Season is nearly over what do we need for next year?

[liz]

Let's trade for Santata so we have on our list...

2 ex Gaelic footballers
2 rugby league background
1 ex rugby union international
1 volleyball background
1 basketball background
1 hurling background

...how about a soccor player or hockey? Seriously, bot sure carrying so many 'experiments' at the same time is such a great idea.

Anyway, great post Ludwig - you hit the nail on the head. Whilst there is much promise on our list, there is a lot of risk.

3 ex Gaelic footballers - don't forget the Swans have already signed Kyle Coney onto the rookie list for next year.

+1 National underage RU representative (LRT)

Goodes maybe fits the bill as an ex-soccer player. Only switched to AFL aged 15,

[Legs Akimbo]

I can see a possible trade of Nick Davis for either Ryan Murphy of Freo or a tall Carlton defender (like Setanta or Thornton), but this is just speculation.

Let's trade for Santata so we have on our list...

2 ex Gaelic footballers
2 rugby league background
1 ex rugby union international
1 volleyball background
1 basketball background
1 hurling background

...how about a soccor player or hockey? Seriously, bot sure carrying so many 'experiments' at the same time is such a great idea.

Anyway, great post Ludwig - you hit the nail on the head. Whilst there is much promise on our list, there is a lot of risk.

[smasher]

We desperately need defenders and KPP.If you look at who's available in the draft we definatly could get a running half back flanker.There are also some big guys who will be available to us.Roosy wants to go for youth so we need to use our draft picks on previously undrafted players.
I think ROK is our only tradeable player who we would get someone good for although I would hate to see him go.

[ShockOfHair]

Agree SimonH. We've got some gun midfielders and small forwards on the way through, but dearth of KPPs, especially up back. Leo's openly talking about possibly retiring at the end of this year -- it's hard to see him here after next season.

Grundy seems better suited up forward. I reckon there's room still for LRT, who's not had a good year, but he'll never be leader of the band up back. Brendan Murphy is spending most of his time in the twos at full back or CHB, but he's two or three years away from playing a prominent role.

I don't see any big name defenders we could pick anyone up in the draft, but there may another under the radar player like Mattner or B2 willing to switch.

[SimonH]

Without needlessly quoting your whole post Ludwig, they're some good points nicely written.

However, seeing the list of "first class" players tells us something: Moore, Bird, Jack and Vespa. All mids/small forwards/small defenders. Guys who've had injury-hit 2008s who (if they make the cut) can reasonably be expected to kick on hard in 2009: Thornton, Meredith, DOK, Laidlaw, Schmidt. Same story.

In terms of potential KPPs among the up-and-comers: Barlow has currently stalled, Grundy is presently just marking time as a stopgap defender (when the only really impressive footy he's played at the top level has been as a marking forward), White might make it but is yet to impress at the top level, Faulks is probably a tall flanker/pocket rather than a true KPP, Playfair is best politely described as a 'depth player who makes a contest' (and is none too young anyway), and the likes of Murphy and the Canadian rookie are still very speculative. We look pretty light on for quality KPPs.

Even if Sydney went contrary to form and picked a quality KPP with their first draft pick (there are apparently guaranteed to be some good'uns still around), we wouldn't really have the 2-3 years up our sleeves for him to develop and reach reliable AFL standard. It's just about time to gamble on another big-ticket trade.

[Rob-bloods]

No doubt Tenace will come up again this year we were linked with him prior.

I like a few of the Freo players who are skilled types but not progressing in that schmozzle of a club. There is some flair there that we lack and we do have a knack for getting something from reasonable recycling.

In broad terms we must get a fullback and add goalscoring potency quality disposal.

The club has a rap on Meredith he was picked up for his disposal...hope that's true.

The reserves watchers comments on Currie sound very encouraging, look forward to seeing him in the team.

Retirements Matthews, Everitt...Davis perhaps?

[SimonH]

History suggests that we will trade for a KPP (as we do need one) rather than draft one with our first-round pick.

Our first round pick (and almost certainly our second as well, if we don't trade it) will be a mid, again, unless the Swans have an unexpected change of heart.

Top of my wish-list among realistic options is Adam McPhee. Has the body and ability to be a true KPP, but is generally played in a second-fiddle/Teddie Richards style role at the Dons. Hard to see them being interested in any of our players who would be put up for trade (JBolt is now approaching an untradeable age, and his current form would probably make us disinclined to trade him anyway), and they might blanch at our 2nd rounder. But you can't win if you don't try.

Talking of the likes of Roughead is like saying, 'Hey-- why don't we pick up Jono Brown and Nick Riewoldt? They can both play a bit.' Fantasyland stuff. Certainly don't go anywhere near Courtney Johns. Alan Didak won't be going anywhere near Sydney (nor are small forwards a special area of need), so no point speculating about him.

