TOPIC:

Of particular interest to start this chat, for any learned readers, how is the condition of Leederville Oval at the moment? A bit of rain still to come in the next couple of days so hopefully it’s not too bad and the council can get on there to give it a touch up.

you better hope it doesn't bucket down because it gets to be an absolute bogheap when it does mate

Upon checking my trusted weather charts there should be very little rain on Friday and near on none Friday arvo. Saturday should be fine with an early westerly coming in which will blow slightly North to the far pocket and becoming more southerly as the afternoon goes on. By 4-5pm the team kicking to the northern end will have a distinct 2-3 goal breeze at their backs. 

So, how do Swans win this game? 

Well it’s pretty much copy and paste from last week. We come up against a side that has many more big bodies than we do and there’s only one way to beat them sides - match them in the contest, apply huge tackle pressure and then spread em on the counter and make them chase. 

Swans can not afford a first 5-10 minutes like they did against Peel in the sense that they gave up 7-8 i50’s, many of which were repeat. Sure the intentions were right, the appetite for contest couldn’t be questioned and we defended really well but we can’t rely on EP being as wasteful. Of the 5 goals scored by Peel 2 were from fk and another 2, maybe 3 from direct turnover. 

I feel like if Swans are going to be competitive and in the game early then it needs to be off the back of some centre bounce work that result in i50 because I think the Royals will prepare well for the counter attacks that Swans are well noted for. 

Chalcraft and Rokhar need to have huge games again and we need J Mac to join in on the party in the absence of Clarke!!! Jebbs role is crucial again, more than likely to Schumacher and let Chal, Rok and Cip mix it on the inside with Crowden and co. Losing the hit outs will be standard practice but the shut down must replicate 7 days prior - risk losing the game on the outside by being tougher on the inside and at loose ball gets!

A bit of conjecture around who the 2 ins (assuming everyone else is fine) will be. Some have Erceg (captain, leadership) and Chipper (played a lot this year) as the likely options but we are forgetting Hilton, for one, far too easily. He’s been a mainstay down back this year and was unlucky to miss out last week. He’s match hardened and he’s been integral in the back 6/7. Erceg has played very little footy and is never really close to 100%. He’s also played very little footy with Pasini, Collins and Watson and don’t think the dynamics work.

The other player I’m hoping we bring in is Cartwright. There has always been something about this kid from back in his colts years. He hasn’t quite come on as quick as we’d hoped but he’s performed well at league level this year and his 2’s numbers are always good - unleash the kid up fwd!!! Chipper for mine we’ve seen quite a bit of and just not brilliant enough at one particular aspect, we need some extra spark. 

We need big games from many a player this week and I mentioned this bloke last week and he stood up. If Lynch can get his hands on it and hit the scoreboard again it will go a long way towards a positive result. 

Let’s just hope we are in the contest at half time. A massive Swans crowd could make all the difference come the second half and the last qtr. 

the others you will have to combat are Jones , Wright & Macreadie - that influence is large
Medhat & Tedesco will have be kept quiet as well

Going with more hope than expectation on Saturday. It would be hard enough playing East Perth on their home ground with a 2 week rest with our best 22. Now we have lost 2 guys who have been the heart and soul of the team for many years, the task becomes that much more difficult. The only thing that is going for Swans  is the confidence gained from the win over Peel last week

Weather forecast is sounding alright for the big match on Saturday. Slight chance of light rainfall and a maximum temperature tipped at 20⁰. The ground will be probably a bit slippery with all the rain during the week.

Long appreciation for commentary provided on the forum lads. First time contributor.

anyone catch the Greg Harding comments on 91.3 yesterday?

Welcome to the forum JK and hope your future contributions are long and strong.Yes heard Harding and if he was accurate about the incident (I don’t think the Fremantle vision is available but if it is I haven’t seen it) and it’s aftermath it makes Grey sound like a prize arsehole and Peel an empty shell of a football club.That’s clearly what Harding was alluding to.Not having heard the evidence supplied by both Grey and Peel it is difficult to decide if Harding is right but where there’s smoke etc.Couldn’t possibly have been a case of making certain Clarke was unavailable if the two teams met again surely.I’m sure Grey and Peel have the integrity of the WAFL foremost in their minds at all time.(Shit - just bit my tongue).

TheFeds wrote:

Welcome to the forum JK and hope your future contributions are long and strong.Yes heard Harding and if he was accurate about the incident (I don’t think the Fremantle vision is available but if it is I haven’t seen it) and it’s aftermath it makes Grey sound like a prize arsehole and Peel an empty shell of a football club.That’s clearly what Harding was alluding to.Not having heard the evidence supplied by both Grey and Peel it is difficult to decide if Harding is right but where there’s smoke etc.Couldn’t possibly have been a case of making certain Clarke was unavailable if the two teams met again surely.I’m sure Grey and Peel have the integrity of the WAFL foremost in their minds at all time.(Shit - just bit my tongue).

Hopefully that will be a moot point on Sunday if Claremont beat them

Whatever the result tomorrow I think we should consider how much progress Swans have made this season to get into the 2nd semi final. Very few people picked Swans in their top 5 at the start of the season( including myself) and it is a credit to Pruen that he has galvanised this team to the extent that they have the best back line in the league as well as a classy midfield and a serviceable forward line. They recruited two guns who they will be relying on a lot tomorrow but it has also been pleasing to see the way that the team has gelled around these guys.
I am fervently hoping we can win one of the next two games to get through to the GF.