Past #9: Andrew Swallow - 224 NM games - 3x Syds - captain '12-'16 - #43 '05 ND - thanks Spitta

[Royal Flush]

He and Cunningtons weight throughout the year was unacceptable. Probably a sign of the level of injuries we had and the lack of midweek training. Still, not good enough for a captain.

There's always the swimming pool

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[Hunters Host #3]

He and Cunningtons weight throughout the year was unacceptable. Probably a sign of the level of injuries we had and the lack of midweek training. Still, not good enough for a captain.

His folds tazaa?

Trying to understand your angle on Spitta here.

 

[tazaa]

Really? I don't think Swallow presented badly, or anything like fatty Cunners does.

No doubt as a player he has tapered off due to injury and progression of more talented players, but I certainly wouldn't be knocking his fitness or his application (note his defensive stats compared to many others in the team).

Swallow didn't have much of a preseason.
If we are comparing him to other inside midfielders in the league he was below par.
For all the talk of meat grinder, there's nothing intimidating about it.

 

[tazaa]

His folds tazaa?

Trying to understand your angle on Spitta here.

Referring to his physique in general.
He's never been the most shredded or toned or built footballer but his center of gravity and core strength was abysmal this year.

 

[The Butcher]

Good on him, gave his all as our captain nobody can question that. He will continue giving his all for as long as he is asked to coz thats the kind of bloke he is. Thanks Spits.

I'll never forget when he tore the crows a new on in the clearances.

 

[Hunters Host #3]

Referring to his physique in general.
He's never been the most shredded or toned or built footballer but his center of gravity and core strength was abysmal this year.

Fair enough. Always stripped well in my eyes. As for this year, he had his niggles but I didn't see much of a drop in his strength through the hips or his core.

He's lost a step no doubt. Post-achilles, we've now got a large enough sample size which suggests exactly that and I have a strong hunch that it's reflected in his testing as well.

Disappointingly, with Spits and our main inside mids is, one via interchange (the fact that they are rotated so heavily) and two, through a lack of TOG. Spits, Ziebell and Cunners in total, went through the interchange gates the most this season. Comparitively to other mids and other 'inside' mids competition wide, it's not great reading. Some other mids/inside mids who have similar numbers in total interchange rotations are for example, Kieran Jack and Dylan Shiel. Key difference?, they impact the game more as spurt midfielder's, who provide more on the outside and ultimately more TOG with less time spent on the pine.


I don't think his season is as poor as what some make out. In saying that, I was disappointed with his year, and I think a lot of the frustration on this board stems from what we know he is capable of at his best, and what he used to produce for us. Because make no mistake, he was a premier mid of the comp in the early 10's.

What he does best he still does extremely well. His tackling has still been elite. For many seasons, and even through his great years, he was one of the most efficient tacklers in the AFL, in actual fact the leader on occasions. There were years such as 2012 whereby he led the competition in tackle effectiveness at 3 in every 4 being effective, and he was the only player to break into the 70% range. Nowadays, such as 2016, a total of 15 players broke into the 70% or more range of effectiveness (quite a rise). In 'preventative tackling', eg. affecting opposition disposal he still sits top 3 for the last two seasons. Only Priddis outdoes him the last two seasons, and Shiels outdid him in 2015. Spitta also led the competition last year and was close to the top in being 'awarded frees' from effective tackles.

He needs help in this regard. Ziebell isn't anywhere near as effective and Cunners' lack of closing speed effects his ability to get to the man before the opposition disposes of it (Ben's pressure stats are also quite average viewing)

I won't go into the specifics and bore the shit out of people. But looking at Andrew's maps, stats and where he accumulates possessions or influences the contest, it's clear his outside game is suffering. Whether that be by design (eg, Brad's direction) or Spitta not having the ability to influence the contest outside, is anyone's guess.
My guess is that it's a combination. Brad knows Andrew is by far and away our strongest tackler, and implores him to shine in that regard. He's lost a step, which has effected his ball winning and he finds himself second to the pill. Further, I feel as though he knows that he has to perform that role, because others lack in that regard. I'd be interested to see how replacing someone like Cunnington with a Liam Shiels in our inside brigade would affect our overall dynamic. But that's a different discussion.

