2021 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[MattW]

Partker would surely only leave if another team right at the top came in for him. He and his Mrs seem very settled in Sydney, and I'd be pretty suprised if he went anywhere.

Would not be suprised to see Stephens leave, and think he will make a good AFL player. But a bit of patience on his part would not be a bad thing either.

Certainly agree with the last sentence, which is kind of related to my comment about him not settling. To be fair, it's a tough draft class to settle - we've been travelling for two seasons in a row.

[i'm-uninformed2]

What we will never know about that draft class is how much COVID disrupted their development.

Some blokes jump into it, and Chad is likely one of those. Some take a bit more time and need time in reserves to develop and work on their game. Would Gould for example have come good by now with regular, week on week play? Dunno. Will he get there? Dunno.

But it’s certainly nothing like we’ve had before.

[TheBloods]

If Parker leaves we can forget premierships , we will be F'd

[Blood Fever]

Hmmmmmmm.

Luke Parker certainly isn't playing like he's distracted by that. It's hard to imagine that we won't find a way to pay him.

As for Stephens - he doesn't really seem to have settled into the playing group. That draft is looking on the busty side, excepting Warner.

Panicky reaction to a journo who is short of stories and has proven to be wrong many times. Stephens is still a baby in AFL terms..

[MattW]

Panicky reaction to a journo who is short of stories and has proven to be wrong many times. Stephens is still a baby in AFL terms..

Geez mate, would you easy up?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[Ludwig]

Tom Morris is an excellent journalist. He spoke about 4 Swans players and only made 2 errors about them. Stephens was a pick 5, not pick 4 as he said, and Parker is a RFA, not a UFA, as Morris stated. So you can tell that he's really looked deep into this issue.

That aside, Stephens didn't look happy sitting on the bench as the medical sub.

It\s been tough on the covid draftees, not getting into optimal training routines, games cancelled in the reserves, hub life and the like.

Ling might be in a similar headspace, losing 2 years to injury then going into covid mode.

With a lot of players injured last year, Stephens got to play 8 games and finished the season strongly. This year, with few injuries, he's had fewer chances and hasn't quite performed well enough to h old down a spot.

If we bring Melican in for Bell this week, or make no changes, which is not out of the question, there will be a lot of hopefuls not in the senior team: Warner, Rowbottom, Campbell, Stephens, Gould, O'Riordan, McDonald.

Our depth is too good. I hope we can make everyone happy, but the young players have to perform when they get their opportunities. That's going to be the same at every club.

[Bangalore Swans]

Just reported on On the Couch - there's a big gap between what Parker wants and what he's being offered. And Stephens is actively looking for opportunities elsewhere.

It would be a shame to see Parker go. And we wouldn't be well compensated - you'd assume a first round pick, but that's going to around 15.

And for Stephens, I think Jye Caldwell is a good comparison of what we'd get. Effectively a 2nd round pick - which is a terrible return if that was to be the case.

Why are people surprised when they hear that Stephens is looking around for opportunities. A pick 5 from a football state didn’t get drafted to play reserves while less talanded players such as Bell and Wicks get senior opportunities ahead of him. I’m don’t need to hear about positional requirements.

He is a talented player, a high draft pick and you find a way to get him into the senior team to make things work. Someone called me absurd earlier. I think it’s absurd that down this stretch that Bell was in the senior team and Stephens was not.

Stephens also seems to be the most punished player on the Swans list for his mistakes while other players such as Rowbottom, Bell, Blakey and Wicks are afforded greater leeway.

[waswan]

Why are people surprised when they hear that Stephens is looking around for opportunities. A pick 5 from a football state didn’t get drafted to play reserves while less talanded players such as Bell and Wicks get senior opportunities ahead of him. I’m don’t need to hear about positional requirements.

He is a talented player, a high draft pick and you find a way to get him into the senior team to make things work. Someone called me absurd earlier. I think it’s absurd that down this stretch that Bell was in the senior team and Stephens was not.

Stephens also seems to be the most punished player on the Swans list for his mistakes while other players such as Rowbottom, Bell, Blakey and Wicks are afforded greater leeway.

Bell should never be picked ahead of Stephens, Im trying to forget about the fact we didny grab Serong who was a Swans fan.

All this talk about Bell crashing packs, avout 5 times he picked up the ball and got group tackled. Yes he wasnt holding the ball but offers nothing.

I reckon the last mo th has been 2 goals, 8 tackles and 30 possessions.
Stephens, would be a mainstay if he was given a month.

I hope its not Jed Lamb returns, we dropped him late in the year and he never played for us again

[Aprilbr]

Parker is a critical player for us. Its not just his performances but also his leadership. Surely we can find enough in the Cap to hold onto him.

Dawson is another we must keep for his sheer talent and performances.

