Opinion Our biggest improver in 2014

[bedford]

The battery

 

[Wolftone]

So you dismiss stats for arguments sake then throw in your own stats? Lol. I see both sides but as you say Reg does lead the comp in conceding goals from turnovers but its not that strange as he is a CHB that plays nearly 100% game time every week playing on the best forwards in the comp.
Our style of the defence absorbing the incoming ball to pretty much his exact position then rebounding adds to it.
Yes he does a few clangers now and then and most like to focus on that, usually soccer fans that don't understand anything about the game or body work etc. Yes his clangers hurt but he is generally a beautiful user of the ball and is one of the first picked every week he must be doing something right.

It is more about Reg's decision making not his actual kicking. If he second guesses himself he will stuff up. but if he takes the ball and makes a decision immediately he is pretty good. His handball is cringe worthy and most of his turnovers come from this area. He handballs directly to a player standing still 1/2 metre away, really Reg, If I was Hannas I would have thrown the bloody thing at him. you could see what Hannas was saying what the **** are you giving it to me for? The other reason he would get figures against him for turnovers and this is not about disposal it is about a lack of ability to dispose, he gets caught more holding the pill too often.

 

[Punts]

Grundy will not be going anywhere , the partnership with him and Ted is 2nd to none and yes Reg does make the odd clanger but no worse than I have seen from others on our list , don't really understand why Grundy cops it more than others , he wins more 1 on 1 than we think and rarely has he had bags kicked on him , takes on the bigger KPP on most weeks and does a great job most of the time.
Think people take Grundy for granted at times and don't realise he is better than most KPD getting around that have bags kicked on them at times.
As much as I love LRT I would still put Grundy on the 2nd KPF

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

People have a dig at Reg because as a defender his errors are magnified and thus not easy to forget.

This logic is both unfair and stupid.

 

[TommyChafey]

Cunningham, but our fresh 'recruit', Roberts-Thomson, should also make a major difference to last year.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

In defence of Reg. He's an integral part of the best defence double act in the game. Knocking Reg is like knocking Tonto, Dr Watson or Robin for not being up to the standard of The Lone Ranger, Sherlock Holmes or Batman respectively. As support to our own Super Ted he's the best sidekick in the business and those two are a dynamic duo like no other. Long may they don their capes and wear their Swans coloured underpants on the outside.

Post of the year so far bungee. Top stuff!

 

[bungee]

i reckon we really only have two elite users of the ball. macca and jetta. jetta's use is worst when he has gone for long runs but when he has a short burst he has the longest penetrating kick in the side and often to advantage.

mal has an excellent long flat kick and can be put in that category when in space - but then so can most players.

use of the ball by foot is consistently our weakest element and i tend to think it is part of the reason we are a long kick to a contest side - and very rarely do we hit targets inside fifty on the lead. the freo game is an excellent example of our inability to hit targets - we couldnt getit and when we got it we couldnt keep it because we couldnt kick to a leading forward. my one hope for our biggest improver for next season is that we look for targets more often than just try and welly the thing as long as we can to tippett's head.

Shame we lost Everitt as he was one of our very cleanest users of the ball. His long penetrating kicks and long range goals were a standout last year and went a long way to patching some of the gaping holes in our defence. Our midfield have often just kicked forward in hope, with the two exceptions being Goodes and Macca who can both hit a target sweetly. It's nice to know we'll have their service again this year as our bumper crop of talented forwards will be well served by them.

 

[bungee]

Post of the year so far bungee. Top stuff!

Alas, the year is young but I appreciate the compliment.

 

[SouthSwans]

This bloke:

 

[ShaySwannies]

After the intra-club, I'm right on the Dean Towers bandwagon. If he gets an opportunity to make his debut, I'm expecting him to kill it.

Also, Gaz Rohan would have to be a fair chance.

 

[bungee]

After the intra-club, I'm right on the Dean Towers bandwagon. If he gets an opportunity to make his debut, I'm expecting him to kill it.

Also, Gaz Rohan would have to be a fair chance.

He did move nicely.

My money has moved to Cunningham.

 

[Wolftone]

He did move nicely.

My money has moved to Cunningham.

