2019 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[Ludwig]

Our draft decision making in the last few years has been questionable at best.

Firstly, not taking Dunkley allowed us to draft Dawson.

I think if you go through our draft record in detail, you will find it's been one of the best in the league. Most draftees don't make it in the AFL, regardless of where they get drafted. Every club makes mistakes, but I don't think we've made too many big ones in the past 7 years. Of course, the verdict isn't in on many of our younger players, but chances look more positive than negative.

[liz]

Firstly, not taking Dunkley allowed us to draft Dawson.

I think if you go through our draft record in detail, you will find it's been one of the best in the league. Most draftees don't make it in the AFL, regardless of where they get drafted. Every club makes mistakes, but I don't think we've made too many big ones in the past 7 years. Of course, the verdict isn't in on many of our younger players, but chances look more positive than negative.

Maybe, though we took Leonardis before Dawson, so might have still taken Dawson had we used up points on Dunkley. Though Leonardis was drafted for his pace (and Dawson not) so if both had been on the board, Leonardis might still have been the priority.

I think it's relevant that Dunkley is the kind of player many on here bemoan we still have too many of - ie one-paced (or even "slow") big bodied midfielders with dodgy kicking skills. I am not sure how someone can rue not selecting Dunkley (particularly as he showed little desire to live in Sydney) and then, in the next breath, complain we don't have enough pace in our midfield.

[rb4x]

I would have been happy to have taken Dunkley and missed out on Leonardis rather than Dawson.

[caj23]

Maybe, though we took Leonardis before Dawson, so might have still taken Dawson had we used up points on Dunkley. Though Leonardis was drafted for his pace (and Dawson not) so if both had been on the board, Leonardis might still have been the priority.

I think it's relevant that Dunkley is the kind of player many on here bemoan we still have too many of - ie one-paced (or even "slow") big bodied midfielders with dodgy kicking skills. I am not sure how someone can rue not selecting Dunkley (particularly as he showed little desire to live in Sydney) and then, in the next breath, complain we don't have enough pace in our midfield.

Dunkley is the bull in the midfield clearance specialist that we're missing at the moment, not sure why Beveridge is wasting him in the forward line

Its all moot in any event as that ship has sailed. Although we either should've made him nominate as F/S and select him, or let him take his chances in the draft, not sit on the fence like we did.

[longmile]

Dunkley is the bull in the midfield clearance specialist that we're missing at the moment, not sure why Beveridge is wasting him in the forward line

Its all moot in any event as that ship has sailed. Although we either should've made him nominate as F/S and select him, or let him take his chances in the draft, not sit on the fence like we did.

From memory he didn't want to play for the Swans? So we made a decision to not nominate him. Please correct me if I'm wrong

[Markwebbos]

From memory he didn't want to play for the Swans? So we made a decision to not nominate him. Please correct me if I'm wrong

Here you go ... Makes you wonder how many times teams pass over players for similar reasons.

The generous deal that got Dunkley to the Dogs - AFL.com.au

Dunkley spent most of his draft year undecided on whether he wanted to play for the Swans, the club his father Andrew represented in 217 games.

But while Dunkley eventually nominated the Swans as a potential destination via the father-son rule in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft, many were surprised when the club failed to match the Bulldogs' second-round bid for the midfielder.

AFL.com.au can now reveal that rather than going cold on the 189cm midfielder, the Swans had agreed to do what they could to keep him close to his family in Yarram, country Victoria.

Less than 12 months later, the 19-year-old will run out onto the MCG for the Bulldogs against the Sydney Swans in a Grand Final.

While the football world expected the Swans to match any bid that came for the AFL academy graduate, a deal had been struck to try to keep Dunkley in Melbourne to be closer to his family home in Yarram, four hours east of Melbourne.

A recruiter, who wished to remain anonymous and is not affiliated with the Swans or Bulldogs, revealed why the Swans became the first club not to match a bid on a father-son prospect.

"The family was pretty keen to see Josh stay in Melbourne and the Swans understood that," the recruiter said.

"The Swans agreed not to match a bid from a (Victorian) club for him, only if (the bid) came from a side outside Victoria.

"It's fair to say (the Dunkleys) were very happy when Josh ended up at the Dogs."

