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Maybe Scott saw the writing on the wall with Gill on his way out the door. His appointment always smelled as a job for the boys to me. We didn't here much from him during the season after that ludicrous rule on dissent was quickly binned. Better to take the cash off the Bombers than be out of work.
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Do you mean that there's no chance that Naismith won't be offered a contract?
The fact that he has neither been delisted nor offered a contract yet makes it look as though it's still up in the air. I'm not surprised by that. There are several players in limbo for next year.
Those last few list spots are always difficult. Although the chances of turning them into winners is not that great, the Swans do have a good record. Papley was our last player listed in 2015. Both Ronke and Fox were taken in the rookie draft in 2016. Paddy McCartin was added as a supplemental listing before this season. These cases would support a position that every spot counts and we shouldn't be too charitable when making these decisions.
I think we should leave at least one spot open after the draft for adding a supplemental listing or a mid-season draft pick.
We probably will have a couple of rookie spots that can be filled in the draft, by academy players, DFAs or relisting a senior list player (like Bell or Naismith).
As of now, with retirements and delistings, we have a roster of 40 players. By my reckoning, that leaves 3 ND picks + an open spot.
Assuming all those rumoured to be close to signing contracts, in fact do sign on, we probably have 5 players to make decisions on: Melican (possible trade), Ronke, Bell, McAndrew and Naismith.Comment
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Melican has a contract for next year.Comment
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It means something. It means he won't be delisted. Clubs can delist players and pay them out but this isn't something the Swans tend to do. He could be delisted with a promise of redrafting as a rookie (unless someone else picks him up). But I think it more comes down to whether he can find another club to move to, or else he stays.Comment
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Agree.
I don't think Melican's injury history is helping his cause. He's in a bad place, in that it's hard to see him getting a chance a show his wares on the Swans AFL side next year, and he's at that point in his career where he needs to establish himself. I think the Swans would try to accommodate an easy trade if his manager can find someone to take him.
The same applies to Ronke. I think there are a few teams that could benefit from recruiting him. He just gets squeezed out of the Swans because we have too many similar players. Ronke doesn't have a contract, but I would delist a Bell and Naismith before Ronke.Last edited by Ludwig; 1 October 2022, 10:33 PM.Comment
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Of course you did, it feeds directly into your anti-ruckman prejudices. Like a Trump supporter listening to a QAnon broadcast.
That is not in any way to suggest you're a Trump supporter, just that it's preaching to the converted.
As regards to the preacher, David King is a self inflating bombast, his "Fireball Friday" isn't serious analysis, it's infotainment - he's half an inch away from doing plugs for roomba's and funeral insurance.
The question is raised, as to whether there's a place for an "8, 9, 10 posession game ruckman" - which is nonsense, no-one's actually suggesting there is a place for such a ruckman. It's just a rhetorical stalking horse. Frankly I'm not sure there's ever been a place for a crap ruckman, certainly not in this millenia.
HKing also goes on about how the tap statistic are the most misunderstood in football. Again misses the point - winning the tap isn't a Ruckman's purpose. The primary purpose of a ruckman is to ensure his (or her) team wins the stoppages. Getting the tap is a good start, so too is seizing the ball and booting it downfield before any of the mids become involved. So too are the offensive and defensive one percenters, this years GF was a pretty clear demonstration of what happens when there's a lack of the latter. The Cat's repeated blocking/shepherding turned every clearance opportunity for Danger etal into a gilt edged inside 50 - can you even imagine the Cat's executing that with impunity if Mummy or Nanny (rather than an exhausted Hickey or wounded Reid) were in attendance?
I can't.Last edited by Ruck'n'Roll; 2 October 2022, 08:40 AM.Comment
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I don't know if he has nominated for the draft but I think the club should take a look at Harry Boyd in the search for a developing ruckman. Harry is a ruckman playing for Norwood which has just won the flag in the SAFL with a one point upset win over minor premiers North Adelaide. He won the Jack Oatey medal for being the best player in the Grand Final with an incredible 64 hit outs including one in the dying moments to Panos (ex fairy pup) who kicked the winning goal. He also won the Michael Taylor medal as Norwood's best player for 2022. Harry is only 24 with only two season in the SAFL so just coming into his peak as a ruckman. He did not miss a game in 2022 so is not injury prone. At 108kg and 198cm he is a ball of muscle. His season stats are extremely impressive, top ten in twelve categories for Norwood and in particular his Frees for are 66 vs Frees against of 31 so he is looked at kindly by the umpires. This ex Shepparton Bears product saw himself as a key defender who could pinch hit in the ruck when he was signed by Norwood in 2021 yet he has become the premier ruckman in the SAFL. Why is he not being mentioned as being on the radar of club recruiters. The only knock I can see on him is that he may be considered as not quite tall enough to go with the tall timber in the AFL but they are not going to be able to push him around. I see him as a far more appealing ruck prospect than an 18 year old in the draft who will take years to develop. What do you think?
I noted also that Paul Kelly's son Jackson Kelly is currently with Norwood.Comment
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