2020 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[MattW]

I too am bemused by our rookie pick, why a hbf when we should have been looking for a ruck protege, Even if he does not make it at least give it a try. Hbf we have a plenty

Malachy looks to have a lovely kick in that video.

There's no point picking a ruckman if we don't think there's one capable of being first choice. Our approach in the draft (and trade period) was mainly determined for us by circumstances. I suspect we're hoping Hickey, Naismith and Sinclair get us through the year, with strengthening the ruck a priority next November.

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I don’t normally like to go if a highlights reel but I’m on the bandwagon he’s Got that Paul Kelly mongrel about him with a touch of Isaac Heeney .


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I recall seeing him in Canberra in 2019 - the resemblance to Heeney in appearance and play was uncanny.

[Thunder Shaker]

He is so “happy” honest it was just “shock” honest

https://www.afl.com.au/news/528888/w...ess-expression

I would give the benefit of the doubt here.

Not everyone reacts the same way to such news. Shock or disbelief are quite plausible responses and for some the news could take a little longer to sink in.

[Markwebbos]

I too am bemused by our rookie pick, why a hbf when we should have been looking for a ruck protege, Even if he does not make it at least give it a try. Hbf we have a plenty

Clearly each list manager has a recruitment bias, for example GW$ can't stop themselves recruiting Victorian inside midfielders with high draft picks even though it's 99.9% they won't get enough opportunity and "go home" in two years. KB's sees to have a thing for HBF

[barry]

Wow - Tanner Bruhn looked like he’d just been sentenced to reform school and was saying goodbye to his mum at the train station!

Time to grow up young man.

I wish the AFL would come down a bit harder on players who declare they wont go to certain clubs/locations like Archie Perkins. Surely when you sign on to the draft it has a clause they you must go to the club who selects you. The AFL should have simply excluded Perkins from this years draft as a duty of care. He's obviously not mentally mature enough to agree to the contract of draft participation this year. Try again next year Archie.

[Rod_]

It's an impressive highlights reel, that's for sure. Guess one of the qualifications is what quality was the opposition in some of those games. Still, it shows the moves he has.

My observation from watching him in a few NEAFL games, last year's U18 champs and NAB League games (where he played as an underager) and this year's two academy games against the Giants is that he has some AFL attributes but doesn't do very much of them. As an underager last year that was maybe to be expected, so I'd been looking forward to him (and a few of the rest of his cohort) showing what they could do in their draft year. Sadly we were deprived of most of that.

He played mostly in the midfield in the two academy games this year and I thought he was a bit underwhelming - busier than in the forward line where I'd mostly seen him play, but somewhat meat-and-potatoes. He maybe shapes as a medium sized forward, who occasionally goes through the midfield, much like his look-a-like.

It's good to see a decent proportion of our list now comprising academy graduates - 9 currently on the list by my count.

Yep, I'm on board. I can see Joey Kennedy being his mentor! (hopefully)

[Aprilbr]

A rather positive analysis in the Herald Sun in Melbourne today:

"McDonald was a great piece to add to the young group of James Rowbottom, Dylan Stephens, Justin McInerney, Nick Blakey, Will Hayward, Will Gould and now Braeden Campbell and Errol Gulden, who was a steal at No. 32. They’ve still got Papley and Parker and Lloyd and Rampe and Mills and Heeney. In my eyes they got two of the top six in McDonald and Campbell and two of the top 20 last year in Stephens and Gould. They’ve got the best group of kids in the AFL and look on track for a premiership in the next three to five years. They’re building towards something pretty special."

[AnnieH]

Very happy we've taken so many academy kids onboard.
I think our "swans-type training" (mental and physical) is important from day one.
These kids know exactly what is expected of them.
There are no surprises.

[barry]

Kane Cornes has as a "buy", along with Freo as teams who are building lists nicely.

To be honest, I think when we free up buddy's contract is when we will become a serious player.

