for intercepts in 2020, Mills ranked 9th, Lloyd 11th & Rampe 22nd.
This year McCartin has stepped up to the plate and ranks 4th lge wide. Dawson next in 26th (albeit as I say a small sample size). Hewett & Rampe =41st, Lloyd 71st.

 

[TheMase]

Since Round 14 2020 Tom McCartin

30

Tom Mccartin

Age

24

Ht

194cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.3

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

129.5

2star

D

7.2

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

0.8

1star

MG

87.4

2star

D

9.0

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

168.0

3star

is number one in the AFL for intercept marks per game (3.6) and second for intercept possessions per game (7.9).

Courtesy Footy Live app (which would be from champion data).

I’ll post more of their selection later if I have time just saw Tom mentioned above.

 

[Punts]

Since Round 14 2020 Tom McCartin is number one in the AFL for intercept marks per game (3.6) and second for intercept possessions per game (7.9).

Courtesy Footy Live app (which would be from champion data).

I’ll post more of their selection later if I have time just saw Tom mentioned above.

Defender all day long

 

[Millky95]

Defender all day long

I hate it when you are right but you called it very early on. I was so hopeful he'd be a forward but he is too good as a defender

 

[Ticky009]

I hate it when you are right but you called it very early on. I was so hopeful he'd be a forward but he is too good as a defender

McCartin had heir to Reg written all over him.

 

[Punts]

I hate it when you are right but you called it very early on. I was so hopeful he'd be a forward but he is too good as a defender

So did mase

 

[mikey_san]

He is a good quality tagger.

Good the other way too with outlet kicks and handballs to outside players, makes himself available for handball receives.
Would love to see him get a crack. Deserves to after some of his performances last year.
BF whipping boy cause he wasn't a high pick for us. Had he been and put up some of the games of last year people would be singing his praises.

 

[sthmelb_dimmies]

How many matches do we think Buddy will need before he can start playing a consistent block of footy? I'm talking like 3-4+ games in a row. Surely we're not actually serious about him playing a couple of matches at a time in between a week off for the rest of his career? Can't see how that can be good for continuity and chemistry in our forward line.

That’s exactly what the club would be serious about. Management of a early/mid 30yo player to play a handful of games; instead of none (2020)

 

[caesar88]

That’s exactly what the club would be serious about. Management of a early/mid 30yo player to play a handful of games; instead of none (2020)

Don't see how that's good for the team tbh

 

[Superstar swan]

Don’t really care about the result this week. A win would be nice but realistically it’s not going to happen. I just hope horse doesn’t try manage the risk and play defensive. Let the boys play their style and let them measure themselves up against the benchmark

 

[Kiama Chris]

McCartin had heir to Reg written all over him.

Said that myself 2 years ago.

 

[RUNVS]

Said that myself 2 years ago.

How often do you talk to yourself, and in your head do you hear a response?