Game Day Gold Coast Suns vs Sydney Swans 1:45pm Metricon Stadium

[Ticky009]

Last weeks dose of reality is a reminder that its a long way to go before the end of this season and it's time to see if Swans are strong enough, both mentally & in team depth, to get themselves up and across the line.

There was a bit of bloodletting at Bloods HQ with six changes at the selection table, due to both injury and perhaps a bit of a rest for some others.

OUT: Braeden Campbell (Omitted),Dylan Stephens

15

Dylan Stephens

Age

23

Ht

184cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

(Omitted),Lance Franklin (Injured),Logan McDonald (Omitted),Tom Hickey

31

Tom Hickey

Age

33

Ht

202cm

Wt

97kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.9

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

6.9

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

19.1

5star

D

4.0

1star

K

1.5

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

7.0

5star

D

11.2

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

7.0

5star

CL

0.4

3star

HO

8.6

5star

(Injured),Tom McCartin

30

Tom Mccartin

Age

24

Ht

194cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.3

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

129.5

2star

D

7.2

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

0.8

1star

MG

87.4

2star

D

9.0

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

168.0

3star

(Injured)

IN: Callum Sinclair,Hayden McLean

2

Hayden Mclean

Age

25

Ht

197cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.1

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.0

5star

G

0.4

3star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.3

4star

G

0.8

4star

D

10.0

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

4.4

5star

G

0.2

3star

,Isaac Heeney

5

Isaac Heeney

Age

28

Ht

185cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

7.7

5star

M

4.9

5star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.2

4star

D

14.3

3star

K

8.8

4star

HB

5.5

3star

M

4.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.8

3star

,James Rowbottom

8

James Rowbottom

Age

24

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

CL

2.0

4star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.6

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

2.5

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.2

4star

,Kaiden Brand

2

Kaiden Brand

Age

30

Ht

198cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

8.2

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.2

3star

MG

45.0

1star

D

9.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

45.0

1star

D

13.0

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

4.4

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.2

3star

Heeney's inclusion whilst a surprise to all, couldn't have come at a better time, we just look better when he's in the team and his form was outstanding before he decided to be stupid.
Rowbottom's return is also a great boost for us. Midfield have something to prove after last weeks performance that's for certain.
Sinkers, McLean & Brand are the tall timbers we need. Out of the three I'm keen to see what McLean brings this week up forward as he'll be playing up there for at least a month you'd think.


Suns got their arses kicked last week so now their back home looking to make a statement. Awesome. Just in time for our game. But good teams make their own statements and that what the Swans need to do. We owe these guys because they've beaten us a few too many times when we should have won.

Confident we can get the job done, but don't be surprised if the Suns make us work for it.

No milestones for us this week - almost certainly a blessing as we usually suck at them.

Match Day Details:

AFL - News, Fixtures, Scores & Results - AFL.com.au

Australian Football League. All the latest AFL news, video, results and information

www.afl.com.au

Gold Coast Suns vs Sydney Swans - AFL Round 6, 2021

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Six changes!! like who knows what to expect will take a 1 point victory at this stage.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Every time you play the Suns you feel it’s a game you should win.

Except this time.

This Swans team is starting to feel like the 2020 version. And we all know what the Suns did to the 2020 version.

 

[hairy biker]

Hayward to play on Lukosius, stop his rebound kicking, whoever Ballard plays on take him deep, McLean FF v Collins, open up the space and players bringing the ball inside 50 need to look up and hit targets.
Wingers will be important, Suns handy on the outside.
GC have some good inside mids, but don't bat deep. Numbers running through there for us should have the advantage. And Cal your time.
Big chance for Brand & Melican to make a statement.

Cheer up chums, we'll be right.

 

[wills2g]

Much more confident that we will get over the line with Heeney in the team.

If he can maintain his preinjury form, he alone will account for 3-4 goals which will be much needed in the absence of logan and bud.

I feel like the Suns have had our number ever since that 7 goal haul in q1 a few years back. But we got killed on the outside last week, and ill back our coaching staff to make sure they rectify that this week.

Swans by 4+ goals.

Hope we kick 100 by 3QT again.

 

[caesar88]

I think this week will be telling as to where we're at. We've had the good (great wins over Brisbane & Richmond, playing electrifying footy, young kids thriving) and the bad (scrappy matches, long bombs down the line, injuries to key players.)

This week is sort of the first time where we should be on neither side of the spectrum. We have too many key outs (missing our best ruckman, our two best key defenders, our best forward, two of our best kids) to be the absolutely lethal side we were in the first three weeks. Yet we're too good (Heeney & Rowbottom are class additions, none of our other ins are terrible, and GCS are struggling at the minute) to be as embattled as we have been the last two weeks.

If we are a shot at finals this year, we should win this, no question. But I think whether we win it scrappy or win it with authority, where we perform on that spectrum, will give us a better understanding of how good we are as a team. And if we lose? Then I really do think we have every right to question if the first three weeks were just a fleeting hot streak and not indicative of something greater.

Great to even have these sorts of challenges. So much better than the "will we at least have an honourable loss this week?" of the last two years. Can't wait!

 

[momentbymoment]

I hope Brand, McLean and Melican do well. The chance of making the 8 will rest largely on the ability of these 3 guys to stand up and play a role.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I don’t think the result is that telling. Yes a loss would be bitterly disappointing but it doesn’t define us as a team going forward beyond 2021.

Having said that, with Heeney back and Rowbottom in the middle, we should have enough to get over the Suns and I’d be surprised if we don’t.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[momentbymoment]

I don’t think the result is that telling. Yes a loss would be bitterly disappointing but it doesn’t define us as a team going forward beyond 2021.

