Preview Round 2, 2025: Dockers vs Swans @ Optus Stadium

[wolftone57]

Going to put my grounded reality hat on for a moment and looking at the fixture through to the bye (round 14)

vs Freo away - Freo playing worse than us, even with injuries we should win, 1-2
vs North away - we should win even with injuries though won't be the percentage booster we would want, 2-2
vs Collingwood at Adelaide - Hard to tell given they have either been smashed or smashed a side so would want a better form guide but with our injuries and it being away (yes neutral ground) will say loss - 2-3
vs Port home - should win this on current form and hopefully some injured players back. We broke the Port voodoo - 3-3
vs Suns away - pre-season form suggests we'd win but they are a different prospect at home vs away, depending on injuries I see this as a lost but we'd win at home, 3-4
vs GWS home - they will be top 4 can see us losing this, 3-5
vs Bombers away - Want more form but suspect will lose but a 50/50, 3-6
vs Carlton home - will lose this, 3-7
vs Melbourne away - 50/50 game, losing due to venue - 3-8
vs Adelaide home - should win this with injured players back - 4-8
vs Richmond away - if serious should win this, 5-8

5-8 with about 3 50/50s which could flip and put us 8-5

Even with an injury list, I don't see us losing to Essendon or Carlton. Bombers and Blues both don't like running defensively. If the Blues are not playing well, like now, they shut up shop and try to keep everything at a contested level. Lots of ball ups and throw ins. All teams know contested footy is our Achilles Heel. If we can get that sorted out we will be much better. But we need Papley fit and running defensively, not just leaving his player to run off. We also need to convince Chad that running both ways increases his chance of getting the footy, he gets plenty but if he ran both ways I think he would get 20% more or cause turnovers and help get the ball running our way. Because when he does chase, he turns them over.

 

[Bloods86]

It would be a bit of bad optics for the club to promote CC in any media way what so ever IMO.




*though i'm sure some Victorian sides would have no issue.
** and the media would be all over it down there.

He was in club videos this week doing a kids footy clinic.

It would be part of a VFL report. The club could just say "The VFL team also included Cleary who was adept at racking up possession and showed a nose for goal opportunities, playing a role in securing a bag of goals for his teammates".

Well, maybe not like that, but it could say whether he played and how he did.

 

[caesar88]

He was in club videos this week doing a kids footy clinic.

It would be part of a VFL report. The club could just say "The VFL team also included Cleary who was adept at racking up possession and showed a nose for goal opportunities, playing a role in securing a bag of goals for his teammates".

Well, maybe not like that, but it could say whether he played and how he did.

He was also in one of the pictures from the training gallery this week. I think the club is probably past the 'banishment' stage with Cleary and he's now just like any other Swan on the list, albeit one who has to work that little bit harder to earn selection.

 

[wolftone57]

Maybe. Freo is the team to do it against, not many small forwards of note (put Wicks on Bolton if he plays there or Frederick) and as you say, a tall defence. But it does sound like McLean only got his first full game in last week, so I'd maybe give him another before considering for seniors. Buller on the other hand would have been able to keep cardio up despite injury and kicked 4 a few weeks ago (no update on recent VFL practice games). And I'd prefer McCartin back over Francis.

So we could do the following, a few extra changes for mine.

Out: Melican McInerney Paton Papley
In: Ladhams Buller Sheldrick Cleary

FB: Wicks McCartin Rampe
HB: Roberts Hamling Blakey
C: Lloyd Heeney Florent
HF: Campbell Buller Chad
FF: Corey Amartey Hanily
R: Grundy Rowy Jordon
Int: Ladhams Bice Sheldrick Cleary
Sub: Hayward

Ladhams to relieve Grundy a bit versus 2 rucks, and up forward when Amartey or Buller are off.

Papley's either injured or unforgiveably lazy, so should be dropped. If we decide things aren't dire enough to bring Cleary in, I'd prefer he played VFL first tbh, we could have Mitchell in.

Edit: If McLean plays, I'd stick with 2 KPFs (him and Amartey), leave Hayward in as a 3rd target, Mitchell sub.

Bedford says Paps was in a knee brace at training.

