2020 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[TheBloods]

We must maximise our draft hand this year and get more elite talent on the list. Only one Swan in the top five of their age category across the competition.

https://twitter.com/aflplayerrating/status/1298043837089161216?s=21

Not good enough.

[Markwebbos]

Definitely a mistake giving Gray and Taylor two year contracts......but the club obviously thought they would offer us more than they have and believed a one year offer was not enough to initially entice them. Again, post event knowledge.....which the club (or no one for that matter) could predict. Any trade or drafting decision by any club carries risk and success is not guaranteed.

Seriously, only those who seriously questioned these two players recruitments from the beginning are the only one's who can criticise the decision to recruit them now.....anyone else is just conveniently hindsight whinging.

I didn't question the recruitment of either as they both looked reasonably decent prospects: Taylor as a former Rising Star winner and Gray had been a decent player at Port. When Taylor arrived at the Swans I questioned his fitness, and still do.

Neither have shown much this year, particularly Gray. And Taylor still looks very unfit. Glass half full: 2020 is not the year to be trying to fit into a new club, lets reserve judgement until 2021. Glass half empty: they are duds and we shouldn't have given them more than a one year deal.

[707]

Neither was coming on a one year deal, Gray had a one year on offer by Port. At the time we made the decision, we had absolutely no depth.

Assuming we don't suddenly win a couple in the run home, and providing there's no shenanigans by Crows or North, we will have a choice of KPF, KPD or mid with our first pick before adding Campbell and Gulden, all three who could be R1 debutants.

Taylor and Gray aren't going to hurt us going forward and may yet improve and surprise us, cost us little in picks.

Was having a look at the Crows BF board, boy are they a lot of hindsighters, bagging the poo out of their recruiters taking Jones and McHenry with first round picks in the 2018 "Super draft" but those same baggers were very pleased with the picks at draft time. The essendon board was mostly against taking "just pick 9 and our 2020 first" for JD, those same posters now howling about what a great deal they knocked back!

Hindsight is trotted out a lot of footy forums, recruiting and drafting decisions are however made in the now! Let's move on and enjoy our list development.

[SwanSand]

It’s pretty clear that We are trying kids in different positions and different roles. Some plans work - Robbie Fox and some don’t and others are pretty hopeless ideas. I would trust them to keep trying kids in different positions and trying out many things in this year given the season is over for us anyways.

Wouldn’t mind keeping Lewis Taylor if he is starting to do a bit of 2 way running. I think he has upside. Sam Gray is past it and should be delisted. Ryan Clarke is listed as the most improved player on swans list by analysis ! But the fact that he is not getting a game despite George Hewetts absence tells me that the plan has changed to ‘get the ball’ rather than tagging. He may hold his spot on the list depending what they feel about George’s progress after surgery.

Would like to see Luke Parker up forward in Heeneys slot to give some inside work for Dylan Stephens, James Rowbottom, Oliver Florent and James Bell. Chad warner to come in for 2 more games to check his inside work without tagging. Wouldn’t mind putting Sam Wicks in there too for the rest of the season.

But Longmire Is unlikely to do it as belting by opposition is not a good way for kids to learn. He and others at swan are keen for us to be competitive to keep the spirit of the team up.

[TheBloods]

It’s pretty clear that We are trying kids in different positions and different roles. Some plans work - Robbie Fox and some don’t and others are pretty hopeless ideas. I would trust them to keep trying kids in different positions and trying out many things in this year given the season is over for us anyways.

Wouldn’t mind keeping Lewis Taylor if he is starting to do a bit of 2 way running. I think he has upside. Sam Gray is past it and should be delisted. Ryan Clarke is listed as the most improved player on swans list by analysis ! But the fact that he is not getting a game despite George Hewetts absence tells me that the plan has changed to ‘get the ball’ rather than tagging. He may hold his spot on the list depending what they feel about George’s progress after surgery.

Would like to see Luke Parker up forward in Heeneys slot to give some inside work for Dylan Stephens, James Rowbottom, Oliver Florent and James Bell. Chad warner to come in for 2 more games to check his inside work without tagging. Wouldn’t mind putting Sam Wicks in there too for the rest of the season.

But Longmire Is unlikely to do it as belting by opposition is not a good way for kids to learn. He and others at swan are keen for us to be competitive to keep the spirit of the team up.

If you had a midfield rotation of Rowbottom, Stephens, Florent and Bell with Warner and Wicks too, they would get smashed. We'd be lucky to win one clearance.

[Blood Fever]

It’s pretty clear that We are trying kids in different positions and different roles. Some plans work - Robbie Fox and some don’t and others are pretty hopeless ideas. I would trust them to keep trying kids in different positions and trying out many things in this year given the season is over for us anyways.

Wouldn’t mind keeping Lewis Taylor if he is starting to do a bit of 2 way running. I think he has upside. Sam Gray is past it and should be delisted. Ryan Clarke is listed as the most improved player on swans list by analysis ! But the fact that he is not getting a game despite George Hewetts absence tells me that the plan has changed to ‘get the ball’ rather than tagging. He may hold his spot on the list depending what they feel about George’s progress after surgery.

