Where to now?

[lioness]

Hey, I just thought I might try and get a discussion going here, and I hope it's not a stupid question but I'm interested to know this.

It's been said that the Swans were really injury depleted yesterday, I haven't really kept up on who's injured or for how long, but what would you suggest the game plan should be until those players are back? Which young/second string players might stand up during this time?

I reckon the Swans will bounce back from this week and improve again and still be a force in the finals. Am just curious to know what you all think too!

Thanks for letting me invade your board.

 

[David Votoupal]

Well here's hoping they can recover in time to face Collingwood on the 26th! I can't wait for that one!

 

[thommoone]

Welocme to our very humble board
ummm lests see, yes we have our share of injuries, atm.
Shauble, Schneider, Ball, Magic, Barry, Saddington, Doyle all didn't play yesterday who would all be automatics in the 22.
Buchanan who i guess replaced shyneider when he went down a while back did a hammy yesterday and Fosdike will now bout out for 3-4 weeks after yesterday.
Goodes knee is crook and is getting used to running on it still, as he has to retrain muscles to take over from the pcl or whatever. Basically some muscle in his knee is gone for ever and he needs others to do the job of this muscle.
Davis has not been right since round 1. Whether it be a shoulder or recently an ankle, when he has been able to play it has been when injured.
Mol is always a week to week propostion and will be for the rest of his carreer.

So you can see a lot of our senior players are walking wounded.
We should have Ball, Mol, Doyle and Barry back in a fortnight to play the pies.
Shauble and Shneider have been 3 weeks away for a while now so who knows with them.

Players who have/might step up:

Defence:
-Heath James who is about 24yrs old and played about 15 games, could step up. Needs some more bulk i feel, however imho could play in the same mould as scarlett.
-Paul Bevan is a young kid who debuted in round 1 and hasn't missed a game. He is tough at it with an enopurmous amount of courage, A handy back pocket player who has stood up.
- Ben Fixter may have been forgotten by most. In 2002 he was rookie of the year for us. Very similiar to Bevan, but with a bit more experience, and prob fitter. Did not play last year dew to injury and has played in the ressies for a few games, to get some fitness.

Midfield:
-Jarred McVeigh is a classy player who most would know about. Has great fitness, but does not get a lot of game time. Might get some more time in coming weeks.
- Amon Buchanan was stepping up as an in and under midfielder/forward but obviously got injured yesterday.
-J.Bolton needs to step up to at least last years form. He needs to take more responsibility and be able to take a game by the scruff of the neck.

Forward:
- O'Keefe stepped up this year but has been a little quiet the last few weeks. Earlier in the year he had a role sometimes of dragging the oppositions best defender up the field. Needs to stand up now and be a foil for Hall. Has a lethal left foot which he needs to use more.

Ruck:
-Doyle needs to get back in a fortnight and take hold of the ruck. Ball may at best have one more year, and then Doyle is number 1. Needs to improve asap.

 

[lioness]

Cheers thommoone! I haven't seen a few of the players you mentioned, I'll make sure I have a look and let you know what I think!

I hope no one minds me coming down here, just thought I might help get the board ticking over a bit!

 

[grayza]

hey guys im not a swannie just wondering if sean dempster is any chance of cracking a senior game soon with the injuries swans have at moment
i know it most likely wont come against Pies as players will be returning....just wondering whther he has deserved a crack with form in ressies
i noticed he was emergency for last 2 weeks
any thoughts?

cheers

 

[CharlieG]

Dempster will, in my opinion, play within the next few weeks. Was very close last week.

 

[grimlock]

Dempster's an interesting one, he played CHB for the ressies when I watched him last year, but he's too short to hold a key position in the AFL. I'm sure we drafted him as a tall midfielder, it will be intriguing to see what position he takes up.

 

[triple B]

AS Thommoone said about all the missing players, all those guys would be a walk up start in any team, and when you think about the couple of slim losses earlier in the year plus the latest run of injuries, where we might have been instead. Another forgotten one who needs to start taking his chances is Lewis R-T. He looked impressive last year but hasnt really gone on with it. Also a chance now with all the injuries would have to be James Meiklejohn.

 

[Schneiderman]

The four draft picks for us this year also rate a mention, although only as prospects late next year or afterwards: Schmidt and Willoughby jointly won MVP at the U-16 Junior Championships, Eriksen is a 205cm GIANT of a ruckman, and Matt Davis is playing some really fine footy in the Reserves. In short: Possible gun midfielders, the second tallest player in the AFL and a KPP in the making, but still very early (three from SA by the way).

Also worth mentioning are Rogers (who kicked four in the last Reserves game), Thewlis (who is as close to selection as Demptser but is a real solid player) and Powell (who with a bit more bulk will IMO be a star player). The last three are sure to get more game time over the next few weeks.