Best 22 2021

[graemed]

Most of them could be delisted and wouldnt be missed.

Just catching up on the posts for the new year so excuse the long delay on replying. Also I don't want to be drawn into a firefight about the worth of certain players which I'm sure s the design behind the quote above rather I'd like to look at the relative worth of the individuals in Ludwig's worst list:

FB: O'Connor Brand Gould
HB: Fox Carruthers O'Riordan
CB: Clarke McInerney Ling
MI: Bell Warner Taylor
CF: Sheather Ronke Campbell
HF: Wicks McDonald Gulden
FF: Gray Amartey McLean
Ruck: Sinclair

FB:
O'Connor: As an unproven quantity O'Connor certainly must pull rank in this list but having seen him close up and at training there is certainly promise and his mentor and countryman COR is a great example to him. Unfortunately due to COVID we lost Taigh who would have been great for him as well.
Brand: Unfortunately we didn't get to see much of Brand but when he played he did seem outclassed and a little slow to respond, although his marking and contesting is excellent, in the modern game mobility counts for a great deal.
Gould: He is another draftee with real potential; at training he has shown both speed and size, a combination that place him in the Grundy class if not the experience.
HB:
Fox: He was outstanding when given the "Rampe" role late last season, sure he lost the occasional one on one but overall distinguished himself in terms of his discipline and strength.
Carruthers: He looks like he will need at least a couple of pre-seasons to develop.
O'Riordan: Really like this guy. His attitude and courage are terrific. He will continue to improve and loves the club. Has pace, discipline and his skills continue to improve.
CB
Clarke: Not a fan but continues to close down his opponents. Worry about his disposal efficiency, although he did finish well in frontof goal in a couple of games.
McInerney: was one of the best performed debutantes from last year. His poise and disposal skills impressed as did his ball winning ability. Definitely will benefit from another pre-season.
Ling: I'm confident that we are yet to see the best from this lad. He showed promise in the few games he played but needs game time to express himself with confidence especially given his injury prone back story.
MI:
Bell: Another local that deserves time to develop. May not get may chances as he is competing against better performed and bigger bodies but definitely showed good signs.
Warner: Played with endeavour and vigour but will need to show more in twos to make his way into the seniors.
Taylor: Feel like the game may have passed him by, his efforts to win possession and defend are not his strongest suit. Depends on gaining possession outside and in the clear, will struggle.
CF:
Sheather: Work with a guy who played with him last year at PH. Very highly recommended, plays very strong and is a powerfully built inside mid who is ready for senior footy.
Ronke: Really liked his debut season but felt that he lost his way last year. More inclined to be patient following some good things towards the end of the season.
Campbell: Another PH player, and again highly commended. Looking forward to seeing how well he adapts his game to this level but my advisor informs me that he is all class.
HF:
Wicks: A solid debut and follow up. Loved his tackling and defensive efforts. Also his courage was evident in marking contests, to my mind this is the hardest test.
McDonald: I think we all look forward to watching this guy in action. Still have faith in Sam Reid, which is who he most reminds me of, but I am starting to lose a bit of patience after 8 years. I hope he can stay fit and develop into the player that can be a focal point in the future.
Gulden: Watched him play in some SFL games and he was outstanding. Both as a small forward and creative mid he was a class above his opposition. Will need time to fit into the game style and tempo of senior AFL but I firmly believe he is a good-un.
FF:
Gray: When we first drafted him from Port, I thought we'd gained something but have yet to see anything like the form he showed in Adelaide. Unless there is a marked improvement from last year, he will be unlikely to fit into our best 22 again.
Armatey: He goes well in the twos but seemed a bit out of his depth when promoted. Another player that seems to be injured more than his fair share, so hopefully he'll stay fit and allow us to see him really shine.
McLean: I've been both impressed and frustrated by this guy, sometimes in the same game, sometimes in the same quarter and sometimes even in the same passage of play. His marking and positioning as a resting forward can be remarkable, but his concentration and energy seem to be his worst enemy. When playing as the primary follower, he looked the part. Moreover he has real aggression, a trait that has been missing in our following division since our parting with both Mumford and Nankervis.
Ruck:
Sinclair: He has toiled manfully since being asked to fill a role for which he is physically challenged. Unfortunately by season'send when the whips are cracking and we needed strength, his efforts in these important games were handicapped by the injuries and exhaustion, he must have felt by that time. More suited to the role of relieving ruckman from the forward line, this role is becoming much less popular. He may be saved by the rule change to the number of available rotations.