Buller kicked 4 against GWS in a trial match recently. The other trial matches didn't have the goal kickers, mind you in one we only kicked 6 which is horrible. They had some best players but that's all. I am hopeful that one of Buller or McLean is ready to go. Ladhams is a first ruck, not a Ruck/Forward. He doesn't impact forward, Buller and McLean both do and are quite good as the 2nd Ruck. Green, again like Ladhams, is more your 1st Ruck. Although, I think he could be taught to impact the scoreboard as he is young.

 

[wolftone57]

That Uniform is so NAZI

 

[wolftone57]

This is gonna sound dumb but something tells me that Snell is gonna come into the senior side very very soon. Don't think it will be straight away but wouldn't be surprised if he gets a debut rd4-5

Did he play in last week's VFL Practice Match? He was a test to play.

 

[wolftone57]

In what will be a close fought affair in the first half, expect Freo to slowly pull away and take the win. They have very good marking forwards and I expect them to respond at home after last week’s debacle, especially in the midfield.

We will continue to display very promising signs which will bear fruit a little later in the season.

Freo by 17.

Those good marking forwards couldn't take a mark last week. It took a first game small forward to kick whatever goals they got.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

Then Papley should be dropped.

Either he's not fully fit to start the year, then he should have gotten up to fitness in VFL practice matches instead of AFL games, or he's showing terrible form and effort, and we should have some standards.

Similarly if Grundy was underdone, should have started outside the senior team and be brought in against Lions or this week if he was looking better at that level.

Papley has proven time and again that one burst can ignite the team and match. He gets every chance and supporters looking for answers to turn things around should look at Papley not someone who obviously hasn’t shown enough on the training track. Papley will be good this week no doubt - if not broom him

 

[wolftone57]

Must be lingering soreness from about 2021 when he stopped defending

Yes that is the problem I have with him. He limps everywhere when he needs to defend. Then as soon as he has the chance at attack he runs like a wheel-mouse.

 

[wolftone57]

Why drop one of our few matchwinners? Goes real well on that ground.

He does not work defensively. He runs like a rabbit when the ball comes down forward. But as soon as the ball is turned over he suddenly has a limp and can't chase. Needs to either get his injury problems sorted or play a complete game.

 

[bedford]

That Uniform is so NAZI

WTF has this got to do with the game

 

[bedford]

Crikey. I can't see shit like that in Laos mate. The club don't put photos out either.

They did and a video !

 

[strauchanie59]

I sensed that the Port game last year put Pete in the “even in case of emergency, do not break glass” category.

I actually feel a bit sorry for him - anyone brought in for that fateful game was on a hiding to nothing.

Plenty of fringe rucks become good AFL players in their mid to late
20’s.

Which is why I don't get most Swans fans writing him off.

2022 he had his on-field issues, understand that.
2023 he looked fairly decent early in the year before getting injured.
2024 gets one game in our worst loss this century, despite strong VFL form.

Some of his form in 2023 when Hickey was injured looked incredibly promising. Games of:

24d, 34ho, 4clr, 4tck, 1 goal
17d, 30ho, 8clr
16d, 25ho, 7clr

Say what you want about him, but he's earned more than ONE game in the AFL in almost two years.

 

[Ticky009]

Good heavens, Sunday twilight games are the worst! I'm over it and we haven't even hit the weekend yet!

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Fun fact:

In Swans history, we have played 2 games where 50% of our forwards are called Tom.

We have won none of them.

This week, we are trying to break a massive historical hoodoo.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Bolton and Erasmus are confirmed ins for them

 

[Adnico26Parker]

He was banned from our official pre season match against Gold Coast too. He played the intra club the week before. Unknown whether he's played VFL practice matches, because the club doesn't tell us anything.

Cleary played all 3 of the VFL practice matches

 

[bedford]

Cleary played all 3 of the VFL practice matches

My god you will get corrected

 

[Bloods86]

 

[strauchanie59]

View attachment 2256534

It's Pistol season.

 

[Bloods86]

My god you will get corrected

Why would they be corrected? If someone says something factual, no need to.

 

[bedford]

Now pinching Anicos stuff

 

[bedford]

Why would they be corrected? If someone says something factual, no need to.

You know why

 

[strauchanie59]

With Ladhams named, we've already won before a ball has been bounced.

 

[Chaisa]

All of Grundy, Ladhams and McLean playing? That seems....interesting.