Looking forward to 2024

[Bloods05]

Thanks for sharing wolftone. I'm am also old, and have also acquired some tumors which will likely mean 2024 is my last.

But on a positive, the swans are a very good chance to win the flag, as are the giants, so it will be a great year to follow footy for a Sydney sider.

All the best.

Very best wishes to both of you.

[dejavoodoo44]

Edwards intrigues me. He looks like he has a lot of assets - height, strength, closing speed (one of the best assets a defender needs, but not clear yet whether he’s got the right amount for AFL, an instinct to play to his limitations) - and I really liked the fact that he kept improving over the course of the year. It’s all you can ask for from someone who essentially is a project player, but suggests a good work ethic, capacity to learn fast and that the underlying skills are good. He’d be a great plus for the side as a true 200cm defender if he makes it.

I’ve only watched him once live however and would be keen to hear from those that do on the gaps he has to close to make it, and whether they think he can.

Last year I thought that what he most needed to work on was his agility, as he seemed a bit like Melican, in that he provides a strong aerial contest, but is less effective when the ball is bouncing around. Perhaps his reading of the play could also improve?

I do expect him to do well enough to earn another contract. If we have a decent run with injuries, our VFL side could include experienced players like Hamling, Fox, Melican or Francis; so playing alongside a couple of them in a strong VFL side, should help his positioning and confidence. Maybe even give him a chance to venture further up the field, as he can play KPF and ruck. Also, since he seems to have come back fitter, perhaps his agility has also improved?

[Captain]

Thanks for sharing wolftone. I'm am also old, and have also acquired some tumors which will likely mean 2024 is my last.

But on a positive, the swans are a very good chance to win the flag, as are the giants, so it will be a great year to follow footy for a Sydney sider.

All the best.

Sorry to hear Barry, good luck with the fight!

[Auntie.Gerald]

Wolfy and Barry take care guys and I wish you all the very best this year.

[707]

Wolfy and Barry take care guys and I wish you all the very best this year.

Strongly seconded, all the best

[MattW]

Thanks for sharing wolftone. I'm am also old, and have also acquired some tumors which will likely mean 2024 is my last.

But on a positive, the swans are a very good chance to win the flag, as are the giants, so it will be a great year to follow footy for a Sydney sider.

All the best.

Very sorry to hear this, barry - all the best. To wolftone too.

[Mark26]

Take care Barry and Wolfie. I hope you enjoy many more Swans' wins to come in 2024 and beyond.

[chalbilto]

Hey Barry and Wolfie hoping and wishing both of you the very best.

[Auntie.Gerald]

anyway that star has fallen from the sky for us sadly

Moving on !

Coops who we picked up with pick27 and the currency left over for trading Grundy without going into deficit etc was not bad........something still would have had to give re a future ruckman as the last season or so has informed us

BUT

Coops i like and could genuinely become our next Lloyd if BJ isnt the other obvious choice.

Lloyd joined at 20yrs of age and was incredibly jettisoned straight into Snrs and played mid / wing for 20 or so games and GF in 2014

At training Coops has looked very smooth and arguably featured well in his combine games........I wonder how his tank is building as the beep test and running was fairly strong for Lloydy joining two years older than Coops first year

[dejavoodoo44]

anyway that star has fallen from the sky for us sadly

Moving on !

Coops who we picked up with pick27 and the currency left over for trading Grundy without going into deficit etc was not bad........something still would have had to give re a future ruckman as the last season or so has informed us

BUT

Coops i like and could genuinely become our next Lloyd if BJ isnt the other obvious choice.

Lloyd joined at 20yrs of age and was incredibly jettisoned straight into Snrs and played mid / wing for 20 or so games and GF in 2014

At training Coops has looked very smooth and arguably featured well in his combine games........I wonder how his tank is building as the beep test and running was fairly strong for Lloydy joining two years older than Coops first year

It'll be interesting to see how Vickery develops this season. Obviously our recruiters saw plenty of potential in him, to take a small defender at 27. Which is about as high as small defenders go.

Although, watching the VFL last season, I got the impression that he was being groomed more for the lockdown on a small forward role; so he might be more the successor to Harry Cunningham or Nick Smith. In regards to eventually taking over from Jake Lloyd, it seemed to me that Rankin was playing the running link out of defence for most of the season, while Magor started to also play that role later in the season. I thought Magor was looking increasingly impressive and I'm quite keen to see if he can continue his improvement. He's probably a better kick than Lloyd, he tends to choose useful options, but possibly needs to improve his defensive intensity?

[Auntie.Gerald]

agree Deja

a few options....and possibly even Florent but i think less likely?

I always thought BJ would be the guy with his laser kicking and kick return as a wing spot is easier fill vs a Lloyd role............so someone could replace the wing role BJ is doing right now ie we have young warner and Mitchell busting there guts for a wing spot

Coops and Magor are definite options and it tends to be a very Swans thing to triple up on defensive work in lock down for a season or two in ressies before

[dejavoodoo44]

agree Deja

a few options....and possibly even Florent but i think less likely?

I always thought BJ would be the guy with his laser kicking and kick return as a wing spot is easier fill vs a Lloyd role............so someone could replace the wing role BJ is doing right now ie we have young warner and Mitchell busting there guts for a wing spot

Coops and Magor are definite options and it tends to be a very Swans thing to triple up on defensive work in lock down for a season or two in ressies before

Yes, I tend to think that Campbell will become a definite A-grader this season. And I also think that the foot skills of him and Gulden, will be a major reason why McDonald signs a contract extension later in the year. That is, the silver service that he gets from those two, plus McInerney, plus Blakey and Florent coming out of defence, will have him thinking that playing for West Coast or Fremantle, just won't be anywhere near the same amount of fun.

I also rate Mitchell and Corey Warner, but with our current depth, they might have to further bide their time in the VFL.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

It'll be interesting to see how Vickery develops this season. Obviously our recruiters saw plenty of potential in him, to take a small defender at 27. Which is about as high as small defenders go.

I'd agree that taking a small defender early in the draft is a very unusual practice, but we do have form in this area. Vickery wasn't the first or the highest small defender selection for the Swans - Ling was selected at #14.

Regarding Vickery, I know he was taken as a back, but I thought his best games in the two's were when he was up on the wing. Seemed to have more time and space there, and his foot skills are realy good. Small sample size of course but I think there were glimpses amongst the injuries in 2023 for him.

[Scottee]

He looks to have filled out a bit too.

[Auntie.Gerald]

It's Errol's world, we're just living in it ???? - YouTube

thats special