TOPIC:

Let’s get the discussion underway nice and early in the week!!!

This game is undoubtedly Swans biggest home and away fixture for at least the last 5-10 seasons. In a period of time where genuine success has often felt well out of reach there is an opportunity that awaits if we can gather the troops, steel the mind and play with brave necessity off the back of clear intent and will.

Win, get the double chance and likely a home final at some point or lose and it could well be season over - HUGE game.

The weather doesn’t look great at this stage but most of the rain looks to be overnight and the early hours of Saturday morning. By game time there might be a couple of mil at the back end of the front but the wind will be blowing hard at about 40km/h before easing off slightly towards 5pm. 

A fast start regardless of the coin toss is paramount and Swans will need to be ruthless in the contest, winning 50/50 and being direct with ball in hand. Defensive intensity to close space and create turnovers will also allow for an attacking mindset where, even if kicking into the breeze first, it will give us best chance to score. It is not going to be a day to shift the ball in the back half and invite pressure. 

Notte and Blakely you’d assume will return. Hopefully GM pulled up ok as last time we played Perth early in the season our mids were completely outplayed off the back of stoppage and clearance getting out of hand and a lack of tackling pressure across the ground. 

In that game and a couple of others early on Erceg was also well exposed. I’m not sure he fits in to the back 6/7???? A tough call to be made perhaps but unlikely. 

The other change I’d be looking to make is Chipper. He will probably make way for Erceg but I’d like to see a more attacking outside option that can hit the scoreboard and someone that can create a turnover from defensive pressure. . McGlaughlin, Edwards and Kohlman are all extremely important but I think we lack another genuine attacking option. Kelly is a tad hot and cold but should hold and Lynch is somewhat of a barometer. Lynch really needs to step up here, he is so important with how he sets up our fwd half but we need to try and get him in the game more. That’s where I think an option like Cartwright can get fwd with some pace and offer another scoring option. Maybe Hewitt could come in to play Lynch’s role as that high fwd and allow Lynch to get more dangerous. 

So much on the line this Saturday!!!

Biiiiig danger game, particularly with 30mm forecast for Saturday.

Good summary Danger. They have to adapt to the conditions better than they did last week when they tried to play dry weather football because it might be ugly if they don't. Chalcraft's niggling injury hasn't helped our performances over the last two weeks.
I hope this is the last game at home for the year.

And this is another reason why Swans need to come out all guns blazing and put the game to bed as early as possible. They can then heavily rotate and manage any player that is carrying a niggle while also settling the nerves of the faithful. 

Won't repeat what's already been said.
Saw this interesting note came across the desk which makes good reading.
For the previous 5 matchesSwan Districts lose 2, draw 1 and win 2 gamesPerth Footy club lose 4 and win 1 game.Swans scored 45 Goals to Perth drilling 48. SD For Points are 317 and Perth 329. Swans Disposals Inside 5o metres = 205 and 213 for Perth. Swan District have 92 scoring shots, whereas Perth with 89. Average Disposals per goal has Swans on 49.8 and Perth with 36.7. Average Disposals per scoring shot for Swans is 21.8 to Perth’s 21.6. Average offence rate for Swans 18% whereas Perth is slightly better at 19.2%

The team listings are going to be good reading.
Weather forecast is now saying a temperature of 17 - 20 degrees and rain.

FB
34 L TESTER,35 B ERCEG,28 T NOTTE

HB
18 W COLLINS,12 J PASINI,38 A STEPHENS

C
11 J PINA,1 J O'DONOHUE,4 B LYNCH

HF
7 A CLARKE,14 T EDWARDS,22 J CHALCRAFT 
HB

FF
3 L KELLY,5 L KOHLMANN,26 J MCLACHLAN

FOLLOWERS

• 21Nathan BLAKELY
• 29Jesse TURNER
• 9Nik ROKAHR

INTERCHANGE

• 2Max CHIPPER
• 17Joshua CIPRO
• 23Matthew GERMS
• 33Jesse GLASS-MCCASKER
• 6Benjamin HEWETT
• 39Brenton HILTON
• 8William REIDY
• 20Bryce WATSON

Congrats on the win and a great season and finishing 3rd. Sadly you'll probably have to lose the first game then win the next two to make the GF for Edwards to play again this season.

Correction, because all finals are played on Sundays he'll be eligible for the prelim whichever way you get there.

Fantastic result yesterday and the vibe in and around the club was great. It wasn’t pretty but it didn’t need to be and now the season starts again.

Unfortunately though it looks likely that we will be without Edwards for at least the next 2 weeks. Such a blow for the young man and the team but we do have some depth to cover with Glass-Mckasker and Erceg both listed as being managed yesterday. There is also Hewitt having built some form in the 2’s with Chipper getting his hands on it yesterday and Cartwright still in the wings. 

We now sit back and watch the AFL play out today in the hope Freo don’t make it so Peel can only pick 12 listed players. If that’s the way it plays out it will be interesting to see who is looked after. 

Hopefully some fine weather and a healthy contingent of Swans faithful planning a trip to Mandurah for the day. 

Good effort, and little sign of last week's knuckle-headed game plan of over-handling the ball in water-logged conditions. Get the bloody ball forward which is all Fremantle did last week - they had an uncomplicated plan and it worked while we floundered.

It wouldn't have made a difference, but if Stubbs had kicked straighter earlier Perth would have had a psychological boost instead of the demoralising 1.5 they had at quarter and half-time. He led O'Donohue a merry dance early.

Odonohue should never play as a defender!!! Tag first and defensive fwd second, ressies 3rd.

When we started the game with 6 handballs within a 10m radius and the resulting turnover was a Stubbs goal within the first minute it was deep sighs of oh no not again. And the ensuing 5-10 minute was mistake ridden but we just had too much class.

We can not play like that next week! The only way to beat Peel, EP and EF is to beat them at the contest and take territory with quick ball and beat them at the next contest or at the very worst halve it. That’s how EP has won the last 2 weeks.