Swans' Draft Selections / potential FA pick-ups

[Swansongster]

It will be on interesting ND on Thursday because of so many unknowns at the top end and the distorting by GWS having 5 picks inside 14, picks that may not take the most logical player as it would if 14 teams were taking those picks.

Other than Whitfield at No.1, who else will GWS take? How far will Grundy slide if GWS don't take him? Who will take a chance on potential bad results in Simpson and Garlett? Who will punt on injury prone Menzel and Stringer? Will the Swans grab a spud with pick 23 but snag a gun with later picks?

Must watch TV on Thursday night.

While I share your enthusiasm for what is surely a most interesting draft, I think I'll tune a bit later to view the results and hear some analysis. During proceedings I have some grass to watch growing and there is some wet paint in the back bathroom that I recorded earlier.

[Chilcott]

While I share your enthusiasm for what is surely a most interesting draft, I think I'll tune a bit later to view the results and hear some analysis. During proceedings I have some grass to watch growing and there is some wet paint in the back bathroom that I recorded earlier.

With reduced rainfall over the past week, the growth of my grass stagnated over the weekend. Therefore, I will be tuning in on Thursday night.

[R-1]

Workmate of mine spotted Jake Stringer with Stuart Maxfield at Sydney airport. Interesting, though I doubt he'll fall to pick 23.

[BillyRayCypress]

Workmate of mine spotted Jake Stringer with Stuart Maxfield at Sydney airport. Interesting, though I doubt he'll fall to pick 23.

He's not dyslexic and it was Matt Spanger ?

[707]

Interesting article just gone up on the Swans website about drafting strategies fo the ND.

The recruiters have got down to a list of 24 names they would take with their first pick at 23. Whitfield, Toumpas, etc will be quickly crossed off that list but when our first pick comes there will be at least two or more names not crossed out from which to choose. Obviously be the best player that suits our needs, midfielder probably.

Assume we've got anther list that gets us through to our two picks in the 40's. This is where you hope that one of your original 24 is still available. It can happen, we thought Reid would be gone by pick 38 and I know a coach from another club who said they almost took him with a pick about 15-18 spots earlier but h slipped all the way to us.

Warm up the telly, let that grass grow and paint dry unwatched :-)

[Jewels]

While I share your enthusiasm for what is surely a most interesting draft, I think I'll tune a bit later to view the results and hear some analysis. During proceedings I have some grass to watch growing and there is some wet paint in the back bathroom that I recorded earlier.

I'm with you, I think I'll watch the GF again and follow the draft on the laptop!

[MightyBloods]

I just listened to the Beatson video. Interesting to hear his thoughts on this year's draft talent as he rates the small/medium midfielders and says that there is not much depth to key position talent. Beatson also mentions talking to each State Recruitment Manager with his Recruitment Team to formulate the top 50 list. Then puts the list in order after further consultation with Recruitment and gauging the coaches thoughts on where they believe the game is heading. Gee...I'd love to have that list as a TV guide sitting down watching the draft on live TV! Sounds like we may 'pinch' a key position player if a good one drops to 23 or a top midfielder that they rate very highly but somehow drops to 23...hhhmmm.....If we take a key-position then gambling that good midfielders will still be around come our picks in the 40's...

Also, interesting to hear that he said we may only use 4 picks in the ND....surprised he didnt say 5 knowing that our 5th pick is only 2 spots after our 4th pick. Hmmm

[Auntie.Gerald]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/151313/default.aspx

agree that Lonergan is the most obvious pick for the Swans

http://www.afl.com.au/Video/tabid/76/contentid/501117/invoke/Default.aspx#playvideo

last minute of video is very exciting and reminded me of Luke Parkers Draft highlights two years ago

23. Sydney Swans - Jesse Lonergan
Height: 182cm
Weight: 91kg
DOB: 14/11/94
Club: Launceston
Draft range: 13-24
The Swans clearly have most bases covered on the back of their premiership, but they love inside midfielders and Lonergan's one of the best out there. The Tasmanian is a lot like his uncle Sam, former Bomber, but has a more explosive streak that helps him not only win the ball in a contest, but then burst away from it. He's physically ready, too, with a man's body and senior experience for Launceston, where he debuted as a 15-year-old.
In the mix: Gold Coast. The Suns have been linked to Lonergan and need a replacement for Josh Caddy. If he gets past them, North Melbourne and Geelong will have a think about him.

[jono2707]

I would be a bit surprised if we took an inside midfielder with our first pick - we seem to be well off for them at the moment and have Mitchell in the wings. I would prefer the best available tall or a more outside and pacy player. Whilst I'm not saying that Lonergan wouldn't be a good pick up, I think the writer based his guess for our selection based on our supposed love of inside midfielders without possibly thinking where our needs might lie. Not that the reigning premiers have any great needs...... Isn't it good to say that???!!!

