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List Mgmt. 2025 Draft & Trade Hypotheticals

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I've said it many times and I'll say it again, Alex Davies would be an excellent addition to the midfield. 193cm and while contracted until the end of 2026, with more Suns academy players coming in, might find himself out of the team following this season.

19 disposals, 7 tackles and 6 clearances against Freo last night in 67% TOG.
The problem is the contract. GC aren't just going to give him away for a pick in the 30s.

He is the kind of player we should be working on now, with the intent of getting him at the end of next year at a discount.
 
It's so hard to even say what's wrong with our list, because we look at other teams and we look small and weak by comparison. It is definitely a problem.

So we think OK it's a size issue, they need to focus on adding muscle in the gym.

But then you see us be dismal at second & third efforts, defensive running, or playing more than like 1-2 quarters at most most weeks, and it's hard not to think that fitness is an issue with this squad as well.
 
It's so hard to even say what's wrong with our list, because we look at other teams and we look small and weak by comparison. It is definitely a problem.

So we think OK it's a size issue, they need to focus on adding muscle in the gym.

But then you see us be dismal at second & third efforts, defensive running, or playing more than like 1-2 quarters at most most weeks, and it's hard not to think that fitness is an issue with this squad as well.
Apparently the Crowd players were breaking all their S&C PBs in the off season. This coincides with a massive jump in the on field performance. With the game moving to one based on maintaining pressure, S&C preparation is more important than ever. If we don't come back fitter, faster and stronger in 2026, then I give up on this group as its not rocket science what needs to be done.
 

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Zac Taylor is uncontracted at the crows. Playing as a pressure forward by the looks of it, but can play in the midfield as well.

I think we had some interest in him in his draft year.

Doesn't fit the bill on what I think we need, size, but I think he is going to be a good player and we could do with more of them.
 
Ralph confirming Aleer will request a trade to the Saints on a 4-year deal at his exit

I wonder GWS are still looking at Hamling, or Laverde from Essendon as back-up options?
 
He played well yesterday , wonder if we tried
I get the feeling this is going to be an underwhelming trade period for us again. No free agents linked to us and so far only Charlie Curnow is linked to us and I suspect he’ll be going to Geelong because no one can compete with them. We like to talk our trading period up before it starts but do nothing apart from the 2023 season
 
I'd be happy enough to get him in, but we'd probably have to put up with the same "low disposal count for a mid" nonsense as we do with Rowbottom.
I've been letting it slide but **** me you and caesar88 have an unhealthy infatuation with Rowbottom.

People talk about midfield bulls, Rowbottom is listed at 186cm, so taller than Heeney, Chad, Sheldrick and 6 cm taller than Rowell for example.
When was the last time you saw Rowbottom break a tackle?
When was the last time you saw him put a opposition player on his ass in a tackle?
His inside tackles are more hugs than hurt.

As for this ,from Tuesday;
James Rowbottom -..... I would honestly say he prevents more scoring opportunities for the opposition than any defender on our list.

nope.gif
I get it you two are big fans,but why you feel the need to defend him and insert him into unrelated discussions is IMO to say the least odd.

Finally I'll say it again.
Stick him up forward, as a defensive fwd.
He's a good open field tackler and he has decent goal sense.

Feel free to respond, but I won't bother getting into a conversation as it is clear we have very different views on Rowbottom and they won't ever be aligned.
 
Zac Taylor is uncontracted at the crows. Playing as a pressure forward by the looks of it, but can play in the midfield as well.

I think we had some interest in him in his draft year.

Doesn't fit the bill on what I think we need, size, but I think he is going to be a good player and we could do with more of them.
Beatson lied to me;

zac.png

 
Something I wonder about is whether we try to fashion Tom McCaetin more deliberately into an out and out intercept defender rather than an excellent stopper who can also intercept. We’ve lacked a consistent intercepting threat since his brother retired and it stands out when you see guys like Harris Andrews and Darcy Moore dominate games as interceptors from FB.

If we were to try and recruit a stopper to take McCartin’s role so he can intercept, we could do a lot worse than Jake Kolodjashnij. Not in their best side anymore but only 30 and reliable in the classic Swans mould of Heath Grundy and Craig Bolton. I wouldn’t be against it if he could be convinced to leave Geelong. OOC next year.
 

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I've been letting it slide but **** me you and caesar88 have an unhealthy infatuation with Rowbottom.

People talk about midfield bulls, Rowbottom is listed at 186cm, so taller than Heeney, Chad, Sheldrick and 6 cm taller than Rowell for example.
When was the last time you saw Rowbottom break a tackle?
When was the last time you saw him put a opposition player on his ass in a tackle?
His inside tackles are more hugs than hurt.

