Swans aim to ‘stop the drops’

By Ben Hope
CASEY-South Melbourne returned to training this week aiming to focus on its dismal fielding after a disappointing loss to the Camberwell Magpies.
Swans coach Mark Ridgeway was ‘very disappointed’ after his team fell 195 short of their 317 target.
“It was a terrible result,” he said.
The Magpies returned to bat on the second day of the game after making 7/232, declaring on 9/317 after 122 overs.
In response the Swans were all out for 122 in just under 53 overs.
“If we had of taken our catches the week before we wouldn’t have been in the position where they could come back in and get another 85,” Ridgeway said.
“It was the result of poor fielding and undisciplined bowling.”
The best results for the Swans came from Michael Hansen who managed 24 from 49 balls and Thomas Hussey with 21 from 51.
Opener Rohan Blandford, captain Jayde Herrick and Tim Dale all went out for ducks before they could face more than six balls.
Ridgeway said everyone played poorly across the team.
“I am happy to give credit where credit is due and pump our blokes up as much as I possibly can, but they all played too poorly for me to even contemplate giving them any sort of praise,” he said. On the ladder the Swans fell from second to fourth place as a result of the loss, while the Magpies climbed to 14th.
The Swans will meet Hawthorn-Monash University this weekend at Monash and will need a win to remain in the top four for the finals.
Ridgeway said it wouldn’t be a lay-down as the Hawks had a win against Dandenong last week, so they needed to go in with their A-grade game or they’d be smashed again.
“Not taking anything away from a great performance by Hawthorn on the weekend, but I would like to think that because we are a top-two side, we could beat them convincingly when they are in the bottom two.
“You would think that would be the case, but if you look at the way they played and the way we played I’m not too sure,” he said.
Ridgeway said his team would work on its fielding during training before the game this weekend.
“We’re got a fair bit of work to do during the week to pick the pieces out of it and get ourselves off the floor and see what we can do,” he said.