Tbf he looked much better in the Prelim IIRC.
I wouldn't have rushed him back, but I don't think you'd drop him based on his prelim.
Unofficial Preview SEASON 2025 - Best 22, Game Plan, Personnel
- Thread starter caesar88
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I wouldn't have rushed him back, but I don't think you'd drop him based on his prelim.
LukeParkerno1
Post-Human
Still wasn’t the JMac of 2 months prior
Wheresbuddy
Club Legend
- Sep 14, 2020
- 2,832
- 5,952
- AFL Club
- Sydney
I think we went into that GF with plenty of injured players. Logan definitely shouldn't have played. Heeney was on his last legs. McInerney, Rampe and Papley were not fully recovered from earlier. Campbell was pretty busted. Mills must've been bad to have been ruled out. On top of all this, I wouldn't be surprised if Grundy was carrying something chronic for the last third of the season. We rolled the dice and lost, with too many injured players. Would a combination of Adams, Cleary and perhaps Gus (who ran the GF sprint) have made the difference? Unlikely but I think we would've been more competitive.
As I've said, I wouldn't have rushed him back, but I recall being in the distinct minority.
It'd be interesting to see if there's overlap between those who wanted him back in for finals versus those who have since lamented underdone/injured players in finals...
Nup Brisbane had just as many if not more injured players both sides were banged up.
Not to mention the extra wear/toll from having to do it from 5th.
Yep, Neale was struggling for a bit. One thing is obvious, we don't know how to carry injured players in a GF. Unless you're a superstar (Heeney), no more injured players in the GF for us please.
No replacement was/is capable of playing better than a half fit Mcinerney.
We lost that game purely based on method. We really weren't a whole heap more banged up than the prelim.
I've said before it wouldn't have made the difference and that his prelim was much better. I don't think you can even really point to Jmac's fitness to explain his grand final because how do you explain most players performances.
I'm just pointing out it's no use wanting to rush players back for finals (which seemed to be the majority for Jmac), then bemoaning underdone/injured players in finals (which seems to be the majority).
I think a lot has to do with who the player is though. I think consensus is that Logan shouldn't have played, coming to that conclusion probably because he hasn't won everyone over with his performances just yet. And everyone would've still played Heeney and Jmac under those circumstances. So that's where you get that crossover. Like yeah Jmac was unsighted but i still rest easy knowing with full confidence that a fully fit Corey Warner would not have had a better performance - at least Jmacs ceiling and risk vs reward is higher.
Grain of salt really. People will bemoan either way and it's nor here nor there, doesn't matter at the end of the day. Won't be the last GF where players play injured, nor will it be Sydney's last even with our track record. It's just an easy thing to point to after losing that many of em, even if it is hypocritical. Those people are quick to forget there are players with premiership medallions who barely registered a touch and made 0 contribution to their respective side on GF day, yet those teams still manage to pull a W.
Wheresbuddy
Club Legend
- Sep 14, 2020
- 2,832
- 5,952
- AFL Club
- Sydney
Agreed. They played better, were better coached and just wanted it more.
wolftone57
All Australian
- Nov 26, 2023
- 791
- 717
- AFL Club
- Sydney
Yes that would have been Edwards. He has improved a lot and is huge.
Wheresbuddy
Club Legend
- Sep 14, 2020
- 2,832
- 5,952
- AFL Club
- Sydney
Wouldn't be surprised if he is the longest kick in the club
wolftone57
All Australian
- Nov 26, 2023
- 791
- 717
- AFL Club
- Sydney
I have noticed how often we lose our forward structure. With forwards having to protect the backs by flooding back. We need to have backs who can hold their own, who don't need to have extra bodies to protect their space. They need to learn how to play man on man.
On Infinix X6525 using BigFooty.com mobile app
On Infinix X6525 using BigFooty.com mobile app
The way we push forward leaves our defence exposed regardless. They need cover to help slow ball movement down once the oppo transition, otherwise you get picked apart in todays game. Even playing 1 v 1 there will be oppo wingers and small forwards who will find themselves loose forward of centre if our mids aren't more accountable. Our players have either been instructed to fully commit to the foray forward, or they're a bunch of skiers who pick and choose when to be accountable. This was a glaring hole for us even early on, we were lucky teams were hopeless enough to not make the most of it.
It's a joy to watch when we are putting enough of a score on the board to not worry about defence, but as we saw, against the better teams it is just way too volatile. Need to wind it back in a notch. Not too much, as it is our major weapon, but just a notch or two.
- Mar 29, 2019
- 3,831
- 11,032
- AFL Club
- Sydney
Every AFL team’s best 23 for 2025: Sydney Swans
Can the Swans go a step further this season?
www.zerohanger.com
Bit of a joke.Every AFL team’s best 23 for 2025: Sydney Swans
Can the Swans go a step further this season?
Talks up Mills in mids, puts him in defence.
Warner a "workhorse" and Rowbottom not mentioned as part of that trio.
Cunningham labelled "fringe", put as sub.
I rate Campbell, but please, he's not starting on wing over Jmac.
Last edited:
- Mar 29, 2019
- 3,831
- 11,032
- AFL Club
- Sydney
I wasn't going to post it, but it was so ridiculous I just had to.
I'm probably in the minority, but I'm not as down on Tmac as others. So I do see him and Melican as very important for our backline. I think too often people blame the defence for other shortcomings, and Tmac also had another interrupted year. So a disruption free Tmac, Melican and Cunningham I see as most important for the defence.
But yeah, some weird calls as I mentioned.
Kbroome
Club Legend
- May 10, 2024
- 2,377
- 2,242
- AFL Club
- Sydney
Saw Campbell fighting with McInerney and knew immediately it was BS
Literally doesn't mention Bice in the backline but somehow Campbell gets a mention there
The article almost makes it look like Campbell is in our Top 5 players
Why should Bice get a mention? He's played zero games at the level.
I agree the mention of Campbell at HB is off, he's just going by past use. Though I'm not confident we'll use him differently.
Campbell should be at HF, backup on the wing to Gulden and Jmac, but after Florent as well.
Kbroome
Club Legend
- May 10, 2024
- 2,377
- 2,242
- AFL Club
- Sydney
No point responding to this outside of saying that a mature age half back should be mentioned in the half back section over a half forward that has played so poorly off half back.
Campbell was the 5th name mentioned to be fair. But yeah, I wouldn't have mentioned him. And I'd have put Jmac as another who does better in the role.
Bice would be behind all of them at this point.
Kbroome
Club Legend
- May 10, 2024
- 2,377
- 2,242
- AFL Club
- Sydney
If you can't see that this is clearly a Melbourne based reporter that has zero knowledge of the Swans and especially of those that could break into the 23 then i can't help you.
Doesn't mention Snell, Edwards, Mitchell, Co Warner, Hanily
Talks about Wicks as a small forward when he has been training as a defender
Also the best 23 is just the same team as the GF side but replace Fox with Mills and Parker with Adams when Cox's main focus has been fitness, forward pressure and contest...
