2023 List Management

[Blood Fever]

But we have Grainger-Barras now being spoken of as a trade target because - in his third year and still skinny - he isn't an automatic start in Hawthorn's team, as if someone - especially a high draft pick - has an automatic right to play senior footy and/or hasn't come on as expected if he isn't.

It's really hard to develop and maintain quality depth, especially with taller players, including rucks. As soon as they - or the media - decides they are ready to play senior footy, they get itchy if there are other players ahead of them in the queue. We lost Cameron, Membrey, Nankervis all at a stage when they were barely on the cusp of being ready for regular senior football. There may have been other factors - money, go-home factor (for Membrey, or closer to home in the case of Nankervis) but I daresay there was a degree of impatience involved too. It took Membrey a season to become established in the Saints senior team, and Cameron wasn't really a regular until last season, suggesting they weren't being unfairly held back at the Swans. They just got itchy feet.

This isn't peculiar to the Swans. You could pick out examples from other clubs too.

And while it's most obvious for tall players, there are also cases of smaller players getting itchy feet when they don't get a game - and even more so, the media suggesting they should be getting itchy feet.

SEN published a piece a few days ago where they picked out a player at each club not getting a game and suggested they need to look elsewhere. The player at each AFL club who needs a change of scenery for greater opportunities

The names on the list are a mixed bag. Some are still quite new to the system but at a strong club (Finn Macrae, Deven Robertson, for example). Though in Robertson's case, I suspect he has limitations to his game that mean he wouldn't be a walk-up start at most of the 18 clubs.

Matt Crouch and Hugh Greenwood are more seasoned players, also with limitations to their games.

Interestingly, for the Swans they nominated Melican, suggesting that every club is on the lookout for a key defender without realising the irony that they Swans are crying out for a key defender right now and thus looking behind the name to work out why Melican isn't currently playing in our senior team (and hasn't played since 2021). The Swans made it known last trade period that Melican was available to any club who wanted him but none came knocking. Maybe they did what this journalist didn't and looked at his injury history.

I do expect Melican to be back in the Swans' senior team within a week or two. Whether he can last the season without getting injured again is anyone's guess.

But I also know that as soon as he is named, several on here will audibly groan (as they did whenever Bell, or Ronke, or Taylor was picked last year) and decry them getting senior games. Yet those kinds of players are really the only kind of depth you can hold onto long term, while also having your list described as full of list-cloggers.

The only time most teams' depth looks good is when it is playing at state league level, not required for senior footy.

Looked at club website and was a bit surprised that Melican is only 26. He looked very promising when he started his career but soft tissue problems have plagued him and robbed him of the zip he had as a young player. Would be great if he could come in and do well. He is a big unit and can play on big guys. Probably a pipe dream but you never know. Lure of another contract might drive him.

[Rampos]

Shelter turned 19 late last year. Too early to judge. He has also had injuries.

Not sure the issue with Sheldrick is whether he will be a gun or not ( I think he will )- more that over several drafts we picked " the best available" - which ended up being similar types - we have not picked up any KPP until very late into draft or rookie draft for a few years now - 18 was a chase to rebalance and take van rooyen - perhaps a missed opportunity - with P.Mc Cartin and ramps unlikely to be back in an effective way this season and maybe T.Mccartin as well, the front half in a similar position it would have been handy to have someone like him available

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Picking "the best available" is going to result in selecting far more mids that keys.
In part because there are so many more short arses, but also because they tend to dominate peoples vision (last years Brownlow was unusual because the top 10 contained a single non midfielder)
So maybe Kinnear etal need to modify their "the best available" policy to include a height as a factor?

[lwjoyner]

maybe there will be a bachman for us in mid season dradft prospectrs game v un18s dont want oscar mcd

[707]

Should be able to get a very good player with pick 5 in this years ND. Pick 5 seems a shock, but that's what we currently hold!

Picks 1-3 are almost certainly held by WCE, Norf and Hawks, can't see that changing on what they've shown/not shown so far. Hawks look a level better than WCE and Norf.

If pick 1 (almost certainly Harley Reid) ends up in WCE hands, I wouldn't be surprised them trade it for a couple of high picks to take highly rated WA players and not risk the go home factor with Reid, particularly as they appear to be bottom of the table for a few years

[The Big Cat]

The common criticism on this forum is that we haven’t drafted height. At the same time posters are wanting the club to move heaven and earth to somehow get Harley Reid. So 185 cm is now the new height???

[waswan]

Draft mids buy keys

We should be able to land at least one of HH or TDK
Maybe see how cheap DGB is but not give up too much.

Happy to stand corrected but there Hlhasnt been any high end talent come in for 10yrs via trade, we are the team that gets picked apart at the edges for talent.

Hickey was good, i like Ladhams but outside of that we have had our hands full with retention

[707]

If Buddy's huge back ended contract was the only thing stopping us recruiting then we should be back in the market this off season. You can't have one of the youngest lists without having spare $.

That's IF players want to move to Sydney?

TDK, is he the bloke plying his trade in the VFL?

[chalbilto]

If Buddy's huge back ended contract was the only thing stopping us recruiting then we should be back in the market this off season. You can't have one of the youngest lists without having spare $.

That's IF players want to move to Sydney?

TDK, is he the bloke plying his trade in the VFL?

Hope fully HH would be keen to come to us and wouldn't have to worry about the move to Sydney.

[waswan]

I wonder if Ben Mckay is available, he would be good

[AB Swannie]

I wonder if Ben Mckay is available, he would be good

If he can get on the park. He is injured more than not and that is not something we want to add to.

[707]

Ben McKay looks a Carlton special to me LOL

[Thunder Shaker]

maybe there will be a bachman for us in mid season dradft prospectrs game v un18s dont want oscar mcd

It's likely we will have one pick in the mid season draft, possibly two. Reid is out for the season and it's unknown at this stage what Paddy's future is.

Clubs consider list changes ahead of mid-season draft (afl.com.au)

I'm unfamiliar with likely tall prospects in the mid season draft. Sam Naismith is one of them but he's not a defender.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

If Buddy's huge back ended contract was the only thing stopping us recruiting then we should be back in the market this off season. You can't have one of the youngest lists without having spare $.

Dirty Kurt and Buddy's huge back end may have been the start of the trouble but I bet it isn't the finish.
We have probably been lengthening and backending other contracts to compensate for a short term shortage of funds for other players.
Heeney. Mills and Papley are all contracted till they're 32 - we all love them, and there was interest from other parties, but it'd be nonsense to assert spreading the $$$'s wasn't a factor.

maybe there will be a bachman for us in mid season dradft prospectrs game v un18s dont want oscar mcd

And a key forward called Turner, not to mention a ruckman called Overdrive?
I'm sure Kinnear and Co will be Takin' care of business, whoee. Takin' care of business and working overtime - sing it boys

[lwjoyner]

looks like there are a couple of defenders in mid draft of which we have at least one pick (maybe 2 depends on paddy mc) but not oscar mc for god sake.
sake sake