Once again, my apologies for the tardy response, I intend to be a more diligent respondent in the future.

[dejavoodoo44]

Just catching up on the posts for the new year so excuse the long delay on replying. Also I don't want to be drawn into a firefight about the worth of certain players which I'm sure s the design behind the quote above rather I'd like to look at the relative worth of the individuals in Ludwig's worst list:

FB: O'Connor Brand Gould
HB: Fox Carruthers O'Riordan
CB: Clarke McInerney Ling
MI: Bell Warner Taylor
CF: Sheather Ronke Campbell
HF: Wicks McDonald Gulden
FF: Gray Amartey McLean
Ruck: Sinclair

FB:
O'Connor: As an unproven quantity O'Connor certainly must pull rank in this list but having seen him close up and at training there is certainly promise and his mentor and countryman COR is a great example to him. Unfortunately due to COVID we lost Taigh who would have been great for him as well.
Brand: Unfortunately we didn't get to see much of Brand but when he played he did seem outclassed and a little slow to respond, although his marking and contesting is excellent, in the modern game mobility counts for a great deal.
Gould: He is another draftee with real potential; at training he has shown both speed and size, a combination that place him in the Grundy class if not the experience.
HB:
Fox: He was outstanding when given the "Rampe" role late last season, sure he lost the occasional one on one but overall distinguished himself in terms of his discipline and strength.
Carruthers: He looks like he will need at least a couple of pre-seasons to develop.
O'Riordan: Really like this guy. His attitude and courage are terrific. He will continue to improve and loves the club. Has pace, discipline and his skills continue to improve.
CB
Clarke: Not a fan but continues to close down his opponents. Worry about his disposal efficiency, although he did finish well in frontof goal in a couple of games.
McInerney: was one of the best performed debutantes from last year. His poise and disposal skills impressed as did his ball winning ability. Definitely will benefit from another pre-season.
Ling: I'm confident that we are yet to see the best from this lad. He showed promise in the few games he played but needs game time to express himself with confidence especially given his injury prone back story.
MI:
Bell: Another local that deserves time to develop. May not get may chances as he is competing against better performed and bigger bodies but definitely showed good signs.
Warner: Played with endeavour and vigour but will need to show more in twos to make his way into the seniors.
Taylor: Feel like the game may have passed him by, his efforts to win possession and defend are not his strongest suit. Depends on gaining possession outside and in the clear, will struggle.
CF:
Sheather: Work with a guy who played with him last year at PH. Very highly recommended, plays very strong and is a powerfully built inside mid who is ready for senior footy.
Ronke: Really liked his debut season but felt that he lost his way last year. More inclined to be patient following some good things towards the end of the season.
Campbell: Another PH player, and again highly commended. Looking forward to seeing how well he adapts his game to this level but my advisor informs me that he is all class.
HF:
Wicks: A solid debut and follow up. Loved his tackling and defensive efforts. Also his courage was evident in marking contests, to my mind this is the hardest test.
McDonald: I think we all look forward to watching this guy in action. Still have faith in Sam Reid, which is who he most reminds me of, but I am starting to lose a bit of patience after 8 years. I hope he can stay fit and develop into the player that can be a focal point in the future.
Gulden: Watched him play in some SFL games and he was outstanding. Both as a small forward and creative mid he was a class above his opposition. Will need time to fit into the game style and tempo of senior AFL but I firmly believe he is a good-un.
FF:
Gray: When we first drafted him from Port, I thought we'd gained something but have yet to see anything like the form he showed in Adelaide. Unless there is a marked improvement from last year, he will be unlikely to fit into our best 22 again.
Armatey: He goes well in the twos but seemed a bit out of his depth when promoted. Another player that seems to be injured more than his fair share, so hopefully he'll stay fit and allow us to see him really shine.
McLean: I've been both impressed and frustrated by this guy, sometimes in the same game, sometimes in the same quarter and sometimes even in the same passage of play. His marking and positioning as a resting forward can be remarkable, but his concentration and energy seem to be his worst enemy. When playing as the primary follower, he looked the part. Moreover he has real aggression, a trait that has been missing in our following division since our parting with both Mumford and Nankervis.
Ruck:
Sinclair: He has toiled manfully since being asked to fill a role for which he is physically challenged. Unfortunately by season'send when the whips are cracking and we needed strength, his efforts in these important games were handicapped by the injuries and exhaustion, he must have felt by that time. More suited to the role of relieving ruckman from the forward line, this role is becoming much less popular. He may be saved by the rule change to the number of available rotations.

