2018 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[Tuhob]

For those interested in extra vision of Justin McInerney, looks like the afl.com.au draft tracker has updated Justin's profile with a video. It looks like extended footage from 2 matches (some vision already seen in the northern knights video but also some extra video from the same match). From the vision you could imagine him as a line-breaking long kicking winger/half-back flanker. Seems to actually make some good decisions under pressure. Other thing of note is his running as there are some passages where you see him start the chain and get it further up the ground.

[Meg]

Perhaps out of focus in the background to the Kennedy-Bell hug shot second from the bottom here: Gallery: Full squad back on deck - sydneyswans.com.au

Yep, that’s Matthew Ling.

Also seen wooing women members at L@SS Sunday brunch.

Gallery: L@SS Brunch - sydneyswans.com.au

[MattW]

Yep, that’s Matthew Ling.

Also seen wooing women members at L@SS Sunday brunch.

Gallery: L@SS Brunch - sydneyswans.com.au

He's got a pretty quirky Instagram feed. He strikes me as a *young* 19.

[707]

I saw footage of Menzel training and his muscles seem bigger than when he was at Geelong.

Mills seems to have bulked up too...although we haven't seen him training since he tripped on the drain so he was probably working out while he was injured.

Mills definitely bulked up shoulders and arms whilst having a lay off this year. Looks primed for midfield duties. Want to see Jones and Dawson in the midfield as well, Jones for his explosiveness, Dawson for the grunt he shows in NEAFL. Time to use the assets we have to bring the midfield up to standard.

[707]

A snippet from the AFL website this morning, mentions an academy prospect for 20020 draft and for those that wonder about Blakey's ability to transition into seniors in 2019 ....

Sixteen-year-old Gulden, for example, played 13 games this year for UNSW-Eastern Suburbs in the under-19s, while Blakey was best afield and booted six goals in his sole senior game in 2017.

"It was ridiculous how he went as a 17-year-old. He transitioned into playing against men with ease," Dunkley (brother of Andrew) said of Blakey.

[MattW]

A snippet from the AFL website this morning, mentions an academy prospect for 20020 draft and for those that wonder about Blakey's ability to transition into seniors in 2019 ....

Sixteen-year-old Gulden, for example, played 13 games this year for UNSW-Eastern Suburbs in the under-19s, while Blakey was best afield and booted six goals in his sole senior game in 2017.

"It was ridiculous how he went as a 17-year-old. He transitioned into playing against men with ease," Dunkley (brother of Andrew) said of Blakey.

That doesn't surprise me. From the clips, there's an imposing quality to his play. He looks a winner.

[liz]

A snippet from the AFL website this morning, mentions an academy prospect for 20020 draft and for those that wonder about Blakey's ability to transition into seniors in 2019 ....

Sixteen-year-old Gulden, for example, played 13 games this year for UNSW-Eastern Suburbs in the under-19s, while Blakey was best afield and booted six goals in his sole senior game in 2017.

"It was ridiculous how he went as a 17-year-old. He transitioned into playing against men with ease," Dunkley (brother of Andrew) said of Blakey.

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.

http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/2018-07-19/academy-duo-named-in-all-australian-team

[Beerman]

l
Sixteen-year-old Gulden, for example, played 13 games this year for UNSW-Eastern Suburbs in the under-19s,(brother of Andrew) said of Blakey.

Didn’t he use to play for Maroubra? When did he move across to UNSW-Easts?

[stevoswan]

Perhaps out of focus in the background to the Kennedy-Bell hug shot second from the bottom here: Gallery: Full squad back on deck - sydneyswans.com.au

If that is Ling and I believe it is....he's just standing there....as usual. I want to see shots of him RUNNING! We need evidence of him actually running and training, because the club won't tell us anything.....

[bloodspirit]

Didn’t he use to play for Maroubra? When did he move across to UNSW-Easts?

Maroubra is one of the local clubs that feeds up to UNSW-Easts in the Sydney AFL, so that would make sense.

[bloodspirit]

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

Thanks for posting the link to this article. Refers to a few promising players coming through the Academy - hurrah! A testament to how well the Swans are doing at developing the sport in their zones and to how we are spreading the Aussie Rules gospel at the same time.

[rb4x]

The Swans website are reporting "Gallery: Full squad back on deck". I wonder if that is entirely correct given how coy the team has been reporting injury concerns in the past. The injured player just ceases to exist. A couple of players I have not sighted in the gallery pics are Sinclair and Florent. Can anyone confirm that they were at training and does anybody know of a player definitely missing apart from Tippett of course.

[liz]

The Swans website are reporting "Gallery: Full squad back on deck". I wonder if that is entirely correct given how coy the team has been reporting injury concerns in the past. The injured player just ceases to exist. A couple of players I have not sighted in the gallery pics are Sinclair and Florent. Can anyone confirm that they were at training and does anybody know of a player definitely missing apart from Tippett of course.

"Full squad back on deck" just refers to the fact that the seniors players have returned to training, after the first-to-fifth year players returned a fortnight earlier. I don't believe it is intended to suggest that everyone is fit and participating in all the drills. I imagine there are a fair few, as in any year, who will have had off-season remedial work and are likely undergoing their own programmes (some possibly in the infamous dungeon, out of site of the cameras).

[707]

Video piece up on the AFL website with Gil chatting about how the draft went. The tactic we used to preserve a 20s pick may not be allowed next year - yes! we were ahead of the game :-)

[stevoswan]

Video piece up on the AFL website with Gil chatting about how the draft went. The tactic we used to preserve a 20s pick may not be allowed next year - yes! we were ahead of the game :-)

.....and yet the AFL ticked it off before it happened. Has Eddie or Alistair had a coffee with Gil since the draft FFS? It just goes to show that when the AFL make changes to these areas, they either don't look at all possible scenario's or they design them to help Victorian teams and when an interstate club benefits.....they have a 'sudden rethink' if/when some Vic clubs have a sook about it. Would they have the same reaction if say Collingwood or Hawthorn were 'ahead of the game' like we were?