Unofficial Preview SEASON 2025 - Best 22, Game Plan, Personnel

[Punts]

I still need to be reminded how sh.t they were in case I get sucked in again too soon before the season starts & I start thinking they are as good as the players think they are when winning Home & away games while finger twirling after a goal during their awesome wins again the real sh.t teams of the comp.

Yeah I still need to read it if that's ok with you.

That’s one thing this group do , cocky finger twirls and carry ons.

Just get it done and move on should be

 

[Dubai Quacker]

That’s one thing this group do , cocky finger twirls and carry ons.

Just get it done and move on should be

I don’t mind the post-goal finger twirl.

But I prefer the full Micky O in-your-face to obese West Coast fans.

 

[Punts]

One of the most talented swans squad ever but probably the softest mentally also

Shows that talent isn’t everything

Reckon the 2012 side would bash this team up

 

[strauchanie59]

One of the most talented swans squad ever but probably the softest mentally also

Shows that talent isn’t everything

Reckon the 2012 side would bash this team up

2005 would beat 2024 50-6.

 

[strauchanie59]

That’s one thing this group do , cocky finger twirls and carry ons.

Just get it done and move on should be

Happened against St Kilda...we got 30-ish up, started that shit, Howard saves the goal on the line and the game turns instantly.

 

[Punts]

Grundy , Richards , AJ , smith and mattner etc wouldn’t let this team score

Mummy would hurt Grundy

ROK and hanners would be to tough in the middle with Kennedy

Be a blow out

 

[hairy biker]

Amartey isn’t much at all

He will be dropped at some point imo

I'll go out on a limb and say he won't get a game until we get an injury or two.

The perennial "emergency"

We are hardly endowed with star forwards and I get why some are down on Amartey, but;

- leading goalscorer for the season. Even if you take out his 9 goals v Adelaide, he would still be only be 3 goals behind Logan and still 7 in front of McLean (and played one game less than both)

- multiple goals in 13 games and goals in 19 games

- averaged more I50 marks than any other Swan (ranked 14th across the competition)

- second in I50 tackles, only behind Will Hayward

Not suggesting for a moment he is a star fwd, but with Logan playing more in an up and down role we need someone deepish fwd to at least offer a target and hopefully hit the scoreboard.

I actually thought his best game of the year was his 4 goal performance in the PF v Port (picked up a couple of coaches votes and 2nd in the POTY on our board). And yep before anyone says it unsighted in GF.........along with how many others?

And fwiw I actually think he is a better tap ruck than McLean as well.

It's easy, someone has to perform better than him to take his spot and as far as I'm concerned he is pencilled in for RD 1 based on the comparable performances from 2024.

 

[Punts]

We are hardly endowed with star forwards and I get why some are down on Amartey, but;

- leading goalscorer for the season. Even if you take out his 9 goals v Adelaide, he would still be only be 3 goals behind Logan and still 7 in front of McLean (and played one game less than both)

- multiple goals in 13 games and goals in 19 games

- averaged more I50 marks than any other Swan (ranked 14th across the competition)

- second in I50 tackles, only behind Will Hayward

Not suggesting for a moment he is a star fwd, but with Logan playing more in an up and down role we need someone deepish fwd to at least offer a target and hopefully hit the scoreboard.

I actually thought his best game of the year was his 4 goal performance in the PF v Port (picked up a couple of coaches votes and 2nd in the POTY on our board). And yep before anyone says it unsighted in GF.........along with how many others?

And fwiw I actually think he is a better tap ruck than McLean as well.

It's easy, someone has to perform better than him to take his spot and as far as I'm concerned he is pencilled in for RD 1 based on the comparable performances from 2024.

Logan is bog average let’s be honest , so not much competition and McLean is 2nd ruck

 

[caesar88]

Happened against St Kilda...we got 30-ish up, started that shit, Howard saves the goal on the line and the game turns instantly.

Geez thanks for reminding me of that moment LOL, I was so angry!

 

[Tedeski]

That’s one thing this group do , cocky finger twirls and carry ons.

Just get it done and move on should be

Punts my friend!
It has been pissing me off since we started that false bravado toughness after Carlton roughed us up at the MCG a few years back & the players like Mills started this fake crap.
It’s not us & Roos hated it.
Yep just play hard at the ball footy.
Our players in the 2005 & 2012 GF don’t carry on after goals & saved the celebrations after the siren went & even that was less carry on.

