Welcome Tom Hickey to Swans

[Meg]

And with the final list lodgement due in two weeks the AFL have announced list sizes for 2021 will be ................. oh wait, they haven't announced!

Absurd situation. I assume the AFLPA won’t accept what the AFL wants to do on list size and salary cap. I am not criticising the Association for that - but the AFL should have got a deal agreed before the trade period opened.

Clubs are making decisions in a vacuum of information and players out of contract have no idea of their career future.

[jono2707]

Welcome Tom. No pressure ????.
Will be cheering you on in 2021 and beyond.

[barry]

Ruckman are late to mature, so providing his body holds together, he should be as good as he'll ever be over the next 2-3 years.

[Thunder Shaker]

Absurd situation. I assume the AFLPA won’t accept what the AFL wants to do on list size and salary cap. I am not criticising the Association for that - but the AFL should have got a deal agreed before the trade period opened.

Clubs are making decisions in a vacuum of information and players out of contract have no idea of their career future.

Exactly ... it was quite inept of the AFL to be going to a trading period with clubs having no idea about list sizes.

[bloodspirit]

In depth interview of Tom Hickey by Phil Davis: The eco ruckman - Tom Hickey - The Phil Davis Podcast - ABC Radio. Worth a listen if you can spare the time. If you have less time, I would suggest the second half is more worth listening to. If you have lots of time there are various other podcasts in the series with AFL players (including Tony Armstrong, Eddie Betts, Jeremy Cameron, Adam Treloar) and other athletes (e.g. Nathan Lyon) that look interesting.

The main points I took from it:

* Hickey enjoys mentoring the younger kids. He preaches stopping to smell the roses, not worrying about mistakes and focusing on what you're good at.
* He felt really welcomed arriving at Sydney, more so than at West Coast, particularly by the older players who he described as being in a smaller minority compared to the youth at the club and needing friends (he mentioned 6 older players - I take these to be Buddy, Joey, Sinclair, Rampe, Reid and maybe Parker)
* When we recruited him, he was our second choice but our first choice was unavailable (he didn't say who but I'm guessing Ladhams). GWS were also interested in him but he was also second choice for them (after Brayden Preuss).

[Mark26]

In depth interview of Tom Hickey by Phil Davis: The eco ruckman - Tom Hickey - The Phil Davis Podcast - ABC Radio. Worth a listen if you can spare the time. If you have less time, I would suggest the second half is more worth listening to. If you have lots of time there are various other podcasts in the series with AFL players (including Tony Armstrong, Eddie Betts, Jeremy Cameron, Adam Treloar) and other athletes (e.g. Nathan Lyon) that look interesting.

The main points I took from it:

* Hickey enjoys mentoring the younger kids. He preaches stopping to smell the roses, not worrying about mistakes and focusing on what you're good at.
* He felt really welcomed arriving at Sydney, more so than at West Coast, particularly by the older players who he described as being in a smaller minority compared to the youth at the club and needing friends (he mentioned 6 older players - I take these to be Buddy, Joey, Sinclair, Rampe, Reid and maybe Parker)
* When we recruited him, he was our second choice but our first choice was unavailable (he didn't say who but I'm guessing Ladhams). GWS were also interested in him but he was also second choice for them (after Brayden Preuss).

Thanks for the link! What a great interview with Hickey. He seems really grounded. It's clear he loves his family. Also love how he talked about the rationale for each move and how now, he takes the time to remind himself how privileged he is to play footy. I love Phil Davis' well-wishes-parting-comment about the Swans in September. He's a class act too.

[Markwebbos]

I know this is preaching to the converted, but how much of a surprise packet has Hickey been this year.

Matt Rendell has him at number 3, there’s been talk he might make the AA squad of 40

Rendell names the best ruckmen in the AFL this year

I’m looking forward to him battling Darcy with two working legs this week

[Thunder Shaker]

In the Hick of it: Why resurgent ruckman nearly pulled the pin

Tom Hickey is enjoying a stellar season on the field, but nearly left Sydney's hub mid-season

[Goal Sneak]

In the Hick of it: Why resurgent ruckman nearly pulled the pin

This makes what he's done this year that much more admirable. Having been to 4 clubs and to say this has been his favourite year so far in the AFL says a lot about what's building at the Swans.

His partner is just as admirable, what an absolute champion! Would've been completely reasonable to just insist that Tom come home.

[neilfws]

Just resurrecting the Hickey thread for this feature. I had not heard the nickname "Ruck Jesus", but I like it.

Swans’ ‘Ruck Jesus’ has his hands full on and off the field

[barry]

Surely, the saying that you should never draft ruckmen has been reinforced.
We draft nankervis, does nothing for 5 years, trade him to Richmond, flags galore. We get Tom hickey late in his career, rags to riches.

Let's never waste a draft pick on a ruckman again.. looking at you Ludwig.

[goswannies]

Surely, the saying that you should never draft ruckmen has been reinforced.
We draft nankervis, does nothing for 5 years, trade him to Richmond, flags galore. We get Tom hickey late in his career, rags to riches.

Let's never waste a draft pick on a ruckman again.. looking at you Ludwig.

Someone has to draft them

[Markwebbos]

Hasn’t there been some talk about a special category of rookies just for ruckman?

[Thunder Shaker]

I'm resurrecting this thread to post another article about Ruck Jesus.

Four clubs, four states, but Swans ruckman has found his biggest challenge yet: parenting