2021 pre-season training

[TheBloods]

New leadership group has been named too. They have retained Joey, Ramps and Parker as captains, plus Buddy and Mills, and then added Lloyd, Papley and Cunningham: Our 2021 leaders unveiled.

Great vote of confidence in Cunningham. Papley has been taken back into the bosom of the group after a year a little bit winning back trust after his attempted defection.

What's interesting is that Heeney, who was part of the leadership group in 2019, hasn't returned. Nor has the experiment with a smaller leadership group been persevered with.

Is it uncommon for the star player in a team to not be in the leadership group? Dont think i've seen Dusty ever named in Richmond's , Petracca not in Melbourne's. Heck even Franklin wasn't in ours until last year

[bloodspirit]

I don't think there's anything strange about a star player not being an official leader. If you're referring to Heeney though, the interesting point is that he was previously seen as a leader but something has changed and he's been overtaken in that space by Cunningham and Buddy and Lloyd.

[TheBloods]

I don't think there's anything strange about a star player not being an official leader. If you're referring to Heeney though, the interesting point is that he was previously seen as a leader but something has changed and he's been overtaken in that space by Cunningham and Buddy and Lloyd.

Maybe he wants to focus on his own game?

[SeanM]

Ok, thanks. Yeah I did see that, I was looking for more specific details though, I wouldn’t mind going down to watch. All good though, cheers!

In the Dylan Stephens interview, he said we have an intraclub this Saturday and then a game against GWS the following Saturday.

[Mark26]

In the Dylan Stephens interview, he said we have an intraclub this Saturday and then a game against GWS the following Saturday.

Thanks for clearing that up Sean. Do you have a link to Dylan's interview?

For those who are interested it looks like our u17 and u19 Academy women's teams are taking on GWS on Sunday. It's supposed to be streamed.

[bloodspirit]

Maybe he wants to focus on his own game?

Yes, may well be. And we could speculate about various other possibilities too. Whatever the reason, (a) it's a change from 2019 when Heeney was elected to the leadership group; and (b) I find that interesting.

Last year the club drew attention away from Heeney's omission by saying they wanted to have a smaller leadership group. But now, after just one year, they are reverting to the larger leadership group but they have not reinstated Heeney. I infer from that, that from the point of view of someone (playing group? club? Heeney?), Heeney as leader didn't work out as well was was hoped. I'm curious about that.

[Aprilbr]

Maybe we are reading too much into the Heeney situation? Given that he missed virtually all of last season with a serious injury, they want him to focus on recovery and getting back to his best on field.

Great to see Papley back in the leadership group. He seems a real leader on the field.

[jono2707]

I was a bit surprised to see Buddy in the leadership group still, given the doubts that surround his ongoing fitness etc. Shows how well regarded as a leader he is.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I was a bit surprised to see Buddy in the leadership group still, given the doubts that surround his ongoing fitness etc. Shows how well regarded as a leader he is.

Didn't Buddy only get added to the leadership group in his until 2020, his 7th season at the club?

In which case, while he may well be regarded highly as a leader now, that may not have been the case previously.
Perhaps he's developing these skills?

[rickmat]

Wonder what is happening with the new Swans VFL side. Don't seem to see any info or feedback on their training or if they are playing any pre-season games. No listing of players on Swans website. Nice to be able to see if any more players added from initial announcement such as Paddy McCartin. We have some extra spots on our main list and no extra players training with us to perhaps fill those spots, unlike most other clubs.

[TheBloods]

Yes, may well be. And we could speculate about various other possibilities too. Whatever the reason, (a) it's a change from 2019 when Heeney was elected to the leadership group; and (b) I find that interesting.

Last year the club drew attention away from Heeney's omission by saying they wanted to have a smaller leadership group. But now, after just one year, they are reverting to the larger leadership group but they have not reinstated Heeney. I infer from that, that from the point of view of someone (playing group? club? Heeney?), Heeney as leader didn't work out as well was was hoped. I'm curious about that.

