Past players - what are they up to?

[Velour&Ruffles]

For what it's worth Dunkley was my favourite player when I started watching the Swans. I was pretty gutted we couldn't get Josh.

Dunks was a huge favourite of mine too, and remains so to this day whatever his relations with the club may be. An absolutely brilliant mark and as brutally tough a player as has ever pulled on boots. Despite his awkward style, he also became a perfectly effective kick so long as he didn't need to go more than about 30m. I fondly recall him dismantling Wayne Carey and Matthew Richardson a few times, when very few defenders were capable of that.

I too would have loved to see Dunks Jnr in the red and white.

[Mark26]

Dunks was a huge favourite of mine too, and remains so to this day whatever his relations with the club may be. An absolutely brilliant mark and as brutally tough a player as has ever pulled on boots. Despite his awkward style, he also became a perfectly effective kick so long as he didn't need to go more than about 30m. I fondly recall him dismantling Wayne Carey and Matthew Richardson a few times, when very few defenders were capable of that.

I too would have loved to see Dunks Jnr in the red and white.

What a wonderful summation of Dunkley! I grew up playing a lot of soccer and was a defender through and through. While others have their eye on midfielders and forwards, I was mesmerised by Dunks, Leo Barry, Kennelly (when he came into the squad), Bolts, Roos, Shaw etc. We've been blessed with some ripping players down back.

[Aprilbr]

There has always been a lot of speculation around Dunkley Jnr and why he did not end up with the Swans. My take on it based on what I read at the time together with what seems to make sense to me was that he had a preference to stay in Melbourne rather than move to Sydney hence his initial reluctance to nominate as a father-son.

When it became apparent in the lead up to the draft that the Eagles were keen on him, he agreed to nominate on the condition that the Swans would only take him if another interstate team picked him up. The Bulldogs swooped so the Swans honoured their "gentlemen's agreement" and did not activate their father-son hold. The rest is history. He walked into the Bulldogs' senior team and a premiership.

Now this possibility is far from proven and there could be a much more innocent explanation eg our recruiters did not think he was worth the pick needed to acquire him. We may never know the truth as who would admit to draft tampering?

[Faunac8]

There has always been a lot of speculation around Dunkley Jnr and why he did not end up with the Swans. My take on it based on what I read at the time together with what seems to make sense to me was that he had a preference to stay in Melbourne rather than move to Sydney hence his initial reluctance to nominate as a father-son.

When it became apparent in the lead up to the draft that the Eagles were keen on him, he agreed to nominate on the condition that the Swans would only take him if another interstate team picked him up. The Bulldogs swooped so the Swans honoured their "gentlemen's agreement" and did not activate their father-son hold. The rest is history. He walked into the Bulldogs' senior team and a premiership.

Now this possibility is far from proven and there could be a much more innocent explanation eg our recruiters did not think he was worth the pick needed to acquire him. We may never know the truth as who would admit to draft tampering?

Another reason to dislike the Bullfrogs we did them a solid and indirectly as a result missed out on a flag.
Before that year I always had them as my second favourite team but 2016 changed that.
We wuz robbed !!!

[Ludwig]

Another reason to dislike the Bullfrogs we did them a solid and indirectly as a result missed out on a flag.
Before that year I always had them as my second favourite team but 2016 changed that.
We wuz robbed !!!

By losing Dunkley to the Dogs, we were able to draft Jordan Dawson. I used to say that it worked out well for us in the end, but now that 2015 draft debacle has converted into a late 2022 1st round pick. So we will have to wait and see what the footy gods have in store for us. They've had 7 years to work this one out.

[liz]

By losing Dunkley to the Dogs, we were able to draft Jordan Dawson. I used to say that it worked out well for us in the end, but now that 2015 draft debacle has converted into a late 2022 1st round pick. So we will have to wait and see what the footy gods have in store for us. They've had 7 years to work this one out.

Maybe. We might have been able to draft Dawson anyway. Once you get into the third round onwards of the draft, who knows. Possibly Leonardis would have been unavailable, which would have been such a shame.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

If Dunkley had come to the Swans (perhaps with Brisbane selecting him at #24), would we not have had to use up both the Leonardis and Dawson picks to secure him Liz?

[liz]

We’d have given up the pick we took Dawson with, but he might have still been available when our next pick came around. Who knows.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Gotcha now. Yes with counterfactuals there is a greater range of possible outcomes.
Except maybe the one where Harry McKay dropped to pick #71 (where we swooped) because a time traveling Swans agent left a roller skate accross the McKAy's driveway causing harry to miss his final year in U18's.

[liz]

Gotcha now. Yes with counterfactuals there is a greater range of possible outcomes.
Except maybe the one where Harry McKay dropped to pick #71 (where we swooped) because a time traveling Swans agent left a roller skate accross the McKAy's driveway causing harry to miss his final year in U18's.

If Harry had missed his final U18 year he’d probably have gone top five. After all, Mills did in that same draft.

I dare say the decision not to match the Dunkley bid might (I’m only speculating) have had something to do with Roos depleting so many of our draft points with that early bid. Possibly the Swans fully expected that to happen going into the draft, but I doubt any other club would have bid that early on Mills given he played just one (I think) game in that season.

[Ludwig]

Maybe. We might have been able to draft Dawson anyway. Once you get into the third round onwards of the draft, who knows. Possibly Leonardis would have been unavailable, which would have been such a shame.

Anything's possible. Dawson may have lasted till the 3rd round of the rookie draft. By connecting Dunkley and Dawson we can string out the 2015 draft for another 7 years. I becomes a saga.

[i'm-uninformed2]

For what it’s worth, Dan Hannebery is back for the Saints this week. He was a deeply special player for us, the departure was completely amicable and I hope like hell he gets to finish his footy career on a high. He deserves to.

[Meg]

For what it’s worth, Dan Hannebery is back for the Saints this week. He was a deeply special player for us, the departure was completely amicable and I hope like hell he gets to finish his footy career on a high. He deserves to.

Agree completely. Dan’s first match since Round 23 last year.

I believe he went to Germany for specialised treatment earlier this year. I really really hope he goes well.

[i'm-uninformed2]

And to honour the 53rd birthday of my fave Swan, here you go. Just ridiculous

Fantastic Five: Best of Paul Kelly

[Faunac8]

And to honour the 53rd birthday of my fave Swan, here you go. Just ridiculous

Fantastic Five: Best of Paul Kelly

I’m with you my favourite Swans player as well simply one of the toughest and tenacious players I have ever seen.
Known as Captain Courageous for good reason.