2018 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[YvonneH]

Very mixed emotions about that. But maybe he needed to leave the Swans.

Maybe, but I still wish he hadn't.

[MattW]

Hey, Durak Tucker seems a lovely lad; very happy to be here. Very promising video highlights, too. 'Couldn't have been happier': Tucker relives Draft night - sydneyswans.com.au

[Ralph Dawg]

Hey, Durak Tucker seems a lovely lad; very happy to be here. Very promising video highlights, too. 'Couldn't have been happier': Tucker relives Draft night - sydneyswans.com.au

I've really enjoyed watching the interviews with the new kids, especially Durak and Harry. Both lads just seem absolutely ecstatic about being at Sydney. I wonder whether the disappointment of not being taken in the main draft makes being taken as a rookie even more sweet. Here's hoping they both kick in and have long and successful careers.

[Beerman]

I think most of us here will be dead by 20020 when Gulden is eligible to be drafted. Mind you, he probably will be too...

I've read a few comments about Gulden. Just last week he was mentioned as winning the time trial at the start of the Swans' Academy summer benchmarking programme. And in one U16 game last year against NT he racked up silly stats - over 30 possessions, multiple goals and a high tackle count too.

Here's a link (for others) to the UNSW-E article on the AFL site that you're referring to.
Sydney's little-known footy factory produces yet again - AFL.com.au

EDIT

Here's a link to an article from earlier this year that refers to Guldens U16 game - 27 kicks, 11 handballs, 10 marks, eight clearances, four tackles and five goals.
Academy: Gulden and Campbell named in All Australian team - sydneyswans.com.au

He played with my son for a bit when he was playing AFL. He was actually in a younger age group, but would often double-up and play with the older kids to make up numbers. Even so, he was a star of the older group. This was 6 or 7 years ago, but definitely a promising talent at that stage.

His sister was pretty good as well - she was a year or two older and in the same team as my son. Perhaps we'll see her in the AFLW if she is still playing. And his mum coached the team, so all-in-all, a very keen family for Aussie rules!

[stevoswan]

Some interesting assessments of the Swans 2017 draftees in this article: 2017 draft revisited: How have your club's players fared? - AFL.com.au

The assessment of Ling is promising from what little footy he played and I hope we see him really hit his straps next season, as well as Stoddart and of course, Tommy McCartin. Amarty maybe the season after and alas, AJ and Styles have gone.....

"Pick 14: Matthew Ling
The Swans had high hopes for their top pick, but some niggles affected his pre-season and a toe injury ended it midway through the year. In the small amount of footy he did play, Ling's pace and ball use stood out, and he'll have his eyes on a spot across half-back or on the wing next year."

[dejavoodoo44]

Hey, Durak Tucker seems a lovely lad; very happy to be here. Very promising video highlights, too. 'Couldn't have been happier': Tucker relives Draft night - sydneyswans.com.au

Yes, I also thought that he was very likeable. If he rehabs successfully from the knee injury, then in future years, he may be seen as a great draft steal.

[SeanM]

He seems to have a positive attitude. I hope he does well this season and gets another year.

[MattW]

Yes, I also thought that he was very likeable. If he rehabs successfully from the knee injury, then in future years, he may be seen as a great draft steal.

Yes, I wonder if he'd been drafted earlier if he hadn't had the ACL last year.

[wolftone57]

I’m very happy to be flying under the radar in 2019, but the HS does have a point when it says “there remains a question mark” over whether players like Heeney can lift our midfield in 2019.

I’m not as confident as others about 2019, more so about 2020.

I'm with you on this one. I think 2019 will be a development year for our list. But then again I said that in 2012 but even many at the club did not expect a premiership in 2012. But there are conditions.

