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There seems to be a common belief that the Swans are very good at picking up other club's discard and turning them into champions. There also seems to be some belief that this is a good way to go, and a better bet than the draft lottery. IMO, it is a load of twaddle, and the Swans have not really had a great deal of success with this style of recruitment.
Bolton is an example of its success. Clearly a very good player who could not get a consistent run in a great team. Shows that the recruitment style has some benefits if you can pick up good youngish players from the great sides - hence Geelong's lower list will be picked over by all and sundry. But this methid simply relies on good players finding themselves at strong clubs at the wrong time.
Mattner may well become another good example. Apparently a genuine discard of the Crows (although did not come super cheap) found a niche in our backline and may become a player of similar importance to the club as Bolton. Here's hoping.
Beyond these two I cannot think of another example of a discarded/surplus player achieving more at the Swans than where they came from.
Ted has had more game time, but has not gone to another level with us. Ted is a good player but is not a superstar, nor will he ever be.
Everitt - simply 2 years too late.
Some may say Hall - he seemed to get his head right in Sydney for a few years but would have likely achieved a similar level of success anywhere else. Certainly was not a St Kilda discard - he didn't come cheap.
Brennan, Spriggs, Chambers all come to mind as players who have justified their original club's decision to let them go after coming to Sydney.
Vogels is another who was seen as some sort of recruiting master stroke who is no doubt tearing it up in the bush again.
Can anyone think of others, for or against. Schauble and Williams come to mind, but they were pretty run of the mill trades IIRC.
Our reputation for developing other's discards rests on Bolton. Our reputation for developing Melbourne's bad boys rests on Plugger and Hall (both of whom may have matured in similar ways anyway, although I am sure the club can take a lot of credit for their improvement).
It is time for Sydney to go back to the draft for its talent.
Bolton is an example of its success. Clearly a very good player who could not get a consistent run in a great team. Shows that the recruitment style has some benefits if you can pick up good youngish players from the great sides - hence Geelong's lower list will be picked over by all and sundry. But this methid simply relies on good players finding themselves at strong clubs at the wrong time.
Mattner may well become another good example. Apparently a genuine discard of the Crows (although did not come super cheap) found a niche in our backline and may become a player of similar importance to the club as Bolton. Here's hoping.
Beyond these two I cannot think of another example of a discarded/surplus player achieving more at the Swans than where they came from.
Ted has had more game time, but has not gone to another level with us. Ted is a good player but is not a superstar, nor will he ever be.
Everitt - simply 2 years too late.
Some may say Hall - he seemed to get his head right in Sydney for a few years but would have likely achieved a similar level of success anywhere else. Certainly was not a St Kilda discard - he didn't come cheap.
Brennan, Spriggs, Chambers all come to mind as players who have justified their original club's decision to let them go after coming to Sydney.
Vogels is another who was seen as some sort of recruiting master stroke who is no doubt tearing it up in the bush again.
Can anyone think of others, for or against. Schauble and Williams come to mind, but they were pretty run of the mill trades IIRC.
Our reputation for developing other's discards rests on Bolton. Our reputation for developing Melbourne's bad boys rests on Plugger and Hall (both of whom may have matured in similar ways anyway, although I am sure the club can take a lot of credit for their improvement).
It is time for Sydney to go back to the draft for its talent.
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