Mega merged trading thread

[nomae]

Just a little post-script on LJ, a reliable source (not a player) came into work today and let me in on a few secret home truths: LJ was apparently quite a wanker. Reportedly would aggressively yell at the physios and had a general arrogance about him that just didn't fit the club's culture, and as a result the player group wanted him out. While some of you may be skeptical, I think this story does make sense in that the coaches seemingly had no qualms about shopping around a basically untried Top-ten draft pick to other clubs. So yeah, dare we say... good riddance?

ps. with the physio thing, that might've had something to do with his frustrations with injuries etc. Yet still, this source was quite adamant that he had a personality that didn't bode well with the leadership group/other players.

[Big Al]

I did hear the same thing from the only nephew of my fathers brother.

Who knows if these things are true or not. It could be that the injuries and some home sickness contributed to LJ's demeanor and trading him back home was the best solution.

[Primmy]

Just as a side note to anyone following his fortunes; Kane Murphy (Son of David Murphy) who played toppie in ressies last year (and caught my attention at least) has decided to go to Norwood to get SANFL hard playing/opposition to assist in his plan to push his way to the front door of the AFL and to start bashing it down. I like his attitude and plan of action. Good luck kiddo. Make a note Kinnear! Stuey!

[707]

I noticed in the LRT interview posted on the Swans website, LRT mentioned Mitch Morton as impressing on the training track.

That is probably the first time in Morton's career that he has been noted for his training work.

By his own admission, he has squandered his time at the Weagles and Wretchmond so it looks like the penny has finally dropped for him and getting him for Pick 79 may prove a bargain buy as he has always had undoubted class and X-factor.

[Jewels]

Just a little post-script on LJ, a reliable source (not a player) came into work today and let me in on a few secret home truths: LJ was apparently quite a wanker. Reportedly would aggressively yell at the physios and had a general arrogance about him that just didn't fit the club's culture, and as a result the player group wanted him out. While some of you may be skeptical, I think this story does make sense in that the coaches seemingly had no qualms about shopping around a basically untried Top-ten draft pick to other clubs. So yeah, dare we say... good riddance?

ps. with the physio thing, that might've had something to do with his frustrations with injuries etc. Yet still, this source was quite adamant that he had a personality that didn't bode well with the leadership group/other players.

My daughter works at the SCG and is quite friendly with a few of the teams fitness staff and says the same thing and that it had NOTHING to do with injury. The boy is apparently a wanker through and through who has a very high opinion of himself.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

2011 Draft

The ROI for the 2011 draft thus far is only 222 games, a touch under 28 games per selection – this is the lowest ROI of any of the draft years we’ve re-examined.

In the National draft we took.
#21 Tom Mitchell F Hawthorn
#43 Jordan Lockyer
#61 Alex Brown
And utilised #85 to promote Nathan Gordon
Then in the rookies:
#13 Shane Biggs
#31 Campbell Heath
#93 Harry Cunningham
#95 Jack Lynch

We took advantage of a father son opportunity at a phenomenal bargain price, Tom as #21 was ludicrous. But then the curse of the Swans father son selection struck yet again and we failed to make the most of that bit of good luck.
I appreciate that for RWOers any criticism of the club makes them tend to overreact to what they perceive as disloyalty. On the other hand whether or not the Swans wanted rid of Mitchell because he didn’t fit in, or his possessions don’t hurt etc. etc. it’s hard not to see him as a lost opportunity.

We could have selected other players instead of Tom, but it’s unlikely that Elliot Yeo or Bradley Hill would have given the Swans longer service. After Tom things get more interesting:
Rather than Lockyer, we could have brought Sam Rowe back to the club – but would he have gotten many games with Reg and Teddy on the list?
More controversial, we could have picked up Lachie Neale, but what’s to say he wouldn’t have ben squeezed out in the way Mitchell was.
In place of Alex Brown and the rookies, we could have gone for

Aaron Hall who was overlooked until the pre season draft, he has plenty of detractors, much as Captain Gumby did – but perhaps he would have developed differently in the Swans system?

There are 3 notable rookies to consider. Rory Laird – although he was seen as a back pocket and may have been competing with Nick Smith.

Likewise Jack Crisp was taken at #40 in the Rookie draft but he was probably a flight risk.

Then we have Mark Blicavs, can anyone really suggest we might have taken him rather Campbell Heath? He was such an astonishing longshot.

So who do you think we should have take?

