Preview Roasting Demons Sunday, 3.20

[Bloods86]

Changes -

In - Roberts, Franklin (Angus as Sub)

Out - Amartey (needs to show he can run out a game), Rowbottom (tries hard but can't kick a goal or win enough ball - out of form or carrying a niggle)

Right, so in a game where we got done in clearances, and to prepare for the Dees midfield, you want to drop the guy who:

• led us in clearances
• led us in tackles
• 2nd in pressure
• 3rd in contested possessions

 

[Donza]

Right, so in a game where we got done in clearances, and to prepare for the Dees midfield, you want to drop the guy who:

• led us in clearances
• led us in tackles
• 2nd in pressure
• 3rd in contested possessions

People are judging rowie cause he shanks his set shots.
Badly.

He's the next incarnate of Brett Kirk.
One of our first picked IMO.

 

[Bloods86]

People are judging rowie cause he shanks his set shots.
Badly.

He's the next incarnate of Brett Kirk.
One of our first picked IMO.

Not something I've noticed as a trend. I hope people aren't judging it off a couple of examples.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Absolutely no way the crowd was actually 37k today.

I'm usually a pretty good judge and thought 30-33k (i.e. right on average) was spot on. Maybe a fraction more because the members was packed.

Any thoughts here?

Absolutely WAS a crowd of 37k yesterday. Members numbers count too.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

With all due respect, I find that a weird take.

Us beating the Cats in round 2 suggested we could beat top four sides, which we did - four more times that season.

And having five wins over top four sides suggested we could be good enough to finish top 4, which we did.

And finishing top 4 suggested we could be good enough to make a grand finale, which we did.

Every win can mean something if you take something out of it. In 2020 when we were a bottom four side, the thrashing of GWS in the GPD (Great Perth Derby) suggested that all the losses and hardships we were enduring were for a worthwhile cause, that it could actually lead to that group of players becoming a strong team one day. A few weeks later, we did it again against Melbourne. A few weeks after that, we nearly did it again against that year's grand finalist Geelong. We then end that year full of belief, and go from 16th to finals six months later.

Wins absolutely mean something, both for the present and the future.

I meant to rephrase it as i no longer get excited about solid Home and Away wins.

 

[caesar88]

I meant to rephrase it as i no longer get excited about solid Home and Away wins.

Well that's kinda depressing lol

Games like yesterday I look at and take very little out of in regards to how we played or what we did, ie strategies or individual performances.

What I do take out of it is what I think the boys will take out of it. We're now top of the ladder with a thumping percentage. They get some belief in them, some confidence they're as dangerous as any side in the comp, they maybe get addicted to the ruthlessness of putting teams to the sword. Those are great qualities for this team to be developing IMO and even if that belief and confidence is misguided and eventually gets exposed, it can take a team pretty far in the interim.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Well that's kinda depressing lol

Games like yesterday I look at and take very little out of in regards to how we played or what we did, ie strategies or individual performances.

What I do take out of it is what I think the boys will take out of it. We're now top of the ladder with a thumping percentage. They get some belief in them, some confidence they're as dangerous as any side in the comp, they maybe get addicted to the ruthlessness of putting teams to the sword. Those are great qualities for this team to be developing IMO and even if that belief and confidence is misguided and eventually gets exposed, it can take a team pretty far in the interim.

Yer i know idk 2022 was brutal sitting there having spent significant resources for that.

Had some hope middle of the 2nd quarter there was some fight and got within 33 maybe a burst after HT we could get back into it?

Where is the fight from against all odds? 2003 QF against Port prelim against Brisbane 05,06 prelims and GF's 2012.

I had some other stuff going on away from football which probably contributed to it but yer i associate that day as one of the worst.

 

[caesar88]

Yer i know idk 2022 was brutal sitting there having spent significant resources for that.

Had some hope middle of the 2nd quarter there was some fight and got within 33 maybe a burst after HT we could get back into it?

Where is the fight from against all odds? 2003 prelim against Brisbane 05,06 prelims and GF's 2012.

I had some other stuff going on away from football which probably contributed to it but yer i associate that day as one of the worst.

Wasn't the whole year a fight against all odds? We made a grand final with a really young side, 3 years after deciding to rebuild. IMO the last month of the season leading up to the grand final was all fight and ticker, and perhaps explains why we had none left by grand final day.

Hope whatever was going on in your life is better at least

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Wasn't the whole year a fight against all odds? We made a grand final with a really young side, 3 years after deciding to rebuild. IMO the last month of the season leading up to the grand final was all fight and ticker, and perhaps explains why we had none left by grand final day.

Hope whatever was going on in your life is better at least

You're right its why i love this forum most are able to summarise and process the day in a much better way.

Thankyou mate

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Absolutely WAS a crowd of 37k yesterday. Members numbers count too.

Your post just made me smile, because I remember sitting in the Brewongle concourse (row N, seat 31) back in 1996, when the mexican wave went around the ground, but always stopped at the Members Stand.

The resultant chant went around the ground "MEMBERS ARE W**KERS!!!!"

Good times.

 

[Swan4Life]

Not a chance he gets dropped after 4 goals & 9 marks. It will be McLean who will be dropped.

Absolutely.

I just don't get the argument that we play better without Buddy or the clamour to replace him.

He has been the number one key forward in the game for over 15 years.

Now sure, he isn't the best any more - but surely he's still top 10. Which means he is number 2 on our list. Are we really suggesting that we should be playing him in the VFL? It's sheer lunacy.

