2017 trading, drafting, list management

[YvonneH]

I'm thinking this was an excellent draft period for Jordan Foote! ????

More info please.

[Billericay]

I presume because we only drafted outside mids. I still don't think Foote is going to get a new contract this time next year.

[bloodspirit]

Yes, exactly. Hopefully Ronke and Fox will provide the competition for Foote as inside mids from outside the 22. While Robbo can win his own ball, I don't see him and Harry C as in the same mould as Foote. I wonder if, with time, Olly Florent can become a ball winner too...

I think Foote's tenure will depend not only on his own further development but also whether Ronke and/or Fox can overtake him. If they don't, I think we will either need to trade for a replacement or possibly keep him around some more.

Interesting that we decided there was more value in taking a player like Styles than in keeping Fisher, who seemed to do well - especially given we had already taken Ling and Stoddart who are also outside players. It seems clear that strengthening our outside game has been identified as crucial for our future success. I wonder if the incoming coaches have had anything do with this but I suspect most of the recruiting and list management stuff was in the pipeline all year long and we have just been zeroing in on our targets so probably not. It was probably identified by Horse/Blakey/Harley and maybe Ireland over the past year (and maybe more).

Anyway, it seems this discussion belongs to a new thread: trading, drafting and list management 2018. I will look to get such a thread started in the coming days if nobody beats me to it. Unlike last year, I don't have any sense that it is premature to begin such a thread.

[707]

Very happy with our haul this year, guys with pace, vision, good decision making and thank goodness quality users by foot. A couple of project talls, nice.

Good observation that we preferred Styles to a known quantity in Fisher but also interesting that none of our delistings were picked up elsewhere. Noted that the Pies didn't end up using pick 70 that went to them in the Sam Murray deal.

With a dead set Super Draft in 2018, a number of players will be fighting to be retained and a number in the middle of our list will (hopefully) be fighting for their place in the 22 as we finished the year without highly promising prospects Aliir, Hayward, Florent & Dawson not best 22. I'm hoping that the new coaching panel has rescinded the Gold Passes and that all positions have to be won as the non selection of perennial NEAFL BOG Dawson frustrated many of us.

The 2018 TDLM thread will fire up in no time :-)

[rb4x]

Along with those four. Aliir, Hayward, Florent and Dawson we also had Melican, Tippett, Robinson, Foote, Rose, Cameron and Maibaum not playing in that disastrous semi final loss to the cats.We have lost no one who was in that 22 and with those eleven all pushing hard for a start next year it will be hard for any of the new guys to break into the side. I am still not over playing Rampe as the second tall defender against the cats who we knew had tall forwards to match up on. Melican should have played and if he was not good to go then at least Aliir or Laidler should have been selected. Interesting that we essentially took five outside runners in the draft and two key forward project players. No inside mids or key defenders so I guess they will be 2018. Would like to see a Powell-Pepper type somewhere in our mix but so I gues would most clubs.

[S.S. Bleeder]

It almost feels like we have swapped target player profiles with hawthorn. They are going for inside grunt over disposal while we are going for speed and footskills. Go figure.

I know. We need to be careful about keeping the team balance right. That's why I'm surprised we didn't look at Worpel for our second pick.

[bloodspirit]

A couple more concluding thoughts on our 2017 draft and trade season from me:

* Interesting that we drafted a couple of pairs of players that knew each other: Ling and McCartin from the Falcons and the same school; Styles and Amartey from the Sandy Dragons. Ling and McCartin have said they are good mates. What's extra interesting is that their roles in the team would see them linking together onfield too (e.g. onball brigade gets the ball out to Ling who then delivers to McCartin on the lead) so hopefully the synergy could be advantageous. I have had another thought about this too: is it conceivable that teams would seek to link teammates from the same school or team not just in the same draft but in successive drafts e.g. look to draft players from X team knowing that they want to target (and subsequently retain) another player from X team who is mates with player 1 the following year? Obviously you don't do it unless you think each of the players you're looking at is worth selection but, if they are, am I drawing too long a bow or am I seeing into the future?

* A small pat on the back for Ludwig and myself. Just revisiting the first posts in this thread I see that last year Ludwig correctly tipped Bell and Brown as the Academy players we were most likely to draft this year. And I tipped Melican and O'Riordan as the rookies most likely to be elevated (my prediction more pedestrian than Ludwig's although, as Ludwig pointed out, until that point Melican had only had one good game).

* I'm pleased but not that excited about our draft haul this year. I'm not expecting Ling/Stoddart/Styles to play much next year (let alone McCartin/Amartey) but will be great just to see them in the ressies and maybe get a few games into them if injuries provide opportunities.

* I'm feeling extra pleased with our trading: getting a second round pick in next year's draft was a great return for Sam Murray! Just thinking about the promising players in the 2018 draft's second round makes me salivate about next year.

* The delisting of Talia, retirement of Laidler and the ageing of Grundy all suggest we are optimistic that at least one of AJ/AA/Maibaum are gonna come good because we will need injury cover and also succession planning. It's so exciting that AJ could really be in the mix for senior selection next year! How long has it been?! If he can get back to his base that will be marvellous!

