2017 trading, drafting, list management

[Ludwig]

I didn't mention it earlier, but I had Newman as part of a 7 man defensive group. There may be others to come into the picture depending on how they go in the preseason. I like Florent and COR as up and coming options for our defence.

It's a difficult call on Jones because he has value both in defence and the midfield, but I'm leaning toward defence as I feel there is a greater need for a run and carry player from our back line. Reg, Melican, Aliir, Rampe and Smith are the real core of the defence. We have a number of options after that.

I think we are capable of being a more dynamic offensive team. We certainly have the goal kicking power. Add Hayward and Dawson and we have 4 forwards who can easily make the distance from outside 50 and a few others that are good chances from around the 50 mtr mark, including most of our midfielders. We just need to get our midfield group to pick out the best option. Mills is also quite a long kick. Hewett and Lloyd are not long kicks, but quite accurate from within 40 out.

[barry]

Overrated, overpriced, under performer.

Should be right at home then.

Overrated. His finals were exceptional this year. Inconsistency is his problem.

Overpriced. Cats paid overs, but his new contract is up for neg. If we overpay him, it's our fault.

[mattybloods]

Motlop is a free agent this year.

New whipping boy?

[Ludwig]

New whipping boy?

Towers, Sinclair and Rohan have all offered to take pay cuts to get Motlop to the Swans. Tom Derickx says he's willing to chip in a few bucks as well.

[Blood Fever]

Towers, Sinclair and Rohan have all offered to take pay cuts to get Motlop to the Swans. Tom Derickx says he's willing to chip in a few bucks as well.

LOL

[The Big Cat]

Towers, Sinclair and Rohan have all offered to take pay cuts to get Motlop to the Swans. Tom Derickx says he's willing to chip in a few bucks as well.

McVeigh has also offered to throw in a few of the dollars earned in his early years and Jesse White feels he can give up a little of his pension. There are also rumours that "Ball-up" Benny feels he can contribute!

[barry]

Don't forget Paul Bevan....

[Auntie.Gerald]

Newman at the scg is basically on the wing

At other larger grounds more so HBF

But really there is a stack of players that get 50% in the midfield and 50% at either end

Newman is ideal for our awaiting game plan of uncontested footy when need to calm the opposition when they are hot ie like when we played the cats in the semis

We had to cool the cats contested footy just like the Hawks do to us...... but no we didn't take that flexible option

[ugg]

This is a shock, Laidler retires and will become a development coach. He only recently turned 28.

Journeyman Laidler retires - sydneyswans.com.au

[Ludwig]

This is a shock, Laidler retires and will become a development coach. He only recently turned 28.

Journeyman Laidler retires - sydneyswans.com.au

Unexpected, but makes a lot of sense. He secures a coaching future instead of spending another year in the NEAFL before being delisted.

It's more likely now that Marsh will hang on for another year. I still think he is good trade candidate.

We are also heading toward taking 3 ND picks now. I'm starting to feel a lot better about 3rd rounders since watching the TAC final. 3rd round + prospects like Will Walker and Gryan Miers look worth a shot for a pick around 50. It's not a great draft at the top, but flattens out early and can give a good recruiting team like ours an opportunity to find another good one later in the draft.

[dejavoodoo44]

This is a shock, Laidler retires and will become a development coach. He only recently turned 28.

Journeyman Laidler retires - sydneyswans.com.au

Yes, I think that it was a bit of a shame that he couldn't hold his spot this year, as he always seemed to have a good attitude. Hopefully that attitude, will translate to success as a development officer.

[Mug Punter]

Unexpected, but makes a lot of sense. He secures a coaching future instead of spending another year in the NEAFL before being delisted.

It's more likely now that Marsh will hang on for another year. I still think he is good trade candidate.

We are also heading toward taking 3 ND picks now. I'm starting to feel a lot better about 3rd rounders since watching the TAC final. 3rd round + prospects like Will Walker and Gryan Miers look worth a shot for a pick around 50. It's not a great draft at the top, but flattens out early and can give a good recruiting team like ours an opportunity to find another good one later in the draft.

Good choice by Laids looking at the big picture I think. He always gave 100% and he seemed a vey popular part of the group and he took the opportunity to salvage his footy career at the Swans. I imagine that will also free up a bit of cap space, it all helps....

Just a Melican upgrade and three picks at the ND as you suggest I'd say. I would say it is entirely possible we will do absolutely nothing at Trade Week. I guess there might be a player we might look at getting in for one of the picks and if that is the case and we have a player that has requested a trade back then we could look at moving a player out.

Surely there must still be some value in the high 40s where our third pick will likely fall. Sure there's less certainty than with a first rounder but looking at some of those kids in the TAC Cup final it was quite impressive.

[Ludwig]

Just a Melican upgrade and three picks at the ND as you suggest I'd say. I would say it is entirely possible we will do absolutely nothing at Trade Week. I guess there might be a player we might look at getting in for one of the picks and if that is the case and we have a player that has requested a trade back then we could look at moving a player out.

Something has to be done with the 2 Cat B rookies going into a 3rd year. We could delist and redraft Murray, and/or upgrade O'Riordan, who I think is the better prospect despite Murray having made good progress this year. We have other redraft options besides these. There's also a chance that someone else will leave the club via trade. The season's not even over yet (although it is for us).

[Flying South]

I actually like Jones in the midfield, more than as a true defender. That doesn't mean he won't sometimes be important in bringing the ball out of defence (given that midfielders tend to drift down and help clog up the defence) but I like his line breaking ability through the middle. I also think he's capable of very damaging (in a positive way) passes into the forward line. He does try to pick out a target and spear the ball onto the chest of a leading player, rather than bomb it long and high without direction. His issue is that he can also be damaging in a negative way when his kicks don't hit targets. That's not isolated to him - all our midfielders (and most midfielders of most teams) are guilty of this at times. It's just a matter of relative frequency and maybe learning with experience which kicks he is capable of pulling off and which he isn't. But his mistakes tend to be poorly directed kicks that are trying to pick out a target, rather than random kicks that depend on brilliance by the forward or a bit of luck to pay off.

Edit: I've just seen Mattybloods post immediately above. I agree with him that this solves the problem of how to best use Newman. I think he's most effective off a half-back flank and part of the reason he slightly lost his way in the second half of the year was that McVeigh's return pushed him out of the defence into some ill-defined position where he struggled to have the same impact.

Agree with all that. Along with early post. I'm also hoping that Dawson continues his development and can add to the midfield mix. IMO we are crying out for another big boppa to assist with rotations and add more flexibility with matchups. We are starting to look a little small in the engine room.

[Swansinger]

Something has to be done with the 2 Cat B rookies going into a 3rd year. We could delist and redraft Murray, and/or upgrade O'Riordan, who I think is the better prospect despite Murray having made good progress this year. We have other redraft options besides these. There's also a chance that someone else will leave the club via trade. The season's not even over yet (although it is for us).

And what an incentive there'd be to leave ! If Richmond get up on Saturday , they will be the third premier in four years to win with a Swans' cast-off.