2025 List Management

[SwanSand]

As Adam Simpson was saying the other day, the centre bounces have become a very much 4 x one on one battles. We go into those matchups with 3 players who cannot win their own ball. Grundy even though is ok, he doesn’t have the around the ground game like Gawn has. Then we go with Jordan and Rowy both defensive mids. I think we try to negate those contests too often and that’s the problem. Most of our tackling players are defensive minded and they lack size for that at times and the others when they lose the contested ball effort we just fall apart.
but geez sometimes I wonder how good a coach Longmire was !

[dejavoodoo44]

Will Ben King from the academy be that bull?

Assuming that you mean Max King, so far this season, he's largely played as a forward, with occasional stints on the ball. Not sure the reason for that? But when he's in there, his style is more get the ball quickly and then escape quickly; rather than bash and crash. He is 192cm, but you'd probably call his physique wiry, instead of bulky, so, he's not really tracking as the next Josh Kennedy or Patrick Cripps. But who knows, he might bulk up after an AFL preseason or two and then start to spend more time as a mid.

[KSAS]

Being 14th on the ladder, we currently hold picks 5, 23, 41 & 59 (2668 points in total)

https://www.zerohanger.com/afl/afl-draft-order-2025/

[UUaswan]

As Adam Simpson was saying the other day, the centre bounces have become a very much 4 x one on one battles. We go into those matchups with 3 players who cannot win their own ball. Grundy even though is ok, he doesn’t have the around the ground game like Gawn has. Then we go with Jordan and Rowy both defensive mids. I think we try to negate those contests too often and that’s the problem. Most of our tackling players are defensive minded and they lack size for that at times and the others when they lose the contested ball effort we just fall apart.
but geez sometimes I wonder how good a coach Longmire was !

Agree,
It's a losers mindset to try to negate and stem the bleeding.

Back the players in the be better than their opponents.

I got no problems with JJ tagging, but put him on the Fwd flank so he can at least try to kick a few goals.

Our defensive minded flat footed mids are also killing our defenders, way too much quick ball getting into our defence.

[imuninformedtwo]

Being 14th on the ladder, we currently hold picks 5, 23, 41 & 59 (2668 points in total)

https://www.zerohanger.com/afl/afl-draft-order-2025/

I'll always want us to win every game we can, and you don't go tanking as it lets bad habits creep into clubs.

Having said that, I won't be completely disappointed if we end up with a good draft haul after a season ruined by injuries, etc. At one stage around round 15 in 2023, we were sitting 15th and had pick four at our disposal. We could have grabbed a Nick Watson or Caleb Windsor or Connor O'Sullivan. I think Will Green will be a good player, but it's not the same. Instead, to our credit, we fought through the second half of the year, won six or seven in a row and made finals.

As I said, I love supporting a club that tries to always succeed, but if fate is to be this year, a good draft hand will be beneficial given the likely range of our academy kids.

[liz]

Assuming that you mean Max King, so far this season, he's largely played as a forward, with occasional stints on the ball. Not sure the reason for that? But when he's in there, his style is more get the ball quickly and then escape quickly; rather than bash and crash. He is 192cm, but you'd probably call his physique wiry, instead of bulky, so, he's not really tracking as the next Josh Kennedy or Patrick Cripps. But who knows, he might bulk up after an AFL preseason or two and then start to spend more time as a mid.

King looks most like a Blakey-type to me, though (at this stage) without that level of kicking ability.

[UUaswan]

I'll always want us to win every game we can, and you don't go tanking as it lets bad habits creep into clubs.

Having said that, I won't be completely disappointed if we end up with a good draft haul after a season ruined by injuries, etc. At one stage around round 15 in 2023, we were sitting 15th and had pick four at our disposal. We could have grabbed a Nick Watson or Caleb Windsor or Connor O'Sullivan. I think Will Green will be a good player, but it's not the same. Instead, to our credit, we fought through the second half of the year, won six or seven in a row and made finals.

As I said, I love supporting a club that tries to always succeed, but if fate is to be this year, a good draft hand will be beneficial given the likely range of our academy kids.

Look at the article on Fox Sports, last thing we want to do is give our Recruiters a pick ahead of our Academy Selections

[Thunder Shaker]

Suppose Sydney ends up with a first-round pick somewhere around the Swans' current ladder position, in the range 4 to 7.

I doubt that pick will be used on draft night: three Academy prospects need to be recruited and all may go in the first 25 to 30 picks. I expect that pick may be traded to secure draft points. If so, such a pick is likely to be the highest-ranked draft pick that is available for a trade.

It is possible that pick will be taken to the draft, with Sydney recruiting a top-7 prospect plus all three Academy prospects without a significant points deficit, but I don't see that happening due to a lack of points. The only way that would happen is if multiple future picks were traded. Recently, Sydney has been one of the least aggressive clubs at trading future picks so I don't see that happening.

[UUaswan]

Suppose Sydney ends up with a first-round pick somewhere around the Swans' current ladder position, in the range 4 to 7.

I doubt that pick will be used on draft night: three Academy prospects need to be recruited and all may go in the first 25 to 30 picks. I expect that pick may be traded to secure draft points. If so, such a pick is likely to be the highest-ranked draft pick that is available for a trade.

It is possible that pick will be taken to the draft, with Sydney recruiting a top-7 prospect plus all three Academy prospects without a significant points deficit, but I don't see that happening due to a lack of points. The only way that would happen is if multiple future picks were traded. Recently, Sydney has been one of the least aggressive clubs at trading future picks so I don't see that happening.

