- Apr 26, 2016
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- #576
Smith has been better than Sir Dane the last two years. He's my favourite but I'd drop him before Smith if it came down to needing a smaller lockdown defender.
Analysis 2019 List, Game Plan and Best 22?
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Smith has been better than Sir Dane the last two years. He's my favourite but I'd drop him before Smith if it came down to needing a smaller lockdown defender.
- Apr 26, 2016
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- #577
Very early days still. Ling was probably blessed by McVeigh slightly turning back the clock, because it meant that his spot - as that skilful rebounding half back (if you can call him "rebounding") - is still very much up for grabs. There's a handful of them really, Ling, Stoddart, COR. Hopefully one of them can push McVeigh out of the senior side at some point in 2019, but it won't be immediately.
Grand Uncle Horace
Shake down the thunder
Smith has been a wonderful servant but thought last year was not his best. Players like Green now routinely get away from him.
Worse his limited kicking skills are intrinsic to our chippetty chip crabbing. When in possession he will rarely run and will mainly chippetty sideways. This enables him to play within his limitations but encourages our dysfunctional D50 strategy. I bet Oppo coaches like seeing the ball in Smith's hands.
Smith and McVeigh may be our most footy smart players but each in their own way are problematic. The day of the purely negative lock down defender may have gone. All defenders have to be able to attack and defend.
At the moment we want the ball in Macca's hands because he has the best game awareness and disposal skills to deliver. He is among the first to be manned up as a result when we try to exit D50. His lack of leg speed counts in such moments.
I think 2019 will be a transition year for the backline. Smith and Macca will of course get plenty of games if fit and in form. Neither will be auto selections.
At some stage our backline could look like-
Rampe Melican COR
*Jones Allir Lloyd
For me it offers sound defensive and attacking skills.
* I don't see Jones as a mid.
- Thread starter
- #579
I know people have seen this before but look at this video
from 1:33 onwards where Blakey is moved onball. He looks so dangerous there, and comes up with some really good clearances. I think Longmire would be insane not to at least try Blakey in the centre in 2019, especially since he won't be big enough next year to play as a full time key forward.
from 1:33 onwards where Blakey is moved onball. He looks so dangerous there, and comes up with some really good clearances. I think Longmire would be insane not to at least try Blakey in the centre in 2019, especially since he won't be big enough next year to play as a full time key forward.
The bo y can kick.He can cover ground. Horse will use him as a cog in the machine, The machine is bigger than any player,
- Apr 26, 2016
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- #581
Don't disagree with that, I was referring to the post that said Sir Dane can take Smith's place. Because that would be a bad idea. While I don't disagree that this wasn't Smith's best year, and he probably won't get better from here given he's 30(?), I still think his form was better than Sir Dane's. I don't know if the umpires crusade against him has effected him, or if he's having too many beers in between matches. I don't know what it is, maybe I'm making excuses for him, but I cringe any time he is one-on-one with any opponent tall or small. Ideally we'd want him to get his form back, and for someone like COR as you mentioned to take Smith's place, because I do think that having Smith and Sir Dane in his recent form does not make for a threatening back-line.
FWIW I agree re Jones not being a midfielder. But we shall see if we're proven wrong.
TheMase
Brownlow Medallist
For what it’s worth, there was a stat mid year that suggested we scored from an inside 50 from Jones more than any other player.
- Apr 26, 2016
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- #584
As a rebounding half back though. I guess it depends on your definition of a midfielder but I believe if you're starting on the half-back line and getting the bulk of your possessions there, you're a flanker, not a midfielder. If anything that figure paints the picture of how our midfield has struggled if a bloke on the half-back can help us score from inside 50s more than any of the mids..
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- #585
I just checked and our inside 50's stats are not good
16th - Lance Frankin (4.68)
66th - Josh Kennedy (3.70)
75th - Luke Parker (3.59)
99th - Kieren Jack (3.32)
I mean the fact that our number 1 inside 50 player is the guy that should be in the forward line receiving the inside 50 is quite a concern, and our next best inside 50 player is ranked 66th in the league for inside 50's.
16th - Lance Frankin (4.68)
66th - Josh Kennedy (3.70)
75th - Luke Parker (3.59)
99th - Kieren Jack (3.32)
I mean the fact that our number 1 inside 50 player is the guy that should be in the forward line receiving the inside 50 is quite a concern, and our next best inside 50 player is ranked 66th in the league for inside 50's.
- Thread starter
- #586
ALso a lot more worrying is the score involvements stat with the top 100 players in the league. Want to guess how many players we have in the top 100 in the league for score involvements? 4 perhaps? Maybe 3, it couldn't possibly only be 2 players could it, we can't be that bad.
Nope, you are all wrong. It is 1 player, we have 1 player who is in the top 100 for score involvements and no prizes for guessing who that one player is.
2. Lance Franklin (8.53)
We don't have anyone else inside the top 100. That is appalling.
Nope, you are all wrong. It is 1 player, we have 1 player who is in the top 100 for score involvements and no prizes for guessing who that one player is.
2. Lance Franklin (8.53)
We don't have anyone else inside the top 100. That is appalling.
TheMase
Brownlow Medallist
He played higher up the ground earlier in the year. Averaged 3.4 inside 50s for his first 7 games then Mills went down.
He averaged 1.6 after that.
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- #588
Maybe he is more suited to the midfield than I thought. But then you take Jones out, where does the run from HB come? Lloyd's been banished to the back pocket, and Ling and Stoddart have played what 2 senior games between them?
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- #589
You just know that Longmire will try and stick Clarke at halfback despite North fans saying he isn't suited there, and despite Clarke himself saying he is a much better midfielder than he is a halfback.