I can understand why Stephens may look for opportunities elsewhere. He has struggled to get senior games this season and when playing has struggled for impact.

George is a solid consistent, contributor. In our best team. However, I'm not sure we can pay him enough to keep him.

If we manage to hang onto the first two I will be happy. All four and I will be ecstatic.

[KSAS]

One crucial point Tom Morris mentioned is that the AFL hasn't yet announced next year's TPP. This might be the holdup in current contract negotiations if our Salary Cap is a tight squeeze as reported. Hope out of contract players will be willing to make small financial sacrifices to keep the playing group together, particularly given the exciting trajectory we're on & taking covid situation into consideration (losing staff due to soft cap reduction).

Players seem very close, so hope this also counts for much.

I'm somewhat surprised we're in a Cap Squeeze given we haven't recruited any high profile players in a while & having offloaded players like Allir, Rohan, Zak Jones, Hannebery, Mitchell & Tippett over the same period. Buddy only has 1 year left on his multi million contract, so surely that would also provide room to back end new contracts in the short term?

[KTigers]

It'd be a pity to lose Parker, but if the gap is 200K PA and he wants a four or five year deal and the club wants to give him three
then you can see how it turns into a million or so all up. My understanding is he is currently our second highest paid player.
Other clubs are going to start coming for our younger brigade in a year or two. The club needs some money in the kitty.

[Kafka's Ghost]

One crucial point Tom Morris mentioned is that the AFL hasn't yet announced next year's TPP. This might be the holdup in current contract negotiations if our Salary Cap is a tight squeeze as reported. Hope out of contract players will be willing to make small financial sacrifices to keep the playing group together, particularly given the exciting trajectory we're on & taking covid situation into consideration (losing staff due to soft cap reduction).

Players seem very close, so hope this also counts for much.

I'm somewhat surprised we're in a Cap Squeeze given we haven't recruited any high profile players in a while & having offloaded players like Allir, Rohan, Zak Jones, Hannebery, Mitchell & Tippett over the same period. Buddy only has 1 year left on his multi million contract, so surely that would also provide room to back end new contracts in the short term?

Tend to agree with this comment. This is the last year Franklin is on massive money; his drop in payments next year is the difference of another solid contract. Likewise, we could move out a few players who’ll never get another game for us, short of a major injury crisis. That, and the fact that the TPP is as-yet unknown, leads me to think that it’s all a bit of a journalistic fishing expedition.

[Bangalore Swans]

It'd be a pity to lose Parker, but if the gap is 200K PA and he wants a four or five year deal and the club wants to give him three
then you can see how it turns into a million or so all up. My understanding is he is currently our second highest paid player.
Other clubs are going to start coming for our younger brigade in a year or two. The club needs some money in the kitty.

Wow. Just listened to the Tom Morris.

My view:

- Hewitt will go. Late 2nd rounder as compensation.

- Club will probably need to make a choice between Parker or Dawson.

- I can’t blame Parker for wanting more money. He has a family and it’s his last chance at a great pay day. Maybe paying him what he deserves will upset too many other moving parts

- If you lose Parker and Hewitt from that centre square then a think Stephens will stay. You would also be able to pay Dawson if Hewitt and Parker left. A wing spot will become more open at the Swans for Stephen’s as you will probably have to redeploy J-Mac and Dawson to more centre square inside players.

You could possibly get a late 1st rounder as compensation for Parker.

This is hardly ideal and distressing for Swans fans.

Maybe this is the year that the Premiership has to come. Without Parker, the team will dip in 2022 as younger midfielders such as Chad, Dawson, Florent and J-Mac adjust to being centre square midfielders. A fit Rowbottom could also be valuable.

[i'm-uninformed2]

I suspect if we have challenges re the cap it’s partly the unknown of the TPP, but also what’s over the horizon.

Here’s who is out of contract in 2022 (I think): Heeney, Lloyd, Rampe, Gulden, Campbell, McInerney, McDonald. (That obviously doesn’t include the likes of Buddy, JPK, Naismith or Taylor likely to go out).

Then Mills, McCartin, Papley and Warner in 2023.

That is a lot of talent and pay claims to juggle.

[KTigers]

I would keep Dawson over Parker. I love Luke like everyone does, but Jordan has four more years of footy in him compared to Parks. Also
players like Jordan are very rare. He did another of those outrageous cross country 50M lasers on Sunday. Those kicks are undefendable and
hardly anyone can do them. They are the extra goal you need in a tight game on a log jammed ladder. He's as good now as Zac Williams
was at GWS and Williams apparently got a $4.8M/6 year deal. Williams has the run, and Jordan has the kicking and marking skills.
Hopefully he will stay for a bit less, but he is a very valuable and unique player.