[Ludwig]

Contrary to the 'best available' mantra, the Kinnear Beatson draft review video reveals that we did indeed target specific needs: Outside run and key forwards. McCartin was clearly a targeted player and Ling must have been as well, seeing how we passed on several more highly rated players.

I also noted that KB was well aware of the direction of rucking with his comments about how he was impressed with Amartey's ruck work and was a prototype for the ruckman of the future. Hopefully both Amartey and Cameron make the grade in due course. They look more the type of ruckmen we need than Naismith, Sinclair and Tippett. Perhaps this is Naismith's last year, unless he can improve his all around game. With the other 2, we might just have to wait until October 2020 when their contracts finally expire.

I note the many calls on RWO for a big-bodied midfielder to replace Kennedy. First of all, what the calls are really for is another dominant contested ball winner as the actual size of the body is not all that relevant. For example, Tom Mitchell, Matt Crouch, Rory Sloan and Matt Priddis are solid, but not quite in the JPK category, and do quite well enough winning contested ball. Hopefully Josh has a good 3 or 4 years left, if not more. But we have plenty of young contested ball winner in our midfield are hoping to join our midfield: Parker, Hewett, Heeney, Jones and Dawson. These 5 will be around for some time to come.

The best big midfielders went early in the draft. Aiden Bonar at 11 and Darcy Fogarty at 12 were the last of the good ones. I think we would have selected either had they been available. If we keep finishing near the top of the ladder it's going to be hard to get a top shelf inside mid unless one comes through the academy or we trade for one. Having said that, we've done pretty well with Parker, Hewett and hopefully Dawson, all post 30 picks.

In any case, I think we are fine for at least the next few years with our inside mids and agree with how we targeted the types of players we have in this draft. Every one of the 7 new players drafted has good pace. We are well on our way to transitioning to a running offensive side.

[Aprilbr]

The composition of the side is certainly set to change with the types that we have drafted in this and the last draft. I am concerned a little about our key defensive stocks but if Alir can come through then my fears may be unfounded.


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[The Big Cat]

Strange that we drafted two KPF if Blakey is a done deal in next year's draft.

[AB Swannie]

I agree with much of the synopsis of the trade/draft period of others. We were in the enviable position that our list was in very good shape before this period and didn't need to bring in any players that could make an immediate impact. With Florent, Hayward, Dawson, Melican, and AA in particular missing from our last game 22, we have some exciting youngsters already on board.

I have absolutely no problem with the drafting of Ling. He looks fantastic for our needs. However, consensus suggests that he was a reach at pick 14. I wonder if we considered trading down the draft this year to improve next year while still being able to make Ling our first pick.

[AB Swannie]

Strange that we drafted two KPF if Blakey is a done deal in next year's draft.

The drafting of McCartin is forward planning to the extreme. As hard it is for me to think about, Buddy will not be Buddy forever. He will be 31 by rd 1 next year. By Rd 1 2021, Buddy will be 34 but Blakey and McCartin will have both just turned 21. Armatey and Cameron will be the projected ruck/forwards IF one of them works out.

[MattW]

The interview with Johnson on the Swans site is interesting.

I could be reading too much into it, but it seems being dislisted surprised him and perhaps hurt him a little bit. Certainly he attested to anxiety.

He probably didn't play as well what either he or the club would have liked (expected?) after he returned. So they're thinking: what's the reason for that? Fitness or touch? Or won't he get it back?

It seems like neither he nor the club really know. Given that, the club's decision to delist him and re-rookie him is pragmatic, makes sense. But there is something a little disappointing about it though. Like this should have been a matter above pragmatism. And he seems disappointed too. Mentioned that this approach could have exposed him to being picked up by another club.

To his credit and as we'd expect from him he's clearly training hard and will make sure he does everything he physically can to get back.

I really hope he does.

- - - Updated - - -

The drafting of McCartin is forward planning to the extreme. As hard it is for me to think about, Buddy will not be Buddy forever. He will be 31 by rd 1 next year. By Rd 1 2021, Buddy will be 34 but Blakey and McCartin will have both just turned 21. Armatey and Cameron will be the projected ruck/forwards IF one of them works out.

Good post.

[Meg]

The interview with Johnson on the Swans site is interesting. ................ the club's decision to delist him and re-rookie him is pragmatic, makes sense.

The club?s decision to delist AJ and re-rookie him is pragmatic and does makes sense - and given the new rookie rules it still allows him to play senior AFL football if his form is good enough.

I completely support the club on this. It is now up to AJ and what his body will allow him to achieve. It would be wonderful for him and the club if he can get back to his 2012 form this coming season. Then a return to the senior list would be a no-brainer.

[MattW]

The club?s decision to delist AJ and re-rookie him is pragmatic and does makes sense - and given the new rookie rules it still allows him to play senior AFL football if his form is good enough.

I completely support the club on this. It is now up to AJ and what his body will allow him to achieve. It would be wonderful for him and the club if he can get back to his 2012 form this coming season. Then a return to the senior list would be a no-brainer.

I'd forgotten that change to the rookie rules. Summarised here: Everything you need to know about the AFL's new CBA | The Roar. Sensible. Next step is no rookie list, surely.