 

[caesar88]

Punts my friend!
It has been pissing me off since we started that false bravado toughness after Carlton roughed us up at the MCG a few years back & the players like Mills started this fake crap.
It’s not us & Roos hated it.
Yep just play hard at the ball footy.
Our players in the 2005 & 2012 GF don’t carry on after goals & saved the celebrations after the siren went & even that was less carry on.

Look, this stuff all annoys me as much as it annoys anyone. There is a reason I am generally drawn more to quiet achievers who don't carry on, and it is not just because they're quality players. I do not need my footballers to be "entertainers" or "characters." The sport is the entertainment, the footballers just need to be the participants.

However this is veering into GF autopsy blues territory, and there is a thread for that.

Looking forward... I like that Cox has been quite decisive in stating that defence and the contest will be a priority for the team. How he goes about achieving that will be interesting. I think the common consensus seems to be just swapping out a couple of light-on outside types for hard-working tough nuts (which I don't disagree with, and advocated for all along.)

But I think another way he could improve us in this area is by holding many of the culprits of the carrying on that you speak of, to a higher standard. ie. "I don't care that you kicked a great goal and got the SCG crowd on its feet, your defensive efforts for 40 minutes of the game weren't good enough, etc., so you're not getting put on any pedestal from me."

Just continue driving standards and not letting players get away with being satisfied with themselves. Finger-twirl and make a moment about yourself once you can say you have given your all and earned that right.

 

[Punts]

Players I see struggling are

Rampe
Lloyd
Amartey unless 2nd rucks
Campbell, just think this is him and what he will be.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Look, this stuff all annoys me as much as it annoys anyone. There is a reason I am generally drawn more to quiet achievers who don't carry on, and it is not just because they're quality players. I do not need my footballers to be "entertainers" or "characters." The sport is the entertainment, the footballers just need to be the participants.

However this is veering into GF autopsy blues territory, and there is a thread for that.

Looking forward... I like that Cox has been quite decisive in stating that defence and the contest will be a priority for the team. How he goes about achieving that will be interesting. I think the common consensus seems to be just swapping out a couple of light-on outside types for hard-working tough nuts (which I don't disagree with, and advocated for all along.)

But I think another way he could improve us in this area is by holding many of the culprits of the carrying on that you speak of, to a higher standard. ie. "I don't care that you kicked a great goal and got the SCG crowd on its feet, your defensive efforts for 40 minutes of the game weren't good enough, etc., so you're not getting put on any pedestal from me."

Just continue driving standards and not letting players get away with being satisfied with themselves. Finger-twirl and make a moment about yourself once you can say you have given your all and earned that right.

IIRC reviews used to run along the lines of:
"Stop doing: start doing: keep doing" or
"Do less of: do more of:".
Maybe they still do or maybe they should. Frankly I don't give a feck about finger twirling or whatever but I care a great deal about shepherds, blocks, dummies, up and backs, gut runs, contesting as well as the glamorous stuff (which is still valuable!) and the super skilful stuff like Papley did in the PF which set up Heeney and Amartey.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Look, this stuff all annoys me as much as it annoys anyone. There is a reason I am generally drawn more to quiet achievers who don't carry on, and it is not just because they're quality players. I do not need my footballers to be "entertainers" or "characters." The sport is the entertainment, the footballers just need to be the participants.

However this is veering into GF autopsy blues territory, and there is a thread for that.

Looking forward... I like that Cox has been quite decisive in stating that defence and the contest will be a priority for the team. How he goes about achieving that will be interesting. I think the common consensus seems to be just swapping out a couple of light-on outside types for hard-working tough nuts (which I don't disagree with, and advocated for all along.)

But I think another way he could improve us in this area is by holding many of the culprits of the carrying on that you speak of, to a higher standard. ie. "I don't care that you kicked a great goal and got the SCG crowd on its feet, your defensive efforts for 40 minutes of the game weren't good enough, etc., so you're not getting put on any pedestal from me."

Just continue driving standards and not letting players get away with being satisfied with themselves. Finger-twirl and make a moment about yourself once you can say you have given your all and earned that right.

