2017 trading, drafting, list management

[Odysseus]

As an aside comment: I?m so happy to support a club that behaves respectfully to its players and its coaching staff when they pursue opportunities elsewhere. I thought Goodwin?s belittling public comments about Watts were unnecessary and humiliating. And compare the Crows treatment of Lever with the Swans mature attitude to Tom Mitchell who left solely for a better offer (and good luck to him) after the Swans had carried him through a series of injuries early in his career (while reportedly paying him handsomely above the required rate for a drafted player - I have no idea if that is true).

And now it is reported that Dew has been successful for the Suns senior coaching position with a strong factor in the final decision being the strong endorsements from Longmire and Swans players, notably McVeigh. It is a a highly professional club that doesn?t block the paths of those offered better opportunities elsewhere.

I follow the trade period with far less knowledge or understanding than many of you who comment on RWO, but what I do feel confident about is that Meg's comment is absolutely on the money. I look at Melbourne's treatment of Watts in publicly humiliating him, and the Crows deriding a bloke for allegedly chasing money. Heck, even if that was his main motivation, what makes it wrong for a player to do his best to protect his own and his family's financial interests in the long-term, especially in the environment of modern football where players are but cattle? In contrast to that norm, the Swans' treatment of Mitchell, and other departing players before him, and the congratulations offered to Dew on his successfully getting the Suns' coaching position - as you say, Meg, it's a mature attitude and one that edifies individuals rather than tears them down. It's little wonder so many players who could have left us this year were willing to sign on for more years at our great club.

[ugg]

A little snippet on AJ from the AFL web site

Uncontracted Sydney defender Alex Johnson is hopeful of remaining with the Swans, most likely as a rookie. Johnson's manager, Nick Gieschen, remains in open dialogue with the Swans. Both parties are keen for the 2012 premiership player to continue his AFL career following an encouraging season, when he returned from his fifth knee reconstruction to play nine NEAFL games.

If both parties are keen then I?m not really sure why no agreement has been reached

[Ludwig]

Maybe it's still uncertain how many primary list spots will be open and whether it makes sense to keep AJ on the senior list or redraft him as a rookie. There may be a few players we would like to trade out besides ruckmen. With Dew now at GC and them facing another mass exodus they could use a couple of players from a stable environment like the Swans to help Dew instill a better culture. It could be a good opportunity for McVeigh to take a Luke Hodge option as a player coach.

How about a trade like Macca, Dan Robinson and our pick 31 for GC's pick 19? They have so many draft picks they've got to use some of them to get a few experienced players.

[S.S. Bleeder]

A little snippet on AJ from the AFL web site



If both parties are keen then I?m not really sure why no agreement has been reached

Maybe we're waiting for the trade period to be completed so we have an idea of how many vacancies we have?

[AB Swannie]

A little snippet on AJ from the AFL web site



If both parties are keen then I?m not really sure why no agreement has been reached

If they want to move him from the main list to the rookie list do they need to delist him and then redraft in rookie draft?

[liz]

If they want to move him from the main list to the rookie list do they need to delist him and then redraft in rookie draft?

Yes. It would seem bizarre for them to do that now, given they've stuck with him on the senior list for all those years when they knew he wasn't going to play senior footy.

I could have sworn there was an article published around the time he made his NEAFL comeback that said he'd already been given a contract extension for 2018. I'll have to go and see if I can find it...

Edit: I have found an article from April this year that comments that the club had extended him for another year. It could be the journalist referring to 2017, even though that would be daft written in April 2017. I certainly interpret it as implying the club had committed to him for 2018.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-16/alex-johnson-makes-comeback-for-sydney-swans/8446534

[MattW]

Yes. It would seem bizarre for them to do that now, given they've stuck with him on the senior list for all those years when they knew he wasn't going to play senior footy.

I could have sworn there was an article published around the time he made his NEAFL comeback that said he'd already been given a contract extension for 2018. I'll have to go and see if I can find it...

Edit: I have found an article from April this year that comments that the club had extended him for another year. It could be the journalist referring to 2017, even though that would be daft written in April 2017. I certainly interpret it as implying the club had committed to him for 2018.