[bloodspirit]

I'm enjoying this pleasant lull where there seems to be a rare consensus of satisfaction across these boards with our draft. It really is fantastic that Logan McDonald slipped to us, and then that we got Campbell and Gulden without incurring any points deficit.

We are living the dream!

With any other pick at 3 (RT, EH, DGB, WP etc.) there would have been at least some posters sighing and fretting. I don't expect it to last long but I'm soaking it up while I can.

Now, let's use the 2021 season to show the rest of the competition that a dynasty is on the way. ;-)

[bloodspirit]

A rather positive analysis in the Herald Sun in Melbourne today:

"McDonald was a great piece to add to the young group of James Rowbottom, Dylan Stephens, Justin McInerney, Nick Blakey, Will Hayward, Will Gould and now Braeden Campbell and Errol Gulden, who was a steal at No. 32. They’ve still got Papley and Parker and Lloyd and Rampe and Mills and Heeney. In my eyes they got two of the top six in McDonald and Campbell and two of the top 20 last year in Stephens and Gould. They’ve got the best group of kids in the AFL and look on track for a premiership in the next three to five years. They’re building towards something pretty special."

Nice to hear - and sentiments I share. But I'm slightly surprised to hear it said that we have "the best group of kids in the AFL" (bar none). Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Jack Lukosius, Isak Rankine, Ben King, Jeremy Sharp, Ben Ainsworth, Sam Flanders, Connor Budarick etc might raise a collective eyebrow. There are other clubs with good young lists but I don't know them well enough to properly compare: Port, Freo, GWS, maybe Carlton, come to mind. Anyway, the main point is well made: we've got a good list with a lot of promising young talent and the future looks bright.

[lwjoyner]

of the 6 rucks highlighted by K Sheehan 2 were picked up, I by Cats and the other by the Lions. Still think we should have picked one for the future. As previous posts have highlighted Henry Walsh is one.

[Ludwig]

Nice to hear - and sentiments I share. But I'm slightly surprised to hear it said that we have "the best group of kids in the AFL" (bar none). Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Jack Lukosius, Isak Rankine, Ben King, Jeremy Sharp, Ben Ainsworth, Sam Flanders, Connor Budarick etc might raise a collective eyebrow. There are other clubs with good young lists but I don't know them well enough to properly compare: Port, Freo, GWS, maybe Carlton, come to mind. Anyway, the main point is well made: we've got a good list with a lot of promising young talent and the future looks bright.

I feel the same. We have a great young list that should be on the rise quickly, but there are other very good lists as well, GC being one of them. I also like WB for a good mix of young talent and players in their peak years.

The competition is pretty even, with a few exceptions, like North, Essendon and Adelaide, that look years away from pushing into finals, although things can change quicker than we think.

Our coaching staff is solid, with plenty of experience. Longmire should be pleased with what he has to work with. How fast can he put things together and make it all click on the field?

[Ruck'n'Roll]

of the 6 rucks highlighted by K Sheehan 2 were picked up, I by Cats and the other by the Lions. Still think we should have picked one for the future. As previous posts have highlighted Henry Walsh is one.

I think it's probably too late to draft a ruck now, they generally take so long to mature (The Dogs just recruited some protection for Tim English after his 4th year in the AFL) so as to be ready for when the cygnets are ready to challenge for a flag - as previously mentioned . . .

While I absolutely expect Hickey to do very well for us in the time he has at the Swans.
He also gives us time to chase an additional ruckman in the 24-26 year old age group from another club in the next 2 years . . . . one that will be at his peak by the time the cygnets hit their straps.

[707]

Trade period - done, National Draft - done, Rookie Draft - done.

This thread should now be closed and everyone should pile into the Pre Season training thread where I'm sure houses will very soon be trained down!

Is anyone on RWO expecting to get to a training session before the Xmas lay off? Would love an unbiased informative RWO'er perspective.

[Ludwig]

I feel a bit sad for Riley Stoddart being delisted when we drafted a very similar player in Malarky Carruthers. I wonder if his back injury was more serious than reported.