2021 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Throw money at him. Take money off Buddy if you have to.

AnnieH changng your tune?

[AB Swannie]

We are not permitted to alter the Buddy deal for Cap reasons. We would have to find the money elsewhere. I'm pretty sure the Suns will make a godfather offer for Luke. Other clubs may enter the race too. Luke will have to accept a lower offer if he is to stay at the Swans.

No team has to pay overs more than the Suns and they've already done that for most of their list. If they are stupid enough to offer a godfather deal to Parker then they will gain one incredible footballer and person but lose five young players in the process.

[Ludwig]

If we cut Hewett, Sinclair, Reid, Ronke, Gray and Brand, it would seem that should free up enough money to easily sign Parker, Dawson and Stephens.

If that's not right, then we really are in serious salary cap trouble.

[707]

Hewett is an important cog as we go forward despite a number of posters on here not rating him. I'll be most surprised if we let him go, notwithstanding the reported cap problems we have.

It will be minimum permitted number on the main list and balance made up with rookies to cope with cap problems. Remember almost all clubs are in cap stress except for a handful of cellar dwellers except for, LOL the Pies :-)

[Markwebbos]

Steady, we were that club last year.

[chalbilto]

Hey Ludwig,

Why not add Clarke & Ling to your list so that we could keep Hewett and at a stretch possibly Reid?

[NeonBible]

Hi all,

I am hearing more talk about McLean to Stk.. that is all it is for now, just talk.. but there's a lot of it. Could be something to it.

My concern is not so much losing players like Hewett and McLean, i don't see either as integral parts of our team. But they are part of our senior depth that contributed handily this year.. Hewett played every game and when Chad & Rowy went down, he filled the void perfectly, and McLean was our go-to man when Lance wasn't in top condition and he'd eventually overtaken Reid.. neither are slouches and it would be 2 less AFL standard players we would have for next year.. tis a gamble! Will need the players like Amartey, McDonald, Sheather etc to come on as Hewett & McLean did!

Anxious and uncertain times ahead, but i unequivocally trust the club will steady the ship if it needs to!

[longmile]

Hi all,

I am hearing more talk about McLean to Stk.. that is all it is for now, just talk.. but there's a lot of it. Could be something to it.

My concern is not so much losing players like Hewett and McLean, i don't see either as integral parts of our team. But they are part of our senior depth that contributed handily this year.. Hewett played every game and when Chad & Rowy went down, he filled the void perfectly, and McLean was our go-to man when Lance wasn't in top condition and he'd eventually overtaken Reid.. neither are slouches and it would be 2 less AFL standard players we would have for next year.. tis a gamble! Will need the players like Amartey, McDonald, Sheather etc to come on as Hewett & McLean did!

Anxious and uncertain times ahead, but i unequivocally trust the club will steady the ship if it needs to!

I think you're underselling Hewett. He's definitely not a reserves/depth player. He's been a regular in our 22 since 2016/17. He's probably our best proper mid after Parker and Mills, as Kennedy is a bit patchy in the twilight of his career. Hewett is definitely better and more consistent currently than Rowbottom and Warner.

[rb4x]

Hi all,

I am hearing more talk about McLean to Stk.. that is all it is for now, just talk.. but there's a lot of it. Could be something to it.

My concern is not so much losing players like Hewett and McLean, i don't see either as integral parts of our team. But they are part of our senior depth that contributed handily this year.. Hewett played every game and when Chad & Rowy went down, he filled the void perfectly, and McLean was our go-to man when Lance wasn't in top condition and he'd eventually overtaken Reid.. neither are slouches and it would be 2 less AFL standard players we would have for next year.. tis a gamble! Will need the players like Amartey, McDonald, Sheather etc to come on as Hewett & McLean did!

Anxious and uncertain times ahead, but i unequivocally trust the club will steady the ship if it needs to!

Unfortunately I do not unequivocally trust the club with trading and drafting. Too many poor decisions have been made in the past all the way back to little Willo, Vezpremi, DOK, Dunkley, Ling to Stephens when we could have and indeed should have made a different decision. Likewise some good players have been let go when they should have been retained and other have been kept well past their use by date. e.g. Dempster, Nankervis and Aliir plus others. Balanced by some great calls at the rookie level and with longshots but our top level drafting and trading does not have a good record. Hewett, McLean and players of that age group are coming into their prime and are essentially the backbone of the team. You can not leave all the heavy lifting to the kids and the pensioners. I will not be upset if the tough decisions are made on the likes of Reid, Sinclair, Ronke, Ling, Gray, Brand and Clarke but would not be happy to see any of those retained ahead of Parker, Dawson or Hewett.

