What Will We Do?

[SOPH_CROSS]

Say if we just squeeze through the door and make finals and bail out during it! Will we get a good run in a pre season like last year or will it be a case of too tired too old!

Ive got a sickening feeling we are going to see a few of our most loved swans announce their retirement when our season ends.

There will be a few trades and a few operations to help some of the pressure of retirements and such but i think our list is looking very weak at the moment!

Next year its really time for our young kids that have had one or two years in the 2nds to step up and take a chance!

Im worried that we could be in and out of the top 8 next year its already been a tough season this year next year could be a tough one even if we are given a good draw!

What are you views am i the only one thats feels like we are headed down like West Coast!

I love my boys i really do but we have to kick it now or we will struggle...

 

[MF]

I think we're in for a very up and down kind of season but we're not going to be anywhere near West Coast. We'll still have a list capable of challenging for the finals with Kirk and Hall most likely playing on.

 

[kira]

our list is going down hill, no question about that

but it would take more than a season for us to hit rock bottom like west coast (hopefully)

so at the end of the season the club has to bite the bullet, and admit we're no longer contenders and start drafting young players, trade older players for draft picks and start blooding them through for the next season

until then "cheer, cheer the red and the white.... onward to victory"

 

[goodesy37]

we are definately headed downhill. our star players are getting older and playing a lot worse eg hall = useless, goodes is up and down and leo barry is getting consistently beaten. i see us being about 7th or so next season and exiting the finals early. it shouldve been the same this year if we didnt have such an easy draw...

 

[Skystyler]

we are definately headed downhill. our star players are getting older and playing a lot worse eg hall = useless, goodes is up and down and leo barry is getting consistently beaten. i see us being about 7th or so next season and exiting the finals early. it shouldve been the same this year if we didnt have such an easy draw...

We've got the toughest draw of any team, with the possible exception of North Melbourne.

And this season aint over yet. We could well finish 7th or so and exit the finals early.

If we are going to hang on to 4th spot we have to beat the dogs and the pies. And if we are going to have a tilt at the flag at all this year (highly unlikely at the moment but things can change quickly) we need to beat Geelong up here in 3 weeks time - just for the mental edge it will give us when we take the on at the G in the first round of the finals. Win that game and ....

OK, I'm smoking crack. 1st and foremost we need to get on top of the dogs in Canberra and dominate them. Then we can build from there.

 

[EatBig Australia]

We could well finish 7th or so and exit the finals early.

Will likely play the Crows or Pies first week of finals if we do...

I think that Leo will retire at years end. I wasn't sure earlier in the year but I think this injury may put him over the edge, especially if we struggle as a team for the rest of the season.

Whatever happens with our list I am really hoping we keep our first round pick. Our first round pick plus a fit Vesz next year at least gives us something to look forward to.

 

[Corpuscles]

Soph!

DONT EVER GIVE UP !!

Swans have met sides in a difficult draw that have equal desperation.

Dogs losing last week ups the antee
Carlton were fighting to keep finals chances alive
Wobbles had to win that one
Sainters should have been trying

etc etc means most games have been difficult so far!!

IF the TEAM can get back to their best..... anything can happen with their wealth of experience in finals!!!

Adelaide and WCE were clearly seemingly unbeatable 05/06 but guess what... nearly back to back premiers!

Go da Swannies

 

[HolyWars]

Sydney wont be anywhere near what WC is this year, Sydney have to much pride to do anything like that. I think next year you will still be in the 8, you may lose players like Hall, Micky O, Everitt, Barry etc at the end of the year, but you also have some great younger players.

 

[SOPH_CROSS]

im not giving up

im just really worried we havnt really thought about the future only the rounds ahead

we need 2 think of something fast or we are gonna have all these young kids dying for a game but not really having the skills ready enough tonight

I suggest Klenex sponser the swans next year

 

[Tedeski]

I think we are probably not much better then at the same time last year. We don't seem to be lasting the whole year with players bodies starting to break down due to the long season & perhaps ageing in some cases.

Are we a team in decline? No I don't think so but our strength in 2004, 2005 & 2006 was our strong finishes to the season. We were late starters often dropping the bulk of the first 5 games.
This year the guys started pre season earlier then in the past. I'm hoping not but I'm a little worried that they will run out of puff.
Leo Barry missed 6 weeks with a hammy last year & came back for the final against Collingwood..................too early obviously because he was slow. Slow to react & got caught often. He's a year older this year & they are talking about him playing this week after missing 1 week with a hammy. Desparation on Roos part me thinks.
Malceski has been named the last 3 weeks only to be a late withdrawal on each occasion. They say he is a big chance this week. More desparation from Roos me thinks.
Goodes has played with a groin injury the last two weeks for poor games in both. Roos admits that in hindsight Goodes shouldn't have played. That he did, was more desparation by Roos & his staff.

This kind of desparation unfortunately brings teams undone. I'm fearful of dropping down the ladder rapidly with these next five games should Roos be playing players that wouldn't have played in seasons 2005 & 2006 with the injuries they have.

