2018 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[barry]

I think its fairly simple.
An academy is an AFL club aligned program that is used to
- Entice players who have traditional pathways to other sports already entrenched. (ie, area's where AFL is not No.1 code)
- Leverage the local club presence by including them in the pathway (priority given to playing for club in same location/state by points bidding and discount)
- Only available to clubs who have a significant go-home factor to contend with. (NSW,QLD). This can be quantative. ie. in place until 2/18th of all AFL players are from NSW.

This would exclude NGA's. NGA's should be run by the AFL, not clubs.

[liz]

'They were my No.1 preference': Draftee happy at Suns - AFL.com.au

This article suggests that Jez McLennan was a player the Swans had in mind when they traded back into the second round of the draft, but that the Suns were just as keen and motivated them to trade with West Coast for the first pick on day 2. I'm not sure I'd take the musings of a draftee or his manager as gospel that the Swans had him in their sights but there may be some truth to it.

It's obviously impossible to project forward to know how any draftee will develop but, just on type of player, I'm glad that the Swans used that pick on a contested midfielder, rather than a medium sized, running defender (not least because the club spent several of its later picks on medium sized running defenders/wingmen).

[S.S. Bleeder]

Another problem with free agency is that it further strengthens the attractive Victorian clubs (Hawks, Blues, Bombers, Pies, etc). 80% of the players that are drafted come from Victoria yet Victorian clubs only make up 55% of the clubs.

Almost all free agents use the system as an opportunity to return to their state of Origin. It's very heavily weighted in the favour of these clubs for free agency players to return to them. It just so happens that these players have just or are just starting to hit their straps when they reach free agency and the big Victorian clubs get them for absolutely nothing.

As a result, the northern clubs in particular, are being used as development clubs for the big Vic clubs.

On top of that we now have a siruation where all clubs have academies, in fact I would argue that the NGA academies are advantaged because they have a larger and higher quality pool to draw upon.

The system is massively flawed but the AFL will do nothing about it because the big Vic clubs bring in the dollars. They don't care about equalisation. It's all about income.

[S.S. Bleeder]

'They were my No.1 preference': Draftee happy at Suns - AFL.com.au

This article suggests that Jez McLennan was a player the Swans had in mind when they traded back into the second round of the draft, but that the Suns were just as keen and motivated them to trade with West Coast for the first pick on day 2. I'm not sure I'd take the musings of a draftee or his manager as gospel that the Swans had him in their sights but there may be some truth to it.

It's obviously impossible to project forward to know how any draftee will develop but, just on type of player, I'm glad that the Swans used that pick on a contested midfielder, rather than a medium sized, running defender (not least because the club spent several of its later picks on medium sized running defenders/wingmen).

I agree. Why would we want another half back when we already have plenty of them and we are desperate for inside midfielders?

I'm certain that we had a particular player in mind when we trade up to pick 26. I'm just not sure that Rowbottom was that player given that he wasn't expected to be in that range.

[S.S. Bleeder]

I agree with this approach to free agency, but it will only exacerbate the problems with the northern clubs, particularly the Suns. Priority picks would be some relief.

What the AFL should have done is grant NGA zones to struggling clubs, even on a short term basis, instead of giving them to clubs that don't need assistance. This would expand the access to quality players to clubs struggling to retain players.

The bigger problem now is players demanding to be traded before they enter free agency. Something has to be done to stop this.

The go home factor is a massive issue. The best thing the AFL could do would be to invest in the development of AFL in NSW and Qld. It's a long term solution but it's the only way that the four clubs, and the integrity of the competition, will survive.

[ugg]

I’ve heard from a Brisbane supporting friend of mine that we were keen on Ely Smith who went to the Lions at pick 21. Given he is a similar type player to Rowbottom, that might have some validity to it

[liz]

I’ve heard from a Brisbane supporting friend of mine that we were keen on Ely Smith who went to the Lions at pick 21. Given he is a similar type player to Rowbottom, that might have some validity to it

For sure. I think the fact that they picked an inside mid gives a strong indication that they were looking for that kind of player (or I guess he could just have been "best available"). There were a few inside mids that went in the 20s, including a handful that phantom drafts (even the credible ones) had projected to go later.

I'm actually a bit disappointed the club didn't grab another one in this draft as there seemed to be a few around. I don't have any particular views on the other players the club drafted, except that we do seem to have accumulated a lot of the same kind of player. I know there's a perception that the Swans lack outside run and pace (only partly warranted IMO) but you still need a strong group of players who can win the hard ball - on the ground and in traffic. We have very little in the way of developing players of this type. At least Rowbottom is one.

