Youth or Expereince in draft

[Mark Busuttil]

Since the Swans have allot of late picks, should they go all after youth or take one or two "top up" senior players?

[Bleed Red Blood]

Re-draft Fixter and Sunqvist...I'd like that to happen, it won't though - We didn't need to delist them..Unless we can't see ANY young talent and only delisted them so we could use our three picks..

Oh, and Guerra.

Other than that, lots of young versatile talls.

[anne]

I don't think we should re-draft or re-cycle anyone. Take 3 youngsters, with maybe 2 bottom age to enable us to get some youngsters onto the list. otherwise in the future there will be too much of a gap in ages. Out of 3 later picks, if chosen carefully, perhaps one will be a player.

[robbieando]

Take 2 kids with our first two picks and then use our last pick on either a recycled player or redrafting Fixter or Sunny

[Thunder Shaker]

The Swans are not a side that tanks seasons to get good draft picks. Our recruiting strategy has been sound, keeping us competitive even when we don't make the finals. Therefore we should look to the future and draft youngsters with all four picks. The chances are one or two of them will play at least a few games.

Who to draft? It takes about four years for most young players to establish themselves, so look over our list for players that are due to retire in the next four years. Then we draft replacements for the most crucial players. Even if the draft doesn't produce the needed replacement players this year, we have a few drafts in which to try our luck.

Take MOL as an example. He's 28 now, and has had some recent troubles with injury. Fortunately he's the sort of player who we can plonk at full-forward because that's his natural position. Most players who see out their final years in the forward line didn't play there much, but MOL could have a wooden leg at FF and still be a threat. But in the worst-case scenario, he may retire in about four years, so we should draft a replacement forward. One of our picks should be a MOL replacement - a player who can take a mark and kick a goal.

Our other picks should be along similar lines.

With late picks, all of them are speculative. About half the players drafted this late may not play more than a dozen games. Yet you never know - every draft produces superstars who were not picked up in the first three rounds of the draft. Players like James Hird and Paul Williams.

[Jeffers1984]

I would love to get a James Gwilt or another young player from the Metro leagues who has been overlooked by recruiters.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Jeffers1984
I would love to get a James Gwilt

You just want him for his hair!

[Jeffers1984]

Originally posted by Mike_B
You just want him for his hair!

He'd certainly give LRT a run for his money!

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Thunder Shaker
With late picks, all of them are speculative. About half the players drafted this late may not play more than a dozen games. Yet you never know - every draft produces superstars who were not picked up in the first three rounds of the draft. Players like James Hird and Paul Williams.

...and to think we could have had James Hird playing for the Swans I'm just glad that the recruiting dept now has it's act together

[Charlie]

The entire recruiting system has changed dramatically since the early 90s. It is more structured (with the draft camp and centralised u-18 programs in each state), more universal (ie, no u19s, no restrictions on which states you can draft from, very few priority selections) and more selective (no mid-season draft, much smaller lists). The old stories of Dean Kemp going at 110 and James Hird going at 79 are rarer and rarer.

As for this draft - I'm somewhat ambiguous. I'd be happy enough with three raw 17-18 year olds that we can put in the gym and keep for 2007/08. Certainly, with Richards, Chambers, McVeigh, Vogels, Malceski, Moore, Little Willo, Schmidt, M Davis, Erickson, Shaw and Grundy all on the fringes waiting for a chance, we're well covered.

Nevertheless, if Guerra is still around at 52, he's a good punt. If Steven Armstrong is delisted today (his departure from the Demons has been speculated), he would also be worth getting at 52. Our priorities are clear: we are going for premierships now, and if Guerra or Armstrong are available and can improve our depth now, then 2007/08 can wait.

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by Jeffers1984
I would love to get a James Gwilt or another young player from the Metro leagues who has been overlooked by recruiters.

There are strictly metro leagues? That explains all the hair dye in the AFL at the mo'.

[liz]

Originally posted by Charlie

Nevertheless, if Guerra is still around at 52, he's a good punt. If Steven Armstrong is delisted today (his departure from the Demons has been speculated), he would also be worth getting at 52. Our priorities are clear: we are going for premierships now, and if Guerra or Armstrong are available and can improve our depth now, then 2007/08 can wait.

There's a rumour floating around BF (I know, why believe anything there, except that it is perpetuated by a couple of posters who do seem to have some tie into the clubs' grapevines) that the Swans are interested in Dylan Smith, ex Kangas and Freo.

Don't quite see the appeal of a slow midfielder deemed not good enough by two middle-of-the-road clubs with middle-of-the-road midfields, but you never know.

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by liz
Don't quite see the appeal of a slow midfielder deemed not good enough by two middle-of-the-road clubs with middle-of-the-road midfields, but you never know.

Diesel!

[Thunder Shaker]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Diesel!

Yep ... too old, too slow, too good, two Brownlows.

[Newbie]

Speaking of Fixter. He is already 25. I think at best we can only hope to get about 50 games out of him if we redraft him.
Sundquist on the other hand is 22.