Toast Who is currently our best player?

Swans current best player 2023 season

  • Callum Mills

    Votes: 18 32.7%

  • Isaac Heeney

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Tom Papley

    Votes: 10 18.2%

  • Luke Parker

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Lance Franklin

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Chad Warner

    Votes: 20 36.4%

  • Jake Lloyd

    Votes: 2 3.6%

  • Nick Blakey

    Votes: 2 3.6%

  • Other

    Votes: 1 1.8%

  • Errol Gulden

    Votes: 11 20.0%
  • Total voters
    55

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I really rate Rowbottom, but for whatever reason (be it how he's being utilised or just that he hasn't quite imposed himself as much as he could thus far in 2023), I feel like he isn't quite in our top 5, but has the qualities that he should be in our bests regularly.

I haven't paid enough attention to understand how he's being utilised (I assume he's taken more of a negating role so far in 2023? Correct me if I'm wrong), but I feel like we need him as close to the action as possible and playing an attacking style (while not ignoring his strong defensive traits). I just feel as though when Rowbottom is in the thick of it and firing that good things happen.

I had a quick look at his stats, and hes a little down on his output in 2023, after consistently increasing his stats / impact year on year.

It's still early days in 2023 but I hope to see more of Rowbottom. I think he's a real barometer for the side and think he'll go a long way to making us a genuine flag challenger.
 
Slight change of topic: where do people rate Papley in the rankings of our all-time greatest small forwards? He's only mid-career but he's getting up there if you ask me. Perhaps someone with a longer memory can put things in perspective.
 
Callipygian said:
Slight change of topic: where do people rate Papley in the rankings of our all-time greatest small forwards? He's only mid-career but he's getting up there if you ask me. Perhaps someone with a longer memory can put things in perspective.
Click to expand...

hi, your query sent me down all sorts of burrow holes. In my time Tony Morwood was a peerless HFF and was really a cross as a small and medium. Billy Gunn played taller than a small but was an exceptional player. Peter Bedford played a bit as a HFF and would do Tommy for ball handling skillsbut played more as a mid.

I reckon this is a tough era for small forwards. I reckon Tommy is already the best specialist Bloods small small fwd I’ve seen.
 

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I think Callum Mills is currently our best.

I think Gulden and Warner will be, though. Warner just has to bridge the gap between his best and his quiet one's, he seems to float between 30+ disposals one week, then 15 the next sometimes. But he is 40-50 games into his career, it'll come.
 
Great thread, I suppose you take your pick based on what you value most in the game.

Reliability - the player that weathers the storm and calms things down when the game is there to be lost. I'd say that used to be Rampe but I'd probably go for Callum Mills on current criteria with Gulden shaping as his heir apparent with the way that he is progressing. It's no surprise that players listed here are captains or leaders in waiting.

Versatility - the player that can adapt to a number of different roles and thrive in any given context. A hard choice between Blakey, Mills and Papley if I'm being honest with all three players showing those very traits last weekend against Richmond. Blakey is continually adding strings to his bow and developing himself into one of the most all rounded players in the competition, however, at this stage of career he is still prone to a few howlers. Mills is incredibly consistent and probably our best two way player but can be given a bath by his opposite numbers from time to time in his preferred position in the midfield. Off this criteria, my winner is Papley as he thrives as both an explosive mid in our rotation and as the electric small forward and I honestly think he's the best small forward in the AFL. Special mention must be given again to Gulden who I see as a miniature Jordan Dawson Swiss army knife and could yet steal this honour in the not too distant future.

Impact/Match Winning Traits - the players that can turn a game at the drop of a hat and the archetype for this type of player is Dustin Martin for reasons that need no explanation. These players take the game on and play with no fear and often have a dash of flair and pace within their arsenal. Papley, Blakey, Florent and Warner all come to mind for obvious reasons and honestly it's hard to choose because so far this season each one of these aforementioned players have got the job done when the game was there to be won. Ultimately, I'd have to give equal first place to Papley and Warner as I think their match winning capabilities are more instinctive and therefore harder to replicate or nullify. All four are an absolute pleasure to watch and make our current brand of football incredibly attractive as part of the Australian rules product.

Overall, I think Papley is our best player currently but boy is it hard to split the difference between he and few others. I truly believe our game plan isn't solely reliant on any individuals but my top 5 is somewhere along the lines of Papley, Warner, Mills, Blakey and Gulden.
 
Last edited:
Chad for me. Consistent, dominant and always striving to improve. He'll get even better. You can just sense it. Went for pick 39 and still only 21. 😱

I think Gulden is rapidly rising though. Will probably overtake Warner. He will probably be the Wayne Gretzky or the AFL. He's the most intelligent player I've seen regardless of his physical limitations. Better kick than Dawson.

Tom Papley is right up there, but he goes missing too much for my liking. If he could play dominant games like against Richmond on a more regular basis then he'd easily be the best. I'll agree he's almost the best small forward of all time. Can single-handedly win games like Buddy. What an achievement for a player who went in the rookie draft and such a tiny bugger.

Nick Blakey has the tools, but yet to show it or dominate.

Mills. I dunno. He just doesn't excite me as much as the others. Good workhorse, but yeah.

Sigh. Luke Parker. I had such high hopes.

Heeney. Geez. Hopefully he does a Dusty at this stage in his career. I'm still hopeful.
 

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bloodsbigot said:
Chad for me. Consistent, dominant and always striving to improve. He'll get even better. You can just sense it. Went for pick 39 and still only 21. 😱

I think Gulden is rapidly rising though. Will probably overtake Warner. He will probably be the Wayne Gretzky or the AFL. He's the most intelligent player I've seen regardless of his physical limitations. Better kick than Dawson.

Tom Papley is right up there, but he goes missing too much for my liking. If he could play dominant games like against Richmond on a more regular basis then he'd easily be the best. I'll agree he's almost the best small forward of all time. Can single-handedly win games like Buddy. What an achievement for a player who went in the rookie draft and such a tiny bugger.

Nick Blakey has the tools, but yet to show it or dominate.

Mills. I dunno. He just doesn't excite me as much as the others. Good workhorse, but yeah.

Sigh. Luke Parker. I had such high hopes.

Heeney. Geez. Hopefully he does a Dusty at this stage in his career. I'm still hopeful.
Click to expand...

i reckon Blakey has been huge for us this season. he puts 100% effort and at times has really stepped up showing real leadership as he did last week against richmond. both him and papley
 
redstarforever_ said:
i reckon Blakey has been huge for us this season. he puts 100% effort and at times has really stepped up showing real leadership as he did last week against richmond. both him and papley
Click to expand...
I agree, it's starting to show. Something to get excited about. Nothing is better than watching that lanky mullet running down the center of the MCG. Like that 2021 game against Richmond. Oh boy, I'll remember that forever.
 
Callipygian said:
Slight change of topic: where do people rate Papley in the rankings of our all-time greatest small forwards? He's only mid-career but he's getting up there if you ask me. Perhaps someone with a longer memory can put things in perspective.
Click to expand...
name a better Swans small forward is a step in the right direction in answering this question.
 
Still stand by Gulden as our best player right now

Mills has been dicked around too much to know how good he really is atm
 
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