Opinion The Way Forward

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We need to change things up massively in 25.

The 3 talls is clearly a failed experiment, get Cleary in as the second pressure forward after Papley, move Blakey from the backline to half forward, Mills has to play permanently in the backline, and put Adams in the guts. I don't care if he butchers the footy, he's the only one willing to apply some bloody heat in there.

Move Florent to a half forward flank as well. He is absolutely useless as a defender.

Also, Tom McCartin is on watch. When he has the ball under pressure, it either goes out on the fool, or to the opposition.

He has had a mare the last couple of GF's.

Think next year could be make or break for a lot of our players.
 

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How do we know sheldrick is the answer for our midfield or cleary? They're still soo young & inexperienced, putting that heavy burden on them isn't the answer imo. Give them opportunities but a key cog in the middle right now? That's fraught with danger. I would rather try Mills in the middle (proven AA) before a Sheldrick.
 
We need to change things up massively in 25.

The 3 talls is clearly a failed experiment, get Cleary in as the second pressure forward after Papley, move Blakey from the backline to half forward, Mills has to play permanently in the backline, and put Adams in the guts. I don't care if he butchers the footy, he's the only one willing to apply some bloody heat in there.

Move Florent to a half forward flank as well. He is absolutely useless as a defender.

Also, Tom McCartin is on watch. When he has the ball under pressure, it either goes out on the fool, or to the opposition.

He has had a mare the last couple of GF's.

Think next year could be make or break for a lot of our players.
Wicks is the guy everyone forgetting about. I want him in the team full-time running around like a rabid dog. Him + Cleary could be the refresh our forward line needs.
 
How do we know sheldrick is the answer for our midfield or cleary? They're still soo young & inexperienced, putting that heavy burden on them isn't the answer imo. Give them opportunities but a key cog in the middle right now? That's fraught with danger. I would rather try Mills in the middle (proven AA) before a Sheldrick.
Totally get what you mean, but we've got to start somewhere and I reckon he will be a gun in and under midfielder.

Mills to the backline to sure it up. He needs to play there all year.

Our midfield is fine if we can add Sheldrick in there and have the others rolling through.
 
How do we know sheldrick is the answer for our midfield or cleary? They're still soo young & inexperienced, putting that heavy burden on them isn't the answer imo. Give them opportunities but a key cog in the middle right now? That's fraught with danger. I would rather try Mills in the middle (proven AA) before a Sheldrick.
I don't know if Sheldrick is the answer at all. I think he quite often looks like a headless chook when in the contested scenarios in the VFL and only shows much awareness and composure when in general play, which is mildly concerning for a player we've drafted to play as an inside mid. Even his highly-praised senior stint in the middle of 2023 - a grand total of 4 games - was mostly Sheldrick having an impact in general play and not in the thick of the contest.

Why I would be willing to try him is because the alternatives don't seem a whole lot better. Mills, if we can even get a full season out of him, looks set to play in defence or on the wing. It remains to be seen if we'll get the Mills of 2021/22 back again. Parker looks set to be traded, and if we didn't have faith in a full-time midfield role for Adams this year, it's unlikely we'll have faith in a full-time midfield role for him next year, when he's another year older.

Heeney & Rowbottom really need help, and Sheldrick is, at least in theory, the guy with the right experience to provide it.
 
have an honest conversation with Horse , he is a loyal servant of the club and ask -
does he see any of the current assistants as being possible candidates ?
does he know anyone that would be good to target the club ?

and set about succession planning
 
Wicks is the guy everyone forgetting about. I want him in the team full-time running around like a rabid dog. Him + Cleary could be the refresh our forward line needs.
Wicks won't be on the list once his current contract finishes. He is already behind Cleary and many others such as Hanily are cheaper and rookie listed for the same if not better output
 

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I think we have way too many hybrid players who don't have a set position -

Campbell
Parker
Fox
Mills
Papley
Mcinerney
Adams
Mclean
Mcdonald
Wicks
Hayward

To an extent: Heeney, Roberts, Gulden

Maybe we just don't have enough continuity, and in turn accountability, across the ground because of this. Whereas you look at other successful teams and they're pretty set with players in their traditional roles.

I don't want to see Papley in the mids anymore, we clearly need him as a full time forward. I don't want to see Mcinerney in defence one minute, wing next, forward next, then as a mid. Same goes Campbell. I also don't think its an advantage having mids scoring goals because it reduces our ability to defend on transition.

