2018 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[Aaron]

Some Update on Alex Johnson at below
AFL | Sydney Swans defender Alex Johnson almost back after 5 knee reconstructions ? PlayersVoice

[liz]

Some Update on Alex Johnson at below
AFL | Sydney Swans defender Alex Johnson almost back after 5 knee reconstructions ? PlayersVoice

Alex was running for the NEAFL side on Saturday, which suggests he's not too far away from resuming with the team.

[stevoswan]

Some Update on Alex Johnson at below
AFL | Sydney Swans defender Alex Johnson almost back after 5 knee reconstructions ? PlayersVoice

Good article......if the day arrives that he finally runs out with the first's, it will be a great day indeed.

[The Big Cat]

of course our own Daniel Rampe at 90

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...120-2xuwr.html

Dane's brother?

[KSAS]

Dane's brother?

Caught me out there, Dane it is of course! Not sure if Dane has any brothers playing in the footy ranks?

[I?m-uninformed2]

So, back to the Hanners discussion.

I love him. He was robbed not to win the Norm Smith (sorry ROK). He?s been a cracker since his debut. At his best, he runs and plays desperately. He?s a tough SoB and amazingly so (think the contest with Hale in the 2012 GF or the contest with Hurley a few years back). He?s a bloke who can go inside and out.

In short, one of my favourite players full stop, and one most mates who follow another club rate most.

Now, what happens next depend on your view around our list.

Me. I?m in the crew that says we aren?t quite getting a flag with our current list, but we are already doing a good job of renewing it and the job is to squeeze another in the final years of Buddy?s contract. If so, how do we get it?

We did a great job two years ago with Ollie and Hayward. McCartin looks terrific. This year we get Blakey but will lose points doing so, even allowing for the extra second round pick.

So how do we go big and bold to get another top player, via the draft or other means. We have to give something.

The idea of seeing Hanners in another jumper revolts me. But it may be needed. If not him, who else would you give to get something substantial? Would love to hear alternatives on players and/or methods.

[MattW]

So, back to the Hanners discussion.

I love him. He was robbed not to win the Norm Smith (sorry ROK). He?s been a cracker since his debut. At his best, he runs and plays desperately. He?s a tough SoB and amazingly so (think the contest with Hale in the 2012 GF or the contest with Hurley a few years back). He?s a bloke who can go inside and out.

In short, one of my favourite players full stop, and one most mates who follow another club rate most.

Now, what happens next depend on your view around our list.

Me. I?m in the crew that says we aren?t quite getting a flag with our current list, but we are already doing a good job of renewing it and the job is to squeeze another in the final years of Buddy?s contract. If so, how do we get it?

We did a great job two years ago with Ollie and Hayward. McCartin looks terrific. This year we get Blakey but will lose points doing so, even allowing for the extra second round pick.

So how do we go big and bold to get another top player, via the draft or other means. We have to give something.

The idea of seeing Hanners in another jumper revolts me. But it may be needed. If not him, who else would you give to get something substantial? Would love to hear alternatives on players and/or methods.

That's a great post.

I feel the same about Hanners. I've missed him! He hasn't been at his peak since 2016 when, like in 2015, he averaged 30 possessions and 5 tackles a game. Injuries have really limited his output the last 18 months and it kind of feels like a long way back - to get touch, confidence, even match fitness. But I'm pretty patient with that and reckon it'll happen if he can overcome his injuries (sure, a decent 'if').

Where I differ is that I think we can get a flag with this list. We can do it this year. We have beaten Richmond and West Coast away the last time we played them. The defence in particular is starting to look really good. We have Melican and Reid to come back, who are very important players. Buddy and Hanners will have to work back into form, Hayward and Ollie will need to keep developing, and Parker and Heeney will need to play at a high level in the finals. But it can be done.

[Blood Fever]

That's a great post.

I feel the same about Hanners. I've missed him! He hasn't been at his peak since 2016 when, like in 2015, he averaged 30 possessions and 5 tackles a game. Injuries have really limited his output the last 18 months and it kind of feels like a long way back - to get touch, confidence, even match fitness. But I'm pretty patient with that and reckon it'll happen if he can overcome his injuries (sure, a decent 'if').

Where I differ is that I think we can get a flag with this list. We can do it this year. We have beaten Richmond and West Coast away the last time we played them. The defence in particular is starting to look really good. We have Melican and Reid to come back, who are very important players. Buddy and Hanners will have to work back into form, Hayward and Ollie will need to keep developing, and Parker and Heeney will need to play at a high level in the finals. But it can be done.

Reckon more than most years this year will get down to least injuries and momentum at right time. we are one of a number of teams that are a chance . Comp most even it has ever been. Top 4 still crucial despite Bulldogs fairytale.

[liz]

Me. I?m in the crew that says we aren?t quite getting a flag with our current list, but we are already doing a good job of renewing it and the job is to squeeze another in the final years of Buddy?s contract. If so, how do we get it?

What gap do you see in the list that makes you think we can't get a flag? And who do you think can fill that gap?


We have a bit of a list vulnerability in the ruck. Sinclair's doing fine at the moment but if he gets injured we might be in strife. That can't be fixed for this season but it might be an area they look to strengthen in the off-season, depending on the outlook for Naismith.

Even with Sinclair fit and in his current form (or with the still relatively inexperienced Naismith back), the ruck isn't exactly a strength. But unless NicNat, Gawn or Grundy comes on the market (and they won't), getting more depth isn't going to cost a lot - salary cap, draft or tradewise. We just need another mature body who can hold his own. Another Mumford would be nice -not necessarily in terms of style of play, but someone who isn't getting opportunities where he is (just how we lost Nankervis).


