Player Watch #8 James Rowbottom

[Kennedy Parker]

James Rowbottom

The Sydney Swans recruited James Rowbottom

8

James Rowbottom

Age

23

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

CL

2.0

4star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.6

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

2.5

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.2

4star

with their second selection at the 2018 AFL Draft and the midfield bull impacted from the get-go. The Oakleigh Chargers product made his AFL debut against Richmond at Marvel Stadium in Round 5, 2019 and finished the season with 12 senior games beside his name. Rowbottom also led the NEAFL MVP voting when it was hidden from the public after Round 12. The young Swan is a ball magnet, explosive at the stoppages, an outstanding tackler and a clean user of the footy.

James Rowbottom

8

James Rowbottom

Age

23

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

CL

2.0

4star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.6

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

2.5

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.2

4star

DOB: 19 September 2000
DEBUT: 2019
DRAFT: #25, 2018 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Camberwell (Vic)/St Kevin's College (Vic)/Oakleigh U18

James Rowbottom | AFL

Follow James Rowbottom's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Ed_Gein]

View attachment 1788318

Nice one! Tackling records have come a long way... I remember Kirk broke Tony Liberatore's most tackles of all-time record in 2010, and now Kirk sits 23rd.

Rowbottom's 171 is 18th best in one season, but there are 4 from 2023 ahead of him alone.

Fantastic achievement, though. Enjoy watching him dig in.

 

[Callipygian]

Great achievement! But he did take an extra game to do it compared to Kirk so I'm letting Kirk keep the title of tackle king until and unless Rowy can overtake Kirky for tackles per game by the end of the finals series.

 

[SwansProudly]

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Thanks for that. A lot of the terrific tackles are in general play, not clearances.

Maybe in a future year there will be highlights of effective clearance and contested ball wins as well.

 

[Nuggetz]

One thing i've noticed when other players talk about Rowbottom is that he's pretty responsible. Think Blakey said 'you'd probably find him at the front of the plane', someone else said 'he's like the dad of the group when they went for a holiday'.

Maybe the coaches are trying to groom him into the high IQ organising midfielder? Hopefully they tell him to win more ball, as having both strings would be pretty handy for us. Basically like a Mills but maybe not to the same AA level quality?

 

[Olian]

One thing i've noticed when other players talk about Rowbottom is that he's pretty responsible. Think Blakey said 'you'd probably find him at the front of the plane', someone else said 'he's like the dad of the group when they went for a holiday'.

Maybe the coaches are trying to groom him into the high IQ organising midfielder? Hopefully they tell him to win more ball, as having both strings would be pretty handy for us. Basically like a Mills but maybe not to the same AA level quality?

AFL players association is quoting him on the collective bargaining agreement. So he maybe responsible but also fairly good operator.

 

[Millky95]

 

[Callipygian]

I was struck to hear Horse list Rowy as one of the players to have improved this year (along with McDonald and Gulden, with no mention for Campbell or McLean).

He and Bella Smith share a birthday but JB is one year older.

 

[wills2g]

Should study josh dunkley

5

Josh Dunkley

Age

27

Ht

191cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.8

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.3

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

20.7

5star

K

7.0

3star

HB

13.7

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

5.3

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

14.2

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

7.0

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

4.0

5star

CL

1.4

4star

vision all off season

Nullifies oppo mid but still gets 20+ disposals almost evey game. With a big patch of 25+

Rowy needs to up his numbers, cant be all defensive

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I was struck to hear Horse list Rowy as one of the players to have improved this year (along with McDonald and Gulden, with no mention for Campbell or McLean).

He and Bella Smith share a birthday but JB is one year older.

Horse is on the funny oats again

 

[Citrus22]

Hard to believe he's only just turned 23 with the amount of responsibility he's consistently been given over the last two season as a core part of the midfield.

When we went on our winning streak last year from round 19 to the qualifying final win against Melbourne, he had between 22-26 possessions, averaged roughly 6 clearances a game (including a performance of only 2 clearances), laid a whopping 50 tackles and kicked 4 goals to top it off.

He brings that kind of consistency in the coming years the comp better look out, he clearly has the potential.

 

[wills2g]

Hard to believe he's only just turned 23 with the amount of responsibility he's consistently been given over the last two season as a core part of the midfield.

When we went on our winning streak last year from round 19 to the qualifying final win against Melbourne, he had between 22-26 possessions, averaged roughly 6 clearances a game (including a performance of only 2 clearances), laid a whopping 50 tackles and kicked 4 goals to top it off.

He brings that kind of consistency in the coming years the comp better look out, he clearly has the potential.

Exactly the player we need he just needs to consistently reach it

 

[Ticky009]

Congrats James on a well deserved 3rd place.

