Very quiet trading period for the Swans methinks..

[omnipotent]

No need to do lots of trading but we won't win the flag unless we land another good player. We are short of premiership quality at the moment and that is assuming that everyone plays as well again. We have to replace Cressa.

[liz]

Originally posted by monopoly19


Secondly, is the Pre-Season Draft on December 16th the Rookie Draft, or are there two different drafts on the same day? If they are the same thing, then why would people from the Rookie Draft go straight onto the seniors list if they're rookies?

The Pre-Season draft and Rookie draft are separate. They just happen to be held on the same day - PS first, then Rookie.

Players taken in the National and PS drafts go onto the senior list. Players taken in the Rookie draft go onto the rookie list.

Originally posted by monopoly19


So in 2003 we had 37 on the senior list, and 6 on the rookie list. Minus Cresswell and MacPherson, but promote 2 rookies and we again have the minimum of 37. If we have to take at least three from the draft, we could take two rookies (yeah?) and then another senior player? I know 37 is the minimum, but is there a maximum? Couldn't we just have 38/39, or would that put too much strain on the salary cap?

There is a maximum - 38 senior plus 6 rookies - though veteran listed players and an additional rookie allowance for Sydney and Brisbane complicate these figures somewhat.

The requirement to take 3 players in the draft refers to the National Draft on it's own. Participation in the PS and Rookie drafts are optional, depending on spaces on list after the ND and salary cap room.

If a club chooses to elevate a rookie player to the senior list permanently at the end of a season, this does not count as one of the 3 ND picks. The only way around this is to delist the player from the rookie list and get them to nominate for the ND. They can then be drafted in the normal way and will count towards the minimum number of ND picks. However, there's always a risk that another club will take the player first, so you wouldn't do this with a player you really wanted to keep.

[monopoly19]

Thanks Lizz. I think I understand now!

[chammond]

There is a maximum - 38 senior plus 6 rookies

Liz, I'm almost sure that I read that squads will be a fixed size from next season (38 I think) because the AFL want to stop the trend in some clubs of overpaying some players and then not being able to take their full complement of youngsters.

Having said that, when I tried to find the relevant article, I couldn't . . . so I'm not 100% certain.

Does anyone know if this is correct?

[liz]

Cliff

My understanding is that they're putting a minimum of 37 on list sizes - so they'll be nearly fixed but not quite.

The thing that confuses me most is veteran players, specifically whether they're in addition to the normal list or included within it. I know they used to be in addition but I then thought the AFL was going to change this. Not sure whether they ever did or not.

[Nico]

It appears we are getting some mixed messages from the club.

Roos has been quoted as saying we need a quality midfielder.

Roos has said he would like to retain the list but would have to make some tough dceisions.

I believe he also said that you need to turnover players each year.

Barham says we will only draft 3.


They either must believe some of the younger players will come in leaps and bounds next year, or all this is just a smoke screen and they have a big fish to fry or some decent trades for a good draft pick.

Another question is: how well cashed up are we?

My worry is that if we lie low and dont do too much to top up the list that we will fall into the Tigers, Demons, Bulldogs malaise of thinking we have a very good list, resting on our laurels, then finding out when it is too late that the list is not perrenally good.

[Steve]

The intention to only draft 3 doesn't necessarily mean there will be no trading or delisting - just that the net movement of players prior to the draft is expected to be close to zero.

Perhaps the thinking is that they'll trade away or delist as many players as they recruit during the trading period - ie. if they recruit none there'll be no extra delistings, but if they trade for 5 players they'll delist or trade away 5.

They can do that and still be consistent with their stance of only using 3 draft picks.