Preview Round 21 Swans vs Port Adelaide

[The King!]

Hopefully 1 of the 3 forwards get a kick

All 3 been garbage of late

Won’t win many more games if they continue

Cmon be positive for a change, tell us they are due for a good game

 

[Bloods86]

Huh? I am fine with him dropped.

I meant in the VFL he will actually play in the right position, not the invisible nothing role in the AFL

Nah, he's rubbish, don't you know.

 

[The King!]

Can’t work the Hamling thing out tbh. Regardless of the fact Buddy was lame 2016 GF Hamling is a premiership DEFENDER. Wake up Horse you recruited him based around the doubt on McCartin’s head and Melican’s soft tissue and you play him as a forward in the VFL ? Just don’t get why we keep going back to this Second stringer in Francis when you clearly have another option you haven’t even given the chance to at worst prove he is more of the same. SMH.

I just thought he would play there occasionally in the VFL, its like they dont play him there, then its a reason to never try him in the AFL.

 

[Kbroome]

Yeah I am not claiming he is great, BUT he is never secure in the side and does not get much of a run, he gets called on in times like this where he is just on a hiding to nothing

He gets a hiding each week so i think people are just ready for one of the youngsters to get above him in the pecking order because they want something new for the potential to be better. We know Francis's final product, Snell and Edwards we don't

 

[The King!]

Nah, he's rubbish, don't you know.

I think he could be a good midfielder, well he has shown he can be, but he is never played there lately

 

[The King!]

He gets a hiding each week so i think people are just ready for one of the youngsters to get above him in the pecking order because they want something new for the potential to be better. We know Francis's final product, Snell and Edwards we don't

Yep would not have complained if Edwards was picked

 

[Bloods86]

I think he could be a good midfielder, well he has shown he can be, but he is never played there lately

Mid or fwd, you know, what he was drafted as.

 

[The King!]

If the win or loss comes down to Aaron Franics then we have bigger problems than many think.

 

[Kbroome]

Yep would not have complained if Edwards was picked

Yep i just would rather someone with a potential to give an 8/10 performance rather than locking in a 5/10 from Francis and a guarantee lost matchup

 

[caesar88]

I like that in the VFL next week (****ing byes...) it will be Campbell, Cleary & Sheldrick in the mids.

As I've said many times before, I love a good old-fashioned battle for spots.

(Even though in this case the 'spot' might only end up being as next-mid/forward-in.)

 

[The King!]

Yep i just would rather someone with a potential to give an 8/10 performance rather than locking in a 5/10 from Francis and a guarantee lost matchup

Maybe Saturday I will be cursing his name, but I think Francis gives an honest account,

 

[Adnico26Parker]

So, how did Wicks keep his spot?

 

[Bloods86]

I just thought he would play there occasionally in the VFL, its like they dont play him there, then its a reason to never try him in the AFL.

I think he probably came over on par with Francis on paper. Maybe took a bit of time to get into it, with Francis having some runs on the board even if just at VFL level.

We had no-one to play up forward in the VFL, gave him a go and it's worked reasonably well.

Possibly a victim of playing his new role too well.

 

[Kbroome]

Maybe Saturday I will be cursing his name, but I think Francis gives an honest account,

McKay made him look like an u18 boy in the matchup earlier this year. If he could kick straight he would have kicked like 3 or 4 on him in a game where Sydney smoked them

 

[caesar88]

So, how did Wicks keep his spot?

I'm thinking Fox will play in defence to help out there. It means we need a pressure forward. We can all debate the merits of Wicks as that player, but the fact is that Horse has gone with a specific player in that role each and every week this year. It seems to be as fixed a role in this team for Horse as any position.

So who are the candidates?

Sheldrick? Horse seemed to suggest he wasn't in peak condition, plus his VFL form hasn't really demanded it anyway.

Cleary? Possibly, but the fact he only got two looks at senior level this year and both were as the starting sub suggests maybe Horse doesn't think he's ready for a full game.

Hanily? Probably needs to show more to convince Horse, but a good base to be starting from with his last few games.

Konstanty? Injured.

Parker/Adams? Not really fast enough.

So it really only leaves Wicks...

 

[tombomb]

Francis in is just so there is no discussion about Melican coming straight back in when he is ready.

It's the Peter Luck theory.

