Unofficial Preview Collingwood vs Swans Friday March 15th 7:40PM

[tombomb]

Supposedly he had a nasty flu and missed the GWS game IIRC, then played half the Brisbane game. Perhaps he's not 100%.

He played a half against GWS.

Errol can do whatever he wants, he is so good, but I have noticed him kind of lairising a bit so far this year. The spinning of the ball in his hands, trying to hit the perfect kick every time.

 

[tombomb]

Three talls more critical on the MCG

Gotta give it a real chance

It really isn't three talls anyway. It's two tall forwards, with one on the bench.

 

[dosser]

Magpies' backline last night was dysfunctional without Murphy and Howe. It should be interesting because our forwards still don't gel either so it may be a case of a resistable force encountering a movable object.
I'd get Fox to do his job on Quaynor and let Wicks pick up Daicos if he drops back to the backline because Wicks can hurt him the other way.
This week at training we need to try to sort the leading patterns of our KPFs so that they separate the Magpie defenders, leaving space for our goal-kicking mids to stream into.
At the other end of the ground, Cunningham goes to Hill, and Mihocek may be too fast for McCartin but we have to try. If Johnson plays again next game then Rampe is the best match, but what then happens to Melican (who i like)?

 

[liz]

He played a half against GWS.

Errol can do whatever he wants, he is so good, but I have noticed him kind of lairising a bit so far this year. The spinning of the ball in his hands, trying to hit the perfect kick every time.

If he’s in space don’t we want him to try to hit the perfect kick? His exquisite kicking skills are one of his weapons. It’s only a problem if he tries to hit the perfect kick in traffic or under pressure and keeps getting caught HTB as a result. Otherwise we can just hope he becomes a Rowbottom or Parker who (from the midfield) mostly just throw the ball and swing a leg at it.

And is this a new thing? Many times last year you can see him shift the ball in his hands once he’s decided what kind of kick he wants to execute. A great example - though there are many - is the goal he kicked against GWS last year from right on the boundary after a one-two with Wicks.

However much he denies it, there has to be some internal (in his mind, not the club’s) pressure to live up to last year’s standards. I have no doubt he’ll find a way to overcome it but it may take him some time to settle back into the rhythm of doing what comes naturally.

It’s also unrealistic and unnecessary to expect him to play brilliantly every single week. There will be games where his opponent, his role, the conditions just don’t align. Plus - hopefully- many games where team mates step up to take some glory, as Heeney did on Thursday. Good as he is, we won’t be successful if the team allows him to carry the rest of them on his shoulders as happened in too many games last season.

 

[BloodySwan]

Only change would be Amartey for Ladhams or Wicks. Gotta reward form, and Amartey hasn't turned up to any of the games this yr (preseason and demons)

 

[caesar88]

He played a half against GWS.

Errol can do whatever he wants, he is so good, but I have noticed him kind of lairising a bit so far this year. The spinning of the ball in his hands, trying to hit the perfect kick every time.

I had Gulden in the bottom tier of players for us the other night, but I quite liked his game. This might sound delusional but I'd honestly be happy with that type of a performance from him on the regular. Around about 20 touches, full of run and hard work, with some moments of brilliance littered in between. (Admittedly those moments were hard to pull off in those conditions.)

I just want us to avoid becoming the Errol Gulden Show again, which is fun to watch but does not make us better as a team. So I'm fine with him having more of a workmanlike performance and then when he gets the chance, biting the bullet to do something brilliant. He's talented enough that it will work for him more often than not.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I had Gulden in the bottom tier of players for us the other night, but I quite liked his game. This might sound delusional but I'd honestly be happy with that type of a performance from him on the regular. Around about 20 touches, full of run and hard work, with some moments of brilliance littered in between. (Admittedly those moments were hard to pull off in those conditions.)

I just want us to avoid becoming the Errol Gulden Show again, which is fun to watch but does not make us better as a team. So I'm fine with him having more of a workmanlike performance and then when he gets the chance, biting the bullet to do something brilliant. He's talented enough that it will work for him more often than not.

But it is not either or is it. We can have contributors across the ground and Gulden can still turn it on.

 

[caesar88]

But it is not either or is it. We can have contributors across the ground and Gulden can still turn it on.

To a degree. I'm saying that I like and maybe even prefer him having the sort of game he had the other night than what he was producing last year. Might mean no Brownlow votes but he felt like more a quality member of a functioning team and less like a deity doing things that thrilled everyone but weren't replicable by the rest of the mortals.

 

[Dan87]

To a degree. I'm saying that I like and maybe even prefer him having the sort of game he had the other night than what he was producing last year. Might mean no Brownlow votes but he felt like more a quality member of a functioning team and less like a deity doing things that thrilled everyone but weren't replicable by the rest of the mortals.

You seem to want Gulden to be an honest battler and Warner to pull his head in and just play wide

It's a remarkable mindset

 

[caesar88]

You seem to want Gulden to be an honest battler and Warner to pull his head in and just play wide

It's a remarkable mindset

Not at all.

