Preview R24 | Sydney vs Adelaide | SCG - Sat 24/8 @ 7:40PM AEST | We need to prove a point (unlike last year)

[Bloods86]

Adams has offered very little for a long time so I wouldn’t be opposed to him being dropped, but I agree that calling for everyone to be rested/dropped as soon as they have an indifferent game or two is completely ridiculous and has reached surreal levels on this board. If some of you had your way, we’d be playing our entire VFL team and getting smashed every week to “send a message” to our senior players. It’s pretty stupid tbh.

There's some people, surely trolling, saying to rest most of our team.

But there have been valid calls for Florent, Adams, Mills, Parker, Blakey, Jordon, Grundy, Amartey (prior to being managed) etc to be dropped or managed in reserves, because of poor or indifferent games, more than two in a row, or maybe only 1 or 2 decent/good games in a longer period.

Now, Mills, Florent, Parker, Jordon have responded and had more positive impact in the last 1-2 weeks. Blakey was better against the Dons. Amartey with a couple of late goals, should stay, unless hurt.

So that leaves us with Adams, Grundy as the most out of form and Hayward (imo should be managed), not because he isn't trying, but I don't see the point in making him hobble around an additional week. It's probably exhaustion with Grundy, while Adams has had lower TOG fairly consistently, so might be struggling too.

 

[Bloods86]

My point all along has been take the emotion out, look at where we were (13-3). The players that got is there should be given time. Be different if we were 8-8 or whatever at that time, then try things and what not. We also are not dropping clear top 10 players period.

They have been / are being given time.

It has nothing to do with emotion.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

I'd definitely rest Grundy & Hayward. Hayward in particular could use a week off to give his body time to heal a little more. He's been great, but I'm concerned injuries will continue to compound until he's severely hampered during finals.

Wouldn't mind giving Heeney a break as well. Although, could just as easily play him as a forward and have him play a bit of bruise-free footy.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

David King on SEN this morning stated that Heeney and Grundy should be rested.

In his words “no risk of impact injury should be taken with them”.

Gerard then promptly advised that the Swans are the no.4 seed this week.

 

[Bloods86]

I'd definitely rest Grundy & Hayward. Hayward in particular could use a week off to give his body time to heal a little more. He's been great, but I'm concerned injuries will continue to compound until he's severely hampered during finals.

Wouldn't mind giving Heeney a break as well. Although, could just as easily play him as a forward and have him play a bit of bruise-free footy.

I think Heeney at FF works. If he gets double teamed, it frees a tall or maybe a Parker, Cleary, Campbell to get a few. If he doesn't, well Crows showed they can be susceptible to someone having a field day, and failing to match up correctly.

 

[caesar88]

I think our players blew their chance at a rest/management this week when they were average against Freo.

And against St Kilda.

And against Brisbane.

And against the Bulldogs.

And against Port.

And for three quarters against Collingwood.

And for two quarters against Essendon.

The opportunities for managing the players have come and gone. We have a grand total of one game between now and a home qualifying final. We need to rediscover our best footy and we need to do it quickly.

Rest will come next week when they'll duck up to their wellness retreats* in Noosa for a few days.

*Pubs

 

[LukeParkerno1]

They have been / are being given time.

It has nothing to do with emotion.

Not by everyone on here they aren't. Every 2-3 weeks it's been drop this guy. When a side is winning we can be patient, it's why I haven't worried about the form of players. We got to 13-3 playing great footy, and we are on;y a game away from being back there. No need to change the side that has got us into this position and if that means no Cleary so be it.

 

[Bloods86]

I think our players blew their chance at a rest/management this week when they were average against Freo.

And against St Kilda.

And against Brisbane.

And against the Bulldogs.

And against Port.

And for three quarters against Collingwood.

And for two quarters against Essendon.

The opportunities for managing the players have come and gone. We have a grand total of one game between now and a home qualifying final. We need to rediscover our best footy and we need to do it quickly.

Rest will come next week when they'll duck up to their wellness retreats* in Noosa for a few days.

*Pubs

The sensible suggestions are managing 2 or 3. Hardly going to stop the rest of the team playing better.

No-one has yet convinced me that Grundy will somehow become less tired by playing another game in a row, which would enable him to rediscover better form.

Likewise, will playing another week, hobbling around, help Hayward be better than what he has been (which is decent given his struggles). Maybe another week off won't help, but how can it hurt him specifically.

And with Adams, sure, he might regain form, but based on performances on Friday, and players potentially coming back, he's probably sub at best if we're interested in good form.

 

[Bloods86]

Not by everyone on here they aren't. Every 2-3 weeks it's been drop this guy. When a side is winning we can be patient, it's why I haven't worried about the form of players. We got to 13-3 playing great footy, and we are on;y a game away from being back there. No need to change the side that has got us into this position and if that means no Cleary so be it.

Cleary was a significant part of our win the other night to lock up top spot.

He wasn't, unlike others, part of the team that almost coughed it up.

 

[RilesMacca]

David King on SEN this morning stated that Heeney and Grundy should be rested.

In his words “no risk of impact injury should be taken with them”.

Gerard then promptly advised that the Swans are the no.4 seed this week.

No way we rest Heeney, he's regained form and will be leading the Coaches votes heading into the final round. Grundy I think could be a possibility.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Our defence last week was first class.

Premiership winning defence dare I say it. With all those inside 50’s it was great to see the organisation skills of General Mills and we always had a sweeper out the back (Lloyd or Roberts) to mop up when the pack crashed.

Premiership winning defence.

Wonder what else will click for us v crows but we don’t want to show all our tricks before finals.

