Best 22 for 2020

[Aaron]

Our first round will be vs Crows at Adelaide . So go SA boys?

[liz]

Good chance to play a block of games and then be rested a la Heeney

I don’t recall Heeney being rested. He did get himself injured, though.

[aguy]

Our first round will be vs Crows at Adelaide . So go SA boys?

Sounds good to me. Play both Stephens and Gould

[AB Swannie]

3.5 month until Round 1. It probably means that it is unreasonable to do a 22 but I was bored and wanted to see how it may look after the trade and draft is done. Therefore, my best guess for our Round 1 team is:

B: Cunningham Brand Aliir
HF: Lloyd Rampe Dawson
C: Florent Hewitt Blakey
HF: Heeney Franklin Hayward
F: Papley Reid Gray
Foll: Parker JPK Naismith

Int: Mills Stephens Rowbottom McCartin
Emer: Sinclair Gould O’Riordan Squizzy

It is actually quite a difficult thing to do and it gives me confidence that we can climb the ladder quickly IF we can have a good run with injuries. The players I've left out are quite talented. Although, I do think that our midfield in the NEAFL will be young and undersized.

A couple notes:

1. I really do think this could be the year that Mills moves into the midfield as his prominent role. I've put him on the bench to hedge my bets. I think Cunningham will train and play defence.
2. I'm on record as saying that I think McCartin could become an outstanding AA defender. I also see his value forward so I've also hedged my bets by putting him on the bench too.
3. I think we are best suited to a one ruck policy. Reid will have to suck it up and play the back-up. Our draft strategy for years has been about bringing in more run and speed. I can't see us losing that by playing two rucks. Naismith to get first crack at the primary ruck. If Sinkers plays too, Reid doesn't.
4. I prefer the look of Brand over Melican. To me they are fighting for the one FB spot. Depth chart = 1. Brand 2. Melican 3. Maubaum
5. I personally prefer Gray to Squizzy largely because I rate Gray as an option to spend minutes as an inside mid. He does have 2 games with 37 possessions playing that role a few years ago.

[longmile]

FF: Franklin, Blakey, Hayward
HF: Sinclair, Papley, Taylor
C: Florent, Parker, Heeney
HB: Rampe, Lloyd, Cunningham
FB: Aliir, Mills, Reid
R: Naismith, Kennedy, Hewett

I: Dawson, Clarke, Gray, McCartin

[Ludwig]

Just a few comments, besides the fact that calling a round 1 or best 22 is a difficult task this far out:

• I see most have left our O'Riordan from their 22. After 15 games and noticeable improvement until his late season injury, it's his spot to lose. I don't think we want to short circuit his development in year 4 at the club. I think we want to keep him as one of the staples of our defence.
• I think Ronke is in the mix for a spot, although he has a lot of competition in the forward line with the additions of Gray and Talylor.
• I certainly wouldn't rule out Stephens and Gould as possible 1st round starters, but there will be ab emphasis on keeping Rowbottom in the side and giving Stoddart and Ling some priority, given it's their 3rd year.
• The pre-season games will go a long way to determine the first round selections.

[Markwebbos]

There was a piece along these lines in the Hun:

Category: | Herald Sun

The hunter is about to become the hunted but Swans midfielder James Rowbottom is in no mood to roll over and surrender his turf to the new kids on the block.

"I remember having a conversation with Luke Parker when I first arrived,” Rowbottom said. “He said it was a case of them (the senior players) working to keep you out of the side to keep themselves getting better. So of course there’s competition and more to come (from the draft recruits). It’s on a player to drive himself and his career but we have a good group of staff and coaches around us. We all drive each other and @really get the best out of ourselves every day."

[bloodspirit]

Just a few comments, besides the fact that calling a round 1 or best 22 is a difficult task this far out:

• I see most have left our O'Riordan from their 22. After 15 games and noticeable improvement until his late season injury, it's his spot to lose. I don't think we want to short circuit his development in year 4 at the club. I think we want to keep him as one of the staples of our defence.
• I think Ronke is in the mix for a spot, although he has a lot of competition in the forward line with the additions of Gray and Talylor.
• I certainly wouldn't rule out Stephens and Gould as possible 1st round starters, but there will be ab emphasis on keeping Rowbottom in the side and giving Stoddart and Ling some priority, given it's their 3rd year.
• The pre-season games will go a long way to determine the first round selections.

I think your point in relation to COR is well made. Probably in relation to Rowbottom too.

However, I can't see Ling or Stoddart featuring round 1. Ling is still rehabbing and has barely ever been sighted at NEAFL level so there's no way he will be selected (ahead of Stoddart and, I would think, COR) for round 1. Really, really hoping he gets a good run in the NEAFL and gets an AFL debut this year though. Stoddart I think will suffer from the faith that you are urging be shown to COR. It will be hard for him to push ahead of the competition and the incumbents and I think he will just have to focus on having a great pre-season and bide his time until an opportunity comes. Both are at some risk of being de-listed at the end of the year and really need to progress a bit over the year (I still think it is more likely we will keep them both - provided Ling gets past his injuries - but I don't at all take it for granted).