The Swans denied at the time that they gifted Dunkley to the Bulldogs with pick 25, saying they already had similar players of his type.

[Markwebbos]

I see AJ has nominated for the mid-season draft! And I think we are the only club that cannot draft him.

[bloodspirit]

If you kick from 45 and get a point the outcome of the forward entry is as deep as can be

I'm not disagreeing with your point so much as your reasoning. You may get a deep forward entry if you kick a point but the opposition gets possession - not the same as a ball up or loose ball.

[bloodspirit]

Will we look again at developing ruck prospect Jack Blair in the upcoming mid-season draft? We've had our eyes on him for a while and he played NEAFL for us last year v Gold Coast: 205cm, 112kg rugby convert nicknamed 'Beanstalk' in rookie mix - AFL.com.au. Are there any SANFL watchers that know anything about how he's going this season? barry might be happy. Not so sure about Ludwig.

[liz]

I see AJ has nominated for the mid-season draft! And I think we are the only club that cannot draft him.

I think we can draft him as he nominated for last year’s draft. I don’t think we will. I’d be surprised if any club does, not until he gets back to playing football again at some level ( and even then he is, sadly for him, a long shot).

[Ludwig]

Maybe, though we took Leonardis before Dawson, so might have still taken Dawson had we used up points on Dunkley. Though Leonardis was drafted for his pace (and Dawson not) so if both had been on the board, Leonardis might still have been the priority.

IIRC, if we took Dunkley we would not have had any of those picks in the 50s. In fact, I think it may have cost us points in the following year. Dawson may still have been available at the end of the draft, but who can say?

[Ruck'n'Roll]

From memory he didn't want to play for the Swans? So we made a decision to not nominate him. Please correct me if I'm wrong

I think Dunkley jnr seemed to become enmeshed with Dunkley seniors gripe with the Swans (and Roos in particular), the exact ins and outs are beyond my current powers of recollection.

Callan Ward like Papley had a legendary Swans grandfather (Bill Gunn) - we took Patrick Veszpremi instead of him.

[Markwebbos]

This article by Mick McGuane in the Hun includes a video of Jared Crouch saying Longmire’s great strength is his teaching ability. Hence he’s the right man for the rebuild.

Category: | Herald Sun

There are a few interesting points made in the article by Mick McGuane:

“The Swans fielded the youngest side of any team last week at an average age of 23, with 14 players under 25. They have just six players who have played over 100 games and 10 who are less than 50 games into their careers.”

“To me Heath Grundy and Kieren Jack must be retired this season. Nick Smith is obviously out injured at the moment and he too is on his last legs aged 30.”

“Then you’ve got in my opinion, a potentially different case in Jarrad McVeigh at 34. Based on his footy smarts we know he’s more than capable from what we’ve seen when he is on the park. His education on the ground with the young players — the way he sees it and how he instructs it — that could be enormously beneficial in a rebuild.”

“But you can’t carry the four of those guys because you won’t rejuvenate or re-energise as a team if you do.”

[bloodspirit]

Callan Ward like Papley had a legendary Swans grandfather (Bill Gunn) - we took Patrick Veszpremi instead of him.

I didn't know this. And I wish I still didn't! Callan Ward IS a Gunn!! Would love him in our team.

[The Big Cat]

This article in the Hun includes a video of Jared Crouch saying Longmire’s great strength is his teaching ability. Hence he’s the right man for the rebuild.

Category: | Herald Sun

There are a few interesting points made:

“The Swans fielded the youngest side of any team last week at an average age of 23, with 14 players under 25. They have just six players who have played over 100 games and 10 who are less than 50 games into their careers.”

“To me Heath Grundy and Kieren Jack must be retired this season. Nick Smith is obviously out injured at the moment and he too is on his last legs aged 30.”

“Then you’ve got in my opinion, a potentially different case in Jarrad McVeigh at 34. Based on his footy smarts we know he’s more than capable from what we’ve seen when he is on the park. His education on the ground with the young players — the way he sees it and how he instructs it — that could be enormously beneficial in a rebuild.”

“But you can’t carry the four of those guys because you won’t rejuvenate or re-energise as a team if you do.”

The quotes you give are from Mick McGuane not Crouch.