Universal Love Where does our improvement come from next year?

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Bandicoot

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It’s east to forget he’s a top 4 pick kpf, simply because we havnt drafted a player like this since I can remember.
very exciting to watch how he pans out.
Similarly, Stephens was a top 6 pick hence I am hoping he can produce the quality that was expected of him. We have had so few top 10 picks (other than academy) it would be disastrous to waste one.
 

McRobie

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Similarly, Stephens was a top 6 pick hence I am hoping he can produce the quality that was expected of him. We have had so few top 10 picks (other than academy) it would be disastrous to waste one.
Stephens worries me a lot hasn’t shown anything that justifies his draft position. He’s got miles and miles to go. I sincerely hope he’s makes the improvements needed but I’m not confident.
 
Jun 2, 2014
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Taken from a Mongrel Punt article about stats and when they actually mean something.

It seemed relevant to the thread topic and where improvement can be gained


WHEN OLLIE FLORENT PRODUCES, SO DO THE SWANS

I’ve been banging on about Florent for close to two years, now. I genuinely think he has the potential to be the best wingman in the caper, but he is a little too passive for his own good at the moment, often permitting others to take the game on whilst he… well, I guess he is doing what he is told, so I cannot fault him too much.

That said, there is great benefit in Florent getting more of the footy. He uses it well, covers the ground beautifully, and makes the lives of the forwards much easier with the way he enters fifty.

This is backed up by the Swans’ record when Florent gets plenty of the footy.

From 2018 to 2021, the Swans’ record with Florent in the team was 42 wins and 42 losses. Nice and simple, right – a 50% win ratio.

However, when Florent had 20+ touches in a game over that period, the record jumps to 22-10. I’ll just get out my calculator, here…. that’s a 68.75% win record when Florent is heavily involved.

With Jordan Dawson heading off to Adelaide for the 2022 season, the Swans will likely be a little more reliant on Florent to move the footy. If he responds with a large number of 20+ disposal games (which I am hoping for), the Swans could see themselves mounting a serious challenge for the top four again.
 

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Kapers

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Taken from a Mongrel Punt article about stats and when they actually mean something.

It seemed relevant to the thread topic and where improvement can be gained


WHEN OLLIE FLORENT PRODUCES, SO DO THE SWANS

I’ve been banging on about Florent for close to two years, now. I genuinely think he has the potential to be the best wingman in the caper, but he is a little too passive for his own good at the moment, often permitting others to take the game on whilst he… well, I guess he is doing what he is told, so I cannot fault him too much.

That said, there is great benefit in Florent getting more of the footy. He uses it well, covers the ground beautifully, and makes the lives of the forwards much easier with the way he enters fifty.

This is backed up by the Swans’ record when Florent gets plenty of the footy.

From 2018 to 2021, the Swans’ record with Florent in the team was 42 wins and 42 losses. Nice and simple, right – a 50% win ratio.

However, when Florent had 20+ touches in a game over that period, the record jumps to 22-10. I’ll just get out my calculator, here…. that’s a 68.75% win record when Florent is heavily involved.

With Jordan Dawson heading off to Adelaide for the 2022 season, the Swans will likely be a little more reliant on Florent to move the footy. If he responds with a large number of 20+ disposal games (which I am hoping for), the Swans could see themselves mounting a serious challenge for the top four again.
While interesting, I wonder how much of that is Florent getting more of the ball because the team is playing well, rather than him dragging the team across the line...

On that note, I'm a Florent fan and would love to see him take a few steps forward next year.
 

Kiama Chris

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While interesting, I wonder how much of that is Florent getting more of the ball because the team is playing well, rather than him dragging the team across the line...

On that note, I'm a Florent fan and would love to see him take a few steps forward next year.
I replied to that article that I felt this was correlation more than causation. When we get the ball efficiently to the outside Florent, Dawson, JMac and Gulden would have more possession and more time to dispose effectively, leading to better entries.
I too would love to see him taking a greater role in our success.
 
Taken from a Mongrel Punt article about stats and when they actually mean something.

It seemed relevant to the thread topic and where improvement can be gained


WHEN OLLIE FLORENT PRODUCES, SO DO THE SWANS

I’ve been banging on about Florent for close to two years, now. I genuinely think he has the potential to be the best wingman in the caper, but he is a little too passive for his own good at the moment, often permitting others to take the game on whilst he… well, I guess he is doing what he is told, so I cannot fault him too much.

That said, there is great benefit in Florent getting more of the footy. He uses it well, covers the ground beautifully, and makes the lives of the forwards much easier with the way he enters fifty.

This is backed up by the Swans’ record when Florent gets plenty of the footy.

From 2018 to 2021, the Swans’ record with Florent in the team was 42 wins and 42 losses. Nice and simple, right – a 50% win ratio.