Having been around footy clubs my whole life what's clear is that if a player WANTS to be a leader, then he will be a leader. The peers do not judge HOW WELL they perform as leaders. It's a role at the club that if you want it and choose to take on that responsibility, there's no reason your peers will snub you, even if you're not a good communicator or not great at setting an example in your performance.

Everything we have heard from Longmire to players interviews indicates Isaac leads by example on and off the field. He is one of our most oft-mentioned players in that area. So if he's not formally recognised as such, it seems like it would be of his choice.

By the way it shouldn't surprise you if Cunningham and Lloyd have "overtaken him". From reports they accepted greater responsibility and showed leadership in the hub during a challenging 2020 season. Isaac wasn't in the hub with the rest of the squad, he was in Sydney by himself recovering from his ankle injury.

[barracuda]

game is at 9.30ish tommorow

[stevoswan]

Yes, may well be. And we could speculate about various other possibilities too. Whatever the reason, (a) it's a change from 2019 when Heeney was elected to the leadership group; and (b) I find that interesting.

Last year the club drew attention away from Heeney's omission by saying they wanted to have a smaller leadership group. But now, after just one year, they are reverting to the larger leadership group but they have not reinstated Heeney. I infer from that, that from the point of view of someone (playing group? club? Heeney?), Heeney as leader didn't work out as well was was hoped. I'm curious about that.

The playing group vote for the leadership group, so they may see something we don't. Heeney may well have not put his hand up, preferring to focus on his own game, as The Bloods suggested.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Having been around footy clubs my whole life what's clear is that if a player WANTS to be a leader, then he will be a leader. The peers do not judge HOW WELL they perform as leaders. It's a role at the club that if you want it and choose to take on that responsibility, there's no reason your peers will snub you, even if you're not a good communicator or not great at setting an example in your performance.

Your description seems somewhat different to my experience/understanding of the Leading Teams way, which involved a lot of extremely frank peer evaluation - but as you say you've been around football clubs your whole life.

[TheBloods]

Your description seems somewhat different to my experience/understanding of the Leading Teams way, which involved a lot of extremely frank peer evaluation - but as you say you've been around football clubs your whole life.

I have not been around AFL level clubs. But enough to understand that those who put their hand up to accept that role as a leader will be recognised in a formal capacity. Heeney obviously demonstrates excellent leadership as it is spoken about with him nearly every time Longmire or one of his teammates talks about him. If it's not being recognised in a formal capacity then the more relevant question is why is that not something Heeney wants to focus on at this stage of his career? Is it because he wants to improve his individual game, which up to this point has been a tease? Is he waiting to fulfil his potential and become an A-grader of the competition that he has long been hyped to be, before he takes on official leadership? We just don't know.

Leadership comes in many different forms. Last year I managed to catch a lot of training in the pre-season of 19/20, and I observed quite often the newer draftees turning to players not much older than themselves. Stephens and McInerney as outside midfielders were often attached to Florent's hip. Warner was frequently being guided by Rowbottom. Bell and Elijah Taylor were getting plenty of advice from Papley and Lewy Taylor. Ling also seemed to spend a lot of time with Lloyd and Cunningham. None of Florent, Rowbottom, Papley, Taylor, Lloyd or Cunningham were in the leadership group last year. But they were good points of reference for their peers and seemed to provide good guidance to those in similar roles to them. One could argue those players were just as important in the development of these younger players as the official leaders. The official leadership group deals more with the overall standards expected of the playing group, and so it requires a certain kind of character that a lot of players, no matter how good they may be at leading by example or supporting their peers, don't feel comfortable with.

This could very much be the case with Isaac. And truthfully I can't say I have seen a lot of this with Lloyd and Cunningham, and I would not be at all surprised if they too were only short-term leaders, recognised for their contributions in a season where we were severely lacking mature players in the hub, but ultimately deciding it's not for them beyond this year.