2022 List management, trading, drafting

[i'm-uninformed2]

a) We probably don't have the salary cap space
b) We have no idea whether he has any interest in living in Sydney
c) We really need to use our draft capital to address areas of the list that need bolstering, not for 2023 but for a couple of years down the track. Which means taller players (at either end), not creating an excess of midfield depth.

Particularly c). We have a long window opening up, but talls are our weak spot over the long haul. Logan desperately needs a companion for the next decade, and a 200cm defender as we come into an era of giant key forwards would be good too.

[Ludwig]

a) We probably don't have the salary cap space
b) We have no idea whether he has any interest in living in Sydney
c) We really need to use our draft capital to address areas of the list that need bolstering, not for 2023 but for a couple of years down the track. Which means taller players (at either end), not creating an excess of midfield depth.

Exactly!

We stated last year that we targeted strengthening our midfield. Not only do Sheldrick and Roberts look very promising prospects, but also the massive improvements from Chad and Rowy have taken care of any shortcomings in that area. We have no impending midfield losses for at least 3 years (Parker).

This year is the time to shift attention to the KPPs, not so much for next year, but beyond. Just good planning for the impending retirements of Buddy, Reid and Rampe.

We are fortunate that there are a bevy of players in our part of the draft that (at least on paper) fir our needs. With any luck, we should come out of this year much stronger and very well balanced across the ground.

[rickmat]

Ratugalea would be one I would be targeting as we need a big body at CHB and he fits the bill. Don't mind if we give one of our draft picks this year if he is interested in coming to Sydney. He is originally from Griffith in Riverina. Ready made big body, not getting games at Cats.

[Ludwig]

Ratugalea would be one I would be targeting as we need a big body at CHB and he fits the bill. Don't mind if we give one of our draft picks this year if he is interested in coming to Sydney. He is originally from Griffith in Riverina. Ready made big body, not getting games at Cats.

Ratugolea would be at the top of my list of players I would like to recruit. Nonetheless, when I try to find a spot for him in our 22, I have trouble choosing who he would replace. I think he's the right kind of talent we are looking for, but perhaps the timing is just not right.

[Auntie.Gerald]

I have heard Power are very keen on Ratugolea

[goods53]

Ratugolea would be my pick also can play forward or back + ruck apparently he is a popular club person at the cats, Rd 19 2021 kicked 4 goals along with Hawkins against the Tigers at 24yo his got plenty of footy left in him & from NSW

[waswan]

As far as talls, we have Logan, Amartey, Ladhams, Mclean and Mccartins, Blakey, Gould, Melican and between that lot less then 50% are getting games.

What is the urge to throw in a few more talls to develop ?

We have the same issue with mids getting games and not getting games

Id say our list is at the stage of trying to trade up for higher picks or entice a 23-25 yr old to come across who is in out best 22.

We have developing players everywhere and 3 who appear a year away from the end in Buddy, Ramps and maybe Hickey, all of which have others coming thru.

If Gould cant get a game after playing well in a Sanfl GF before he got here, why grab anymore developers

[i'm-uninformed2]

As far as talls, we have Logan, Amartey, Ladhams, Mclean and Mccartins, Blakey, Gould, Melican and between that lot less then 50% are getting games.

What is the urge to throw in a few more talls to develop ?

We have the same issue with mids getting games and not getting games

Id say our list is at the stage of trying to trade up for higher picks or entice a 23-25 yr old to come across who is in out best 22.

We have developing players everywhere and 3 who appear a year away from the end in Buddy, Ramps and maybe Hickey, all of which have others coming thru.

If Gould cant get a game after playing well in a Sanfl GF before he got here, why grab anymore developers

I’m fast forwarding a few years in my thinking on this. Neither McLean or Amarty are more than depth now, and there’s a good chance one or both of them are off the list in two years, let alone present and impacting for an extended period beyond that. Same with Melican and Gould is an untried third tall.

We have two first round picks (and I’d personally like to see if we can combine one of them with our second round pick to get a bit higher) and we should be targeting quality talls in the 196-200cm range.

[waswan]

id prefer to chase tall guys like Ladhams at 24 then draft a kid that more than likely wont play for 2 yrs

[Ludwig]

id prefer to chase tall guys like Ladhams at 24 then draft a kid that more than likely wont play for 2 yrs

The principle could be right, but the situation wrong. Hypothetically, if Buddy and Reid were not offered contracts for 2023, then we could promise someone like Ratugolea a spot in our forward line. But given that Buddy and Reid will be playing next year, Ratugolea would be in the same situation with us as he is with Geelong. He has every right to want to be a starter in some team next year, but that's not something we can realistically offer him.

Buddy and Reid playing on gives us another year to develop KPPs, which makes the draft option preferable to the trade option this year. We need to buy some time to let the retirements come through and open spots in our best 22. KPPs can take a long time to get going, so forward planning is essential. It also gives us another year to evaluate a McDonald/Amartey/McLean forward line in the post Buddy era.

[rb4x]

The principle could be right, but the situation wrong. Hypothetically, if Buddy and Reid were not offered contracts for 2023, then we could promise someone like Ratugolea a spot in our forward line. But given that Buddy and Reid will be playing next year, Ratugolea would be in the same situation with us as he is with Geelong. He has every right to want to be a starter in some team next year, but that's not something we can realistically offer him.

Buddy and Reid playing on gives us another year to develop KPPs, which makes the draft option preferable to the trade option this year. We need to buy some time to let the retirements come through and open spots in our best 22. KPPs can take a long time to get going, so forward planning is essential. It also gives us another year to evaluate a McDonald/Amartey/McLean forward line in the post Buddy era.

You are making the assumption that both Buddy and Reid will be available to play next year. Both have recently missed full seasons recently through injury and are no guarantee to be fit. Ratugolea might well assume that it is at least a 50/50 proposition that one of the two will not be available and even if they are available he might figure that he is better than Reid anyway.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I hope we do get a chance to evaluate a McDonald/Amartey/McLean forward line Ludwig, but will an opportunity present itself next year? If it doesn't will the club manufacture one?
Neither happened this year. If we could see how that combination might work, I'd really feel less uncertain regarding our future key forward combination.
I don't think playing 1 of the 3 in combination with Buddy/Reid clarified the future much for me.

[Nico]

I think they will change things up somewhat and start to play through Logan a lot. Makes no sense to not bring him on quickly next year.

[Ludwig]

You are making the assumption that both Buddy and Reid will be available to play next year. Both have recently missed full seasons recently through injury and are no guarantee to be fit. Ratugolea might well assume that it is at least a 50/50 proposition that one of the two will not be available and even if they are available he might figure that he is better than Reid anyway.

I'm not making any assumptions about player availability. I'm looking at it from Ratugolea's perspective. If he sees Buddy, Reid and Logan on our list, it's hard to sell a story where he's a lock for one of the forward positions. We also have 2 ruckmen who are better than him in the ruck position and they both can play forward as well. Ratugolea is most like Reid in what he brings to the team. Reid may have an injury history, but he is still only 31 next year. He could have several more years left. He only got injured the penultimate game of the year..

As I've said. I'm for the player coming to the Swans, but I just don't think the timing is right. If he doesn't move clubs this year, maybe he's a chance next year.

[waswan]

Draft mids, trade/buy KPP.

Logan and Denver, drafted 4 and 6 by us and Hawks in 2 yrs have played 20 games and are at least 2 yrs away from high end footy.

Now that was with Top 6 picks.

Almost kidding ourselves drafting talls with late teen picks.

Darcy Cameron took 5yrs to come on as a mature age.