Sydney Swans defender Alex Johnson makes comeback after knee injury - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I'm cautious about inferring a contract for 2018 from that story.

The last two year-long contracts were signed in late October 2015 and 2016 respectively: AJ signs on for another season - sydneyswans.com.au and No Cookies | Daily Telegraph. Presumably that most recent contract is about to expire and there's a question as whether he'll be resigned.

[liz]

I remember being surprised when I read it at the time - I figured they'd wait to make sure he was able to play a few games before committing themselves. It does clearly state he'd been given a further year's contract extension, but given the comments from Johnson now, I guess I'll just have to interpret it as the journalist not having a clue how the contract cycle works (ie it was bleedingly obvious in April 2017 that he already had a contract for 2017).

[707]

Was surprised myself that he wasn't moved to the rookie list previous years. But now it's being mooted I suspect we are obviously up to something this year, also for Laidler to be "talked into retirement/coaching" and now AJ moving to the rookie list.

As always, nothing much leaks out at the Swans, we just get surprised when it happens.

Had a chuckle about Saints being interested in Talia given he had/has a similar habit to Carlisle :-)

Ah trade period, always the most intriguing time of the year. Can't believe all these players wanting to get to Essendon. Dodoro the most difficult (non) trader in the game will have his work cut out now! Read somewhere that he's never traded IN a decent player.

[Cosmic Wizard]

Was surprised myself that he wasn't moved to the rookie list previous years. But now it's being mooted I suspect we are obviously up to something this year, also for Laidler to be "talked into retirement/coaching" and now AJ moving to the rookie list.

As always, nothing much leaks out at the Swans, we just get surprised when it happens.

Had a chuckle about Saints being interested in Talia given he had/has a similar habit to Carlisle :-)

Ah trade period, always the most intriguing time of the year. Can't believe all these players wanting to get to Essendon. Dodoro the most difficult (non) trader in the game will have his work cut out now! Read somewhere that he's never traded IN a decent player.

Agree, we seem to be making room for two or more players.

Brandon Jack, Tyrone Leonardis, Michael Talia, Shaun Edwards, Jeremy Laidler gone or retired and AJ to be rookie listed.

We have picks 14, 31, 49, 68 and 86; one to upgrade Melican.

Should be an interesting trade period.

[AnnieH]

GW$ are asking Heath Shaw to "consider" his options for next year?
What the what?
With any luck, they'll finish 19th next year.

[707]

GW$ are asking Heath Shaw to "consider" his options for next year?
What the what?
With any luck, they'll finish 19th next year.

That was quickly rebuffed by GWS when they revealed he'd extended his contract during the year to include 2019. It seems they added the year to spread his 2018 $ over two years indicating they obviously have salary cap problems which is not surprising when you have 20 first rounders on your list. It's why there will be a few more giants head south in the next coupla weeks.

[longmile]

Swans been linked to GCS' Rory Thompson. Had to look him up, havent heard much about him but that's more of a reflection on me probably. He is a 26yr old, 86 game Key Back

[Ludwig]

Brandon Jack, Tyrone Leonardis, Michael Talia, Shaun Edwards, Jeremy Laidler gone or retired and AJ to be rookie listed.

We have picks 14, 31, 49, 68 and 86; one to upgrade Melican.

I think there is slight miscalculation here, because Edwards is a rookie and we also need to upgrade or delist either O'Riordan or Murray (my guess is O'Riordan).

Picks after the 1st round will push out due to FA compensation of Rockliff, Trengove and Motlop.

As it stands now, assuming AJ goes to the rookie list, we are looking at picks 14, 33 and 52, one Cat A and one Cat B rookie.

[wolftone57]

Aliir was named emergency on a number of occasions, suggesting he was close to a recall.
Talia is a certainty to be delisted. BJack, Rose, Leonardis and Murray all in the firing line too

Why would Murray be delisted. He had a really good year in the back pocket this year. His first year in the position and he owned it. Most bounces by any player in the NEAFL, most metres gained in the Swans team, high in disposals and disposal efficiency. I fail to see what good it would do delisting a player who ticked all the boxes, played well and is the natural replacement for Nick Smith when he retires.