We'll never get a repeat of his stellar seasons. It's gone.

I've been a big fan of his, but I fear as other's rightly do, that the game may quickly pass him by. He may find it difficult to adjust to the added pressures and his disposal will hurt us.

Realistically, we would hope that other midfielder's can go past him this season. Because we need the new breed to come through.

For the time being he remains best 22 and I hope some of our other midfielder's start to lessen the load on a man who has carried a heavy load over the years. Because until I see Dumont, Cunnington, Clarke Hrovat, Gibson etc, smash bodies and do it well in tight, then he continues to play for mine.

For the interim, at least.

 

[longyroos]

Andrew to miss the good Friday game with a religious related hamstring injury?

 

[King Corey]

Fair enough. Always stripped well in my eyes. As for this year, he had his niggles but I didn't see much of a drop in his strength through the hips or his core.

He's lost a step no doubt. Post-achilles, we've now got a large enough sample size which suggests exactly that and I have a strong hunch that it's reflected in his testing as well.

Disappointingly, with Spits and our main inside mids is, one via interchange (the fact that they are rotated so heavily) and two, through a lack of TOG. Spits, Ziebell and Cunners in total, went through the interchange gates the most this season. Comparitively to other mids and other 'inside' mids competition wide, it's not great reading. Some other mids/inside mids who have similar numbers in total interchange rotations are for example, Kieran Jack and Dylan Shiel. Key difference?, they impact the game more as spurt midfielder's, who provide more on the outside and ultimately more TOG with less time spent on the pine.


I don't think his season is as poor as what some make out. In saying that, I was disappointed with his year, and I think a lot of the frustration on this board stems from what we know he is capable of at his best, and what he used to produce for us. Because make no mistake, he was a premier mid of the comp in the early 10's.

What he does best he still does extremely well. His tackling has still been elite. For many seasons, and even through his great years, he was one of the most efficient tacklers in the AFL, in actual fact the leader on occasions. There were years such as 2012 whereby he led the competition in tackle effectiveness at 3 in every 4 being effective, and he was the only player to break into the 70% range. Nowadays, such as 2016, a total of 15 players broke into the 70% or more range of effectiveness (quite a rise). In 'preventative tackling', eg. affecting opposition disposal he still sits top 3 for the last two seasons. Only Priddis outdoes him the last two seasons, and Shiels outdid him in 2015. Spitta also led the competition last year and was close to the top in being 'awarded frees' from effective tackles.

He needs help in this regard. Ziebell isn't anywhere near as effective and Cunners' lack of closing speed effects his ability to get to the man before the opposition disposes of it (Ben's pressure stats are also quite average viewing)

I won't go into the specifics and bore the shit out of people. But looking at Andrew's maps, stats and where he accumulates possessions or influences the contest, it's clear his outside game is suffering. Whether that be by design (eg, Brad's direction) or Spitta not having the ability to influence the contest outside, is anyone's guess.
My guess is that it's a combination. Brad knows Andrew is by far and away our strongest tackler, and implores him to shine in that regard. He's lost a step, which has effected his ball winning and he finds himself second to the pill. Further, I feel as though he knows that he has to perform that role, because others lack in that regard. I'd be interested to see how replacing someone like Cunnington with a Liam Shiels in our inside brigade would affect our overall dynamic. But that's a different discussion.

We'll never get a repeat of his stellar seasons. It's gone.

I've been a big fan of his, but I fear as other's rightly do, that the game may quickly pass him by. He may find it difficult to adjust to the added pressures and his disposal will hurt us.

Realistically, we would hope that other midfielder's can go past him this season. Because we need the new breed to come through.

