« News Roundup - Fri 22/4 | Main | Swans vs Demons »
April 22, 2005
Round 5 Match Preview vs Demons
After last weeks piss poor effort against the Crows the Swans have to front up against the (until last week) front running Demons at the SCG and hope for the best with our midfield minus Paul Williams and Stuart Maxfield and ruck stocks that are up shit creek sooner than planned thanks to the injury to Jason Ball. At least it means we could see Adam Goodes play though the midfield a lot more than he has since winning the Brownlow Medal. If he does then mark my words we will win.
Those who have read my rantings this week will know I blamed the lose last Sunday on the lack of height down back because the Crows bombed the ball in long and the height difference in the end told the story. However this week we have LRT back in defense at least to provide an option to go with Brad Miller at CHB, while Leo Barry hopes and prays he gets some help on David Neitz if the Demons bomb it in long like the Crows did. If so we should see Craig Bolton leaving his post on Russell Robertson to punch from behind. If the ball falls to ground we have Kennelly and Dempster to quickly move the ball out and up forward.
However if we really want to stop the Demons moving the ball forward quickly we must get it ourselves and move it on fast and if the Demons have the ball put pressure on them quick smart. I think our midfield this week is helped by the fact the Demons midfield isn’t as talented or as deep as the Crows was and in an even better outcome for the Swans, the Demons have lost their best midfielder in Cameron Bruce to a Shoulder injury. I think it should be an interesting duel in the midfield and it could be tipped in the Swans favour IF Goodes is played in there for once, because the Dees have no one to match up on him.
This weeks Captain, ‘Captain’ Kirk could be released from normal tagging duties and used to provide the grunt and drive that Maxfield normally provides. That would leave Ablett to latch onto Yze, Mathews on Green and Crouch onto Davey. That should Allow the likes of Bolton, McVeigh, Spriggs and hopefully Goodes to take charge of the ball and force it forward. In the ruck Jolly will be forced to go up against his old side and his old master in Jeff White, so should be able to get a full game out of him with limited help from LRT and Goodes.
Up forward the Swans should really benefit from Magic’s game last week as he’ll be able to play close to a full match and make more of an impact close to goal. Thus the work of Barry Hall to provide him with a big enough hole is important. I believe the Dees will go with Ryan Ferguson on Hall as Bizzell and Rivers are a little too under-sized to match up on Hall and that’s not to say Ferguson is the best option either. Still this should allow Hall to work 40m out from goal and allow Magic to work from the goal square. Hopefully if we get that set up working, O’Keefe will be able to but in his best effort of the season dropping back to provide a third option going forward and Nick Davis camping on the 50 to be ready to bomb a few goals. I also expect Schneider and Buchanan to interchange as the crumbing forward pocket.
Anyway, this is going to be a tough match and I for one hope Paul Roos learnt from last week that our style for the last year puts too much pressure on us as a team. Move the ball quickly and having a sound forward set up is far more important and I think with the team we have this week, that shouldn’t be a problem. As for a tip, I expect the Swans to turn things around early on to break out to a 5 goal lead at Half Time, only to allow the Demons back into the match in the second half, only to hold on thanks to a late goal from O’Loughlin to win by a few goals
Swans by 15 points
Best on Ground – Adam Goodes
Leading Goalkicker – Barry Hall and Michael O’Loughlin with 3 each.
Posted by robbieando at April 22, 2005 08:06 PM