Opinion 2024 and Beyond

[caesar88]

Say this every year and I'll say it again. With it being commonplace now days for the bulk of the squad to return on the first day of pre-season, it's taken away what used to be a valuable chance to see and learn how the lesser known squad players in their first, second, third years are going. In some cases those first few weeks of pre-season without the senior players around was the only time we got insight into those players all year. With it now being all about what stars are "unexpectedly" turning up early, those squad players feel more anonymous than ever.

So for the love of God please Swans media, I don't want to see a single "Luke Parker

26

Luke Parker

Age

33

Ht

183cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.2

5star

K

12.6

5star

HB

11.6

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.8

5star

D

22.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

9.9

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

5.0

5star

CL

5.5

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

8.0

5star

CL

5.2

5star

checking in for pre-season number 13" or "Day 1 for Brodie Grundy

4

Brodie Grundy

Age

31

Ht

202cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.1

5star

HO

32.0

5star

D

16.4

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.0

5star

HO

34.6

5star

D

13.8

4star

K

5.2

2star

HB

8.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

20.6

5star

!" or "how fit is Isaac Heeney

5

Isaac Heeney

Age

29

Ht

185cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

7.7

5star

M

4.9

5star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.2

4star

D

14.3

3star

K

8.8

4star

HB

5.5

3star

M

4.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.8

3star

looking?" post until they've shown us what shape Sheldrick & Roberts have come back in, how McAndrew's going, has Mitchell bulked up, what's Warner Jr. been focusing on, are Will Edwards and Cooper Vickery even alive? Etc.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Say this every year and I'll say it again. With it being commonplace now days for the bulk of the squad to return on the first day of pre-season, it's taken away what used to be a valuable chance to see and learn how the lesser known squad players in their first, second, third years are going. In some cases those first few weeks of pre-season without the senior players around was the only time we got insight into those players all year. With it now being all about what stars are "unexpectedly" turning up early, those squad players feel more anonymous than ever.

So for the love of God please Swans media, I don't want to see a single "Luke Parker checking in for pre-season number 13" or "Day 1 for Brodie Grundy!" or "how fit is Isaac Heeney looking?" post until they've shown us what shape Sheldrick & Roberts have come back in, how McAndrew's going, has Mitchell bulked up, what's Warner Jr. been focusing on, are Will Edwards and Cooper Vickery even alive? Etc.

I'm actually kinda the opposite. I really don't care what our 5th round rookie draft kid is doing, but love it when I see Heeney or Paps or whoever is back on day one because it shows me how keen and motivated they are

 

[caesar88]

I'm actually kinda the opposite. I really don't care what our 5th round rookie draft kid is doing, but love it when I see Heeney or Paps or whoever is back on day one because it shows me how keen and motivated they are

I agree in that it's good to see them back, but there are 50 other weeks of the year where those guys dominate our team's media coverage. If the club wants to go all out and show everyone then that's even better, but the focus should still be on those who the first two weeks are allocated for.

 

[The King!]

I expect houses to be trained down, that's all I ask

 

[The King!]

Both Florent and Cunningham are locks in the b22

Nope

 

[Punts]

Nope

Like Stephens was from plenty around here at the start of the year

 

[rustycrate]

Both Florent and Cunningham are locks in the b22

Florent is a lock for every round of 2024. Class. Evasive runner when weaving through traffic. Good decision maker too.

 

[RubbaDuck]

Caption : "That's the way Will. Release your inner beast"

 

[RubbaDuck]

Say this every year and I'll say it again. With it being commonplace now days for the bulk of the squad to return on the first day of pre-season, it's taken away what used to be a valuable chance to see and learn how the lesser known squad players in their first, second, third years are going. In some cases those first few weeks of pre-season without the senior players around was the only time we got insight into those players all year. With it now being all about what stars are "unexpectedly" turning up early, those squad players feel more anonymous than ever.

So for the love of God please Swans media, I don't want to see a single "Luke Parker checking in for pre-season number 13" or "Day 1 for Brodie Grundy!" or "how fit is Isaac Heeney looking?" post until they've shown us what shape Sheldrick & Roberts have come back in, how McAndrew's going, has Mitchell bulked up, what's Warner Jr. been focusing on, are Will Edwards and Cooper Vickery even alive? Etc.

I'm just hanging on Swans Media saying anything at all about our AFL players, coaches, plans, etc. Did our AFl team just disappear? What's happening with injuries? Who had surgery? How's Mills shoulder coming? So many questions.

Don't get me wrong, I like to read about the AFLW team but, while they may belong to the same club, the AFL men and women do not belong to the same team.

 

[RubbaDuck]

I expect houses to be trained down, that's all I ask

With the price of housing the club has only one house available to train down this year, and it's shared with the AFLW team.

 

[RubbaDuck]

I'm actually kinda the opposite. I really don't care what our 5th round rookie draft kid is doing, but love it when I see Heeney or Paps or whoever is back on day one because it shows me how keen and motivated they are

I want to see news on senior players, young players, new players, draftees, coaching moves, game plan, injuries, trainers, hell, even what the WAGs are up to.

 

[RubbaDuck]

Just updated the list for 2024.

18 players out of contract. Who is a must? Who is walking the tightrope?

We are all just sitting around waiting for the draft to happen.