At the end of the year everyone is reviewed, including the coach. In fact the players have the right to tell the coach what they really think. The footy department gives all the coaching staff honest feed back. An insider has said that much of that feedback was about the game plan and the lack of confidence in that plan. Now I know many here will accuse me of Longmire bashing but nothing is further from the truth. I do not Longmire bash I game plan and tactic bash. The fact he is in charge of the game plan is irrelevant. I do not care who the coach is but if they continue to use the same tactics year after year then they are asking for trouble. Clarkson was given some very frank advice from the senior players in the 2010 season. Changer or be sacked because the current plan is exactly the same as 2008 and is so predictable. That was exactly what he was told by Hodge, Mitchell, Burgoyne etc.

I am hoping that Longmire takes all this onboard and designs a new exciting game plan that utilises all the talent at his disposal. He has the cahance to develop something lasting and important in the history of the club. I think he will take all the criticism in his stride and come up with a brand new approach. He is great with the players and they love him. They just hate his old game plan and have no confidence in it. At different times during the year we saw the signs of a new approach but the play did not develop from that. It fell back into the tried and true. for instance we were playing one on one footy but then we'd lapse into allowing an extra back because we put an extra on ball. We stopped passing the ball short and went back to kicking long to a contest. We slow played the ball down the line instead of breaking the lines. We set up defensive side instead of attacking. It's all about perspective and reality. I think Horse can change but will he? That is the HUGE question for 2019. because if he doesn't the prediction WILL come true.

- - - Updated - - -

Also pulling on the boots for Lara in the Geelong Football League who are coached by Tony Armstrong

No he will play for the Northern Blues

- - - Updated - - -

Some interesting assessments of the Swans 2017 draftees in this article: 2017 draft revisited: How have your club's players fared? - AFL.com.au

The assessment of Ling is promising from what little footy he played and I hope we see him really hit his straps next season, as well as Stoddart and of course, Tommy McCartin. Amarty maybe the season after and alas, AJ and Styles have gone.....

"Pick 14: Matthew Ling
The Swans had high hopes for their top pick, but some niggles affected his pre-season and a toe injury ended it midway through the year. In the small amount of footy he did play, Ling's pace and ball use stood out, and he'll have his eyes on a spot across half-back or on the wing next year."

What I can't understand is them saying Amarty was light. No!

[Aprilbr]

I agree that the Swans play a very predictable style of football. Problem for us is that our midfield has gone from one of the best to below average in the past 2-3 years due to players getting older and/ or injured (Hanners, Jack, Kennedy) or leaving (Mitchell). The next midfield is yet to really establish itself. This is epitomised by stats such as "inside 50s" which were abysmal last season. It's hard to succeed if you don't move it forward enough. The result was that our defence was always under pressure and our forwards starved of opportunities. We probably did well to play finals given that. We desperately need a midfielder to develop into elite. Parker and Kennedy can't be relied upon forever to carry the rest. There are promising signs with players like Florent and Heeney but can others eg Zac Jones, Mills step up? We desperately need them to as the midfield of the better sides like WCE and Collingwood bat deep.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[KSAS]

I'm with you on this one. I think 2019 will be a development year for our list. But then again I said that in 2012 but even many at the club did not expect a premiership in 2012. But there are conditions.

At the end of the year everyone is reviewed, including the coach. In fact the players have the right to tell the coach what they really think. The footy department gives all the coaching staff honest feed back. An insider has said that much of that feedback was about the game plan and the lack of confidence in that plan. Now I know many here will accuse me of Longmire bashing but nothing is further from the truth. I do not Longmire bash I game plan and tactic bash. The fact he is in charge of the game plan is irrelevant. I do not care who the coach is but if they continue to use the same tactics year after year then they are asking for trouble. Clarkson was given some very frank advice from the senior players in the 2010 season. Changer or be sacked because the current plan is exactly the same as 2008 and is so predictable. That was exactly what he was told by Hodge, Mitchell, Burgoyne etc.