As for this ,from Tuesday;


View attachment 2419616
I get it you two are big fans,but why you feel the need to defend him and insert him into unrelated discussions is IMO to say the least odd.

Finally I'll say it again.
Stick him up forward, as a defensive fwd.
He's a good open field tackler and he has decent goal sense.

Feel free to respond, but I won't bother getting into a conversation as it is clear we have very different views on Rowbottom and they won't ever be aligned.
Oh no, you're not letting it slide anymore. Consider me chastised!

If you're not able to work out why Rowy might be brought up in regard to Davies and given the regular criticism he receives around disposal counts, not my problem.
 

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Being inactive last offseason was understandable given the coaching change and everyone was in (a bit of) shock with the GF capitulation.

It was reasonable if we convinced ourselves that the GF was just an aberration and focused instead on the fact that we did get to the GF and were on top of the ladder for most of the season.

But surely some of the losses this year would've removed any delusion. Collingwood, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide, GWS, and Geelong this year were all just as uncompetitive.

Unless there are significant upgrades to the list, then we are just wasting our time.

If the grand sum from this upcoming trade period is to delist/trade a few fringe players and replace them with a few fringe players, it's going to be very underwhelming and will show we really haven't learnt anything from the last few seasons.

Fair enough if we are desperately trying and the opportunities just aren't there. Maybe we need to be patient and wait another year. But if we haven't been targeting multiple players for the last 12 months then ... I dunno what we've been doing ...


There is I suspect a more fundamental issue which might be part of the problem

2024 we had a fantastic injury run to the extent that everyone was talking about parker and mills coming back in and what a team wed have *knowing that it didnt quite work out...

2025 we suffered very significant injury problems especially forward of the ball which exposed mcleans limitations from players in the best 22.

but what it really showed was that our club has clearly very heavily invested in the best 22 and really hasnt priortised much beyond that. players 24-30 aew pretty average and there are a few in the best 22 whose limitations are reasonably large

I suspect but dont know that our salary cap has been very heavily invested into our best 22 and anything below that is whatever left over we can grab - the cheap almost delisted hamling francis types (the exception being taylor adams which was an interesting idea but maybe was where we threw our last spare $)
 
Interesting seeing the talk about potentially losing Hamling.

I feel like he is exactly the type of depth we need to keep.

Same too Ladhams.

Depends if we can upgrade that depth he’s fine but he’s depth. Both him and Ladhams we won’t know till after the trade period. I’d keep Ladhams but no more than 2 years.
 
There is I suspect a more fundamental issue which might be part of the problem

2024 we had a fantastic injury run to the extent that everyone was talking about parker and mills coming back in and what a team wed have *knowing that it didnt quite work out...

2025 we suffered very significant injury problems especially forward of the ball which exposed mcleans limitations from players in the best 22.

but what it really showed was that our club has clearly very heavily invested in the best 22 and really hasnt priortised much beyond that. players 24-30 aew pretty average and there are a few in the best 22 whose limitations are reasonably large

I suspect but dont know that our salary cap has been very heavily invested into our best 22 and anything below that is whatever left over we can grab - the cheap almost delisted hamling francis types (the exception being taylor adams which was an interesting idea but maybe was where we threw our last spare $)
Outside of a back-up ruck, I’d hope we allocate very limited cap outside our best 22.

The Melbourne storm model may be too extreme for AFL, but they essentially pump their cap into 3 key play makers, and then get everyone else to play their role.

I think in AFL you need a few more well paid players - 3 or so playmakers and a quality spine.

I think the Swans invest heavily in play makers (Gulden, Heeney, Warner, Blakey) but not enough in our spine (largely due to not being able to land / develop big fish).

I suspect we might invest too heavily in other players that could be role players (e.g. Mills (unless he becomes a bull mid), Papley, Lloyd, Florent, potentially Campbell, etc).

We also seem to struggle to get our role players to fire. Wicks was a master stroke this year. I want to see more tough and fierce role players like Wicks. Cunningham and Clamps are two others.

I’d probably also put Hamling and Buller in the “just outside best 22 but can be relied on to play a role” category. I suspect they are on limited chips.

This leaves quite a few players who may potentially be being overpaid.

Edit: which is not to take away from your point that our depth outside the best 22 is disappointing. My thesis is that I think it is a lack of our ability to attract and develop low wage role players, more so than lack of financial investment. Our reserves are testament to this challenge for us.
 
Chad off to WCE for their Allen compo pick (2) and pick 13 (current). We give 2, Florent and McLean to Carlton for Curnow. Leaves us with 9 and 13, which we could package for player or higher pick.

I think Chad back to Perth is higjly likely in 2 years and best we move him on now as he is contracted, below his best this year following AA year and getting Curnow fills a desperate need.
 
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