AJ Watch

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  • aardvark
    Veterans List
    • Mar 2010
    • 5685

    Originally posted by Velour&Ruffles
    At the risk of being a contrarian, I don't really understand the point of delisting him now. He's been taking up a spot for 6 years. This year he's shown he could play senior footy after 5 knee reconstructions. What's one more? We've gone this far so why not keep going and see how he goes after just one more?
    I think it has to do with the change in the rookie rules for next year. Rookies can now play without being upgraded I believe. Someone else might be able to explain it better.

    Comment

    • Meg
      Go Swannies!
      Site Admin
      • Aug 2011
      • 4828

      Originally posted by aardvark
      I think it has to do with the change in the rookie rules for next year. Rookies can now play without being upgraded I believe. Someone else might be able to explain it better.
      Yes I agree the changed rookie rules probably are an important part of the decision. Swans only run with a 38-man list anyway, these rules allow them the chance to choose senior team every week on best available basis. Including when one of the top players out with a short-term injury. To give a contract to a player out for the year with no certainty of making it back would be choosing to start the season at a competitive disadvantage.

      Comment

      • goswannies
        Senior Player
        • Sep 2007
        • 3048

        Originally posted by Meg
        Yes I agree the changed rookie rules probably are an important part of the decision. Swans only run with a 38-man list anyway, these rules allow them the chance to choose senior team every week on best available basis. Including when one of the top players out with a short-term injury. To give a contract to a player out for the year with no certainty of making it back would be choosing to start the season at a competitive disadvantage.
        I personally don’t think he’s the worst player on the list, even waiting out an ACL. And at least (up until his delisting) he wanted to be with the Swans (yes, I’m looking at you Mr Newman!).

        Comment

        • MattW
          Veterans List
          • May 2011
          • 4195

          Originally posted by aardvark
          I think it has to do with the change in the rookie rules for next year. Rookies can now play without being upgraded I believe. Someone else might be able to explain it better.
          That was the case this year though, right? I agree it adds to it, particularly since, unlike this year, he won't be back until the *end* of next year.

          The whole thing is an awful business. It was a massive moment for the club and Alex. Galvanising. Inspiring. A month later he's done another ACL, the club has an impossible decision, and he's cut and seems a bit bitter. That can't help but knock spirits a bit.

          I agree with those above that this is an explicable pragmatic decision. There was already a slight absurdity to keeping a person on a list for six years without playing. Given his late return next year, he wouldn't play until 2020.

          Incidentally, i thought this incident reflected a concerning naivety from Harley. In his first interview after Alex's injury, Harley said something like that 'if I know Alex, he'll seek to get back'. It seemed a rash thing to say before they'd worked it out. Longmire's response was as you'd expect, something along the lines of 'we'll wait until Alex recovers, discuss it and work thorough it with him then'. I have a reasonably strong reservation Harley doesn't have the instincts or gumption required of the CEO of an AFL club. Very happy to be wrong.

          Comment

          • Matty10
            Senior Player
            • Jun 2007
            • 1331

            I thought Harley’s comments were fine - he is an excellent communicator. That line was also just one of many that explained the process that both parties would go through.

            I am not sure how he will go as CEO, that is a very different role to take on. But good luck to him.

            The club made the only choice it could with AJ. 2020 is a long time to wait and see - again. He has shown incredible resilience and patience. The club has also been very loyal and patient. I wish him all the best.

            Comment

            • KSAS
              Senior Player
              • Mar 2018
              • 1768

              Tonight on Footy Classified, Caroline Wilson was of the opinion that Alex Johnson should retire questioning how many more knee reconstructions his body can endure. She also expressed disappointment that Alex knocked back a job offer at the Swans & being slightly bitter to a club that has supported him for so long. Don't agree with the "slightly bitter" bit. More like disappointment which is understandable. Would like to think Alex will be welcomed back to the club with open arms if he changes ihis mind in the future to take up a position.