Once again, my apologies for the tardy response, I intend to be a more diligent respondent in the future.

Agree with almost all those assessments. I must make the effort to do something similar with our VFL squad.

[Rod_]

My one liners

FB:
O'Connor - Project player with good size
Brand - Depth and serviceable
Gould - Looking forward to the big time - exciting possibilities
HB:
Fox - Handy bits and pieces
Carruthers - TBC no firm idea
O'Riordan - Starting 22
CB:
Clarke - Specific shut sown player that will come in and out of the team to suit match ups.
McInerney - Exciting potential and starting 22
Ling - Round 1 draft selection that needs to impress in 21
MI:
Bell - Could go either way. Needs to ask / tell line coach I want to play 1sts and do what is required
Warner - Turn potential to reality
Taylor - Will need to work hard after injury to displace those in the 22
CF:
Sheather - Size ready to replace, keep putting the body on the line
Ronke - Will need to push hard to displace similar players in the best 22
Campbell - Excitement machine - nursed into the best 22 (5-7 games in 21, then best 22 for 22)
HF:
Wicks - Hard worker that is pushing to be in the best 22.
McDonald - Top prospect to lead the forward line. (needs a girlfriend in NSW to keep him)
Gulden - Will be the essential part b, to the Campbell show
FF:
Gray - Depth only
Amartey - Could be anything however depth likely
McLean - With a full preseason, I am hopeful
Ruck: Sinclair - Thank you as we would have been crap without you! A forward / ruck not a key ruck

4 or 5 of the above will be likely to be traded or moved on at the end of the year. (Plus 2 from the best 22 possibly)

It is a ruthless business!

[Mountain Man]

My take from the posters above is that at least some of the WORST 22 would not be too out of place in the 2021 BEST 22; and quite a few have the potential to be in the BEST 22 for 2020.

And, the number of ex Academy players in the East Coast team may have further possibilities.

Good position to be in.

[Ludwig]

When I first posted my Worst 22, I had the impression that it had the look of a successful side. Once past the best 28 or so, a list needs to carry a certain number of players in categories like:

• Depth players near the top of their game, but unlikely to find another club if delisted. Better players will leave if they're not getting games, but these depth players will stay on the list while not putting a big dent int he salary cap. Brand, Clarke and Taylor fit this category.
• Developing young players who continue to improve but have not yet reached a best 22 level. Thinking Amartey, McLean, Bell, Wicks and several others. I prefer retaining these players as long as they keep improving, but delist them if they plateau at a sub best 22 level.
• High potential players who have had delayed starts due to injuries in their early years, like Matt Ling.
• Players in rehab from long term injuries, like Naismith.
• ND players still in their 1st 2 years of football.

The only player on our list that seems an obvious season end delisting is Sam Gray. The rest are on a wait and see status at this early stage of season.