 

[Callipygian]

LOVE that Rowy has put together back to back podium finishes in the B&F. Also loved his modesty and acknowledgment in accepting the award that he would try to add some uncontested possessions to his game. Knockers beware! He's a champ.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Make or break year for rowy. I think it’s quite likely he will be pushed out - def when mills returns, maybe before.

A defensive stopping mid won’t work with our new set up.

Hope he proves me wrong.

Now if only he was fast……

 

[Bloods86]

Make or break year for rowy. I think it’s quite likely he will be pushed out - def when mills returns, maybe before.

A defensive stopping mid won’t work with our new set up.

Hope he proves me wrong.

Now if only he was fast……

No chance. It's not a make or break year, because he's already made it in the coaches eyes. Hence the back to back 3rds in the B&F, including in a GF year. We know he can do more than the defensive stopping role, and just having turned 23, plenty more to come.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Just think Horse is going to change the mids setup a bit with Grundy to Adams combo. Not sure he will run with a defensive mid structure given the new firepower in the ruck. If true, what do you think Rowy’s role will be and how will his role change to the new dynamic ?

All this assuming no injuries and Mills returns.

 

[Bloods86]

Just think Horse is going to change the mids setup a bit with Grundy to Adams combo. Not sure he will run with a defensive mid structure given the new firepower in the ruck. If true, what do you think Rowy’s role will be and how will his role change to the new dynamic ?

All this assuming no injuries and Mills returns.

I would hope Warner, Parker spend a bit less time at centre bounces. The former off a wing, the latter some time up forward. Mills may not be a full time mid again.

At least while Mills is injured, possibly even after, we're likely to have 2 of Parker, Adams, Rowy at centre bounces, along with a more dynamic, burst type like Gulden, Warner, Paps, Sheldrick etc (sharing it around).

If we don't use a defensive or tagging mid, then Rowy just becomes a pure inside mid. We know he can win the ball more and be more proactive, because he's done it before (e.g. in 2022, 3rd in the B&F).

 

[the hypnotoad]

i think rowbottom has to be in the best 22, he's a scrapper in the parker mould and i think we need that kind of player to complement the flair of gulden, warner, blakey, mcinerney, campbell et al

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

i think rowbottom has to be in the best 22, he's a scrapper in the parker mould and i think we need that kind of player to complement the flair of gulden, warner, blakey, mcinerney, campbell et al

I prefer our midfield win and use the ball. Rowy needs to find the ball more often at stoppages and general play to help our poor midfield improve. For me he is a more skilled Clarke.

Playing a pure defensive mid says “We are not all that good so we are limiting the damage”.

 

[Millky95]

I prefer our midfield win and use the ball. Rowy needs to find the ball more often at stoppages and general play to help our poor midfield improve. For me he is a more skilled Clarke.

Playing a pure defensive mid says “We are not all that good so we are limiting the damage”.

No reason he should be playing defensive with Grundy and Adams riding shotgun

 

[the hypnotoad]

I prefer our midfield win and use the ball. Rowy needs to find the ball more often at stoppages and general play to help our poor midfield improve. For me he is a more skilled Clarke.

Playing a pure defensive mid says “We are not all that good so we are limiting the damage”.

i have no problem with rowbottom's ability to "find the ball"
and i think he offers far more than clarke

 

[Bloods86]

I prefer our midfield win and use the ball. Rowy needs to find the ball more often at stoppages and general play to help our poor midfield improve. For me he is a more skilled Clarke.

Playing a pure defensive mid says “We are not all that good so we are limiting the damage”.

Good thing we know he is capable of finding the ball when he doesn't have the stricter defensive responsibilities, while still racking up tackles and clearances.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Calling Rowbottom a "scrapper" feels a little disrespectful, even if it wasn't necessarily meant to be a sign of disrespect. But realistically, he hasn't really shown that he's capable of much more than that.

I see glimpses to suggest he has more to offer in an attacking sense. And maybe he's just been playing the role asked of him, but at this stage, he does seem to be next in line to take on Parker's role in the midfield. And I guess if we have the Chad and Gulden playing the dynamic roles, perhaps that's all we need Rowbottom to offer.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Calling Rowbottom a "scrapper" feels a little disrespectful, even if it wasn't necessarily meant to be a sign of disrespect. But realistically, he hasn't really shown that he's capable of much more than that.

I see glimpses to suggest he has more to offer in an attacking sense. And maybe he's just been playing the role asked of him, but at this stage, he does seem to be next in line to take on Parker's role in the midfield. And I guess if we have the Chad and Gulden playing the dynamic roles, perhaps that's all we need Rowbottom to offer.

Ideally every midfielder can do everything. When they set up each will have specific responsibilities depending on what happens with the ball. I've watched Rowbottom since the beginning and he has every skill, though not the most precise kick. Because we kept losing his job was as stopper and he did it well. If we win or break even more often we'll see more from him. Make no mistake, he's a good player, not just a role player.