[Blood Fever]

I think you're underselling Hewett. He's definitely not a reserves/depth player. He's been a regular in our 22 since 2016/17. He's probably our best proper mid after Parker and Mills, as Kennedy is a bit patchy in the twilight of his career. Hewett is definitely better and more consistent currently than Rowbottom and Warner.

And he is playing his best footy..His last half of the year has been excellent.

[NeonBible]

I think you're underselling Hewett. He's definitely not a reserves/depth player. He's been a regular in our 22 since 2016/17. He's probably our best proper mid after Parker and Mills, as Kennedy is a bit patchy in the twilight of his career. Hewett is definitely better and more consistent currently than Rowbottom and Warner.

Hi longmile,

I might've worded my last comment incorrectly. I don't believe George to be a depth player.. in fact just the opposite, he was one of just a handful of Swans to play every game this year! I would also agree he is better than Rowbottom and Warner currently and more consistent.. But i don't consider him to be an integral part of our team.. it seems like a lifetime ago now, but we went into round 1 of this year with a midfield of Joey, Parks, Mills and Rowy.. they were likely going to be our main 4 for the year, and they got on top of Brisbane quite comfortably.. then when Rowy went down, the coaches went with Chad over George.. He wasn't added to the midfield until the middle of the year.. so i think even the coaches don't see him as a vital part of the team.

My comment about depth was more that we have had 25 or so players who we know can play great at the highest level.. George is absolutely one of them, and would be more of a loss than we realise, even if he is not a vital signing like Parker or Dawson.

[Ludwig]

Hey Ludwig,

Why not add Clarke & Ling to your list so that we could keep Hewett and at a stretch possibly Reid?

I think Clarke is a decent depth player and capable of getting a spot on some lists. I can't comment on Ling simply because I don't know what the story is on him. I'm just waiting to hear what the club has to say about Ling before saying he's a definite delisting.

Also, if we cut 6 players and take in 4, that should do it for this year. I don't think we need to cut more, just to replace them with low draftees. I'm ready to cut ties with Reid and move on to the next generation.


I know that I have Hewett as a FA leaving the club, but this doesn't reflect my opinion that he's a very good player and one that I really value and think highly of. I'm just facing the fact that we are in a salary cap squeeze and he looks the odd man out if we are to sign Parker and Dawson.

[AnnieH]

Unfortunately, the contract from hell was back-ended. I know we're stuck paying him a million next year.
I'm confident, provided he stays fit, he'll earn it.
We NEED to keep Parks.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Hewett is an important cog as we go forward despite a number of posters on here not rating him. I'll be most surprised if we let him go, notwithstanding the reported cap problems we have.

When he began the year playing largely forgettable games on half back, I couldn't help thinking back to AA and wondering whether George would be the next out the door.

Also, if we cut 6 players and take in 4, that should do it for this year. I don't think we need to cut more, just to replace them with low draftees.

Yeah, I'm unsure how deep we need to cut, but we've had a lot of success with low picks (sometimes it seems more than with high picks).

[Mark26]

Unfortunately I do not unequivocally trust the club with trading and drafting. Too many poor decisions have been made in the past all the way back to little Willo, Vezpremi, DOK, Dunkley, Ling to Stephens when we could have and indeed should have made a different decision. Likewise some good players have been let go when they should have been retained and other have been kept well past their use by date. e.g. Dempster, Nankervis and Aliir plus others. Balanced by some great calls at the rookie level and with longshots but our top level drafting and trading does not have a good record. Hewett, McLean and players of that age group are coming into their prime and are essentially the backbone of the team. You can not leave all the heavy lifting to the kids and the pensioners. I will not be upset if the tough decisions are made on the likes of Reid, Sinclair, Ronke, Ling, Gray, Brand and Clarke but would not be happy to see any of those retained ahead of Parker, Dawson or Hewett.

There's a lot of merit to what you're saying. We have not had great, consistent success at the pointy end of the draft. You mentioned Stephens to Ling and I think that's a fair call. It would be hard to see them both walk out.

On the other hand, we are fantastic at taking rookies and giving them every opportunity to become wonderful players.

So, I'm a bit stuck between admiration and being p***ed with some of our missed opportunities with drafting. I guess, to be fair, most supporters would feel this way with their recruitment departments too.

I wholeheartedly agree that we need to keep Parker, Dawson and Hewett. I'd also like to see P McCartin given a contract too as I think he'd fill a perceived need down back.

As for Stephens, Ling and Gould. My heart says I'd love to keep them, but my head disagrees.

I hope our club gets contracts in order ASAP and we start to hear some positive announcements.