The Worst 22 list gives a fair notion of where the list is headed. Since we will only have a few retirements in coming years, there's plenty of opportunity to solidify the list with young players attaining a best 22 level. Even after losing players like Franklin and JPK, we should still be improving the list via internal development alone. On this basis, I believe our list is in good shape to challenge for finals, if not this year, then certainly in 2022.

[wolftone57]

Just catching up on the posts for the new year so excuse the long delay on replying. Also I don't want to be drawn into a firefight about the worth of certain players which I'm sure s the design behind the quote above rather I'd like to look at the relative worth of the individuals in Ludwig's worst list:

FB: O'Connor Brand Gould
HB: Fox Carruthers O'Riordan
CB: Clarke McInerney Ling
MI: Bell Warner Taylor
CF: Sheather Ronke Campbell
HF: Wicks McDonald Gulden
FF: Gray Amartey McLean
Ruck: Sinclair

FB:
O'Connor: As an unproven quantity O'Connor certainly must pull rank in this list but having seen him close up and at training there is certainly promise and his mentor and countryman COR is a great example to him. Unfortunately due to COVID we lost Taigh who would have been great for him as well.
Brand: Unfortunately we didn't get to see much of Brand but when he played he did seem outclassed and a little slow to respond, although his marking and contesting is excellent, in the modern game mobility counts for a great deal.
Gould: He is another draftee with real potential; at training he has shown both speed and size, a combination that place him in the Grundy class if not the experience.
HB:
Fox: He was outstanding when given the "Rampe" role late last season, sure he lost the occasional one on one but overall distinguished himself in terms of his discipline and strength.
Carruthers: He looks like he will need at least a couple of pre-seasons to develop.
O'Riordan: Really like this guy. His attitude and courage are terrific. He will continue to improve and loves the club. Has pace, discipline and his skills continue to improve.
CB
Clarke: Not a fan but continues to close down his opponents. Worry about his disposal efficiency, although he did finish well in frontof goal in a couple of games.
McInerney: was one of the best performed debutantes from last year. His poise and disposal skills impressed as did his ball winning ability. Definitely will benefit from another pre-season.
Ling: I'm confident that we are yet to see the best from this lad. He showed promise in the few games he played but needs game time to express himself with confidence especially given his injury prone back story.
MI:
Bell: Another local that deserves time to develop. May not get may chances as he is competing against better performed and bigger bodies but definitely showed good signs.
Warner: Played with endeavour and vigour but will need to show more in twos to make his way into the seniors.
Taylor: Feel like the game may have passed him by, his efforts to win possession and defend are not his strongest suit. Depends on gaining possession outside and in the clear, will struggle.
CF:
Sheather: Work with a guy who played with him last year at PH. Very highly recommended, plays very strong and is a powerfully built inside mid who is ready for senior footy.
Ronke: Really liked his debut season but felt that he lost his way last year. More inclined to be patient following some good things towards the end of the season.
Campbell: Another PH player, and again highly commended. Looking forward to seeing how well he adapts his game to this level but my advisor informs me that he is all class.
HF:
Wicks: A solid debut and follow up. Loved his tackling and defensive efforts. Also his courage was evident in marking contests, to my mind this is the hardest test.
McDonald: I think we all look forward to watching this guy in action. Still have faith in Sam Reid, which is who he most reminds me of, but I am starting to lose a bit of patience after 8 years. I hope he can stay fit and develop into the player that can be a focal point in the future.
Gulden: Watched him play in some SFL games and he was outstanding. Both as a small forward and creative mid he was a class above his opposition. Will need time to fit into the game style and tempo of senior AFL but I firmly believe he is a good-un.
FF:
Gray: When we first drafted him from Port, I thought we'd gained something but have yet to see anything like the form he showed in Adelaide. Unless there is a marked improvement from last year, he will be unlikely to fit into our best 22 again.
Armatey: He goes well in the twos but seemed a bit out of his depth when promoted. Another player that seems to be injured more than his fair share, so hopefully he'll stay fit and allow us to see him really shine.
McLean: I've been both impressed and frustrated by this guy, sometimes in the same game, sometimes in the same quarter and sometimes even in the same passage of play. His marking and positioning as a resting forward can be remarkable, but his concentration and energy seem to be his worst enemy. When playing as the primary follower, he looked the part. Moreover he has real aggression, a trait that has been missing in our following division since our parting with both Mumford and Nankervis.
Ruck:
Sinclair: He has toiled manfully since being asked to fill a role for which he is physically challenged. Unfortunately by season'send when the whips are cracking and we needed strength, his efforts in these important games were handicapped by the injuries and exhaustion, he must have felt by that time. More suited to the role of relieving ruckman from the forward line, this role is becoming much less popular. He may be saved by the rule change to the number of available rotations.

