Josh Kennedy. Is he the best ever midfielder we've had?

[Jewels]

Joshie will be the best midfielder we've ever had when he and Ana produce some beautiful baby boys that eighteen years later become Sydney Swans and not Hawthorn Hawks!

[ugg]

And to think we traded picks 39, 46 and 70 for him AND McGlynn. It's already one of the big trade wins of all time and has many years to get even better.

[ScottH]

And to think we traded picks 39, 46 and 70 for him AND McGlynn. It's already one of the big trade wins of all time and has many years to get even better.

39 (Sam Grimley),
46 (Benjamin Stratton)
70 (Matthew Suckling)

A fair trade for us!!

[barry]

kennedy is good, but he's not in the top 5 midfielders in the comp, so hard to make a call of him being best swan ever.

Ablett is of course miles ahead. And, even though he plays for the filth, Pendelbury is an amazing footballer. Skill, time, and class all roled into one.
He has an aura which makes defenders stand off him. I dont think Kennedy has reached that stage yet.

[ScottH]

Sydney Swans midfielder Josh Kennedy has moved into outright second place in the race for the 2014 AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award.

After failing to poll votes in the opening two rounds of the season, Kennedy has collected votes in the last seven games and is now just 11 votes behind Gold Coast Suns captain Gary Ablett, who leads the competition with 55 votes.

Kennedy moving on up - sydneyswans.com.au

[bondy]

Kennedy moving on up - sydneyswans.com.au

Scott, the headline gave me a brief heart attack - I read it as 'Kennedy Moving On' (!)

[Mug Punter]

Not sure of him individually but it would be hard to pick a better midfield quartet than Josh, Hanners, Jack and McVeigh in our history.

Add in out forward quartet of Buddy, KT, Reid and Goodesy - has there been a more powerful forward line ever?

[Matt80]

Not sure of him individually but it would be hard to pick a better midfield quartet than Josh, Hanners, Jack and McVeigh in our history.

Add in out forward quartet of Buddy, KT, Reid and Goodesy - has there been a more powerful forward line ever?

Brereton and Dunstall
Ablett, Brownless and Stonham
Hird, Lloyd and Lucas
Carey, Mckernan and Longmire
Bradshaw, Brown and Lynch
Lockett and Lowe
Franklin and Roughead

They were powerful forward lines over many seasons. Our quartet has only played two games together but is looking threatening.

[liz]

I reckon if you just look back to Roughhead, Franklin, Bruest, Rioli and Gunston. that's pretty impressive. Clarkson arguably weakened it from where it could have been via his insistence on moving Buddy up the ground and reducing the team's dependence on him (which was understandable given he figured Buddy would probably leave). it still won them the premiership so it's hard to find fault with.

Buddy and Tippett form a powerful duo, but Goodes is yet to deliver much to the combo this year, and Reid is really playing as a tall utility around the ground. We lack a true midsized and/or small forward in there to form a really powerful forward unit. However, I don't think we need to create one because we have so many forwards who can rotate through the small and medium roles. Why have specialists taking up those roles if you can get almost as much from players who also take their turn in the midfield. While it would be nice to have a player with the x-factor forward of Ballantyne or Walters, I don't think it is a serious weakness and enables us to play so many genuine midfielders.

[ScottH]

Scott, the headline gave me a brief heart attack - I read it as 'Kennedy Moving On' (!)

Haha. Pays to read the whole thing.

[shaun..]

I reckon if you just look back to Roughhead, Franklin, Bruest, Rioli and Gunston. that's pretty impressive. Clarkson arguably weakened it from where it could have been via his insistence on moving Buddy up the ground and reducing the team's dependence on him (which was understandable given he figured Buddy would probably leave). it still won them the premiership so it's hard to find fault with.

Buddy and Tippett form a powerful duo, but Goodes is yet to deliver much to the combo this year, and Reid is really playing as a tall utility around the ground. We lack a true midsized and/or small forward in there to form a really powerful forward unit. However, I don't think we need to create one because we have so many forwards who can rotate through the small and medium roles. Why have specialists taking up those roles if you can get almost as much from players who also take their turn in the midfield. While it would be nice to have a player with the x-factor forward of Ballantyne or Walters, I don't think it is a serious weakness and enables us to play so many genuine midfielders.

Our rotation of our midfielders works great as that small forward combo. If you had to choose one, you'd think BJ would eventually assume that position. But I'm eager to see Membrey amongst the twin towers as he brings another goal kicking element. If they decide to rest Goodes for a week or two I hope he will be picked. And Reid's current role seems a perfect fit as a swingman, especially with his strong marking that provides that 'get out of jail' from the kick in or around the wing.

On a side note, I can't wait till Nankervis is unleashed as he is also looking dangerous in the reserves.. we are/will be spoilt for choice

[Matt80]

I reckon if you just look back to Roughhead, Franklin, Bruest, Rioli and Gunston. that's pretty impressive. Clarkson arguably weakened it from where it could have been via his insistence on moving Buddy up the ground and reducing the team's dependence on him (which was understandable given he figured Buddy would probably leave). it still won them the premiership so it's hard to find fault with.

Buddy and Tippett form a powerful duo, but Goodes is yet to deliver much to the combo this year, and Reid is really playing as a tall utility around the ground. We lack a true midsized and/or small forward in there to form a really powerful forward unit. However, I don't think we need to create one because we have so many forwards who can rotate through the small and medium roles. Why have specialists taking up those roles if you can get almost as much from players who also take their turn in the midfield. While it would be nice to have a player with the x-factor forward of Ballantyne or Walters, I don't think it is a serious weakness and enables us to play so many genuine midfielders.

The Swans have a policy of not playing or nurturing small genuine forwards. We traded Adam Schneider and Trent Dennis Lane who were genuine small forwards.

We prefer our small forwards to be resting midfield types. It's not a bad thing as we have resting midfielders such as Kieran Jack, Mcveigh, Parker and McGlynn who good goal kickers.

We don't have a Lecras, Walters, Ballantyne, Betts, Winguard, Thomas, Breust, Stokes, Garlette or Giansiracusa.

I don't think its a concern for two reasons:

1) We have the best genuine small defender in the competition (Nick Smith) so we never get hurt by an opposition small attacker.

2) Having extra midfielders in the side allows us to continually have greater success in the most important part of the football ground.

[dimelb]

And then people like Mal and Rampe come up and kick goals - that really bamboozles the opposition!

[goswannies]

Brereton and Dunstall
Ablett, Brownless and Stonham
Hird, Lloyd and Lucas
Carey, Mckernan and Longmire
Bradshaw, Brown and Lynch
Lockett and Lowe
Franklin and Roughead

They were powerful forward lines over many seasons. Our quartet has only played two games together but is looking threatening.

Pratt & Nash ... I'm not sure it gets better than that for 2 spectacularly potent forwards

[goswannies]

The Swans have a policy of not playing or nurturing small genuine forwards. We traded Adam Schneider and Trent Dennis Lane who were genuine small forwards.

Not sure TDL amounted to much & I thought we off-loaded Schneider as Monty played a similar role & there wasn't really room for both of them. At the time Schnides was a just tad over weight & Monty was looking a little stronger. Unfortunately Schnides came on better & Monty was moved on as form fell off.