The Swans
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:57 am
Anyone else think the wheels are beginning to fall off Sydney due to player unrest over Franklin and Tippett's disproportionate pay packets?
Don't know. I think recruiting Tippett was always a mistake. Remember when he kicked three in the first quarter of the game in his first season at the Swans, all from contested marks, and then didn't touch the ball again when he couldn't mark because he is actually hopeless when the ball is on the ground? Paying $150 Million dollars for a 75-year contract for an over-sized half-forward flanker was also a bit quaint. The consequence is that they have two "star" forwards, one of whom can only take contested marks and the other of whom can't take a contested mark. It's worth bearing in mind that for all Franklin's "star quality", he's made no serious contribution to a winning Grand Final side on the Big Day - 2 goals in 2008 and 1 goal in 2013.
But, for all that, I think their main problem is that they have a very one-paced midfield. Jack used to provide the pace, there, but he is either playing injured or has lost a yard. Of course, they may get going again before the finals and may manage to be the second or third best team in the competition but, despite the hullabaloo, they've not been the "best" team in the competition at any time in living memory. They won GFs twice against sides that were way better than them in the last decade.
So, it might be player unrest but I think it's more likely that their team has been over-hyped for a while.