On the other hand, the poor old coaching staff have no choice but to play these guys because the next level of players that are on the verge of selection every week are out injured.

I'm curious as to whether a fit Nick Davis would have been recalled to the seniors last week or this week with the decimation to our forward line. That would have tested Roos policy of not playing players that aren't accountable defensively.
'Luckily' for Roos & co, he doesn't have a choice in the matter as Davis is finished for the year.

So what am I basically saying about our Swans for 2008.
God knows but I'm hoping like crazy that we at least knock of the Dogs this week so that the guys can gather some momentum............should we make the finals.

 

[TheMase]

I reckon Leo Barry, Everitt, Mathews and Crouch may retire this year.

Barry we can replace with Brennan until Faulks or White are ready (they may be straight away).

Everitt for Currie, as I believe with another pre-season under his belt will be ready for AFL football.

I reckon we will be in the mix again in 2009, probably 4-8.

2010 I believe will be the testing year. O'Loughlin almost certain to go, as is Kennelly and probably Hall.

This years draft is crucial for our forward line.

Kirk should play until 2011. Our defense outside of Barry is quite young, so there should not be too much impact in that regard.

 

[SM]

Yeah, apparently Roos has said that Mickey O WILL play 300 games for the Swans, so the signs are good that he'll play on into next year.

Kirk I can see playing for a couple more, same with Hall.

Barry, Everitt and Matthews are the three who need to retire, with probably only Barry given the chance, I'd delist the other two if they refuse.

 

[Swanstar]

im not giving up

im just really worried we havnt really thought about the future only the rounds ahead

we need 2 think of something fast or we are gonna have all these young kids dying for a game but not really having the skills ready enough tonight

I suggest Klenex sponser the swans next year

Don't worry we have been in more dire straits, we were supposed to be bottom 4 when we lost Plugger, Cresswell, Dunkley, Kelly, Schwass in 2002 and look what happened after that.

However we DESPERATELY need another key marking forward not a crumber a Barry Hall 2005/2006 model who can lead and take contested marks as well as being a above average kick.

 

[carsoutback]

I think most of us would agree we won't challenge for the flag next year, so does it really matter where we finish or how many games we win? Is 5th really any better than 15th?

I am old enough to remember those long cold silent walks back to Central station after matches in the early-mid 90s. It was never the losing part that hurt, it was the sense that I'd be doing the same walk, feeling the same things the following game as well. It was the loss of hope that pissed me off. So as long as we begin to build a list and I can follow the development of a young exciting list, I'll be happy enough no matter what the win-loss column says or what position we finish in. Certainly better than the thought of watching a bunch of old guys giving us nothing more than glimpses of their glory days. It's (belatedly) time to take some risks on the future.

 

[Bloods_33]

lets deal with the season at hand first, we are currently in fourth position, no matter how good or bad we are playing this is a great opportunity. yeah geelong and hawks seem to be miles ahead but you never know what can happen in sept. let the season ride out and then make the call on players to trade after its done, remember players could suprise you hall could turn it around and dominate for the next month, just like i thought crouch was finished and he came out on the weekend and played like a first gamer.

 

[OperationGetCats]

Our major pain point is something that cannot be changed overnight... our goalkicking accuracy.

We could be 3 wins better off this year if we could kick straight (Dogs x 2, Crows x 1).

Just don't know what we can do about this.

 

[Skystyler]

Our major pain point is something that cannot be changed overnight... our goalkicking accuracy.

We could be 3 wins better off this year if we could kick straight (Dogs x 2, Crows x 1).

Just don't know what we can do about this.

Thats a confidence thing. When we're playing well, we tend to kick straight. When we're struggling a bit - pushing too hard - we dont. BBBH puts a lot of pressure on himself. We also chip it into the pocket a lot and a lot of the misses are from difficult shots. I dont remember the crows or dogs slotting too many from the boundary. In fact, they both seemed to get a lot of gimme shots from right in front. Its a symptom of us not playing the flood well.

 

[Mick Oxlong]

Our major pain point is something that cannot be changed overnight... our goalkicking accuracy.

We could be 3 wins better off this year if we could kick straight (Dogs x 2, Crows x 1).

Just don't know what we can do about this.

Longmire...one of the best forwards going around in the modern era with over 700 goals I think. Was utilised a few years back, but not sure whether that's the case now with him being the co-ordinator of coaching. Anyone know who the goalkicking coach is?

 

[EatBig Australia]

Anyone know who the goalkicking coach is?

I think Playfair and Brennan share the duties....

 

[MF]

Longmire...one of the best forwards going around in the modern era with over 700 goals I think. Was utilised a few years back, but not sure whether that's the case now with him being the co-ordinator of coaching. Anyone know who the goalkicking coach is?

Blakey is the forward line coach. Not sure if we have a separate goal kicking coach as such.

 

[snappy]

I think Playfair and Brennan share the duties....

To many of them are looking at the goal post, what do ya think?