Having said that, with Heeney back and Rowbottom in the middle, we should have enough to get over the Suns and I’d be surprised if we don’t.

Losing this game and we start sliding back into 2020 territory.
On the positive, we won’t have to read any more articles on the Swans Academy.
On the negative, 2020.

 

[anotherletdown]

Swans by 19. Out to a lead early and then keeping them at arms length the whole game.

Heeney and Rowbottom in and Papley fit to play, phew!

I had worries we'd go in missing Buddy, Rampe, Hickey, Heeney, McCartin, Papley and then Rowbottom not getting passed fit. We would've undoubtedly been up a very murky creek with no tools for propulsion if that had happened

 

[Punts]

Drop this and see ya finals

Can’t keep dropping games like this if serious and to be honest don’t deserve it

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Delighted Heeney (provided it is safe) and Rowy are back. I am pleased for McLean and reassured by his inclusion.

How will our Backline play when we win the ball?

I have nerves about Melican and Brand occupying the KPD posts and how we will move the ball from defence. Cunningham and Lloyd are safety first and slow users of the ball. I expect our two big blokes will be instructed to be risk averse.

This leaves Hewett who has been used as a lockdown player where possessions are secondary and Dawson as our one Backline player with attacking weapons.

I am expecting slow movement with lots of bombs down the line. Dawson will need to exercise leadership on the backline and be among our best players for us to win.

How will our mids and wingers go?

Firstly we will miss Hickey and his ability to win his own ball. I love Sinkers, who will try his guts out, but we cannot expect him to be as effective. Luckily the GoCo are missing Witts even more than we will Hickey. I suspect Reid will end up spending more time in the Ruck than he has in the first five rounds.

Secondly we must play Mills in the guts. He has been our best mid in general play thus far and his footy IQ and ability to distribute have been vital in both the run and gun style and in executing defensive styles.

Balancing tog in the mids will be interesting. Mills, JPK, Parker, Rowy and Warner will all run through there. Hopefully when Reid is rucking Nosey P plays forward to help balance the loss of Reid's work up forward.

Ollie, Blakey and Jmac will share the wings. All three will cover lots of klms, especially helping out in and helping transition from the backline. I think Blakey has picked up a bit and is playing better in the past two weeks. Maybe he is more comfortable with Horse's natural slogfest gamestyle. I want to see Jmac play more minutes and be a key link in our transition play.

We need to better than break even in the mids to win this.

Oops our fwd line.

Given Reid can be expected to spend more time in the ruck, this is a huge week for McLean. There will be periods when he is the only big guy on the fwd line. Up and under bombs from the mids will be meat and spuds for Charley Ballard. Static play from the mids will not suit our fwds.

If we get a couple each from McLean and Reid that will be great. They have key roles in stopping easy intercepts and making contests.

Precision from Jmac, Gulden, Wicks and Warner on I50 entries will be vital. Having the ball in their hands will help us win this.

Tip

Bloods by a Barry Round 25.

 

[Punts]

Brand was turning it over in the 2s amd I bet will do the eke in the seniors

Surprised he is getting a run to be honest

 

[Joycerama]

With our outs and semi-injured ins, I will be delighted if we can win any games over the next two to three weeks. A big challenge for the club to maintain some momentum.

 

[Punts]

Almost full strength and play better without buddy

No excuses what so ever

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Least they have omitted Sexton who is hood for his 1 of 3 decent games a year against us all the time

 

[BloodySwan]

No excuse to lose this one. Heeney & Rowbottom are massive ins. Midfield & forward at near full strength, nothing but a win here is acceptable

 

[Kapers]

Almost full strength and play better without buddy

No excuses what so ever

Almost full strength = missing our two best defenders, best Ruckman, and two best 22 kids.

Although I agree there are no excuses, we should go out and win with an attacking system, I just think we should acknowledge that we are missing key players in the middle and especially the backline.

 

[Punts]

Almost full strength = missing our two best defenders, best Ruckman, and two best 22 kids.

Although I agree there are no excuses, we should go out and win with an attacking system, I just think we should acknowledge that we are missing key players in the middle and especially the backline.

the kids were there to be selected so no excuses

 

[SwansProudly]

Mighty Bloods by 34 points
Jordan Dawson

12

Jordan Dawson

Age

27

Ht

191cm

Wt

91kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.0

4star

K

11.4

4star

HB

5.7

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.8

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

15.7

4star

K

10.9

4star

HB

4.9

3star

M

2.9

3star

T

2.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

D

11.8

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

5.0

5star

T

3.0

5star

CL

0.6

3star

will have a starring role in the backline
#GoBloods #goswans #ProudlySydney #bloods

 

[mtooler]

Brand won't miss another game for the year.

 

[mtooler]

This is a critical game, I know it sounds silly, but could actually be a pivotal moment in our season where we either kick on or tank.

 

[Kapers]

the kids were there to be selected so no excuses

Oooookaaaaaay, what about missing our two best backmen?

 

[Kapers]

This is a critical game, I know it sounds silly, but could actually be a pivotal moment in our season where we either kick on or tank.

I agree with this, Richmond has set the standard of finding a way to win EVEN IF you are missinf key players. This game matters and if we can't win it, it won't speak well for the rest of the year.

 

[Kapers]

the kids were there to be selected so no excuses

I also want to say I don't disagree that we should win, and if we don't it's a bad sign, but if we lose becuase our backline looks shakey I'm okay with that. If we lose because we can't score then then there are no excuses.