List changes and trade bait

[Jimitron5000]

Matt80 - who are we going to trade to get the number 1 pick? Next year assuming the draft rules stay roughly similar to this year we will end up with Mills and Dunkley. Do we need to get another midfielder on top of Heeney this year, especially as we have Hanneberry, Parker, Mitchell and so forth?
I would have thought we could do some strengthening in other areas.

[aardvark]

On TWR, Mal's manager said GC has offered 3 years, most other teams 2 years and the Swans only 1 year. Sounds like GC is in the front running at this stage, but the uncertainty over McKenna's future is working against them.

Ugg could you please give us a link for TWR? Thanks.

Edit. Don't worry I found it thx.

http://www.afl.com.au/afl/news/trade/trade-radio

[aardvark]

Jarrad Waite anyone?????? Could be good for a year or two and probably won't cost too much.

[mcs]

Jarrad Waite anyone?????? Could be good for a year or two and probably won't cost too much.

Ewww no. Prefer Membrey to get a game week in week out then get Waite in.

[ugg]

Jarrad Waite anyone?????? Could be good for a year or two and probably won't cost too much.

Because we don't have enough tall forwards?

[Scottee]

This is from the AFL website. Eddie Maguire would have a heart attack (possibly a good thing) if either of the "dream trades" at the end were to happen!

Mind you as with all speculation some players are mentioned with possible links to multiple clubs.

SYDNEY SWANS
Draft picks(first three rounds): 17, 36, 55
Gone: Ryan O'Keefe and Lewis Roberts-Thomson have retired, with Adam Goodes and Rhyce Shaw also chances to hang up the boots. Nick Malceski is weighing up offers from rival clubs. Shane Biggs, Matthew Dick, Jordan Lockyer and Tommy Walsh might be nervous.
What they need: Key defenders. Heath Grundy was exposed in the Grand Final and Ted Richards will be 32 by the start of next season. The Swans have got most other bases covered, although John Longmire would be keen to add ruck depth behind Mike Pyke and Tom Derickx.
Whispers: Disgruntled Essendon ruckman Paddy Ryder has been more strongly lined with the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide, but given the Swans completely blindsided the competition with the Lance Franklin deal 12 months ago, it would be foolish to believe they haven't at least enquired about the star Bomber. Ditto Collingwood midfielder Dayne Beams ? even though he wants to go home to Queensland ? and Melbourne's James Frawley, who would fill a key defensive weakness exposed by Hawthorn in the Grand Final.
Dream trade: The uproar would be unimaginable, but securing Ryder or Frawley would strengthen a few of the minor premiers' weaknesses. ? Travis King.

Can't agree that the backbone of the best defense in the competition was exposed when you consider how badly smashed the midfield was.

[Matt80]

Matt80 - who are we going to trade to get the number 1 pick? Next year assuming the draft rules stay roughly similar to this year we will end up with Mills and Dunkley. Do we need to get another midfielder on top of Heeney this year, especially as we have Hanneberry, Parker, Mitchell and so forth?
I would have thought we could do some strengthening in other areas.

In my opinion the Swans have four players who are worth a pick one. These are Franklin, Kennedy, Parker and Hanners.

Franklin, Kennedy and Parker are vital to the teams short and medium term success.

Hanners in my opinion is the 4th best rated midfielder behind Parker, Kennedy and K. Jack.

He would be the trade to St Kilda for pick one. Patracca is six years younger and getting pick 1 for Hanners after drafting him at pick 30 in 2008 represents a brilliant return on investment. It will also relieve salary cps pressure.

It's also important in my opinion to get a trade for Bird. We need to back Mitchell and give him every opportunity.

I know Heeney, Mills and Dunkley are coming to reinforce the midfield, but adding one extra gun to that group would have us challenging the top 6 all through Buddy's contract.

This is just my opinion.

[Conor_Dillon]

If all our midfielder's play to their best then I believe Hanners is our number 1...don't forget he had a hat-trick of 3 Brownlow votes earlier this year.