 

[Bloods86]

McKay made him look like an u18 boy in the matchup earlier this year. If he could kick straight he would have kicked like 3 or 4 on him in a game where Sydney smoked them

I'm shocked that a former Coleman medallist and All Australian KPF would look good against a guy who is in and out of our team. Who played on Curnow then, because he kicked 2.2. to McKay's dominant 1.2?

 

[Kbroome]

I'm thinking Fox will play in defence to help out there. It means we need a pressure forward. We can all debate the merits of Wicks as that player, but the fact is that Horse has gone with a specific player in that role each and every week this year. It seems to be as fixed a role in this team for Horse as any position.

So who are the candidates?

Sheldrick? Horse seemed to suggest he wasn't in peak condition, plus his VFL form hasn't really demanded it anyway.

Cleary? Possibly, but the fact he only got two looks at senior level this year and both were as the starting sub suggests maybe Horse doesn't think he's ready for a full game.

Hanily? Probably needs to show more to convince Horse, but a good base to be starting from with his last few games.

Konstanty? Injured.

Parker/Adams? Not really fast enough.

So it really only leaves Wicks...

When you think of it like that the medium and small forwards have been decimated with Heeney and Chad in the midfield. Need to draft and develop in that area because we have literally noone good enough in those two spots other than Hayward who has big purple patch months and horror months.

 

[TheMase]

Can’t work the Hamling thing out tbh. Regardless of the fact Buddy was lame 2016 GF Hamling is a premiership DEFENDER. Wake up Horse you recruited him based around the doubt on McCartin’s head and Melican’s soft tissue and you play him as a forward in the VFL ? Just don’t get why we keep going back to this Second stringer in Francis when you clearly have another option you haven’t even given the chance to at worst prove he is more of the same. SMH.

Am guessing given they get a good look at Hamling day in and day out that they don’t see him as ahead of Francis.

Having seen them both in reserves, I tend to agree.

Not even convinced his game as a forward would translate to AFL level either.

Break glass in emergency I guess

 

[Bloods86]

When you think of it like that the medium and small forwards have been decimated with Heeney and Chad in the midfield. Need to draft and develop in that area because we have literally noone good enough in those two spots other than Hayward who has big purple patch months and horror months.

It's been a focus. Konstanty, Magor, Hanily. Unfortunately we moved Magor out because we weren't getting it up forward enough to waste him there, but have decided not to put him back there.

 

[caesar88]

When you think of it like that the medium and small forwards have been decimated with Heeney and Chad in the midfield. Need to draft and develop in that area because we have literally noone good enough in those two spots other than Hayward who has big purple patch months and horror months.

It's a difficult hole to fill because you need someone who is quick enough to apply sufficient pressure but also hard enough to apply sufficient pressure, all the while still being able to have an impact and be damaging with the ball themselves.

The ideal player for it would be Rowbottom, as he ticks all those boxes, but he's needed in the midfield, too. If only cloning was a thing...

 

[Swan4Life]

This was an opportunity to let the playing group know in no uncertain terms that halfarsery won't be tolerated.

Instead, we made ONE forced change and scapegoated a young player who was not the main culprit for recent losses.

For the first time in a while I am disappointed in Horse and the match committee.

 

[kickthething]

When you think of it like that the medium and small forwards have been decimated with Heeney and Chad in the midfield. Need to draft and develop in that area because we have literally noone good enough in those two spots other than Hayward who has big purple patch months and horror months.

It’s a miracle we have won so many games

 

[rustycrate]

Disagree on Campbell being the one out. Wicks before him.

Don't know why we are running Hayward into the ground, hopefully we don't see him struggling at times for the 3rd week in a row.

No excuses with this team. If we don't put up a decent effort again, it's on the coaches for allowing the rot to continue.

I think we still need our best team in to win. That is the reason he is in. Losing 4 of the last 5. We have to stop the rot.

 

[Kbroome]

It's been a focus. Konstanty, Magor, Hanily. Unfortunately we moved Magor out because we weren't getting it up forward enough to waste him there, but have decided not to put him back there.

I think this last month has probably shown to me that there are quite a few players that its probably better for the club to move on now rather than have them at the club next year because in the long term they will just be holding back the development of others. Think its time for Magor, Konstanty, Francis, Arnold, McAndrew and some others to go as they provide nothing and don't know if they will hit a ceiling good enough for AFL standards