Best 22 for 2019

[CureTheSane]

Or it may simply have been the explanation the club gave - that he had an injury interrupted pre-season (bung toe) and that it took him time to regain his fitness, confidence and form.

And of course Melican had emerged and was playing some good football, which made it harder to Aliir to force his way back into the side.

The club goes about a lot of this stuff all cloak and dagger and I generally agree with that as I think it is a much more professional way to go.

For instance Talia.
My assumption when the drugs thing happened was that it would be the instant end of him, after Hall setting a fair precedent for what the club is willing to put up with.
Turns out, it was the end of him, but with no fanfare, just shoved in a dark corned, never to play again, and be delisted at the end of the season.

Unfortunately, in other less significant instances of injuries, form issues and discipline issues, Swans fans don't generally get much information fed through, so assumptions are made, speculation is created and conspiracy theories develop.
That's part of the reason this board is here.

[caj23]

They've shown a willingness to select experienced, seasoned players hampered by injury or lack of pre-season but I don't think that's applicable to younger, inexperienced players. Indeed, one of the reasons that was given for a young Mitchell having to bide his time in the NEAFL was that he'd had a series of injuries and needed to build on his fitness.

I have no doubt different standards are applied to different players but I don't think that's unreasonable.

The reference to Melican keeping Aliir out of the side related to 2017, not 2018. It was last season that the club used injury to explain Aliir's absence. Melican was in the team throughout the entire middle part of 2017.

I haven't read much discussion about why it took a while for Aliir to find a spot in the team in 2018, particularly after Melican was injured in round 3. He did come in for round 4 but wasn't given a position in defence, struggled in an unfamiliar role up forward and was dropped after a game. The coaches seemed to prefer Marsh as a third defender replacement for that middle section of the season. I do know - based on watching most of the NEAFL games over that first half of 2018, that Aliir's form wasn't great at the start of the year. He improved greatly as the year went on, which I suggest largely explains why he regained a spot in the team at around the midpoint of the season.

All fair points Liz

For the good of the team lets hope he remains playing senior football for the full year in 2019 at the level he finished this year off

[barry]

I’ve wondered recently if the playing / non-playing of particular players could be related to trigger clauses in their contracts. Do trigger clauses work both ways (as in if a trigger is activated it ties the player contractually to the club)?

Im not sure about the swans, but I think they work both ways at other clubs.

I dont particularly like trigger clauses. Just cause problems IMO.

[707]

Im not sure about the swans, but I think they work both ways at other clubs.

I dont particularly like trigger clauses. Just cause problems IMO.

Don't bring up Tippett please Barry!

[stevoswan]

Or it may simply have been the explanation the club gave - that he had an injury interrupted pre-season (bung toe) and that it took him time to regain his fitness, confidence and form.

And of course Melican had emerged and was playing some good football, which made it harder to Aliir to force his way back into the side.

This is a more accurate assessment regarding Allir I think....and as for 'bung toes', they can be stubborn little buggers to heal.....just look at Ling! Hope we see him play soon.

[Mel_C]

Didn't Aliir get injured this year in one of the JLT games? And I'm sure he played very limited NEAFL game time before he was selected for the Bulldogs game so we were all surprised by the decision. He is a player that needs continuity.

[S.S. Bleeder]

I think the comp is far too even to make those sort of predictions. We probably would've been in the top 4 this season if it wasn't for Buddy and Parker pulling out of the Hawthorn clash.

Exactly. It's so difficult to predict these days. Had we not been so heavily impacted by injuries we would have been top 4. Unfortunately we didn't have the depth to cover it whereas West Coast did.

Maybe Its my overt optimism showing through but I really do have a good feeling about next year. I feel that we will have better depth next year and I actually do believe that we have improved our list.

Hanners and Rohan have been great players for us but they are no loss given their form over the last few years. We have brought in Menzel, Clarke and Blakey who should both be first 22.

Our chances of success next year will be reliant on injuries.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Lets look at this a little differently and get a little speculative.

Look at the players that are 26 or older that you have in your 22, and nominate who you think will make an ideal replacement and why.

A simple one first: Jarrad McVeigh - Colin O'Riordan got a taste last year and he blew me away with his ability to read the play and provide the sort of foot speed and precision foot disposal that Captain Gumby has given us. Hope he and Lloyd provide get-out options for many years to come.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

And of course Blakey will seamlessly succeed Nick Smith.

[wolftone57]

Just wondering others thoughts are re Florent and his future pathway of development in 2019/20 ?

Pick 11: Oliver Florent - sydneyswans.com.au

When we watched his draft recruitment video pick 11 we saw a very composed good decision making goal kicking outside player for most of the footage.