[Ludwig]

I think the biggest problem facing the Swans heading into next season is that there is so much uncertainty over our list of younger players.

On one hand, some of the young players introduced this year as very promising. I have little doubt that Moore, Bird, Jack and Vespa will be first class players.
MOD and Nick Smith look promising as well. Grundy, White, Braba and Barlow have done enough to suggest that they could go one to become solid enough AFL players, but these 6 are far from certain. We will probably have to create extra places on the senior list to promote MOD and Smith.

DOK, Thornton, Meredith and Laidlaw have lost a year through injury. Although they all looked promising at some point in the past, it seems that we will have to wait till next year to find out.

Schmidt looked a certainty to start this year, but was also lost to injury.

Murphy, Currie and Bruce have also shown good signs for the future. And then there's Orreal and Pyke, as well as a few others of greater uncertainty.

That's 20+ players that could well be our future, with a vast majority having both promise as well as big question marks next to their names. And there lies the problem. I wouldn't suggest that we get rid of any of them this year, which means that we will go into next year with a lot of second and third year players simply not knowing what lies ahead and being stuck in a tight position for senior places. Add to that the highly rated nature of the draft this year and I think the problem who to axe.

I can see a possible trade of Nick Davis for either Ryan Murphy of Freo or a tall Carlton defender (like Setanta or Thornton), but this is just speculation.

Otherwise I think we should trade both Davis and Ablett (plus draft picks) for higher draft picks, e.g., Nick Davis plus our number one pick to Freo for their number one pick, thus moving up a few places.

I would think Spida, Benny and probably Brennan will retire or be delisted. To that I would suspect Leo and Crouch may retire as well, but far from certain; just depends on how they are holding up physically. MOL will probably go on, and why not, he's had a great year. And Hally is still under contract and looks fine physically. He's had a couple of tough years with injury and Suspension, but if he stays healthy, he could well play on beyond next year.

With the Cats looking so strong for next couple of years, I'm not so bothered about being in a rebuilding phase at the moment. I think our chances of playing in finals during this period are not too bad, but doubt that we will seriously challenge for a Premiership for several years. But that's okay. It's interesting seeing how the team develops with so many good prospects. This next group of players look to generally better skilled than the ones going out and look to offer a more exciting brand of football.

I'm hoping for a few years of Hawthorne type of football. An exciting and improving team with some good young players. They probably won't win the big one for a few years either. Good luck to the Cats. They've go a great team. I wish we had that sort of quality, but it didn't come overnight to them either. We have just got to be realistic about our chances over the next couple of years. I'm really pleased with the kind of run we've had since Roos took over. As long as we can be competitive, I'm rather pleased at how things are going. Whatever happens this campaign, I'm really looking forward to next year.

[Plugger46]

I try hard not to watch Freo much so haven't seen him play. Give me pros/cons?

Has good hands, reasonably quick off the mark and kicks pretty well. He has played a couple of really good games but hasn't done it consistently. A fresh start might be what he needs. I'd take him.

[Plugger46]

Beau Dowler.

I played a lot of footy against him growing up. He was always good going through the juniors but lacked something. Also played a bit of footy against Dale Thomas and a little bit with Salopek (He was a couple of years older). Dowler had nothing on them at that stage. I was amazed that he went so high in the draft but I guess you could put that down to being a key position player.

I'm not surprised that he hasn't cemented a spot in the Hawthorn side but he'll probably get a go somewhere else if they decide to let him go.

[Legs Akimbo]

Beau Dowler.

[Lucky Knickers]

* Ryan Murphy

I try hard not to watch Freo much so haven't seen him play. Give me pros/cons?

[Lohengrin]

He's a gun. Have to give up a lot to get him.

But he might be keen to get out from behind Franklin's shadow.

edit: Obviously not - just saw he has re-signed.

[DST]

Will be an interesting trade period coming up.

Possibilities that we will be looking at are:

* Tim Boyle
* Ryan Murphy
* Kosi (to play as a permanent CHB)
* Didak

All of the above will take an early second rounder or greater to bring one of them to Sydney.

The other option is Cousins for a late national draft pick as a stop gap 2 or 3 year measure to tie us over while we lose our experience in the next two years.

As for drafting I think we need to go KP Forward with our first pick this year.

DST

[ScottH]

Williams and Roughhead just resigned as part of that group of 8 did they not?

Spoilsport!

Clarkson said the re-signing of stars including Chance Bateman and Jarryd Roughead this week was vital to the side's plans to produce a league powerhouse.

The trio, along with Mark Williams, Robert Campbell, Brent Renouf, Jarryd Morton and Mitch Thorp have all committed for at least the 2009 and 2010 seasons.