Would like to see Luke Parker up forward in Heeneys slot to give some inside work for Dylan Stephens, James Rowbottom, Oliver Florent and James Bell. Chad warner to come in for 2 more games to check his inside work without tagging. Wouldn’t mind putting Sam Wicks in there too for the rest of the season.

But Longmire Is unlikely to do it as belting by opposition is not a good way for kids to learn. He and others at swan are keen for us to be competitive to keep the spirit of the team up.

Good points. JL might try some of the above against say Carlton but not against Geelong for example. However not sure he ever goes in thinking we can't win, which is a good thing.

[Syd Swan]

We must maximise our draft hand this year and get more elite talent on the list. Only one Swan in the top five of their age category across the competition.

https://twitter.com/aflplayerrating/status/1298043837089161216?s=21

Not good enough.

Useless list. West Coast only have one and that is in the 30+ bracket and they seem to be travelling ok. Make that 2, but still it is very misleading.

[TheBloods]

Useless list. West Coast only have one and that is in the 30+ bracket and they seem to be travelling ok. Make that 2, but still it is very misleading.

More concerning that there's a lack of Swans presence in the younger categories. For a rebuilding team that is supposed to have such good young talent, to only have one who cracks the top five of their respective age groups... suggests our young talent doesn't stack up as well against other clubs as we think.

[barracuda]

Useless list. West Coast only have one and that is in the 30+ bracket and they seem to be travelling ok. Make that 2, but still it is very misleading.

I think the minimum of 8 games is relevant for these lists. So many young swans have not reached that number!

[Markwebbos]

More concerning that there's a lack of Swans presence in the younger categories. For a rebuilding team that is supposed to have such good young talent, to only have one who cracks the top five of their respective age groups... suggests our young talent doesn't stack up as well against other clubs as we think.

There are 18 clubs, so if we were an average club we'd have <1 player in the best under 21, around 1/2 a player in the best under 20. We've got number 2 out of the under 21s. And he's 19. And he's a player who's been maligned and questioned on here by what I can only call heretics.

We also have not had the draft hand that the Suns, Giants, Freo, Brisbane etc have had

[Blood Fever]

There are 18 clubs, so if we were an average club we'd have <1 player in the best under 21, around 1/2 a player in the best under 20. We've got number 2 out of the under 21s. And he's 19. And he's a player who's been maligned and questioned on here by what I can only call heretics.

We also have not had the draft hand that the Suns, Giants, Freo, Brisbane etc have had

Giants have been awash with early draft picks.

[Thunder Shaker]

We also have not had the draft hand that the Suns, Giants, Freo, Brisbane etc have had

You're not wrong. Dylan Stephens is the first player we have drafted in the top 5 of the draft since 2002 (except for Mills, an Academy player), and we have had very few top 10 picks this century.

List of Sydney Swans top 10 picks this century:
2001: nil
2002: Jarrad McVeigh (5)
2003: nil
2004: nil
2005: nil
2006: nil
2007: nil
2008: nil
2009: Gary Rohan (6)
2010: nil (Gold Coast draft)
2011: nil (GWS draft)
2012: nil
2013: nil
2014: nil
2015: Callum Mills (3, matched Melbourne's bid on Academy player)
2016: nil
2017: nil
2018: Nick Blakey (10, Academy player)
2019: Dylan Stephens (5)

Sydney has drafted five players in the top 10 in 19 drafts, two of which were Academy players. I do not know if any other club has drafted fewer players in the top 10 in that time. The last time Sydney drafted two players in the top 10 was in 1998 (Nic Fosdike #3, Ryan Fitzgerald #4).

[caj23]

Definitely a mistake giving Gray and Taylor two year contracts......but the club obviously thought they would offer us more than they have and believed a one year offer was not enough to initially entice them. Again, post event knowledge.....which the club (or no one for that matter) could predict. Any trade or drafting decision by any club carries risk and success is not guaranteed.

Seriously, only those who seriously questioned these two players recruitments from the beginning are the only one's who can criticise the decision to recruit them now.....anyone else is just conveniently hindsight whinging.

I actually think both have been harshly dealt with. Taylor was one of our best in early games, while Gray has performed better than many rookies but given less chances. I suspect both will come good with a normal season in 2021.

As an aside stevo, why is it ok to bag individual players, but criticising the coach is not allowed?

[TheBloods]

There are 18 clubs, so if we were an average club we'd have <1 player in the best under 21, around 1/2 a player in the best under 20. We've got number 2 out of the under 21s. And he's 19. And he's a player who's been maligned and questioned on here by what I can only call heretics.

We also have not had the draft hand that the Suns, Giants, Freo, Brisbane etc have had

I am not sure what your final point is trying to prove. If anything it just supports my statement that we don't have the elite talent on the list, and need to strengthen this area at the upcoming draft where we are almost certain to have a top 5 pick.

Maybe even next year too. I suspect our young list hasn't come on like the club believed it would, and they know it. Rectifying it will be a lengthy process that begins on draft day with a pick 2 before a Campbell bid.

[MattW]

Daniel Cherny reports that Daniher is likely to be selected this week: "Daniher poised to come straight back" https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/bom...25-p55p9p.html.