[MattW]

For sure. I think the fact that they picked an inside mid gives a strong indication that they were looking for that kind of player (or I guess he could just have been "best available"). There were a few inside mids that went in the 20s, including a handful that phantom drafts (even the credible ones) had projected to go later.

I'm actually a bit disappointed the club didn't grab another one in this draft as there seemed to be a few around. I don't have any particular views on the other players the club drafted, except that we do seem to have accumulated a lot of the same kind of player. I know there's a perception that the Swans lack outside run and pace (only partly warranted IMO) but you still need a strong group of players who can win the hard ball - on the ground and in traffic. We have very little in the way of developing players of this type. At least Rowbottom is one.

I infer from his comments that Blakey's ultimate ambition (and expectation) is to play midfield.

[liz]

I infer from his comments that Blakey's ultimate ambition (and expectation) is to play midfield.

Maybe. From what I've seen of him (and based on his height and body shape), I find it hard to imagine him as a head-down, knees dirty kind of ball winner. That's not saying he's "soft" or "outside". Far from it. But if you play midfield at that height you'll generally keep your feet and get the ball on the move, as Goodes did in his prime and as Pendlebury and Bontempelli generally do. Cripps is a different kind of player at that height but his body shape is a bit different. Even when Blakey has filled out a bit I reckon he'll still be relatively lanky and long-limbed.

Ideally a midfield has a mixture of lots of different styles of contested ball winners, so it's good that Blakey projects as a different kind of midfielder (if, indeed, that's where he lands up).

[MattW]

Maybe. From what I've seen of him (and based on his height and body shape), I find it hard to imagine him as a head-down, knees dirty kind of ball winner. That's not saying he's "soft" or "outside". Far from it. But if you play midfield at that height you'll generally keep your feet and get the ball on the move, as Goodes did in his prime and as Pendlebury and Bontempelli generally do. Cripps is a different kind of player at that height but his body shape is a bit different. Even when Blakey has filled out a bit I reckon he'll still be relatively lanky and long-limbed.

Ideally a midfield has a mixture of lots of different styles of contested ball winners, so it's good that Blakey projects as a different kind of midfielder (if, indeed, that's where he lands up).

Yes, fair points, although however he plays, I expect Blakey will win 'hard ball'. I note also that I suspect they plan for Heeney and (if we believe Harley) Mills to run through midfield, and that we picked up Ryan Clarke, who's a ball-winner.

Back to your original post, I'm not sure I agree that we've otherwise recruited 'the same kind of player'. Foot and Wicks seems like Ronke types, McInerney seems to be a ball distributing winger/halfback (although he reminds me of Mattner), Reynolds looks similar to McInerney (moves a bit like AJ, i reckon), and Tucker looks a Jake Lever type medium defender, who might play a Rampe role.

[Markwebbos]

According to the this Oldest? Youngest? Most experienced? Club lists compared - AFL.com.au we have the equal 9th youngest list age at 23.94 years. We are actually within .1 of Saints, Dogs and Freo. The only sides significantly younger are Carlton, Gold Coast and Brisbane

[caj23]

According to the this Oldest? Youngest? Most experienced? Club lists compared - AFL.com.au we have the equal 9th youngest list age at 23.94 years. We are actually within .1 of Saints, Dogs and Freo. The only sides significantly younger are Carlton, Gold Coast and Brisbane

Presumably that trend will continue as we shed a few more veterans over the next couple of seasons

[Markwebbos]

I wondered if Tippo was included or not

[Legs Akimbo]

According to the this Oldest? Youngest? Most experienced? Club lists compared - AFL.com.au we have the equal 9th youngest list age at 23.94 years. We are actually within .1 of Saints, Dogs and Freo. The only sides significantly younger are Carlton, Gold Coast and Brisbane

Fairly strong positive correlation between average age and ladder position, just as there always has been. My take away from this is that it will probably a few years before we hit our sweet spot, or at least history would suggests so.

[stevoswan]

According to the this Oldest? Youngest? Most experienced? Club lists compared - AFL.com.au we have the equal 9th youngest list age at 23.94 years. We are actually within .1 of Saints, Dogs and Freo. The only sides significantly younger are Carlton, Gold Coast and Brisbane

Interesting to see that the oldest list is Hawthorn.....even after jettisoning all those veterans, followed by Collingwood. I wouldn't have thought those two would be at the top of that chart.