I hope your right mate but after watching us get humbled by a reserve team outfit last year in R1 I'm dont have a heap of confidence beating Sydney in Sydney.
In melb it may have been an even money bet but up there is never easy
Shawny, apart from Charlie their list is the same as last season minus Haywood/Florent and they are relying on organic growth plus their Coach improving his output. I'm less optimistic about their chances than the scribes, one injury to any of Heeney, Gulden or Warner and they are back struggling as Cox doesn't have the innovation or levers to pull that the top coaches have imho.
Agree they dont have depth but if they are fit their list is very strong and has less holes than ours all things being equal.
Gulden and Heeney concern me more than the traitor, Swans are half the side when Gulden is absent or under control.
Shawny, apart from Charlie their list is the same as last season minus Haywood/Florent and they are relying on organic growth plus their Coach improving his output. I'm less optimistic about their chances than the scribes, one injury to any of Heeney, Gulden or Warner and they are back struggling as Cox doesn't have the innovation or levers to pull that the top coaches have imho.
Do you think they are around us EB?
Many of the experts have them in the top 4 and us in the bottom 6. They had an off year last year I expect them to jump right back up this year - their ruck, midfield and forward groups are as good as any if all fit. And if you add a fit Charlie who knows how far they can go.
Their back 6 is their query so hopefully ball spends more time in that section of the ground on Thursday night for us to have a chance
I'm the opposite.
We are a big unknown right now.
We don't know how we will line up and how we will play.....how the hell do the opposition scout that?
We have the ability to come out of the blocks early and get the jump on them before they get a chance to react.
On the other hand, we have 2 ex-sydney players who would be well aware of their gameplan. The only difference with them is who they kick to in the 50 now.
Later in the year when we've shown our hand it will be harder to get wins IMO.
Early on, anything is possible.
Similarly, we could get done by 100 points if we haven't got our $h!t together.....but more chance of a win than that happened IMO.
Cant lose to a midpack team like the Swans and need to bank wins early and get the pressure off Voss. I dont see much fallout from the top 8 from last season apart from Collingwood who I think will struggle and we cant be losing to teams around us or below imho.
Cant lose to a midpack team like the Swans and need to bank wins early and get the pressure off Voss. I dont see much fallout from the top 8 from last season apart from Collingwood who I think will struggle and we cant be losing to teams around us or below imho.
Do you think they are around us EB?
Many of the experts have them in the top 4 and us in the bottom 6. They had an off year last year I expect them to jump right back up this year - their ruck, midfield and forward groups are as good as any if all fit. And if you add a fit Charlie who knows how far they can go.
Their back 6 is their query so hopefully ball spends more time in that section of the ground on Thursday night for us to have a chance
Cant lose to a midpack team like the Swans and need to bank wins early and get the pressure off Voss. I dont see much fallout from the top 8 from last season apart from Collingwood who I think will struggle and we cant be losing to teams around us or below imho.
Yep
Despite being optimistic for the season ahead I'd be very surprised if we were to win this game.
The Swans in Sydney are always a tough assignment.
We really haven't seen our opening round team in it's entirety through the pre-season so it may take a few weeks to settle down and gel once we get closer to regular players in positions.