JHWF, telling it straight since 2023.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Horse is as stubborn as a mule

Pun intended?

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

First week in a month where someone hasn't wanted Florent out lol

That's a positive.

Can see an in game rest for our key players, Heeney may 'rest' forward.

Rotates between Florent and Hayward

Its so puzzling those 2 are integral to our side.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Our defence last week was first class.

Premiership winning defence dare I say it. With all those inside 50’s it was great to see the organisation skills of General Mills and we always had a sweeper out the back (Lloyd or Roberts) to mop up when the pack crashed.

Premiership winning defence.

Wonder what will click for us v crows but we don’t want to show all our tricks before finals.

JHWF, telling it straight since 2023.

They best be ready for the Q1 onslaughts

Seriously tho our defence would be right to stink it up to our mids to bloody show up in the first 20mins

 

[giantsully]

David King on SEN this morning stated that Heeney and Grundy should be rested.

In his words “no risk of impact injury should be taken with them”.

Gerard then promptly advised that the Swans are the no.4 seed this week.

I know he's just taking the pi$$ with his seedings but that's such a nonsense - sure, sentiment will be high for Dogs, Hawks and Lions but winning from outside the top 4 is extremely unlikely. The Cats are "just" going and Port have just lost one of their most important players for the duration of the year (in all likelihood). That really leaves us and the Giants (who we've beaten comprehensively twice this year). So yeh, #4, sure wotevs.

 

[Bloods86]

Rotates between Florent and Hayward

Its so puzzling those 2 are integral to our side.

It's not puzzling re: Florent. He's been out of form for most of the last 2 months, maybe longer, and this has been talked about when it became a trend. Culminating in a display last week, which was awful, save for 1 or 2 moments late.

He played well the other night, that's why he's not been talked about this week.

Hayward has been battling away for weeks, the only current calls for him not to play, are to give him more rest.

 

[giantsully]

I was a bit gobsmacked how poor Adams looked in Q1 on Friday - he was slow, fumbly, not interested in chasing. Yeh I know that could be a good description of the Swans first qrs generally, but he was an outlier of awfulness.

 

[Kiama Chris]

It's not puzzling re: Florent. He's been out of form for most of the last 2 months, maybe longer, and this has been talked about when it became a trend. Culminating in a display last week, which was awful, save for 1 or 2 moments late.

He played well the other night, that's why he's not been talked about this week.

Hayward has been battling away for weeks, the only current calls for him not to play, are to give him more rest.

The problem with Florent is that he can have a generally decent game but his clangers stick out like the proverbial and are costly so that's what you remember.
With Hayward it's kind of the opposite. You have to be paying attention to see a lot of what he does.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

I was a bit gobsmacked how poor Adams looked in Q1 on Friday - he was slow, fumbly, not interested in chasing. Yeh I know that could be a good description of the Swans first qrs generally, but he was an outlier of awfulness.

He was one who used to crack in previous weeks so i will give him a out this time.

 

[The King!]

There's some people, surely trolling, saying to rest most of our team.

But there have been valid calls for Florent, Adams, Mills, Parker, Blakey, Jordon, Grundy, Amartey (prior to being managed) etc to be dropped or managed in reserves, because of poor or indifferent games, more than two in a row, or maybe only 1 or 2 decent/good games in a longer period.

Now, Mills, Florent, Parker, Jordon have responded and had more positive impact in the last 1-2 weeks. Blakey was better against the Dons. Amartey with a couple of late goals, should stay, unless hurt.

So that leaves us with Adams, Grundy as the most out of form and Hayward (imo should be managed), not because he isn't trying, but I don't see the point in making him hobble around an additional week. It's probably exhaustion with Grundy, while Adams has had lower TOG fairly consistently, so might be struggling too.

Maybe the TOG reduction is the active resting strategy ?

 

[The King!]

I was a bit gobsmacked how poor Adams looked in Q1 on Friday - he was slow, fumbly, not interested in chasing. Yeh I know that could be a good description of the Swans first qrs generally, but he was an outlier of awfulness.

I thought quarter 1 was the only one he looked ok in ,

Laverde was running off someone else who looked like he had retired in the first half.

Interesting to be a fly on the wall at half time

 

[Bloods86]

The problem with Florent is that he can have a generally decent game but his clangers stick out like the proverbial and are costly so that's what you remember.
With Hayward it's kind of the opposite. You have to be paying attention to see a lot of what he does.

I'm not saying Hayward has been out of form in recent weeks. He's been hobbling most/all games since the Lions. He's doing what he can. I think he's been given too much leniency in times in the past, but at the moment, it's not about that.

Even if another week off doesn't help the underlying issue, would another week off without playing through pain/restriction, help him come finals. Though I'm no doctor/physio, it may not make sense to put him out there for a game where he's not going to be able to do any more than he has.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Melican + Mills in defence = less Blakey + Florent clangers.

JHWF - philosopher, comedian, truth teller, wellness coach, lover of speed and now mathematician.

 

[The King!]

I'm not saying Hayward has been out of form in recent weeks. He's been hobbling most/all games since the Lions. He's doing what he can. I think he's been given too much leniency in times in the past, but at the moment, it's not about that.

Even if another week off doesn't help the underlying issue, would another week off without playing through pain/restriction, help him come finals. Though I'm no doctor/physio, it may not make sense to put him out there for a game where he's not going to be able to do any more than he has.

The knee looked pretty painful when he landed on it

 

[caesar88]

Florent looked better up the ground on Friday night. Less potential for him to inflict damage in a negative way and do more damage in a positive way.

But the topic of where Florent should be moved to to get the best out of him comes up every 12-24 months. It's frustrating that it needs to, and is the story of his career sadly.