Then the later part of the video we saw a standout player playing an inside role in the game that featured the top talent from all states and was the clincher for Kinnear Beatson

I wonder if we will see Ollie moving a little more thru the mid rather then the outside wings in 2019 especially with the likes of Thurlow, ling, stoddart, Clarke etc all pushing for over lapping / HBF running roles

I suspect Florent maybe on a not to dissimilar pathway to hanners past roles at the Swans ?

A young player at 22yrs of age who made a great transition is Jed Anderson at north

Jed slightly smaller in height and weight than Ollie very similar skill set saw Jed in 2017 start to play inside outside then primarily inside for 2018 and really helped north fast inside game

Jeds speed off the mark and fast decision making made him allusive and tough to handle and really helped norths contested exits

This is an area we must keep excelling at and find an edge with our rotation

Was this written 2-3 years ago? Jed is ex Hawks and is going to be 25 next year.

[wolftone57]

They've shown a willingness to select experienced, seasoned players hampered by injury or lack of pre-season but I don't think that's applicable to younger, inexperienced players. Indeed, one of the reasons that was given for a young Mitchell having to bide his time in the NEAFL was that he'd had a series of injuries and needed to build on his fitness.

I have no doubt different standards are applied to different players but I don't think that's unreasonable.

The reference to Melican keeping Aliir out of the side related to 2017, not 2018. It was last season that the club used injury to explain Aliir's absence. Melican was in the team throughout the entire middle part of 2017.

I haven't read much discussion about why it took a while for Aliir to find a spot in the team in 2018, particularly after Melican was injured in round 3. He did come in for round 4 but wasn't given a position in defence, struggled in an unfamiliar role up forward and was dropped after a game. The coaches seemed to prefer Marsh as a third defender replacement for that middle section of the season. I do know - based on watching most of the NEAFL games over that first half of 2018, that Aliir's form wasn't great at the start of the year. He improved greatly as the year went on, which I suggest largely explains why he regained a spot in the team at around the midpoint of the season.

I don't think Mitchell was injured when he got 63 disposals and still didn't get a game. They treated Mitchell very badly. The reality is not everyone is going to get along with the coach and coaches are human too. They also find ways not to like a particular player. I'm not saying this is the case with Longmire and Aliir but it may have been with Mitchell and I am led to believe Newman as well. The thing we have to remember is that not everyone at a footy club is going to get along. It is a business with bosses and employees. sometimes the bosses just don't like an employee and are stuck with them. sometimes employees don't like their boss but are stuck with them too. it's office politics but on a sporting level. I know I didn't like several of the people I played footy with and most certainly loathed some of my bosses and disliked some of my employees when I was a supervisor. Not all people are going to get along. That's humanity for you.

[wolftone57]

Didn't Aliir get injured this year in one of the JLT games? And I'm sure he played very limited NEAFL game time before he was selected for the Bulldogs game so we were all surprised by the decision. He is a player that needs continuity.

Yes he'd only had one NEAFL game before coming into the side and playing forward. I don't think he was quite ready. It was 2017 I could not fathom. He was playing really well in the reserves and we lost a few tall backs for one match and he still did not get a call up.

[Auntie.Gerald]

When Jed was 22 when he started to make the transition to his new role

Last year this year he has powered thru the middle for the kangas despite being a light midfielder

Ie comparison to Florent ie form HFF to more wing time to more inside mid time maybe 2019 ?

[Doctor]

No interest in picking a team yet but the players under consideration for first team and what that means is very interesting. We haven't recruited Clarke, Thurlow or Menzel to play ressies. Add Mills, Naismith, Reid and Melican (and Smith to some extent) to those in the mix for a first team place and it does create a bit of a log jam. My early feeling is that all of our draftees are not intended to be Round 1 picks but Heeney and Mills did come straight in so I guess Blakey may do so. I just feel that it's less likely because of his size and the position he plays.

[AB Swannie]

A reminder of our team that was picked for our last game in 2018:

B Dane Rampe, Heath Grundy, Jake Lloyd
HB Daniel Robinson, Aliir Aliir, Jarrad McVeigh
C Harry Cunningham, Josh P. Kennedy, Isaac Heeney
HF Ben Ronke, Tom McCartin, George Hewett
F Luke Parker, Lance Franklin, Tom Papley
FOL Callum Sinclair, Zak Jones, Dan Hannebery
I/C Will Hayward, Oliver Florent, Kieren Jack, Nic Newman

• Injured players returning include Mills, Reid, Melican, Smith, and Naismith.
• Recruits include Menzel, Clarke, Thurlow, Blakey + other draftees.
• Dawson and COR are also available.

If you include Blakey, That means that there are up to eleven possible ins with only three definite outs (highlighted).

No wonder it is tough to do a best 22.