2015 academy discussion thread (with some FS thrown in for good measure)

[goswannies]

obviously one of the counter arguments is that our pick 30 to 40s like Parker, Reid, Hannes have been sensational !!!

Don't forget Goodsey (43) RO'K (56)

Ok, then my counter-counter point is, fine, since we use out late picks so well, penalise us properly & make us use a 3rd or 4th round pick for Mills and Dunks!

[Mug Punter]

if we pass on Mills and get pick 18 or what ever it is ............how good have our picks been around this range anyway ?

Problem is we'll be pass our Pick 36 and 54 and our first rounder the year after.

You look at our first rounders though and your point is valid, we don't seem to be great at getting value here from the draft. Our strength seems to be identifying talent via trades and the rookie program.

2004 15 Traded for Daren Jolly
2005 19 Traded for Ted Richards
2006 15 Daniel O'Keefe
2007 11 Veszpremi
2008 12 Lewis Johnston
2009 6 Gary Rohan
2010 21 Jed Lamb
2011 21 Tom Mitchell (F/S )
2012 22 Dean Towers
2013 15 Zak Jones

Which is why the academy system will work so well for us

[CureTheSane]

I've noticed nobody is really talking about Dunkley anymore. I'd be surprised if we go after him this year now. Has played the entire 2nd half of the year now and has hardly rated in the best players or goal kickers for his team.

Will be interesting to see how much we rate him.

It's all a cunning plan to devalue him

Re Mills, if he's anywhere close to a 'Heeney' then he's worth any price.
Players like that don't just come along all the time and you grab them when you can...

[jono2707]

Re Mills, if he's anywhere close to a 'Heeney' then he's worth any price.
Players like that don't just come along all the time and you grab them when you can...

Correct - Mills has every chance of being a special player. Pretty much what Heeney is looking like. There's no way we should pass him up. He'll be worth pretty much whatever we have to pay to get him, plus I don't foresee vexatious bids coming from the first few picks at least.

[Mug Punter]

It's all a cunning plan to devalue him

Re Mills, if he's anywhere close to a 'Heeney' then he's worth any price.
Players like that don't just come along all the time and you grab them when you can...

It all depends on how highly we do rate him, from all reports he is an absolute beast

A little bit of quality with him and Heeny will really complement the rest of the squad.

Dunks, Mills and Hewett should all debut next year along with Zak Jones being a regular so add in Henney and we suddenly have quite a youthful look about us

- - - Updated - - -

Correct - Mills has every chance of being a special player. Pretty much what Heeney is looking like. There's no way we should pass him up. He'll be worth pretty much whatever we have to pay to get him, plus I don't foresee vexatious bids coming from the first few picks at least.

I reckon we could well pass if Carlton offer him up at Number 1 - the ridiculous system whereby they get Pick 2 for Kreuzer may throw a spanner in the works

[jono2707]

Hopefully Carlton's need for key position stocks, plus some mature mids to complement Cripps, will mean they won't muck around with a silly bid for Mills.

[Mug Punter]

Hopefully Carlton's need for key position stocks, plus some mature mids to complement Cripps, will mean they won't muck around with a silly bid for Mills.

Agree, they can build a side around Weitering a Schache in the spine.

The system is completely busted when the Lions get penalised not just Pick 1 but Pick 2 as well for winning a game.

They would have been happy to lose pick 1 as Weietering is managed by Pickers but Schace wanted to go to the Lions and now he an't. They must feel as if they can't take a trick at the moment.

Their only chance at the moment is to hope their academy starts to bear fruit

[Nico]

It's all a cunning plan to devalue him

Re Mills, if he's anywhere close to a 'Heeney' then he's worth any price.
Players like that don't just come along all the time and you grab them when you can...

Hardly a cunning plan. He has been playing for Richmond 2's, so has been well exposed to all. His dad took some time to develop so lets not make too much judgment on his form. Problem with Dunkley is a club might just rate him very highly and make a bid on him early and stuff our little red wagon.

[CureTheSane]

Does a smilie count for nothing these days?

[707]

There's a Gatorade advert on Fox Footy and I'm sure that the player at the forefront is Josh Dunkley. Anyone else seen it?

[Nico]

Does a smilie count for nothing these days?

So that was a tongue in cheek smile. Just read your words mate. Sorry about that Chief..

[Mountain Man]

I wonder whether Dunkley will be more interested in Richmond if that team does better in these finals than us.

Is it right that he is in control in that, unless he nominates as F/S, we have no rights?

[stellation]

I wonder whether Dunkley will be more interested in Richmond if that team does better in these finals than us.

Is it right that he is in control in that, unless he nominates as F/S, we have no rights?

That's correct, unless Dunkley opts to come to us via F/S he would just go into the regular draft.

[bloodspirit]

Dunks, Mills and Hewett should all debut next year

I think it is optimistic and speculative to suggest Dunks "should debut next year" (assuming we are able to draft him). I think it is unlikely. Typically at the Swans first year players develop their craft in the 2s for a year and then, if they earn it, get a couple of games in the second year before beginning to see some more regular game time in their 3rd+ seasons e.g. Mitchell, Towers, Jones (all first round picks). Not many Swans draftees get to debut in their first year - freaks like Heeney and Hanners break this mould. At this stage there is nothing to suggest that Dunks is so far advanced in his development that, if we get him, we would debut him as soon as next year. Mills may be a different story - we'll have to see.

[Dosser]

I think it is optimistic and speculative to suggest Dunks "should debut next year" (assuming we are able to draft him). I think it is unlikely. Typically at the Swans first year players develop their craft in the 2s for a year and then, if they earn it, get a couple of games in the second year before beginning to see some more regular game time in their 3rd+ seasons e.g. Mitchell, Towers, Jones (all first round picks). Not many Swans draftees get to debut in their first year - freaks like Heeney and Hanners break this mould. At this stage there is nothing to suggest that Dunks is so far advanced in his development that, if we get him, we would debut him as soon as next year. Mills may be a different story - we'll have to see.

I tend to agree. From being an also-ran in the Richmond VFL reserves to debuting in a top 4 AFL team within 12 months is extremely unlikely. I am beginning to wonder if Dunkley's reputation was made when he was a lot bigger than the rest of the boys his age but now they have caught up to him his skills arent as good.