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- #590
I'd really hope that's not the case, and given the way the club pursued him this year, even going back to his draft year when we were interested, you'd think Horse & co would play him as the midfielder he's always been. You'd hope at least..
TheMase
Brownlow Medallist
Maybe Thurlow (I had him at half back in my posted team)? Melican back potentially releases Rampe too. Ling could definitely come on quickly if injury free. COR an option.
Tbh I reckon Dawson’s left boot at half back would be a bit of a weapon if we are really struggling.
Wouldn’t surprise me if one of our late 2nd / early 3rd rounders is bolter too. We have three of those picks so possible one of them hits the ground running.
I also highly doubt Clarke ends up there given he has been noted as a Hannebery replacing midfielder.
Grand Uncle Horace
Shake down the thunder
So who are our decent field kicks beyond Macca and Buddy?
Ronke, Dawson, Rampe, Mills, Papley, Florent?
Who are our least reliable, beyond chippetty and excluding inside kids and rucks? Jack, Smith?
Ronke, Dawson, Rampe, Mills, Papley, Florent?
Who are our least reliable, beyond chippetty and excluding inside kids and rucks? Jack, Smith?
TheMase
Brownlow Medallist
Ronke isn’t a great field kick imo. Has unbelievable goal sense and accuracy there but his field kicking leaves a bit to be desired. Mills is so so. Papley is ok.
Thurlow was rated one of the best kicks on the Cats list prior to his run of injuries.
Aliirs kicking is solid, but normally 30m passes. I feel he plays within his limitations (which is what you want!). As does Lloyd.
Jack and Smith ordinary as you point out and probably our worst / least inventive.
Grand Uncle Horace
Shake down the thunder
Aye. JPK can be forgiven given where he gets the pill. I thought of Jack and Hanners as 'the Butcher Boys'
Grand Uncle Horace
Shake down the thunder
Agree re Allir.
scaryness
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- Apr 26, 2016
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A mate and I were bored and decided to re-do the top 25 from each of the last five drafts, and what we came up with was actually pretty telling on how well the Swans have recruited. Of the eight finalists from 2018, we were equal with Melbourne (who hadn't even made the finals in the period in question) in having the most top 25-worthy players on our list, with 11. We had six Swans being in the top 10 picks of their respective draft years, including two top 3 picks in Heeney and Mills. Our final list was:
Heeney (2014 draft) - Pick 1 (could potentially swap with De Goey)
Mills (2015) - Pick 2
Florent (2016) - Pick 5
Papley (2015) - Pick 7
Aliir (2013) - Pick 8
Hayward (2016) - Pick 9
Hewett (2013) - Pick 11
Ronke (2016) - Pick 15
McCartin (2017) - Pick 15
Melican (2014) - Pick 23
Jones (2013) - Pick 24
At the end of the day you could argue the specifics of whether they should be slightly higher or lower than certain players they were drafted with but that doesn't change the fact that these are the ranges where these young Swans would go if the drafts were re-done. That tells me that as much as our recruiting staff and list management staff cop some heat for some list decisions, we've done as well as, and in most cases better than, the other contender clubs around us on the ladder this year. Those figures above become even more impressive when you consider that Papley, Ronke and Melican were taken in the rookie draft, Aliir was taken at pick 44, Hewett at pick 32, McCartin at pick 33.
Just a timely reminder that while the present may not be glistening with hope, the future is significantly brighter. And also a reminder not to doubt our recruiting as we go into the draft on Friday! We know what we're doing (mostly)!!
Heeney (2014 draft) - Pick 1 (could potentially swap with De Goey)
Mills (2015) - Pick 2
Florent (2016) - Pick 5
Papley (2015) - Pick 7
Aliir (2013) - Pick 8
Hayward (2016) - Pick 9
Hewett (2013) - Pick 11
Ronke (2016) - Pick 15
McCartin (2017) - Pick 15
Melican (2014) - Pick 23
Jones (2013) - Pick 24
At the end of the day you could argue the specifics of whether they should be slightly higher or lower than certain players they were drafted with but that doesn't change the fact that these are the ranges where these young Swans would go if the drafts were re-done. That tells me that as much as our recruiting staff and list management staff cop some heat for some list decisions, we've done as well as, and in most cases better than, the other contender clubs around us on the ladder this year. Those figures above become even more impressive when you consider that Papley, Ronke and Melican were taken in the rookie draft, Aliir was taken at pick 44, Hewett at pick 32, McCartin at pick 33.
Just a timely reminder that while the present may not be glistening with hope, the future is significantly brighter. And also a reminder not to doubt our recruiting as we go into the draft on Friday! We know what we're doing (mostly)!!
- Thread starter
- #599
Beatson said today what many of us have been speculating, that in 2019 they envisage Blakey playing as a half forward, winger and even a half back as he is too slight to have him play as a key position player next year.
I also hope Longmire considers playing Blakey as an in and under midfielder as he actually seems very skilled at getting the ball out of a stoppage, and his height/frame would make him a difficult opponent to stop.
I also hope Longmire considers playing Blakey as an in and under midfielder as he actually seems very skilled at getting the ball out of a stoppage, and his height/frame would make him a difficult opponent to stop.
Grand Uncle Horace
Shake down the thunder
Aye. I heard the interview as well. I am so pleased we have such an intelligent decent bloke involved in the recruitment of young blokes.
The take away was the clear expectation Blakey will be playing a lot of seniors footy in 2019.
He places a clear premium on skills when recruiting. On being asked whether they recruit for a particular need or position, he said (words to the effect),
"No we do not recruit for a specific position. Just because we need a small back pocket does not mean we will take the best small lock down back in the draft. What if they are not good enough? We take players on skills and expect they will find their place in the 22."
Sounds pretty sensible to me.
