Acquiring "ready made" players

[hammo]

In Richards' case, it wouldn't have been seen by anybody, really. Probably because he was expected to play as a traditional man-on-man defender, when he is far better suited to playing loose, which Sheedy didn't realise.

Name me a single defender in the AFL who wouldn't like to play without an opponent? Surely to be a good defender you have to play man on man?

Maybe. Or maybe he just didn't realise. Maybe Leigh Matthews never did see Bolton's potential. We can't read the coaches' minds, we can only go on what is more likely.

Bolton was a young defender trying to win a place in a triple premiership team. Matthews has said he saw Bolton's potential and was reluctant to lose him (he wasn't traded and came to us via the PSD). Who should he have dropped from that side?

Success in this recruiting strategy is about turning apparently average players into very solid contributors, and that is what the Swans have done well.

It suited our gameplan as well, where superstars were frowned upon.

The strategy falls down when the solid contributers can't step up a gear to play a more expansive game plan based on individual flair. In my view Ted Richards falls perfectly into this category but he has plenty of friends.

[goswannie14]

ROK ,

What about Stewart Maxfield : Club Captain.
Not a bad pick up

Maybe not a champion in the comp, though a GUN at our club and the key of our success in 2005. He was CHAMPION at our club

We have done very well getting other players from other clubs ROK , better than anyone else as we have to so we remain competative.
Whether or not they are CHAMPIONS remains a debating point though we do it better than other clubs.

I find that very hard to believe, he was not the key to our success, he was a key.

[Vonsteinman]

Davis hasn't really improved a great deal since Collingwood nor did Schauble.

Schauble played 13 games in 1999 for Collingwood and was on the way out before being traded to Sydney for draft pick #34 and Mark Kinnear (who was drafted by the Swans at #4 in 1996). Kinnear walked out on Collingwood during that pre-season.

Schauble won the Swans best and fairest in 2000.

[2005]

I find that very hard to believe, he was not the key to our success, he was a key.

Believe me GoSwannie he played an integral part in 2005 that many dont know about . He was the The "House" Key , many others then just turned it

[ROK Lobster]

The way Maxfield was playing it was probably a good thing he was injured. Not questioning his influence, or his heart, or his ability, but it had been starting to look like he had played 1 season to many.

[NMWBloods]

Just watched Hall in the '97 GF (great game that) - best GF he has played in. He definitely had the goods already.

[Melbournehammer]

I'm just watching the 2005 Grand Final. I dont know what it is but we looked so much faster in that game - we were playing against a very fast side but the team as a whole was so much faster. I am thinking that maybe time and the crash and bash style has caught up with us so that all we have left is the stop start kicking - and boy do we seriously miss willo.

[BSA5]

Name me a single defender in the AFL who wouldn't like to play without an opponent? Surely to be a good defender you have to play man on man?

Is that post serious? Of course every defender will have more influence if they don't have to worry about an opponent. My point is that Richards has MORE influence than a typical defender does when playing loose. As for your "surely to be a good defender you have to play man on man", well, I guess Luke Hodge is a pretty lousy defender then.

Bolton was a young defender trying to win a place in a triple premiership team. Matthews has said he saw Bolton's potential and was reluctant to lose him (he wasn't traded and came to us via the PSD). Who should he have dropped from that side?

I'm not saying he should have dropped anybody. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Lethal saw Bolton's potential. He was Bolton's coach, after all. The point is that Roos saw it as well, and Roos was in another state. That is where the credit should go. Bolton, like so many other players, could have just disappeared down into the lower grades, never to be seen again. Roos, to his credit, picked him up, and turned him into a superstar defender.

It suited our gameplan as well, where superstars were frowned upon.

The strategy falls down when the solid contributers can't step up a gear to play a more expansive game plan based on individual flair. In my view Ted Richards falls perfectly into this category but he has plenty of friends.

Your point? It suited our gameplan well. Yes. Exactly. That's why we did it, and it won us a Premiership in 2005 and almost had us going back to back in 2006.

As for your second point.... these players were never recruited to play that "more expansive game". In every team, you have your solid contributors, your young guns, and your superstars. The Swans have concentrated on recruiting our solid contributors with this strategy we've been talking about, while our superstars are home grown. Goodes, Kirk, McVeigh, ROK, O'Loughlin, Kennelly, Barry. They've all only ever played for the Swans.

[ScottH]

Stewart Dew, paid dividends today.

[Lucky Knickers]

Stewart Dew, paid dividends today.

Didn't he what! He got them going when they needed it.

[shaun..]

Just watched Hall in the '97 GF (great game that) - best GF he has played in. He definitely had the goods already.

Too disciplined nowadays... oh wait, he hit a bloke..

[Swans_Lad11]

What a load of rubbish! We have had a great deal of success with trading players, particularly under Paul Roos.

Barry Hall (ok that was before Roos but still part of the same timeframe) His success here speaks for itself.

Nick Davis - a little dodgy but did a great deal more good than harm. We wouldn't have won the flag without him (and not just for the Geelong effort).

Craig Bolton, Ted Richards, Marty Mattner, all brilliant buys. These three a good hard working defenders and under the guidance of Leo Barry are part of a solid unit thats clicks more often than not.

Spida Everett, maybe nothing to flash onfield but his experience etc would have been invaluable for the kids coming through. His value is largely unseen but I think we got a lot more than people realised with him.

Finally Henry Playfair will continue to become a more important cog in the wheel with a good pre-season and will go another step next season.

As for Spriggs, Chambers etc there are bound to be some faliures but that is the same with the draft. Spriggs in particular would have been the perfect replacement for Cresswell had it not been for his injury problems.

[NMWBloods]

What a load of rubbish! We have had a great deal of success with trading players, particularly under Paul Roos.

I think you need to read the OP.

[The Undertaker]

Teddy Richards really improved under the Swans coaching regime.

Craig Bolton improved as a player and found his niche as a rugged defender.

Nick Davis and Barry Hall were recruited to play similar roles to their prevoius clubs.

[Swans_Lad11]

Should also add Darren Jolly to that list. Our success has been built around developing the kids from the draft and complementing them with decent players who aren't getting much of a look in at other clubs (Craig Bolton, Darren Jolly, Ted Richards etc). I think we have proved that high draft picks are largely overrated. Afterall Adam Cooney was the first no.1 Draft to win the Brownlow. I think Hawthorn still could have had similar success even if they hadn't been on the bottom for so long.