I think you Harry is a really good bet this year. Teams have turnovers. Remember there was a time when Amon Buchanon was a walk up in the 22. The same with Kennelly and Moore. But the game passed them by or age slowed them down and younger, faster players replaced them. This may happen again as we can't get caught out against Pies, Cats, Hawks & Freo for speed again.

 

[ShaySwannies]

He did move nicely.

My money has moved to Cunningham.

Yep, he was equally impressive. Only picked Towers as I haven't really been exposed to him before. Hope both play a big role this year.

 

[Grongey]

He [Dean Towers] did move nicely.
My money has moved to Cunningham.

These two boys were my picks for this thread, so it's good to hear. A good AFL pre-season and skills coaching behind them, it augurs well.

 

[ShaySwannies]

These two boys were my picks for this thread, so it's good to hear. A good AFL pre-season and skills coaching behind them, it augurs well.

Right on. I think with the size of our forward line (Tippett, Franklin, Goodes, Reid) - Cunningham and Towers become especially important, their run/pace/skill/ability when the ball hits ground level should compliment the big guys in the forward 50.

 

[bungee]

Right on. I think with the size of our forward line (Tippett, Franklin, Goodes, Reid) - Cunningham and Towers become especially important, their run/pace/skill/ability when the ball hits ground level should compliment the big guys in the forward 50.

I was impressed with Cunningham's awareness. He explodes away from a pack, has a glance to see how much time he has and uses every bit of it to place an unhurried kick onto the chest of his teammate. Roaming just outside 50 he could be very effective

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Can't wait to see the boys in action

 

[ShaySwannies]

I was impressed with Cunningham's awareness. He explodes away from a pack, has a glance to see how much time he has and uses every bit of it to place an unhurried kick onto the chest of his teammate. Roaming just outside 50 he could be very effective

Yep. I have him pegged for the high half forward role. Getting on the end of chains, finding a heap of open space. Hopefully he continues his hot form into the NAB Challenge and makes his selection a certainty.

 

[SM]

People have a dig at Reg because as a defender his errors are magnified and thus not easy to forget.

This logic is both unfair and stupid.

You're right, I feel for Richards, Rampe, Malceski, Grundy and AJ all similarly because of the amount of their errors highlighted and criticised. Just because they're defenders we should give them slack because they all contribute an equal amount of errors, as is natural for a defender.

 

[Wolftone]

Yep. I have him pegged for the high half forward role. Getting on the end of chains, finding a heap of open space. Hopefully he continues his hot form into the NAB Challenge and makes his selection a certainty.

Sorry but I think you are wrong, he is a winger, a natural run and deliver player.

 

[Wolftone]

People have a dig at Reg because as a defender his errors are magnified and thus not easy to forget.

This logic is both unfair and stupid.

An error by a defender is more magnified because it is so destructive. It causes a turn over that causes a goal and may be the difference between winning and losing a grand final. Reg's dreadful ball use when he has too much time to think about it. Mal's constant bombing to the wing. These things lose finals.

 

[ShaySwannies]

Sorry but I think you are wrong, he is a winger, a natural run and deliver player.

Those qualities are pretty easily transferred to a high half forward role.

 

[bungee]

An error by a defender is more magnified because it is so destructive. It causes a turn over that causes a goal and may be the difference between winning and losing a grand final. Reg's dreadful ball use when he has too much time to think about it. Mal's constant bombing to the wing. These things lose finals.

Is this just a jump on the 'lay into Reg' bandwagon with a side order of Mal ?

Beside, you could equally argue

i) Forward fumbles or kicks poorly = missed goal = lost final
ii) Mid goes inside 50 poorly. Ball goes to defender in the square. Defender rebounds. Opposition goal = 2 goal turnaround = lost final

I agree that an error by a defender is magnified (no need to use 'more magnified' as magnified already implies more/greater). Our human nature makes us hate losing something more than not winning something. In other words, we hate losing 6 points of our margin more than we hate not gaining 6 points. Ergo, we kick a defender.

 

[Grongey]

These two boys were my picks for this thread, so it's good to hear. A good AFL pre-season and skills coaching behind them, it augurs well.

I'd give myself a pass mark on collectively Cunningham and Towers.

Those who said Lloyd and Biggs certainly knew their stuff. And Gary Rohan is looking the goods too.

Then there's Parker, wow, he accounted for Fyfe on the weekend.