Otherwise, there's no area of the list that screams out to me as a clear weakness or one that can be improved without shelling out close to $1 for a de Goey or Shiel or Sloane (not that Shiel is on the market - he's just my favourite opposition mid at the moment in terms of offering something that would really improve our team).

We're not firing on all cylinders at the moment but we're hanging in there after a reasonably tough draw to start the year. West Coast are in very good form so far this year but it's still May, plus we've already beaten them once (albeit before they got their confidence up). I'm looking forward to us hosting them at the SCG in a few weeks to gauge where we're at. We also play Richmond at Etihad quite soon, so will get an idea of how we cope with their extreme pressure. None of the other squads particular scare me. Adelaide are a good side but one we can beat when we play well. We just have to hope injuries are reasonably kind from here on and that the team stays focussed.

Plus, maybe ruck aside, there's plenty of scope of improvement over the next couple of seasons with Hayward, Florent, Mills, Melican, Heeney, Ronke et al.

[707]

Dawson Liz, you forgot Dawson! :-)

[S.S. Bleeder]

So, back to the Hanners discussion.

I love him. He was robbed not to win the Norm Smith (sorry ROK). He?s been a cracker since his debut. At his best, he runs and plays desperately. He?s a tough SoB and amazingly so (think the contest with Hale in the 2012 GF or the contest with Hurley a few years back). He?s a bloke who can go inside and out.

In short, one of my favourite players full stop, and one most mates who follow another club rate most.

Now, what happens next depend on your view around our list.

Me. I?m in the crew that says we aren?t quite getting a flag with our current list, but we are already doing a good job of renewing it and the job is to squeeze another in the final years of Buddy?s contract. If so, how do we get it?

We did a great job two years ago with Ollie and Hayward. McCartin looks terrific. This year we get Blakey but will lose points doing so, even allowing for the extra second round pick.

So how do we go big and bold to get another top player, via the draft or other means. We have to give something.

The idea of seeing Hanners in another jumper revolts me. But it may be needed. If not him, who else would you give to get something substantial? Would love to hear alternatives on players and/or methods.

Well said. I've been saying this for ages, although I do think we are capable of winning a flag if the stars align.

I view Parker and Hanners as being very similar players and we don't need two of them. I would have preferred that one of them had of been traded in order to retain Mitchell but that didn't happen.

That opportunity has gone but we still have an opportunity to move one of them on whilst they have value. If we were to trade one of them for say a gun rebounding half back or a high 1st rounder then I think it would be a win.

[MattW]

Well said. I've been saying this for ages, although I do think we are capable of winning a flag if the stars align.

I view Parker and Hanners as being very similar players and we don't need two of them. I would have preferred that one of them had of been traded in order to retain Mitchell but that didn't happen.

That opportunity has gone but we still have an opportunity to move one of them on whilst they have value. If we were to trade one of them for say a gun rebounding half back or a high 1st rounder then I think it would be a win.

I disagree that Hannebery and Parker are very similar players - they are also both different to Mitchell and I prefer them both to Mitchell.

I reckon Parker is more similar to Mitchell than Hannebery, but I far prefer him to Mitchell. Parker has been our most important player over the last two years. He has played at a consistent very high level and has probably made a greater contribution to wins than any players other than Buddy. There have been games where his ripping the ball out of contested situations and driving it forward have kept us in and/or won us the game. There have been games where his ability to take contested marks and kick goals have kept us in games. He's clutch. I feel that Mitchell is less able to influence the outcome of a game. I wouldn't trade Parker for the number 1 pick. A guy who has made his contribution is not tradeable.

As I said, Hanners' stocks have fallen given his injury, and it remains to be seen whether he can build his play back to that level, but either way he's a different player to Parker and Mitchell. Hanners does not have Mitchell or Parker's bottom of the pack abilities, but is more of a runner/handball receiver/link player. At his peak, he creates opportunities through his elite endurance and hard running.

Also, do we really need a 'gun rebounding half back'? Lloyd's going pretty well bringing the ball out of defence. Jones is developing pretty well as a running backman. We just recruited Stoddart and Ling.

[Markwebbos]

We are lacking in tall Fwds / defenders in the short term but will draft Blakey and have a very young McCartin. If we lost Buddy for the rest of the year or Rampe we?d be in trouble.

We also lack an explosive midfielder in the Shiel / Martin / Danger mould.

[Ludwig]

I think we're doing fine across the board. We are developing young players quicker than the old ones are retiring, hence increasing our depth.

We just have to stay the course and we should be flag contenders well beyond Buddy's retirement.

It's hard to win a flag. The key is to be in contention every year, which we have been and should continue to be for the foreseeable future.

[SeanM]

The talk about trading Hannebery and Parker is interesting.

When we re-signed them long term, it seemed we were happy that they were the players we could build our midfield around long term. Now things seemed to have changed if we are contemplating trading them for draft picks or to strengthen other areas.

In recent years I think we have been trying to balance out our midfield to compensate for weaknesses of Hannebery, Kennedy and Parker. We have got role players who can run and tackle against midfields like GWS. And it seems like we are trying to introduce some younger players who have ok kicking, creativity and offensive running. We have had poor form this year. But I think we are constantly trying to improve our midfield. I would prefer to continue to gradually evolve rather than make drastic changes.

Re Flag talk

I don't think any side can build a list that dominates the competition and comfortably wins a flag. Obviously you need to be a decent side that plays well. But it is important to have lack of injuries, good form and luck at the right time.