Based on history, we go all out for Academy Picks, if that means a deficit then so be it.

[Thunder Shaker]

Based on history, we go all out for Academy Picks, if that means a deficit then so be it.

History doesn't mean a lot due to the following changes that commence this year:
* Fewer draft picks have draft points, 54 instead of 73.
* Academy and father-son discounts reduced to 10%.
* Reduction in the maximum points deficit from 1734 points to 1167 points (the values of picks 18, 36, 54 and 72).

These changes make it much harder to match multiple bids on Academy and father-son players.

This is mitigated somewhat by the introduction of the trading of future picks two years in the future.

[mcs]

History doesn't mean a lot due to the following changes that commence this year:
* Fewer draft picks have draft points, 54 instead of 73.
* Academy and father-son discounts reduced to 10%.
* Reduction in the maximum points deficit from 1734 points to 1167 points (the values of picks 18, 36, 54 and 72).

These changes make it much harder to match multiple bids on Academy and father-son players.

This is mitigated somewhat by the introduction of the trading of future picks two years in the future.

We let one go last year however - wonder if that was just a one off or a start of a trend to be more selective in future.

[UUaswan]

History doesn't mean a lot due to the following changes that commence this year:
* Fewer draft picks have draft points, 54 instead of 73.
* Academy and father-son discounts reduced to 10%.
* Reduction in the maximum points deficit from 1734 points to 1167 points (the values of picks 18, 36, 54 and 72).

These changes make it much harder to match multiple bids on Academy and father-son players.

This is mitigated somewhat by the introduction of the trading of future picks two years in the future.

I mean our history of picking outside of the Academy

Go all out to get the points for Academy, as it's not like we are selecting guns ahead of Academy Selections. Obviously some too early too tell

[Roadrunner]

I mean our history of picking outside of the Academy

Go all out to get the points for Academy, as it's not like we are selecting guns ahead of Academy Selections. Obviously some too early too tell

It’s pretty obvious that we need a big bodied midfielder and at least 2 talls- one in the ruck and one KP. It’s up to our managers to work out who to get, keeping in mind that talls can take longer to develop. Cap space wise, I don’t know if we are in a position to get established talent but we sure need it. This year has shown that when injuries hit, we have no depth and our bottom 6 are inexperienced and only average at best.

Our List Managers job is to constantly refresh the team and obtain the best talent as needed. I’m not saying it’s easy but they have heaps of time to do it in. Yes, we’ve made finals regularly and generally been competitive but we need to show more ambition if we want to win flags. We had Buddy who was a star capable of lifting the team. We now have Errol, Chad and Isaac but we need a tall or two to dominate the air if we want to win the flag. So we need to be smarter and more daring in our selections and then not lose talent like Darcy Cameron, for goodness sake! It’s so frustrating to see him among the best every week for the Pies……….

[UUaswan]

It’s pretty obvious that we need a big bodied midfielder and at least 2 talls- one in the ruck and one KP. It’s up to our managers to work out who to get, keeping in mind that talls can take longer to develop. Cap space wise, I don’t know if we are in a position to get established talent but we sure need it. This year has shown that when injuries hit, we have no depth and our bottom 6 are inexperienced and only average at best.

Our List Managers job is to constantly refresh the team and obtain the best talent as needed. I’m not saying it’s easy but they have heaps of time to do it in. Yes, we’ve made finals regularly and generally been competitive but we need to show more ambition if we want to win flags. We had Buddy who was a star capable of lifting the team. We now have Errol, Chad and Isaac but we need a tall or two to dominate the air if we want to win the flag. So we need to be smarter and more daring in our selections and then not lose talent like Darcy Cameron, for goodness sake! It’s so frustrating to see him among the best every week for the Pies……….

I rate that Green coming thru, he looks like he will be ok, competes around the ground.

Rowy is the same size as George Hewett who seems to do fine extracting the ball.

We just need to back Rowy in as an accumulator instead of a flat footed defender.

He had 1 touch in the 3rd qtr last week, we were terrible but the only way you get it once when your literally at the fall of every ruck contest is because you are instructed to do everything but get the ball.

Let them play, get any negating player out of the middle.
JJ as a FF could apply the fwd pressure we are missing and he had a good goal sense.

[SwanSand]

The system should be our best against the oppositions best. Let the kids play. We should add the defensive mids for only specific scenarios. I think the only mention I hear whenever we are playing is who is tagging whom. Yes they is important and our players do a great job with it but if that is the focus we then become too dependent in stopping than finding our own pill.

we have not sold average to good players for a while. Yes we moved a few over the last couple of years but we need to look at going after specific needs.

Also even if we consider that 2022 was way too early to reach grand final for us, 2024 was the right year and now is the right timeframe. But looking at our group there are massive holes. KPP, Ruck and a midfield bull. We need them all. So realistically we are 4 players short on our list to win the elusive grand final. Even if we can get 3 - KPD KPF AND midfielder we would be at the pointy end. To find these readymade players we will have to move on some and we should be ready for it.

players like Gulden Warner Heeney Papley Blakey followed by
McCartin Mills McDonald Campbell Rowbottom Hayward
and now Bice and Jordan

I think we have the core that can get us there but just looking at the above list it is pretty clear - we are short of an elite small defender, elite small pressure forward, elite big bodied midfielder, elite ruck, elite tall KPF and Elite KPD.
yes we cannot get all these in the elite category for obvious reasons and we need to make do with role players. However our role players are currently on the downfall or have been below average when the game gets tough.