2014/5 shopping list ...

[Matt80]

What treatment of ROK? As far as I've heard he was not in the initial team selection because of match ups, its not like Longmire publically said that he needs to learn his place, or we're not happy with his attitude.
Do you know something the rest of us don't or are you simply assuming?

I have no insider knowledge! The man is a Norm Smith Medallist and a Club Great, and he would feel shattered to be originally selected in the reserves for the last week?s game. He wants to play on in 2015 and earn another contract, and this will most likely not happen at the Swans if he is in and out of the team in 2014. His only hope then is to be picked up by another team in 2015, which is harder for him to do if he is in and out of the team and is turning 34.

I don?t think ROK treatment is unfair, just the reality of AFL players in their mid-30s trying to keep pace with a game that quickens every year. This is why it?s important for players to maximise their earnings in their peak years, because whether ROK can play AFL in 2015 is now very much in doubt! Not playing in 2015 would probably cost him between $200,000 - $300,000.

Other players who are in their peak years, who are playing for less than their open market rate, would be taking note of the ROK developments.

Liam Pickerings negotiation of Lance Franklins contract is a master stroke because he will be earning good money when he is 35, despite injuries and the game potentialy quickening around him.

[jono2707]

In these days of professional sportspeople being on very good coin, players in all sorts of sports are less enthusiastic to retire. In the olden days a player would retire and then go and get a 'proper job' so they could earn a living. Nowadays it's the other way round and as players age/slow down/become susceptible to injuries etc, they often have to be managed out. This is not always accepted by the players in question or the fans, but it's a fact of life in professional sport in the 21st century. ROK is in this situation now.

[barry]

We should be looking to pick up one of these young gun midfielders from gws or gc. Our midfield worries me.

[barry]

GWS have 22 first round draft picks. They will hit salary cap problems by 2016. Many of those guns will like living in sydney.

We will be in poaching heaven in a few years time.

[Matt80]

In these days of professional sportspeople being on very good coin, players in all sorts of sports are less enthusiastic to retire. In the olden days a player would retire and then go and get a 'proper job' so they could earn a living. Nowadays it's the other way round and as players age/slow down/become susceptible to injuries etc, they often have to be managed out. This is not always accepted by the players in question or the fans, but it's a fact of life in professional sport in the 21st century. ROK is in this situation now.

Great point and wonderfully written! That's why it's important for good players to earn as much money as they can at their peak, because the club will only back you as long as it suits them! I hope our two best players ( Kennedy and K. Jack) who are at their peak are looking after themselves and understanding that things can he hard at the end, like they are for ROK!

[The Big Cat]

We should be looking to pick up one of these young gun midfielders from gws or gc. Our midfield worries me.

It runs pretty deep when you can't fit ROK in.

[tasmania60]

dont want to be a @@@@head but watch his pace dropped off doesnt seem as determined ?

[GongSwan]

Singled out players aside, we will be diving into the draft and back to looking at fringe players for a while. At least until GWS/GC run into salary cap problems. We must be on the limit as far as the cap goes, and until Goodes and ROK retire, there won't be any money

[tasmania60]

Agree and theirs so much class, kids arent being given games. No time being put into them , Swans in a no lose predicament .

[Doctor]

We'll be back into the "recycled players" thing again now for a couple of years. That'll make the lazy meedja types happy as they'll be able to drag out their unresearched cliches about us all over again. Hopefully we'll be looking for an underrated key defender though.

[Pmcc2911]

The thing is based on preseason and game one it would be fair to say we havnt improved on last year, if anything we have gone a little backwards.
The effect of Losing Mummy was highlighted on the weekend, whilst Buddy to date has not added any value. I know it is early and that may change but based on to date we havnt gone forward.
Whereas Freo certainly have taken there game to a new level and the Hawks looked dangerous in NAB. Havnt seen any of Geelong to comment on them. Our record against top 8 teams last year was vey poor.
Apart from tactics/game plan who do we need to enable us to improve next year and beyond (or do we have enough talent waiting to come in who will give us the improvement)