Yes he's lost a step, he's not as physically imposing as he used to be and his kicking range is five to ten metres less than it was at his peak. Fact is - he is still dangerous!

If he can kick 40 goals in the regular season then he is absolutely in the best 22 - unless he drops off substantially as the season progresses.

As the saying goes - never knock a champion!

 

[caesar88]

Absolutely.

I just don't get the argument that we play better without Buddy or the clamour to replace him.

He has been the number one key forward in the game for over 15 years.

Now sure, he isn't the best any more - but surely he's still top 10. Which means he is number 2 on our list. Are we really suggesting that we should be playing him in the VFL? It's sheer lunacy.

Yes he's lost a step, he's not as physically imposing as he used to be and his kicking range is five to ten metres less than it was at his peak. Fact is - he is still dangerous!

If he can kick 40 goals in the regular season then he is absolutely in the best 22 - unless he drops off substantially as the season progresses.

As the saying goes - never knock a champion!

You're probably talking to the wrong guy, as I've never been one to care much about an individual's performance or ability. Footy to me is purely about how a group functions. Six average-to-good forwards that complement each other will work better than six very good-to-great forwards who don't complement each other.

So I actually do see the merits in a Buddy-less forward line, given how it's performed without him. But I also think it has worked with him, and it's why I am permanently on the fence regarding the issue - still having Buddy in my best 22, but also willing to entertain the notion of a best 22 without him.

Probably my clearest position for this year would be that Buddy (and Reid) stay in, we continue to rotate that 3rd forward (McDonald/McLean/Amartey) based on form (as we've done in 2021 & 2022 with much success), we ensure McLean & Amartey re-sign with us, and then 2024 becomes the year we take the forward line into its new era.

 

[Bloods86]

Probably my clearest position for this year would be that Buddy (and Reid) stay in, we continue to rotate that 3rd forward (McDonald/McLean/Amartey) based on form (as we've done in 2021 & 2022 with much success), we ensure McLean & Amartey re-sign with us, and then 2024 becomes the year we take the forward line into its new era.

Agree with this. Although Reid would want to be in top shape and in form, if the others are doing well too.

I think pulling the trigger on a forward line re-structure would be a mistake, despite having some hope that the 3 younger KPFs could form a good, maybe great, forward line. Obviously I'm on record (possibly breaking records) for my angst in the draft period last year where we passed over some key forward and ruck types (who can also kick goals), this was because in probabilities, a great result would be 2 of Logan, Amartey, McLean kicking on and being best 22 in the future. Maybe we'll get all 3, but even then I do shudder to think what happens if one of them leaves us, gets injured, doesn't come on, because the VFL yesterday was indicative of our KPF depth once Buddy, Reid are out of the picture. Having Francis out of the position we specifically said we would play him in, alongside rookie Owen (drafted to be a ruck).

 

[SM]

Ultimately what this shows is the carry on in the media about how we go without Buddy is just dumb. I said it during the week but the hype around getting a look at us post-Buddy was always silly when we did it plenty last year to great success - we beat Melbourne in Melbourne without him last year for instance.

 

[The King!]

Absolutely WAS a crowd of 37k yesterday. Members numbers count too.

There were a few spectators on the ground in brown and gold too

 

[mattpolo8]

Really excited for this week's game. As we did last year, think we match up really against them and i'm backing Ladhams in to hold his own.

In: Buddy
Out: McLean

For those keen, we'll be doing a pre-match meet up at Union House in Richmond from about 12:30 on. This will be advertised on the Swans group on Facebook as well as the True Bloods podcast. Come down and say gday.

 

[Donza]

Mmmm Roast.

Sunday looks like cool weather for Sydney.

Perfect roast weather. Daylight savings ending as well.
May do a lamb and duck fat potato.

 

[Punts]

19 and sunny here Sunday

Early but looking ok

 

[Jewelsbon]

There were a few spectators on the ground in brown and gold too

I was surprised how many Hawthorn fans were there. I mean, nothing compared to say a Collingwood or Carlton game, but a pretty fair representation considering no one on earth would have expected them to really make a game of it.

 

[The King!]

Mmmm Roast.

Sunday looks like cool weather for Sydney.

Perfect roast weather. Daylight savings ending as well.
May do a lamb and duck fat potato.

and what time do I get there ?

 

[caesar88]

The two best sides at scoring from defensive 50 will be going at it this week. Somewhat takes away our advantage we usually have over most teams, and further increases the need for the midfield to start generating more scoring opportunities themselves.

 

[Mister B]

Absolutely no way the crowd was actually 37k today.

I'm usually a pretty good judge and thought 30-33k (i.e. right on average) was spot on. Maybe a fraction more because the members was packed.

Any thoughts here?

Before the game started, the new stands were filled to the back. You could tell it was going to be on the larger side. As always, a lot came in 15 minutes late and then bailed 15 minutes early.

Quarter time, the ground had filled nicely.

 

[Mister B]

7 days ago, the AFL app was debating how we could possibly cover the loss of Franklin. I snorted a little when the notification came through this week promoting the 'major' issue we have of working out how to squeeze him back in.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

7 days ago, the AFL app was debating how we could possibly cover the loss of Franklin. I snorted a little when the notification came through this week promoting the 'major' issue we have of working out how to squeeze him back in.

Matthew Lloyd said it: “The Swans are a better balanced side without Buddy”.

 

[Bloods86]

Matthew Lloyd said it: “The Swans are a better balanced side without Buddy”.

Guess that's another on the ignore list (Lloyd, not you).