There was a great podcast with Hanners and he spoke of a game he played (I think against Collingwood) where he arrived with a new car and a new haircut and played some flash footy with about 30 touches and received some Brownlow points

On the Monday, the team had the game review and Horse (then assistant coach) opened the session with vision of Hanners not being accountable enough, and then Horse said there were going to be plenty more examples of that, and there was. I think Hanners joked on the podcast that it was the Hannegedom.

It hurt Hanners and he was fuming for a few days, but it pulled him right into line (I think McVeigh helped him back into the fold).

I reckon Cox will bring these ruthless standards back, and as you see lift standards across the board. Chad could be an elite defensive mid if he applied himself. He is lightning quick, fit and can land a hard tackle. Let’s see more of it!

 

[Tedeski]

I reckon Cox will bring these ruthless standards back,

I’ll believe it when I see it.

 

[bedford]

Grundy , Richards , AJ , smith and mattner etc wouldn’t let this team score

Mummy would hurt Grundy

ROK and hanners would be to tough in the middle with Kennedy

Be a blow out

Great call on Mummy he was enormous for us , an absolute brute . That's why the treatment of Nankervis cost us at least 1 flag

 

[Kbroome]

Not arguing with your stats but I see the interchange as an integral part of the team. In this case a 7 man defence. Each member should spend approx 86% ToG (6/7). Snell would spend 28% relieving Melican and McCartin, 28% relieving Blakey and Rampe and 28% allowing Rampe to relieve Roberts and Cunningham. Never exactly of course but that's the shape that it should work. The problem with a short/medium 7th is that it forces Rampe or Blakey to relieve the keys. That's a weakness.
The waste would be using any bench player that way.

If Snell was a non key i would agree but all of the keys average 90%+ TOG in most games and thus even including Blakey in the stats he would only be at 55% TOG which is just not enough for a player on the bench. Its in a way self-limiting the side. Like we also have some of the most bench ridden Keys in the game as most keys are around the 95% TOG if not 100%

 

[Bloods86]

Great call on Mummy he was enormous for us , an absolute brute . That's why the treatment of Nankervis cost us at least 1 flag

Treatment of Nankervis lol.

He was our 4th best ruck.

 

[bedford]

Treatment of Nankervis lol.

He was our 4th best ruck.

Absolute crap ! Tippett was no where as good when he came back in 16 , Nank should've played and he would've rag dolled Boyd , now a 3 time flag winner and Captain . 4th best , fair dinkum some !

 

[Bloods86]

Absolute crap ! Tippett was soft as butter when he came back in 16 , Nank should've played and he would've rag dolled Boyd , now a 3 time flag winner and Captain . 4th best , fair dinkum some !

"this is for the season coming and that's good to read what people think going forward in to the next season . Then there is the one talking about the pathetic GF performance , so why does the gloom have to come on here ?"

bedford 7/12/24

 

[Big Blood]

Grundy , Richards , AJ , smith and mattner etc wouldn’t let this team score

Mummy would hurt Grundy

ROK and hanners would be to tough in the middle with Kennedy

Be a blow out

I don't disagree but I think the big thing missing is the onfield leader like Kirk, Kelly, Goodes, JPK who are tough and can bring the team with them. Carry the team if they have to

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I don't disagree but I think the big thing missing is the onfield leader like Kirk, Kelly, Goodes, JPK who are tough and can bring the team with them. Carry the team if they have to

If you look back at our 2024 season, Heeney did exactly that - several times.

A fit Heeney (i.e., an ankle that doesn’t go bung) is critical to our 2025.

 

[Bloods86]

If you look back at our 2024 season, Heeney did exactly that - several times.

A fit Heeney (i.e., an ankle that doesn’t go bung) is critical to our 2025.

Rowbottom too, though more in the form of defensive efforts in the middle. Just need to change the attitude that he does the hard stuff for the rest of the team, instead of the rest of the team joining in.

Hopefully Mills can remain injury free and be the captain we need as well.

 

[bedford]

"this is for the season coming and that's good to read what people think going forward in to the next season . Then there is the one talking about the pathetic GF performance , so why does the gloom have to come on here ?"

bedford 7/12/24

It's about now and what we haven't got and i was answering to punts and we would still have Nank NOW , your the one who won't move on

 

[bedford]

Also 68 it was about this years GF !