Also agree with you that Round 1 is a long way off and how they all go in pre-season will be very important.

[AB Swannie]

Just a few comments, besides the fact that calling a round 1 or best 22 is a difficult task this far out:

• I see most have left out O'Riordan from their 22. After 15 games and noticeable improvement until his late season injury, it's his spot to lose. I don't think we want to short circuit his development in year 4 at the club. I think we want to keep him as one of the staples of our defence.

I am a fan of O'Riordan and see your point here. However, when compiling a list of HBFs, I think that he is falling down the depth chart. It is not because he is not improving. It's a side effect of having many multiple people who can play the same role.

[Auntie.Gerald]

for me the development of a player doesnt give them auto rights when more talent floods into the squad

The backline at the swans has changed so much re its exits / transitions and the below players are now all genuine quarterbacks in their own way.... with probably Mills less so. I think this has altered what is required somewhat in the backline for 2020

AA
Rampe
Dawson
Lloyd
Mills

[Cainit]

Ok after much thought my new best 22 and I think a little left field

B Gould Reid Mccartin
HB Mills AA Rampe
C Lloyd Hewitt Florent
HF Heeney Buddy Hayward
F Papley Sinclair Gray
R Naismith Kennedy Parker

I Rowbottom Dawson Blakey Taylor

Note Lloyd to go to the wing

[Ludwig]

I am a fan of O'Riordan and see your point here. However, when compiling a list of HBFs, I think that he is falling down the depth chart. It is not because he is not improving. It's a side effect of having many multiple people who can play the same role.

O'Riordan has to keep improving, just like any young player, if they want make or keep their spot in the senior side. My point is that he is tracking well and if he continues on a normal development progression, he should be very solid player. For O'Riordan to continue his development, yet lose his spot in the side anyway, would almost shut the door for him at the Swans. He's a lot better than a depth player and if he doesn't play senior footy for us, he's probably heading for another club.


Because of the push back on Stoddart and Ling, I'm going to break my own selection rules and award the 2019 Ludwig Future Star award to both Stoddart and Ling. I thought KB's comments on Ling were generally encouraging, without saying that he's over the hump with his injuries. If he's one of those unlucky players that lose a promising career due to injury, there's nothing to be done. We can name plenty of others, like Nathan Freeman and perhaps Paddy McCartin.

Barring injury setbacks, I've been very impressed by the kind of game that both Stoddart and Ling bring to the table. They share a lot of similar traits. The are quick and evasive runners. They have good vision. They kick well and with penetration. They are competitive and physical players, despite being a bit slim at this stage of the game. These are the kind of attributes that usually make for a successful AFL career. I think both will become very good players and important components of our rise up the ladder.

I'm really thrilled with the players we selected in the draft this year. But I'm not forgetting promising young players working on their craft though the NEAFL. Let's not throw out the bathwater with the baby.

[AB Swannie]

Just because a player doesn’t make our “best 22” doesn’t mean he won’t get plenty of games. COR was not in our best 22 last year but played 15 games. There will be injuries and we will need 27 players to play fairly regularly.

[Bloods05]

O'Riordan has to keep improving, just like any young player, if they want make or keep their spot in the senior side. My point is that he is tracking well and if he continues on a normal development progression, he should be very solid player. For O'Riordan to continue his development, yet lose his spot in the side anyway, would almost shut the door for him at the Swans. He's a lot better than a depth player and if he doesn't play senior footy for us, he's probably heading for another club.


Because of the push back on Stoddart and Ling, I'm going to break my own selection rules and award the 2019 Ludwig Future Star award to both Stoddart and Ling. I thought KB's comments on Ling were generally encouraging, without saying that he's over the hump with his injuries. If he's one of those unlucky players that lose a promising career due to injury, there's nothing to be done. We can name plenty of others, like Nathan Freeman and perhaps Paddy McCartin.

Barring injury setbacks, I've been very impressed by the kind of game that both Stoddart and Ling bring to the table. They share a lot of similar traits. The are quick and evasive runners. They have good vision. They kick well and with penetration. They are competitive and physical players, despite being a bit slim at this stage of the game. These are the kind of attributes that usually make for a successful AFL career. I think both will become very good players and important components of our rise up the ladder.

I'm really thrilled with the players we selected in the draft this year. But I'm not forgetting promising young players working on their craft though the NEAFL. Let's not throw out the bathwater with the baby.

You throw out the BABY???

[Ludwig]

You throw out the BABY???

Bathwater is warm and comfy. Babies will puke all over you. We all have our preferences.