Once again, my apologies for the tardy response, I intend to be a more diligent respondent in the future.

Amartey's problem has been injury. I think he was quite good in his first game. He just got out of position too often in his second game. But he still hit the packs hard and brought the ball down. I don't think we have seen enough of him to judge as yet.

I think your assessment is very good Graeme. As usual. You are a long term Resies watcher and training observer. How would you rate this list over lists from previous years? I believe it is the best list we have had in a long time. There are a few players who will drop off the list in the coming year I believe, such as Taylor, Gray and Clarke. I think Sinclair is close to retirement, so is Buddy. Joey won't be far behind, if indeed he goes again in 2022. So it is imperitive we draft well in the next draft.

I do not believe that we do not have enough talent to cover the midfield. So many people here and on other Swans forums keep saying we have not got the 'Big Bull' to replace Joey. Maybe we don't need one. The game is evolving once again and it is the clever but strong players who are making a mark. Most of those are not Bont or Fyfe size. They are Joey or smaller. The best player in the game with the most clearances is only 177cm. The unfortunate thing is that most people can only think 'Bull' because that is all they have known. whereas you and I have seen finesse. Goodes=finesse, Kelly, Healy, Williams, GWS Kelly & Coniglio, Neale, Danger etc. Young Rowie, Ollie, Dawson, Mills, Campbell, Wicks, Ronke, Hewee and Gulden etc have finesse.

I just want our fans to wait to see what transpires with our midfield and be stunned.

[wolftone57]

This might get a bit of play during the year at the SCG

Australian Crawl - Errol (1981) - YouTube

[TheBloods]

Amartey's problem has been injury. I think he was quite good in his first game. He just got out of position too often in his second game. But he still hit the packs hard and brought the ball down. I don't think we have seen enough of him to judge as yet.

I think your assessment is very good Graeme. As usual. You are a long term Resies watcher and training observer. How would you rate this list over lists from previous years? I believe it is the best list we have had in a long time. There are a few players who will drop off the list in the coming year I believe, such as Taylor, Gray and Clarke. I think Sinclair is close to retirement, so is Buddy. Joey won't be far behind, if indeed he goes again in 2022. So it is imperitive we draft well in the next draft.

I do not believe that we do not have enough talent to cover the midfield. So many people here and on other Swans forums keep saying we have not got the 'Big Bull' to replace Joey. Maybe we don't need one. The game is evolving once again and it is the clever but strong players who are making a mark. Most of those are not Bont or Fyfe size. They are Joey or smaller. The best player in the game with the most clearances is only 177cm. The unfortunate thing is that most people can only think 'Bull' because that is all they have known. whereas you and I have seen finesse. Goodes=finesse, Kelly, Healy, Williams, GWS Kelly & Coniglio, Neale, Danger etc. Young Rowie, Ollie, Dawson, Mills, Campbell, Wicks, Ronke, Hewee and Gulden etc have finesse.

I just want our fans to wait to see what transpires with our midfield and be stunned.

The slight problem being none of those you mention, with the exception of Dawson who is not even playing midfield, have shown anything to suggest they will be dominant midfielders. Campbell perhaps but he hasn't played a game yet.

[Ludwig]

I do not believe that we do not have enough talent to cover the midfield.