So I thought I would give us something to talk about to pass another 15 minutes.

View attachment 1849579

Nice one Rusty. Who doesn't like a nice spreadsheet?

Interesting to see we brought in roughly the same experience as we lost, around 750-ish each direction, yet we also put 400-odd more games into the team as a whole over 2023.

When I see a team filling roles with experienced hard-hitters I think of the Cats and Pies. It suggests the club's already got the premiership window open, had a quick shifty over the shoulder and is ready to clamber through and liberate the silverware.

 

[RubbaDuck]

I expect to see Roberts and Sheldrick busting a gut to force more opportunities in the seniors this year. We'll have plenty of pressure for spots in the midfield, so they'll want to impress throughout the pre-season and in practice matches. If they have to wait to fill in for injuries they may struggle to get a kick

Can Corey Warner lift his game higher? Alas, I can't seem many openings for a midfield/forward. He may be best as a small defender. He has a good leap, great stamina and good pace. He's about the same size as Cunningham and LLoyd, who are both into their 30s, while Fox and Rampe are no spring chickens. Corey's pace is matched to a good left boot. No doubt Chad will be doing everything he can to assist his brother but it will be tough. Even with a big istep up he may still never be more than good depth.

Any team gunning for a premiership has to consistently beat their peers. That requires quality depth across every position, so they can maintain their standards regardless of injuries, particularly when they're pitted against other top 8 teams.

 

[caesar88]

I'm just hanging on Swans Media saying anything at all about our AFL players, coaches, plans, etc. Did our AFl team just disappear? What's happening with injuries? Who had surgery? How's Mills shoulder coming? So many questions.

Don't get me wrong, I like to read about the AFLW team but, while they may belong to the same club, the AFL men and women do not belong to the same team.

Not sure what relevance the AFLW team has to do with the coverage of the men's players. It's the AFLW season meaning our AFLW media team are currently active in their roles. The men are enjoying their off-season so there's not much their media team can do. They probably don't even know where in Australia half of them are at any given moment.

 

[Kiama Chris]

2024
Who is a realistic chance to FORCE their way into the best 22 if not Rd1 then before finals? Not just to replace someone who is injured.
Likely:
Grundy of course.
Adams you would think.
Mills assuming he recovers sufficiently over ?
Hamling over Melican.
Fox over Cunningham.
Reid over Amartey.
Buller over Amartey.
Possible but not that likely:
Sheldrick over Wicks.
Jordon over Hayward.
Konstanty over Wicks.
Ladhams over Amartey.
Jordon over Campbell.
Francis over Fox (if we go tall).
Others who MIGHT get a run as injury cover:
Konstanty, Buller, Ladhams, McAndrew, Jordon, CoWarner, Roberts, Francis, Mitchell, Arnold.
Probably not yet for Edwards, Vickery, Magor or the newbies.
All in all, to think that on an entire list there are only 6 or 7 players who you wouldn't consider for seniors. Another 12 months and that depth will be looking even better.
There will be some hard calls to make come the end of the season.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

 

[RUNVS]

View attachment 1856519

Glad they are each getting to know each other.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Glad they are each getting to know each other.

If I didn't know any better I'd say that was at Nth Dalton Park Fairy Meadow. The groove in the boundary line is a dead giveaway, plus the creek in the background.

 

[momentbymoment]

I expect houses to be trained down, that's all I ask

Houses are considered too expensive in todays climate.
The team will be training apartment this year …

 

[caesar88]

Whilst clearing out my emails I found this link to an AFL Daily episode from back in October. It's obviously old now, and it does come with a Damian Barrett trigger warning, but I gave it a listen and found it to actually be a really interesting and nuanced discussion about our trade period and our recruits with good points made by both hosts.

Swans talk starts around about the 11:00 minute mark.

 

[Cadsky]

rustycrate got one of those fancy updated spreadsheets handy?

 

[SydneyBlood]

Very conceivable we start out with McCartin and one of Melican or Hamling as key defenders. Will say Melican for argument's sake. Rampe also as 3rd tall defender.

VFL back six will be huge. Hamling, Francis, Arnold, Edwards, now Snell. Maybe Fox too. 5 or 6 players that potentially can play as a big defender in one defence. A couple of them can fill in up forward though.

 

[caesar88]

rustycrate got one of those fancy updated spreadsheets handy?

Would you have rushed Michelangelo when he was working on the Sistine Chapel?

 

[Bloods86]

Very conceivable we start out with McCartin and one of Melican or Hamling as key defenders. Will say Melican for argument's sake. Rampe also as 3rd tall defender.

VFL back six will be huge. Hamling, Francis, Arnold, Edwards, now Snell. Maybe Fox too. 5 or 6 players that potentially can play as a big defender in one defence. A couple of them can fill in up forward though.

In the VFL, suspect Snell and Francis would rotate in the forward line if everyone was fit. One on the bench most of the time, 3 KPDs. I'd hope Fox is in seniors, but he can easily play on smalls.

Short term juggling act, won't surprise me if we jettison 2 of the out of contract guys at the end of next year and are potentially needing to draft/recruit another.

 

[rustycrate]

rustycrate got one of those fancy updated spreadsheets handy?

Assumes we rookie Reid.
Assumes we rookie - Cat B a player this arvo.