              Comment

              • CureTheSane
                Carpe Noctem
                • Jan 2003
                • 5032

                I agree with her if he is indeed slightly bitter.
                But heat of the moment and all that....
                The difference between insanity and genius is measured only in success.

                Comment

                • Markwebbos
                  Veterans List
                  • Jul 2016
                  • 7186

                  Very interesting article about AJ hoping to play in 2019:

                  Why Alex Johnson is confident he can continue AFL career

                  Luckless defender Alex Johnson is confident he can continue his AFL career, revealing the advice he was given by surgeon Julian Feller after his sixth knee reconstruction.

                  Last edited by liz; 20 September 2018, 01:15 PM. Reason: Please don't repost in full content from another site. Just a paragraph or two, plus a link, is fine

                  Comment

                  • 0918330512
                    Senior Player
                    • Sep 2011
                    • 1654

                    Originally posted by Markwebbos
                    Very interesting article about AJ hoping to play in 2019:

                    Why Alex Johnson is confident he can continue AFL career

                    Luckless defender Alex Johnson is confident he can continue his AFL career, revealing the advice he was given by surgeon Julian Feller after his sixth knee reconstruction.

                    I’ll be spewin if he comes back successfully at another club

                    Comment

                    • YvonneH
                      Senior Player
                      • Sep 2011
                      • 1141

                      After you delist a player can you then rookie them?

                      Comment

                      • Ludwig
                        Veterans List
                        • Apr 2007
                        • 9359

                        Originally posted by YvonneH
                        After you delist a player can you then rookie them?
                        Yes. It happens all the time, but don't ask me to provide examples because I'm too lazy to do the research.

                        On your point, we should have 4 spots on our rookie list if we cut Styles and Pink, which I think we should. We don't have great academy players screaming to be drafted. I wouldn't mind giving him 1 more year if we don't have a need for that last spot on our list, if he's not taken before by another club.

                        After learning that Tyson Goldsack, who uses the same surgeon as AJ, came back after 6 months, I've had a rethink on the possibility of AJ making a comeback by mid season. For some reason, AFL players have had typically much longer rehabs than other football codes. Julian Feller is trying to close the gap, and he has 1 success case in Goldsack.

                        I can understand the Swans point of view as well. We have 3 KPDs in Melican, Aliir and Maibaum, who are younger and should be given priority to AJ, who would have a tough time pushing his way past these guys to win a spot in the side.

                        Comment

                        • barry
                          Veterans List
                          • Jan 2003
                          • 8499

                          Johnson to GWS feels right. He can stay in Sydney, and if it works out, GWS will have a Shaw replacement.
                          They are in the premiership window, and can take a punt.

                          Comment

                          • Meg
                            Go Swannies!
                            Site Admin
                            • Aug 2011
                            • 4828

                            Originally posted by YvonneH
                            After you delist a player can you then rookie them?
                            That’s exactly what we did with AJ last year. We had carried him on the senior list ever since his original injury in 2013. Then we delisted him end 2017 season and redrafted as a rookie. I’m confident the changed rules re rookies playing in senior team facilitated that decision.

                            The big difference this time is that (I think) Swans told AJ that was the intent when he was delisted. I recall Alex saying he was nervous during the draft that another club might take him before the rookie draft.

                            This time it seems the Swans have given no such assurance. In fact rather the opposite.

                            Comment

                            • Markwebbos
                              Veterans List
                              • Jul 2016
                              • 7186

                              Originally posted by 09183305
                              I’ll be spewin if he comes back successfully at another club
                              I can't imagine which AFL club would put him on their list... Other than the Swans

                              Comment

                              • 707
                                Veterans List
                                • Aug 2009
                                • 6204

                                Originally posted by Markwebbos
                                I can't imagine which AFL club would put him on their list... Other than the Swans
                                Gold Coast rookie

                                Comment

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