I think you need to do a recount. There's an item on the Swans' website today saying (finally) Mills is headed to the midfield this year with Blakey slated for midfield or the (midfield) wing. I don't want to go through half the team list, but most are midfielders or midfield capable. I have 10 midfielders on our list that are don't have in the best 22. They're young and eager to go. That's a lot of depth.

[bloodspirit]

I think you need to do a recount. There's an item on the Swans' website today saying (finally) Mills is headed to the midfield this year with Blakey slated for midfield or the (midfield) wing. I don't want to go through half the team list, but most are midfielders or midfield capable. I have 10 midfielders on our list that are don't have in the best 22. They're young and eager to go. That's a lot of depth.

I think you need to re-read Wolfie's post.

[graemed]

How would you rate this list over lists from previous years? I believe it is the best list we have had in a long time.

I love the balance in this list and I am constantly impressed and thankful that we have someone like Kinnear Beatson, at our club. One only has to look at the promoted rookie list to know that he and his team can recognise talent, moreover, we have had and continue to have coaching teams that know how to develop it. Players traded from Sydney are prized by their new clubs and we can only look ruefully at the salary cap and COLA and wonder.

The problem with crystal ball gazing, as entertaining as it is, is that we depend so much on the things we can't control:

1) Will Franklin play? If so, how many games? Will he be fit enough when he does play to influence games?
This is the first priority but perhaps less important this year than in the past. That said will Sam Reid remain fit, can McClean get fit, will Hayward stay fit, please keep Heeney fit, will Blakey fit in the forward line or will he be better in the mids and will Papley be able to maintain the level of endeavour he showed this year that has been a feature of career.
2) The defence looks to have really shaped up.
There's no question they are a different unit when led by Rampe, but I have real confidence in McCartin after watching play on Charlie the Baby, against Port, he never took a backward step, he out muscled him on a couple occasions and looked great doing it. Sure the other took the points on the day but I put that down to weight of numbers more than anything. I'll miss Allir, he was electric and I remember his efforts in the 2016 final series fondly. Like the idea of Dawson and Campbell coming off halfback. My colleague remarked about Campbell's kicking saying how pinpoint and deep it was and how great it was being downfield from him. Releasing Mills to the midfield is also a very tasty prospect.
3) Can we win enough clearances to be competitive?
To me this is the key to winning close matches. If we are to finish in the top 8 we must win the close games and we must win our home games. This has been a frustrating part of our games in the past two years. Our following division are unable to break even at stoppages. We have not been able to win hit-outs and always seem to be reactive. At the SCG this can be lethal for the defence especially in a 6-6-6 era. What I wouldn't give to have the Nankervis v Naismith option over again.

I love this list, I love the anticipation of watching the youth that we have available grow into the Bloods culture. I love that we hammered GWS with a lot of this list last year. Maybe not our best but bloody, mighty fine.

[O'Reilly Boy]

I think you need to re-read Wolfie's post.

The old double negative double cross.

[Ludwig]

I think you need to re-read Wolfie's post.

You\re right! That 2nd negative got lost in my blind spot.

I use those double negatives a lot. No wonder no one doesn't not understand me.

[graemed]

You\re right! That 2nd negative got lost in my blind spot.

I use those double negatives a lot. No wonder no one doesn't not understand me.

Hold on isn't that a triple negative...Which pair cancel to be come a positive?

[Captain]

Fantastic news about Mills playing midfield.

With the draft and trades done, my revised best 22 looks like:

Cunningham Rampe Melican
Lloyd McCartin Stephens
Dawson Kennedy Blakey
Papley Reid Heeney
Hayward Franklin McDonald
Sinclair Parker Mills
Rowbottom McInerney Florent Hewett/Campbell

Wicks and Gulden will be putting pressure on Hayward +Gould and Fox will be right there to replace Melican. I still have Sinclair ahead of Hickey.

Hewett is in front of Campbell but will need to play very well to keep him out of the side. Both will probably play round 1 if Buddy is injured.

Overall, reckon we have a decent side and pending injuries might give finals a nudge.