2023 List Management

[waswan]

Id play Arnold over Hamling
30 yr old 6 games in 3 yrs

Give me a break

[Captain]

Hamling would be a good get if cheap.

[i'm-uninformed2]

We know it's silly season time, when even Cal Twomey has put his name to a yarn on AFL.com that 'clubs are weighing up whether to make a play for Clayton Oliver'.

Like, I'm sure clubs are thinking about whether they would benefit from recruiting Errol Gulden, or Charlie Curnow, or Nick Daicos.

(Having said that, in the fantasy world where he is up for grabs, whatever Melbourne wants.)

[BRS328]

The fact Hamling could not get a game in an underperforming Dockers team might tell you something. Would he be any better than Melican, Francis, Arnold or perhaps even Buller in that position

[Mark26]

We know it's silly season time, when even Cal Twomey has put his name to a yarn on AFL.com that 'clubs are weighing up whether to make a play for Clayton Oliver'.

Like, I'm sure clubs are thinking about whether they would benefit from recruiting Errol Gulden, or Charlie Curnow, or Nick Daicos.

(Having said that, in the fantasy world where he is up for grabs, whatever Melbourne wants.)

I absolutely hate trade radio but seem to get sucked in without fail for a few minutes every year. The amount of dribble that gets thrown around is ridiculous. Not to mention listening to ads every two minutes. I think it's the speculation that I paradoxically love and hate. What I wouldn't give to have a confidential cuppa with Kinnear this time every year instead!

[Mountain Man]

Hambling is 194 - doesn't add a difference to what we have; or fill the gap defending the 200+ forwards such as the Kings, McKay and Daniher IMHO

[lwjoyner]

what about giant/crow hetely. confident he can play a strong mid role

[lwjoyner]

just read a bit more about jackson hately > giant from 2018, then crow from 2020 . Was an AA in u18 in 2018. Mid season 2020 to crows. good size 191cm

[cherub]

Hamling had an ankle injury which became infected and was out of footy for well over a year. Freo’s defence has good players, although they were disrupted with injury and trying to work on synergy. When fit, he’s a good player who has missed a lot of footy in recent times.

[Ludwig]

I think it's going to be hard for us to move up in the draft this year. Geelong's pick 7 looked the most likely, but still improbable. I thought they might take picks 11 and 22 in exchange. Someone suggested that we could get a future pick thrown in from Geelong, but thought this was at best a 50-50 proposition. I we take into account the NM draft concession, the Harry McKay (likely) compo pick and 4 first round priority access picks, the original trade would more likely look like Geelong's pick 10 in exchange for our picks 16 and 28.

This would be our only realistic chance of drafting a top key defender, either O'Sullivan or Ollie Murray, who Cal Twomey ranks at pick 13.

Otherwise, there's not much to get excited about in this draft. CJ's younger brother Tew Jiath (Twomey ranked 25) looks the only interesting prospect in the top 30 after Ollie Murray.

I can't see us taking another midfielder with the near certain addition of Jordon and probable additions of Dow and Cleary. If all 3 joined the Swans, our midfield would be both young and deep and lots of clubs will be hunting our mids in the coming years. Depth is good, but there is a downside. I'm not against it though, because at worst, it builds up some trade capital for the future.

The main point of all this is that with the addition of Grundy, our only real weakness is at key defender. We have the players, but it's a question of injury risk and quality. I don't think Hamling is the answer. Not being able to acquire a young top quality key defender leaves us to do the best with the ones we have and hope that Melican can stay fit, Arnold comes up to AFL level, Edwards makes some big progress next year or we can convert one of our key forwards to a true tall utility. I'm hoping that we have enough numbers to try so the chances of something working out are pretty good.

[rojo]

Probably the wrong thread for this but if Don Pyke does move on, as one rumour suggests is a possibility, I wonder if McQualter would consider coming to Sydney?

[liz]

Probably the wrong thread for this but if Don Pyke does move on, as one rumour suggests is a possibility, I wonder if McQualter would consider coming to Sydney?

Is he renowned for his tactical nous? I have no idea - genuine question - but it's probably what we'd most need if Pyke departed.

There is also noise being made about Leon Cameron returning to one of the Melbourne clubs. That would leave a vacancy at the Academy. I wonder if that's a role that might appeal to John Blakey. In his last couple of seasons with us he was head of development, so it fits in quite well with that but would still be a change to what he was previously doing with us. And at the Academy there would be greater distance between him and Nick, if that's something they would both prefer.

[liz]

I hope those turning up their noses at the idea of recruiting Hamling aren't the same people who were bemoaning our lack of tall defensive depth last season when Rampe, Melican and two McCartins were all injured at the same time.

Hamling is the exact definition of "depth". A proven AFL capable player who probably won't expect to walk into the best 22 but can do a job if called upon, and in the meantime can bring experience to the VFL defence. Someone who will be cheap both in salary and draft capital terms.

[Blood Fever]

I hope those turning up their noses at the idea of recruiting Hamling aren't the same people who were bemoaning our lack of tall defensive depth last season when Rampe, Melican and two McCartins were all injured at the same time.

Hamling is the exact definition of "depth". A proven AFL capable player who probably won't expect to walk into the best 22 but can do a job if called upon, and in the meantime can bring experience to the VFL defence. Someone who will be cheap both in salary and draft capital terms.

Jordon and Hamling both premiership players. Hamling would be useful.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Either way we need more depth in the backline - but specifically an intercepting tall defender or a lock down KPD would still provide support and some backline control.

Paddy out 2023
Francis and Arnold came in 2023
Didn’t really cut it though
Hence a little more juggling KPDs in and out of the backline in 2024

I mean how cool would it be to release Blakey from continually having to assist the talls. Imagine the lizard let free, just like when Rampe and the two Mac brothers were tieing down tall forwards in 2022 (except for the GF) and he was roaming.

We also can’t rely on Melican to be injury free nor Rampe. Dane is definitely in that age group where there can be periods of the season that injury strikes with greater frequency as we have started to see for him last season and now 33yrs old.

Reidy might do another year but is extremely injury prone and more a swingman for periods of a game in defence - too slow for a whole game against a tall quick forward.

Gould might be able to do a Rampe style transition but I just can’t see it as a high probability just yet.

Arnold and Francis are possibles at helping but don’t seem like obvious choices either to partner Tom and Dane long term.

Foxy definitely can help vs certain line ups that fit his flexibility of roles but against a Brisbane and or Pies on the weekend that would have been a tough talk assignment.

Ruckman x 1
Tall intercepting defender x 1
Contested mids x 2

That’s pretty much the menu but there will be NO gratuity and very lean no doubt on what we give up if at all.

It’s value hunting time again for our backline I suspect……..given the KPDs so far not coming to the Swans.