Although the ROI looks terrible, we really didn’t leave much on the table, it was a very shallow draft indeed. So I’d suggest the Swans recruiters deserve a pass mark, a B or C for 2011.

[Maltopia]

Cunningham at Rookie pick 93 was and is a standout. As for the the rest apart from Mitchell…

[Aprilbr]

We had mostly very low picks that season so this needs to be factored into any analysis. Tom Mitchell did win a Brownlow in 2017 and is probably still considered one of the Hawks' best players. If we had kept him then this draft would look much better for us. Its all history now. I tend to think the Academy has rescued us over the last 8 years or so when it comes to elite talent coming through. Mills, Heeney, Blakey - all top 10 talents for little draft outlay.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I tend to think the Academy has rescued us over the last 8 years or so when it comes to elite talent coming through. Mills, Heeney, Blakey - all top 10 talents for little draft outlay.

I absoluely agree, to put it another way from an earlier post on the 2013 draft

. . . the salary cap squeeze that resulted from the recruitment of Kurt and Buddy was always going to lead to player retention issues, and it did. Fortunately for us, the Academy started to kick into gear and allowed the Swans to stave off a calamity.

Without the academy the brief absence from finals that we experienced could well have been more akin to the post Edelstun apocalypse. I think it that important.

[TheBloods]

I absoluely agree, to put it another way from an earlier post on the 2013 draft
Without the academy the brief absence from finals that we experienced could well have been more akin to the post Edelstun apocalypse. I think it that important.

Dont agree one bit . Academy has given us some good talent , Mills , Gulden, Heeney , Campbel , Blakey . We had to give up draft picks to get them , Look at all the talent we 've drafted outside the academy , Jmac, Chad, Mccartin, Papley , Dawson, McDonald , Hayward , Stephens , Florent . Every pick we have to give up for academy bids is one we could 've used to find other talents like that .Itis a double edged sword .

[mcs]

Dont agree one bit . Academy has given us some good talent , Mills , Gulden, Heeney , Campbel , Blakey . We had to give up draft picks to get them , Look at all the talent we 've drafted outside the academy , Jmac, Chad, Mccartin, Papley , Dawson, McDonald , Hayward , Stephens , Florent . Every pick we have to give up for academy bids is one we could 've used to find other talents like that .Itis a double edged sword .

Of course - but also with every player taken from the academy, the risk of the 'go home' factor is a lot lower too. I think over time that will have huge benefits (probably not quite enough academy players yet to fully measure it however).

[Aprilbr]

The ability to match bids from other clubs together with a 20% discount make the academy into a priceless asset for us. We also have the advantage of watching a kid develop from a young age almost on a daily basis.

[TheBloods]

The ability to match bids from other clubs together with a 20% discount make the academy into a priceless asset for us. We also have the advantage of watching a kid develop from a young age almost on a daily basis.

Point is matching bid still means we give something up . Its not like we get them for a free. Imagine if when we got Blakey we had to use one of our lower picks to match him , and it cost us Jmac with our pick in the 40s ! We get Blakey which is great but its leveled out by losing Jmac ! Same as last year when we used picks to match Gulden and Campbell , glad we got them but those picks could 've got us the next Jmac or Chad . We pay our fair share to get our academy players . Cant call it an asset or a negative , its just fair .

[Ruck'n'Roll]

You are quite correct in that the Academy selections don't come fror free, and yes given our spectacular hit rate with late picks we could quite possibly have picked up the next Jmac or Chad - however that's not what the club did is it?
Which suggests the ability to bundle picks and match bids IS actually an advantage, albeit one whose utility the AFL have eroded.

In 2014 we used late 30's picks to move up the order and match the bid to acquire Mills, would we really be better off without him, but with Blake Hardwick, Riley Bonner, Samuel Collins, Tom Phillips or Jade Gresham? It's possible I suppose, but in Mills we have an absolutely genuine A grader.

[mcs]

Point is matching bid still means we give something up . Its not like we get them for a free. Imagine if when we got Blakey we had to use one of our lower picks to match him , and it cost us Jmac with our pick in the 40s ! We get Blakey which is great but its leveled out by losing Jmac ! Same as last year when we used picks to match Gulden and Campbell , glad we got them but those picks could 've got us the next Jmac or Chad . We pay our fair share to get our academy players . Cant call it an asset or a negative , its just fair .

There are pros and cons, but to suggest it is not an asset to have access to players through the academy is absolutely bonkers.