I'm sick of seeing other teams forwards bobbing up like sprinklers. Guys like Lohman and Cameron aren't expected to play up the ground, they're stay at home forwards, and despite being small are still genuine targets because they're focussed on being forwards. It becomes the downfall for a guy like Wicks too who i think can be like those latter two for us. Papley should be a 40+ goal small forward.

I feel like having a bunch of players covering different roles is a bit of a safe option for Horse.
 
I think we have way too many hybrid players who don't have a set position -

Campbell
Parker
Fox
Mills
Papley
Mcinerney
Adams
Mclean
Mcdonald
Wicks
Hayward

To an extent: Heeney, Roberts, Gulden

Maybe we just don't have enough continuity, and in turn accountability, across the ground because of this. Whereas you look at other successful teams and they're pretty set with players in their traditional roles.

I don't want to see Papley in the mids anymore, we clearly need him as a full time forward. I don't want to see Mcinerney in defence one minute, wing next, forward next, then as a mid. Same goes Campbell. I also don't think its an advantage having mids scoring goals because it reduces our ability to defend on transition.

I'm sick of seeing other teams forwards bobbing up like sprinklers. Guys like Lohman and Cameron aren't expected to play up the ground, they're stay at home forwards, and despite being small are still genuine targets because they're focussed on being forwards. It becomes the downfall for a guy like Wicks too who i think can be like those latter two for us. Papley should be a 40+ goal small forward.

I feel like having a bunch of players covering different roles is a bit of a safe option for Horse.
Parker's likely gone

McLean, McDonald, Wicks and Hayward all have set positions. Most clubs have a key forward or back who relieves in the ruck. Logan got put down back a couple of times, he's not a hybrid.

Having wingers who push to half back or half forward isn't unusual e.g. Jmac.

Campbell should be at half forward. I think Mills will settle once fit, he got put back when midfield (incl wing) wasn't working out.

Agree on Adams, he's probably not a main mid at this point, and isn't a forward so likely sub or backup for the inside mids.

Agree on Papley, though if we lose Warner I'm not sure, we might need him, Sheldrick, Campbell doing the outside mid role.

Fox should be down back, we just throw him around.

Roberts has been down back every game, not sure what you mean.

All Heeney has done is rest forward at times, should continue to do so.
 
How Sydney Swans built The Bloods culture
By: Luke Ablett -18 Sep 2014

"..I was there as the Swans embarked on their long era of success. But it was a taxing process for the players
Thinking back on my own time at Sydney, one of the key strengths of the club was that you were answerable to your team-mates first and foremost..you had to look your team-mates in the eyes the next day and answer to them."


-- So (my comment), it has to come from the player group. Easy to blame the coaches, but in turn, the coaches have to know when to back off, and let the player group take the reins.

(There you see - I've just saved the club '000's in consultancy fees..)
 
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I think we have way too many hybrid players who don't have a set position -

Campbell
Parker
Fox
Mills
Papley
Mcinerney
Adams
Mclean
Mcdonald
Wicks
Hayward

To an extent: Heeney, Roberts, Gulden

Maybe we just don't have enough continuity, and in turn accountability, across the ground because of this. Whereas you look at other successful teams and they're pretty set with players in their traditional roles.

I don't want to see Papley in the mids anymore, we clearly need him as a full time forward. I don't want to see Mcinerney in defence one minute, wing next, forward next, then as a mid. Same goes Campbell. I also don't think its an advantage having mids scoring goals because it reduces our ability to defend on transition.

I'm sick of seeing other teams forwards bobbing up like sprinklers. Guys like Lohman and Cameron aren't expected to play up the ground, they're stay at home forwards, and despite being small are still genuine targets because they're focussed on being forwards. It becomes the downfall for a guy like Wicks too who i think can be like those latter two for us. Papley should be a 40+ goal small forward.

I feel like having a bunch of players covering different roles is a bit of a safe option for Horse.
Totally agree with this.

This team needs way more structure.

I feel like we move the magnets too much and no one has a set position, therefore leaving us exposed on the big games.

Needs to get sorted ASAP.
 
Who would people be willing to trade who has value for a trade that improved the team, say from the 23 on the weekend excluding Parker who is probably off.
1 of amartey or mclean to somehow find a more reliable forward.

Lloyd may be worth currency to someone. We have to look at life after him.

Tmac hasn't been up to par but i'd tolerate him with the addition of another gun kpd.

Problem is the forward, mid and defender we need will need to be an upgrade so we need currency. Warner and Logan are the only ones with legit currency. Hypothetically Logan just doesn't seem like he's going to turn into a power forward so if you could get a proper KPP's worth of currency for him i'd do it.
 
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