For the time being he remains best 22 and I hope some of our other midfielder's start to lessen the load on a man who has carried a heavy load over the years. Because until I see Dumont, Cunnington, Clarke Hrovat, Gibson etc, smash bodies and do it well in tight, then he continues to play for mine.

For the interim, at least.

Far out. Post more mate.

 

[Carlos Herrrnandez]

Thanks for your service, but that has to be his last game.

Brad knows it, Andrew knows it, we all know it. Even pushing him up forward for the whole day couldn't contain the clangers.

A great clubman, but they Club is taking the piss if he plays again.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Thanks for your service, but that has to be his last game.

Brad knows it, Andrew knows it, we all know it. Even pushing him up forward for the whole day couldn't contain the clangers.

A great clubman, but they Club is taking the piss if he plays again.

How can he play in front of someone like Clarke?

 

[Flawed Genius]

How can he play in front of someone like Clarke?

It gets harder to justify by the week.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

If he was a piece of steak, it would be a mound of charcoal that would disappear if someone sneezed within kilometre of the BBQ.

 

[koshari]

The only clearance i saw him execure today was yhe one where he popped it up for 2 cats to raffle.

 

[giantroo]

Spud Frawley said it best after the game. Dal didn't want a bar of it but Spud said it, Swallow is finished. You can't play him on a wing if you are not going to play him in the middle. Drop him Brad.

 

[roojor]

I think Brad did make a statement today played dumont in the middle who was excellent no way can swallow play on the wing. So as the year goes on I think you will find the same for other players who will be eased out.

 

[Marstermind]

Big call ahead. No way in the past that Brad would pull the trigger on someone like Swallow. But now we're in an "aggressive reset" and opportunities are meant to abound for young players. Pressure is on anyone who isn't performing. Time to live it and not just say it. Swallow can't play next week.

 

[Devington]

I think Brad did make a statement today played dumont in the middle who was excellent no way can swallow play on the wing. So as the year goes on I think you will find the same for other players who will be eased out.

I'm hoping this is the case to be honest, and with a few players. Stack the deck with established players with question marks over their heads and replace them over the course of the year as the question marks turn to interrobangs.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

If he continues to play, we're not serious.

If he continues to play on the wing, we're tanking.

 

[Reagan Smash]

Blame whoever keeps picking him to play.

 

[ozzyoslo]

We play with a spare down back......I still think we have a spot for him as a defender minding the mid playing forward. This is his last place in the team.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Need someone who can provide a bit of run. Drop Swallow and one of the half forwards brig in Clarke and Wags/Anderson, two blokes who can rotate through the midfield

 

[robaba]

If swallow is a good honest Christian, he would drop himself. The coach cannot do it. He has no balls.

 

[Kanga Glory]

Been a club champion but it is now time to say enough is enough. Cannot keep getting a game for his tackling. Noticed he wasn't in the middle very much today maybe that is a sign.
Cannot play on a wing, sorry Andrew thanks for the memories

 

[Elite Master]

I can't see Scott dropping Swallow or Thompson, and it doesn't matter how badly they play. He put too much trust into his favorites and will just keep playing them into the ground.

 

[Marstermind]

Blame whoever keeps picking him to play.

It's not about blaming anyone. Andrew Swallow has been a wonderful servant of the club who has gotten the best out of his ability for 10 years. But, like Drew Petrie last year, he looks cooked. I'm convinced the effort is still there but the game looks to have overtaken him. It happens. Both Drew and Andrew had credits in the bank. Drew, wrongly, was backed in repeatedly. But unfortunately for Andrew, the landscape has changed. Players deemed past their best were suddenly chopped. A new era was announced. Expectations changed. Everyone is on notice. Spots are yours if you earn them. This is a test for Brad and it shouldn't be a hard one. If he passes it I'll be disappointed for Andrew but it's the right call. If he fails it I'm at a loss as to where our playing list is at.