I am hoping that Longmire takes all this onboard and designs a new exciting game plan that utilises all the talent at his disposal. He has the cahance to develop something lasting and important in the history of the club. I think he will take all the criticism in his stride and come up with a brand new approach. He is great with the players and they love him. They just hate his old game plan and have no confidence in it. At different times during the year we saw the signs of a new approach but the play did not develop from that. It fell back into the tried and true. for instance we were playing one on one footy but then we'd lapse into allowing an extra back because we put an extra on ball. We stopped passing the ball short and went back to kicking long to a contest. We slow played the ball down the line instead of breaking the lines. We set up defensive side instead of attacking. It's all about perspective and reality. I think Horse can change but will he? That is the HUGE question for 2019. because if he doesn't the prediction WILL come true.

+1
I heard something similar that Longmire's game plan has become on the nose with the senior playing group. I really like & admire Longmire as he has embodied our club so well for a long time now, so I really do hope he does the make the necessary game changes that will bring out the best of the team's potential.

With that in mind, I have a feeling that 2019 will to some extent be a make or break year to John's coaching tenure beyond 2020 when his current contract is due to expire. Not withstanding the injury toll of the past 2 seasons to key players, which the club has done extraordinary well to overcome to just even make the finals. The judgement next year might well be the brand of footy played rather than the final ladder position. Taking the club to the next level for a genuine crack at a flag(s) over the next few years rather than just making the numbers in the top 8, as I'm of the opinion we have the list to do so when taking into consideration how even the comp is at the moment. The emphasis over last few years appears to be getting team buying into & executing winning game plan over pure talent alone.

I thought the club were somewhat brave in the decision to part with Hannebery & Rohan (there is a risk both could come good despite their recent performances), which might be an indication the club thinks it's time for a change and Longmire driving that.

[barry]

+1

I thought the club were somewhat brave in the decision to part with Hannebery & Rohan (there is a risk both could come good despite their recent performances), which might be an indication the club thinks it's time for a change and Longmire driving that.

"Brave" was getting rid of Mitchel who was likely to improve as the years went on.... and has.
Getting rid of Hanners (broken) and Rohan (outside best 22) were easy decisions in comparison.

In essence we swapped Rohan for Menzel (win), and offloaded cap space with Hanners. To be in a position where we have to offload players due to cap space is poor cap management, but for the price of $800k, he was the easy target.

[Markwebbos]

+1
I heard something similar that Longmire's game plan has become on the nose with the senior playing group. I really like & admire Longmire as he has embodied our club so well for a long time now, so I really do hope he does the make the necessary game changes that will bring out the best of the team's potential.

With that in mind, I have a feeling that 2019 will to some extent be a make or break year to John's coaching tenure beyond 2020 when his current contract is due to expire. Not withstanding the injury toll of the past 2 seasons to key players, which the club has done extraordinary well to overcome to just even make the finals. The judgement next year might well be the brand of footy played rather than the final ladder position. Taking the club to the next level for a genuine crack at a flag(s) over the next few years rather than just making the numbers in the top 8, as I'm of the opinion we have the list to do so when taking into consideration how even the comp is at the moment. The emphasis over last few years appears to be getting team buying into & executing winning game plan over pure talent alone.

I thought the club were somewhat brave in the decision to part with Hannebery & Rohan (there is a risk both could come good despite their recent performances), which might be an indication the club thinks it's time for a change and Longmire driving that.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but list management isn’t Longmires decision. I could believe that they traded Hanners and Rohan out to deny him the opportunity to select them.

[KSAS]

Of course list management isn't the sole decision of Longmire, but as the senior coach he would have some input in the decision process which would include parting with Hannebery and Rohan (the latter did finish playing the season in the NEAFL). The final point I was trying to convey above, is the club might now think a change in playing direction is what's required and Longmire being at the helm is in the position to drive that.

What I've wondered in today's professional environment is how much of the game plan(s) is devised/owned by the senior coach? It may well vary from club to club.

[barry]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but list management isn’t Longmires decision. I could believe that they traded Hanners and Rohan out to deny him the opportunity to select them.

If thats the case, then this could blow up spectacularly. !