Should also be mentioned that Heeney was captain of the Allies team and Mills/Dunkley were co-captains of the Academy tem...good signs for our future potential leadership squad.

[aardvark]

Because we don't have enough tall forwards?

Well when Tip goes to the ruck cos Pyke is no good around the ground and Goodes retires cos he's finished and Reid goes to the backline or gets traded cos he's crap then Buddy might be a bit lonely all by himself. Jarrad might also be a positive influence off the ground for the Budster.

[Ampersand]

Trading away known talent for unknown high draft picks is a crazy strategy and one that will surely turn us into a GWS or Melbourne Demons style basketcase.

I think we have the talent in-house to challenge for the flag again, but we need some fundamental structural changes.

FORWARD LINE

Out: Reid, Goodes
In: Parker, McGlynn

These two players are our equivalents of Walters and Ballantyne or Breust and Puopolo. They have excellent radar for goals, both set shots and snaps, they are strong marks, they are fierce in defence and great when the ball hits the deck.

MIDFIELD

Out: McGlynn, Parker
In: Mitchell, Rohan (Wing)
Optional: Heeney (for Bird)

Say what you want about Mitchell, the guy lays tackles all day and gets the ball out of ugly rolling mauls. Sure, his field kicking is a work in progress but you don't have guys like him and Kennedy in the team for their ability to kick. I think both he and Kennedy will work well together in close.

As for Rohan, I just don't trust his composure or skills in defence. If he makes a blue on the wing it is far less damaging than if he is dropping marks, missing bounces and kicking off his ankle inside the 50m arc. Let him work on his endurance in the preseason and roam on the fat side of the ground.

DEFENCE

Out: Shaw, Malceski, Grundy, Richards, Rohan
In: Jetta (HB), McVeigh (HB), Reid, Laidler, Biggs

Lets put our most accurate and composed kicks where they get more of the ball. Shaw and Malceski are from the old school of "run hard and bomb it long down the line". It's predictable 50/50 footy and it results in too many turnovers. I've long advocated Jetta as a potential half-back - he plays better when he gets his hands on the ball often and early and his vision and passing around the ground is the best in the team.

Time for some new blood in our backline - it was always going to happen sooner or later. Reid as a permanent defender should be a priority project over the off-season. As evidenced by my thread before the GF, I have long held that whatever his swingman role was supposed to achieve has never worked and in many ways seriously damaged the potency of our forward 50 entries due to his inability to keeps his feet, draw away his defender and his lack of mobility.

[Conor_Dillon]

We can't afford to drop both Richards and Grundy...definitely don't have the depth to cover that.

[Ampersand]

I don't think we can afford to keep them with the way they are going downhill.

Physically, if he's developed correctly Reid is the perfect long-term replacement for Teddy. 196cm/95kg versus 192cm/94kg respectively.

Laidler will need to work on his contested marking strength but he's a much smarter footballer than Grundy and more mobile around the ground.

[dimelb]

There is a suggestion we need a small forward of Breust's type. I think we already have one; his name is Harry Cunningham, already probably our most accurate kick. Put him in there with Lance, Tippo and Membrey and give him time to learn the job.

And I would like to see Tommy Walsh for a few games in defence with the firsts; he's apparently done well towards the end of the season and I'd like to see if he's the real thing, especially when we won't have Alex J available, whom we already know is the real thing.

Finally, let's take a leaf out of Hawthorn's book and work them hard on accuracy by foot - preferably both feet, but at least one. It would save a lot of grief.

[Ampersand]

Cunningham's elite endurance is totally wasted in the forward line.

[Meg]

Finally, let's take a leaf out of Hawthorn's book and work them hard on accuracy by foot - preferably both feet, but at least one. It would save a lot of grief.

Hear hear! I have despaired all year about our field kicking accuracy while being in awe of Hawthorn's. Time we did something about ours.