I want Warner to play wide because that's where I think he can do the most damage and have all those Warner moments we look for from him.

And Gulden being just as brilliant but less of a standout does not mean he's a battler. It means the team's functioning better, and we should all want that.

 

[Dan87]

Not at all.

I want Warner to play wide because that's where I think he can do the most damage and have all those Warner moments we look for from him.

And Gulden being just as brilliant but less of a standout does not mean he's a battler. It means the team's functioning better, and we should all want that.

They're our two best and most unique players you want to maximise their impact. You want to feed Gulden so he can distribute and you want Warner to break the lines in congestion

It's not a communist regime

Imo

 

[Dan87]

Also, unchanged this week

 

[bloodsbigot]

Also, unchanged this week

Wicks for Amartey.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

They're our two best and most unique players you want to maximise their impact. You want to feed Gulden so he can distribute and you want Warner to break the lines in congestion

It's not a communist regime

Imo

Dammit.

 

[caesar88]

They're our two best and most unique players you want to maximise their impact. You want to feed Gulden so he can distribute and you want Warner to break the lines in congestion

It's not a communist regime

Imo

Of course. We have a lot of very good players though, and I'm more interested in having a great team this year than producing Brownlow winners.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Of course. We have a lot of very good players though, and I'm more interested in having a great team this year than producing Brownlow winners.

Whether he wins awards is neither here nor there. His absolute best form last year coincided with our late season streak.

 

[Dan87]

For years I've heard how Franklin leaving will make McDonald, McLean and Amartey this unbelievable force. Well it's not shaking out like that atm, hopefully it turns but you gotta laugh at some of the pre season photos

You need to let the match winners win you games and appreciate them when you have them

 

[caesar88]

Whether he wins awards is neither here nor there. His absolute best form last year coincided with our late season streak.

He's a great player. To win a premiership you need a lot of great players, so yes I'm okay with Gulden not being great every week if others are being great instead.

 

[Dan87]

Also, given our strength imo is kicking/ on the outside we need the tall targets to capitalise on good ball movement/when the opposition is out of position, even if they just ultimately engage intercepters and half contests. That gives the smaller players opportunity and we can lock the ball in our forward half.

We need talls but how it all works is going to be fascinating

 

[Rhino5]

There are already some calls to drop Jordon? He had a rough start (I think a fumble and free against, pushed off the ball early), was fine and actually pretty good second half.

Only change I would make is Armartey out for whoever. The three tall setup just isn’t working.

 

[the hypnotoad]

To a degree. I'm saying that I like and maybe even prefer him having the sort of game he had the other night than what he was producing last year. Might mean no Brownlow votes but he felt like more a quality member of a functioning team and less like a deity doing things that thrilled everyone but weren't replicable by the rest of the mortals.

that is a ridiculous comment, and no basis for any kind of sensible argument ... surely every swans fan, player and official wants gulden at his best, and the rest of the team at their best around him
otherwise, why not just send him out there with only one boot on, or a friggin eye patch

 

[caesar88]

that is a ridiculous comment, and no basis for any kind of sensible argument ... surely every swans fan, player and official wants gulden at his best, and the rest of the team at their best around him
otherwise, why not just send him out there with only one boot on, or a friggin eye patch

Perhaps I worded it wrong. If Gulden has been good but nothing special and we come away with a win, I am happy. Happier than if we've got a win with Gulden being amazing, because it means others have been better. And that is what I want. As many players as possible playing their best, not just one or two.

I'm not sure why it's so controversial to be fine with Gulden not having a great game. I happen to really rate our list and think we have matchwinners all over the park on their day, so yeah I'm not fussed if Gulden's not dominant. I'm a Swans fan before I'm a Gulden fan.

 

[Dubsforsam1]

There are already some calls to drop Jordon? He had a rough start (I think a fumble and free against, pushed off the ball early), was fine and actually pretty good second half.

Only change I would make is Armartey out for whoever. The three tall setup just isn’t working.

FFS Melbourne had the 2nd best defence last season (avg 73 PPG against) with two of the best defenders in May/Lever and we scored 86 points. Then you had Collingwood struggling against the tall Giants attack and you want to change our structure?

 

[stevie26]

Fox on Quaynor was a good call earlier in this thread. Quaynor gives them a lot of rebound from their backline.

 

[the hypnotoad]

Perhaps I worded it wrong. If Gulden has been good but nothing special and we come away with a win, I am happy. Happier than if we've got a win with Gulden being amazing, because it means others have been better. And that is what I want. As many players as possible playing their best, not just one or two.

I'm not sure why it's so controversial to be fine with Gulden not having a great game. I happen to really rate our list and think we have matchwinners all over the park on their day, so yeah I'm not fussed if Gulden's not dominant. I'm a Swans fan before I'm a Gulden fan.

i absolutely agree with you on our list, but see no validity in the comment "prefer him having the sort of game he had the other night"