However, when Florent had 20+ touches in a game over that period, the record jumps to 22-10. I’ll just get out my calculator, here…. that’s a 68.75% win record when Florent is heavily involved.

With Jordan Dawson heading off to Adelaide for the 2022 season, the Swans will likely be a little more reliant on Florent to move the footy. If he responds with a large number of 20+ disposal games (which I am hoping for), the Swans could see themselves mounting a serious challenge for the top four again.

I'm rewatching our 2021 games slowly and will keep an eye on Florent, but for 4 years the last thing I would say about him is that he 'makes the lives of the forwards much easier with the way he enters fifty'. That's always been the thing that stops him from being a great player.
 
While interesting, I wonder how much of that is Florent getting more of the ball because the team is playing well, rather than him dragging the team across the line...

On that note, I'm a Florent fan and would love to see him take a few steps forward next year.
It should be pretty easy to check out... if we pull the same figures for all of our midfields we should be able to see what's what. I might have a look over the holidays if get bored, and am not pissed or hungover...

I'd reckon that Parkers stats would be pretty astounding for last year, and Mills for the games he plays. That said, they are playing different roles.

But I am absolutely still on the Florent bandwagon... He's still only 23, not 24 till July! His best is yet to come!!!
 
Jun 2, 2014
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Part 2 of the Mongrel Punt's Stats that Matter - this time with more Nick Blakey


WHEN NICK BLAKEY RUNS WITH THE FOOTY, THE SWANS ARE UP AND ABOUT

We saw the makings of something special in 2021. If you didn’t see it, I’m not sure you were looking.

After struggling to find a role over his first few years in the game, John Longmire decided to throw Nick Blakey to half-back to see how the boy would go.

He went. And when he went, he went at breakneck speed.

It wasn’t so much that Blakey started covering ground for the Swans – it was the way he covered the ground. He was going 0-100 in seconds. Overall the raw numbers are not that impressive – 300 metres gained is something some half-backs accomplish in a half of footy. But when Blakey takes the game on, structures go out the window, defences panic, and well-drilled teams become panicked.

Watching Blakey take off from half-back was thrilling. He dared his opponents to come to him. He was happy to take them on, and wear the consequences. But the consequences didn’t come.

The Swans have gone 10-3 when Blakey covered more than 300 metres in a game, and if he lines up there again in 2022, opposition coaches would be wise to keep someone close by who can match him for pace. When Blakey takes off, chaos ensues. And chaos spells trouble for an opposition defence who want to control the way the ball comes into their area.
 

Kapers

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Part 2 of the Mongrel Punt's Stats that Matter - this time with more Nick Blakey


WHEN NICK BLAKEY RUNS WITH THE FOOTY, THE SWANS ARE UP AND ABOUT

We saw the makings of something special in 2021. If you didn’t see it, I’m not sure you were looking.

After struggling to find a role over his first few years in the game, John Longmire decided to throw Nick Blakey to half-back to see how the boy would go.

He went. And when he went, he went at breakneck speed.

It wasn’t so much that Blakey started covering ground for the Swans – it was the way he covered the ground. He was going 0-100 in seconds. Overall the raw numbers are not that impressive – 300 metres gained is something some half-backs accomplish in a half of footy. But when Blakey takes the game on, structures go out the window, defences panic, and well-drilled teams become panicked.

Watching Blakey take off from half-back was thrilling. He dared his opponents to come to him. He was happy to take them on, and wear the consequences. But the consequences didn’t come.

The Swans have gone 10-3 when Blakey covered more than 300 metres in a game, and if he lines up there again in 2022, opposition coaches would be wise to keep someone close by who can match him for pace. When Blakey takes off, chaos ensues. And chaos spells trouble for an opposition defence who want to control the way the ball comes into their area.
This one I stand behind, Blakey is a huge asset on half back.
 

Kiama Chris

Norm Smith Medallist
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This one I stand behind, Blakey is a huge asset on half back.
Totally agree. By the end of the season he may well be the best attacking HBF in the comp. His defence will have improved substantially so that he can play loose and support as well as close marking. He already has a big leap and spoil to go with his acceleration. He is almost tall enough to be a KPF, just not solid enough. Going to be very handy indeed.
 
Feb 28, 2007
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This one I stand behind, Blakey is a huge asset on half back.

We tried him in every other position first but we really did find the ideal position for him in the last 6 weeks or so of the season. He was brilliant there and looked so much more confident running off half back than he did other positions.
 

RW

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I'll do my best to lift ok, I spent too much time hanging around the Covid thread this season instead of talking footy
 

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We tried him in every other position first but we really did find the ideal position for him in the last 6 weeks or so of the season. He was brilliant there and looked so much more confident running off half back than he did other positions.

Reckon he will eventually become a utility. Has flexibility to play across multiple positions.

Build his confidence for a few seasons then see if he can do that role
 

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