[Melbourne_Blood]

Swans' Draft Selections / potential FA pick-ups

I agree an inside mid seems to be the last thing we need at the minute, but then again Jude and ROK can't have long left. That still leaves Parker, Jack ( inside outside ) Hanners, Joey and Mitchell. I think if there's a rebounding defender type with nice skills and a bit of pace we could use someone like that. Rhyce and Marty are getting a bit long in the tooth. A key defender would be nice but I'm assuming the good KP size players will be mostly gone by the time we have a pic.

[Big Al]

Re: Swans' Draft Selections / potential FA pick-ups

While I share your enthusiasm for what is surely a most interesting draft, I think I'll tune a bit later to view the results and hear some analysis. During proceedings I have some grass to watch growing and there is some wet paint in the back bathroom that I recorded earlier.

If you Google watching paint dry and watching grass grow you'll find this...

[Big Al]

Re: Swans' Draft Selections / potential FA pick-ups

Not that the reigning premiers have any great needs...... Isn't it good to say that???!!!

Yep it sure is... The down side to the whole thing though is that I'm starting to look like Jack Nicholson from the Batman movie and it's freaking people out.

[MightyBloods]

The kid can play but I think we have 'inside midfielders' covered with Parker and Mitchell. I prefer a top key position player (who can play both ends) and if gone by our pick 23...then the best midfielder with pace.
Another rider for Lonergan is that he's from Tassie and I'm expecting a Tassie Team to enter the comp in the next 5 years....and if he's any good then he'll be a target from a team with plenty of draft concessions.



23. Sydney Swans - Jesse Lonergan
Height: 182cm
Weight: 91kg
DOB: 14/11/94
Club: Launceston
Draft range: 13-24
The Swans clearly have most bases covered on the back of their premiership, but they love inside midfielders and Lonergan's one of the best out there. The Tasmanian is a lot like his uncle Sam, former Bomber, but has a more explosive streak that helps him not only win the ball in a contest, but then burst away from it. He's physically ready, too, with a man's body and senior experience for Launceston, where he debuted as a 15-year-old.
In the mix: Gold Coast. The Suns have been linked to Lonergan and need a replacement for Josh Caddy. If he gets past them, North Melbourne and Geelong will have a think about him.[/QUOTE]

[Auntie.Gerald]

Likely draftees for 2012:

Jesse Lonergan: An inside midfielder who has been training with the AIS squad. Plays for Launceston in the TSL. Was named in the top 30 for the 2011 Tassie medal which is awarded to the best and fairest in the league. In an outstanding year, he also won the Corporate Express rising star award, joining fellow past winners such as Grant Birchall, Mitch Robinson, and Ryan Harwood.
Jesse recovered from an early season injury to take part in the NAB under 18s carnival. He played two games, averaging 16 disposals and five tackles per game to be among our best players in both games. He was also one of the standouts of the 2012 AFL combine, scoring elite results in goal kicking (equal first), agility (2nd), vertical leap (2nd), running leap (3rd), and repeat sprints (7th), and showing great burst speed with a 3.01 in the 20m sprint, which puts him just outside the top 10.

Player comparison: Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
Draft range: 14-26

[liz]

The kid can play but I think we have 'inside midfielders' covered with Parker and Mitchell.

I'm not sure we have any position really covered. Of the players on our list who didn't play in the GF

- McGlynn is a small forward / half forward who can take his turn in the middle but isn't really true 'inside' midfielder
- Rohan is a utility at this stage, yet to find his best position. However, it is unlikely he will turn into an inside mid any time soon.
- Everitt is a utility who I am willing to wager will never turn into an inside mid.
- Walsh is a key forward or defender
- White is a key forward, second ruck or possibly a key backman, Notwithstanding that he played ruck rover in the reserves at times this year, I can't see him becoming a senior inside mid.
- Harry is also yet to find his true position and he did play as an onballer at times in the reserves this year. But he looks more likely to find a short term senior niche as a HBFer or a Jetta style wingman-cum-half forward.
- Brown and Lockyer spent substantial parts of the year injured, especially Lockyer who would recover from one injury only to find himself another. Hard to tell what they might become but neither shapes up as an obvious inside mid.

That just leaves Mitchell. While he clearly has inside mid potential, he too has been injured for so long over the past two seasons that he is far from a sure thing to become a regular senior player. On talent, he looks like a prospect but we'll have to wait and see what his body has to say about it.

In the meantime, we have Jude and ROK who might yet play on until they are 40 (and I don't doubt they'd both love to, if their bodies permit) but in reality are closer to the end than the start. Goodes, too, is still an occasional onballer and we don't know how long he has left.

Our current game style relies on having a fair number who can rotate through and win the hard ball around the contests. I don't think we really have any depth in that position for 2013, let alone for 2014 and beyond.

I agree we have needs in a variety of different positions for future seasons but I think inside midfielder is just as much of a requirement as any other position. So I hope the club just picks the best player(s) they think are available, especially at pick 23. If that is Lonergan, so be it. I suspect he'll be gone by the time it comes to our pick but you never know.