draft !

[Auntie.Gerald]

Jacob Ballard - fremantlefc.com.au

an interesting player to consider if we have one draft pick at the end ?

given we have a very young squad now he has that Josh Kennedy inside possible of the future ?

[Auntie.Gerald]

Rookie Draft pick 47: Jacob Ballard - YouTube

very good tackler and the video high lights get better

[Conor_Dillon]

I like the thinking behind it but I'd say we're pretty well stocked for inside mids at the moment. It's the only part of our squad in which we haver genuine depth.

I'd prefer our rookie picks to be some more KPD depth or players with x-factor.

[707]

From the AFL website this morning, the write up on Darcy Parish "Parish looks set to be a top-five draft pick on draft night, with Melbourne (pick No.3) and Essendon (No.4) most strongly linked. As perhaps the best midfielder in it, Parish belongs near the top"

When you think that a guy like Parish has had a great year again, AA U18 last year as an under ager and again this year, you think that Mills with basically no appearances this year must have slipped down the order.

If there are no vexatious bids, he probably could slip to 6/7 and that is 400 points of slipping. That could be enough to have a late pick if we wanted it, even after Dunkley in the early second round.

[707]

Not sure where to flag this but just found a couple of fantastic list management analysis posts on the BF Swans site.

If you are a thinking person, check out the two sets of analysis on the thread "List management 101". I re-read them both just to make sure it sank in. Certainly backs up the thoughts echoed on here over the past couple of seasons about our lack of depth.

[Conor_Dillon]

Not sure where to flag this but just found a couple of fantastic list management analysis posts on the BF Swans site.

If you are a thinking person, check out the two sets of analysis on the thread "List management 101". I re-read them both just to make sure it sank in. Certainly backs up the thoughts echoed on here over the past couple of seasons about our lack of depth.

Agree 100%, not sure if that particular poster is on RWO as well but they are both brilliant posts

[Conor_Dillon]

Here's a link to the above mentioned thread on Big Footy for anyone interested...well worth a read!

Strategy - List Management 101 Swans | BigFooty AFL Forum

[Conor_Dillon]

Matthew Wright just delisted by the Crows,

Played 16 games this year, averaged 23 touches and 8 tackles, only 25 y.o.

Could be a handy depth player and I'd assume would come very cheaply - maybe worth a shot on the rookie list?

[Ludwig]

Not sure where to flag this but just found a couple of fantastic list management analysis posts on the BF Swans site.

If you are a thinking person, check out the two sets of analysis on the thread "List management 101". I re-read them both just to make sure it sank in. Certainly backs up the thoughts echoed on here over the past couple of seasons about our lack of depth.

I agree that the analysis by swansfan51 was a good one with many insights.

Part of lack of experienced depth is due to players going out as a result of acquiring Tippett and Franklin. So we locked in the most important position on the field and enter next season with arguably the best tall forward line in the game. They just need to stay healthy.

Geelong have rolled the dice on acquiring Dangerfield and Henderson in exchange for virtually opting out of the next 2 drafts, as well as taking away a lot of their trading power next year. But when Danger comes knocking on the door, you have to let him in. Geelong was faced with a difficult regeneration problem with so many top end aging players. They were doing a pretty good job, but have been a bit unlucky with long term injuries to important players, particularly Menzel and Vardy. With the 3 player acquisitions this year as well as the return of Menzel and Vardy, they have put themselves right up there as a top 4 contender. The downside is that they still have a few key players on the wrong side of 30 that will need replacing in the next few years and have given up some of their ability to do so.

The Swans have succeeded in regenerating their list with quality young players, but at the expense of experienced depth. The fate of the Swans next year will depend on how fast those young players can step up an play major roles in the side. It probably won't be enough to win a premiership, but hopefully it will be enough to make the top 4 again. The vulnerable part of our list in the next few years is at KPD. We now have 5 reasonable replacements for Richards and Grundy (who still has a few years to go) in Xav, Allir, Talia, Melican, AJ and Davis (who is most likely slated for a key forward role). If we can get a couple of those to come through, we should be okay, else we may have to trade for a ready made one.

It will be a challenging year for Horse & Co finding the right balance to challenge for a flag and getting the senior game development time into some of our young players, effectively looking to next year with one eye and 2017 with the other. The key players for me are Talia, Xav and Hewett. The first 2 need senior time to work their way into our future backline. Hewett is a real talent who will only be 20 next year, but we need to find a way to work him into our midfield, as he has the kicking skills that we lack with so many of our mids, who are good a finding the ball, but too often kick to the opposition.

[111431]

I agree that the analysis by swansfan51 was a good one with many insights.

Part of lack of experienced depth is due to players going out as a result of acquiring Tippett and Franklin. So we locked in the most important position on the field and enter next season with arguably the best tall forward line in the game. They just need to stay healthy.

Geelong have rolled the dice on acquiring Dangerfield and Henderson in exchange for virtually opting out of the next 2 drafts, as well as taking away a lot of their trading power next year. But when Danger comes knocking on the door, you have to let him in. Geelong was faced with a difficult regeneration problem with so many top end aging players. They were doing a pretty good job, but have been a bit unlucky with long term injuries to important players, particularly Menzel and Vardy. With the 3 player acquisitions this year as well as the return of Menzel and Vardy, they have put themselves right up there as a top 4 contender. The downside is that they still have a few key players on the wrong side of 30 that will need replacing in the next few years and have given up some of their ability to do so.

The Swans have succeeded in regenerating their list with quality young players, but at the expense of experienced depth. The fate of the Swans next year will depend on how fast those young players can step up an play major roles in the side. It probably won't be enough to win a premiership, but hopefully it will be enough to make the top 4 again. The vulnerable part of our list in the next few years is at KPD. We now have 5 reasonable replacements for Richards and Grundy (who still has a few years to go) in Xav, Allir, Talia, Melican, AJ and Davis (who is most likely slated for a key forward role). If we can get a couple of those to come through, we should be okay, else we may have to trade for a ready made one.

It will be a challenging year for Horse & Co finding the right balance to challenge for a flag and getting the senior game development time into some of our young players, effectively looking to next year with one eye and 2017 with the other. The key players for me are Talia, Xav and Hewett. The first 2 need senior time to work their way into our future backline. Hewett is a real talent who will only be 20 next year, but we need to find a way to work him into our midfield, as he has the kicking skills that we lack with so many of our mids, who are good a finding the ball, but too often kick to the opposition.

maybe Hewett can become the rebounding defender

[Conor_Dillon]

maybe Hewett can become the rebounding defender

I don't think he has the pace for play that role

[111431]

if he his disposal skills are strong he doesn't necessarily need to be overly quick. Mal was far from being an Olympic sprinter

[Auntie.Gerald]

hewett is the slowest midfielder in our squad

- - - Updated - - -

probably slower then Sam Mitchell if that is possible

[Ludwig]

hewett is the slowest midfielder in our squad

Where did you get that information from. I don't know how he'd go against Kennedy, Mitchell and Parker. I don't have any numbers, but he doesn't look any slower than those guys.

[Auntie.Gerald]

all run 14 seconds for 100m me thinks

no stats just watching him and the others play

They would be the last picked for the 4 x 100m relay Swans team...........except maybe Reg or the Tip

but the point is you are lucky enough to have 3 slow midfielders in a team......we have 4 already - Macca, JK, Parks and Tom

to have 5 or 6 would be very challenging