Article on Heath James

[chammond]

Look if we lose 2 ruckman, Menklejohn will get a game because after Doyle, Ball and Goodes who can really play ruck?????

LRT already has experience at senior level in the ruck (with Port Melb), and I believe he is bigger than Meiklejohn.

Schauble and Saddington both had spells in the ruck last season.

And I'm pretty sure that Cresswell had one hitout in 2002 as well, but I agree Meiklejohn would be ahead of him!

[vagary]

Originally posted by chammond
Fosdike? Bolton? James? - all drafted '98 and played '99
ditto Simon Feast!!
Steve Doyle drafted '99 and played 2000.

Probably only Fosdike comes close to Saddington's record.

From memory, didn't O'Loughlin go straight into the seniors after being drafted?

wasn't it mott?

[desredandwhite]

Originally posted by chammond
Fosdike? Bolton? James? - all drafted '98 and played '99
ditto Simon Feast!!
Steve Doyle drafted '99 and played 2000.

Probably only Fosdike comes close to Saddington's record.

From memory, didn't O'Loughlin go straight into the seniors after being drafted?

Ah, my memory skipped that entire year!! How bizarre So basically we're not THAT bad at playing the kids.. uh... if they're good enough, or deemed good enough.

[liz]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
Ah, my memory skipped that entire year!! How bizarre So basically we're not THAT bad at playing the kids.. uh... if they're good enough, or deemed good enough.

I think its a myth that first year players haven't been given opportunities in their first season, if they warranted it. As well as the players mentioned, both Kirk and Bennett were promoted from the rookie list and made their debuts that season (and each was their first season at the club), plus Fixter and O'Keefe made their debuts in their first year at the club. Fitzgerald certainly would have had he not dislocated his shoulders twice.

[chammond]

I think its a myth that first year players haven't been given opportunities in their first season,

Yeah, it was always crap that Eade didn't give the youngsters a fair go. But if an idea like that gets said enough times it gains a life of it's own.

Over the past decade, the Swans have regularly blooded their youngsters in either their first or second seasons, presumably based on form.

What has confused me is the few times when it hasn't happened - like Brett Rose, Dwayne Simpson, Jason McPherson etc.

Why on earth would you recruit a senior player and then discard him without even giving him a chance? To me, these are the real recruiting blunders, not the Russells, Tingays etc.

[Bron]

Re: thats pretty good

Originally posted by jude_adams_babe
i hope they get more of the guys pictures soon i wonder how they will go in the seniors

Jude_adams_babe, here are some photos of the rookies: http://www.swanssupporters.org/cocktail%20party.htm