VFL 2026 Swans Reserves

[RedOrWhite]

Maybe its ended up that way, doesnt mean its by design.
Under utilizing Dawson was very annoying, and he wasn't the only one. But its a diff coach now.

Been playing finals mostly the last few years, even if we drafted a Mills or Dawson last year would they be selected as a mid right now instead of our current group?? they would have to have started start as a half back flanker. or half forward flank.

cleary has got games but not in the midfield and doesnt have that height, but same sort of scenario.
maybe Kyle makes it.
dont see Bice as a mid for now at least

In the mids Kyle's the big hope for mine. But he's still very early in his development. The lack of a biggish contested bull in there since JPK and Parker is an ongoing issue imo.

As good as the gun mids are, McInerney has started the season well but I'd still class him as more outside than inside, Rowbottom is good but not great, and Sheldrick shows promise at times but not established yet are there, but it still feels like a gap in the 23.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

1.
I choose 1.

Its 100% drafting it reads horrific viewing since the Covid years.

 

[MrSwans]

I was more referencing no key position players.

Even with Dawson we basically played him as a half back flanker not exposing his true on ball ability.

Mills is probably the only one but it was for what 3 years before he was better use at half back.

My whole point is that if we draft someone that isn't a key position that is over 6'0 they are basically all but destined to be turned into a half back flanker (e.g. Bowman, Bice)

Went back through the draft history and you have to go back to 2018 in which Rowbottom probably fits that category as the last player we draft that was over 6'1 or so and wasn't a half back flanker that played over say 10 or so games at senior level

In fairness, if we're using 6' 1" and Rowbottom as a guide, then we should include:

Matt Roberts (borderline)
Chad Warner
Isaac Heeney
Logan McDonald
Callum Mills
Nick Blakey
Dane Rampe
Justin McInerney
Tom McCartin
Joel Amartey
Lewis Melican

I'd prefer to see more solid midfielders such as Petracca, Finn Callaghan, Bontempelli, Jai Newcombe and Ed Richards - ie. Bulls at a gate (that's what we're missing), not that I'm asking much hahaha.

 

[Kbroome]

In fairness, if we're using 6' 1" and Rowbottom as a guide, then we should include:

Matt Roberts (borderline)
Chad Warner
Isaac Heeney
Logan McDonald
Callum Mills
Nick Blakey
Dane Rampe
Justin McInerney
Tom McCartin
Joel Amartey
Lewis Melican

I'd prefer to see more solid midfielders such as Petracca, Finn Callaghan, Bontempelli, Jai Newcombe and Ed Richards - ie. Bulls at a gate (that's what we're missing), not that I'm asking much hahaha.

So in the last decade for non key position players over 6'1 we are sitting at

Roberts (6'0) x
Chad Warner (6'0) x
Isaac Heeney (6'1)
Callum Mills (6'2)
Justin McInerney (6'2)
Will Hayward (6'1)

We have developed 4 players 6'1 or taller that don't play half back in the last 11 years of drafts

 

[MrSwans]

So in the last decade for non key position players over 6'1 we are sitting at

Roberts (6'0) x
Chad Warner (6'0) x
Isaac Heeney (6'1)
Callum Mills (6'2)
Justin McInerney (6'2)
Will Hayward (6'1)

We have developed 4 players 6'1 or taller that don't play half back in the last 11 years of drafts

I agree with you if you're using those parameters. The cupboard is fairly bare of those bigger players.

Chad Warner 185cm - That's 6'1" in my book.
Roberts 184cm - I'll give you just under 6' 1.

 

[RedOrWhite]

Its 100% drafting it reads horrific viewing since the Covid years.

I tend to agree, it's still early for a few of them that I hold hope for, but our drafting from the post covid period is poor compared to the 2018 through 2020 drafts. And we've done well in our recent trades.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

In fairness, if we're using 6' 1" and Rowbottom as a guide, then we should include:

Matt Roberts (borderline)
Chad Warner
Isaac Heeney
Logan McDonald
Callum Mills
Nick Blakey
Dane Rampe
Justin McInerney
Tom McCartin
Joel Amartey
Lewis Melican

I'd prefer to see more solid midfielders such as Petracca, Finn Callaghan, Bontempelli, Jai Newcombe and Ed Richards - ie. Bulls at a gate (that's what we're missing), not that I'm asking much hahaha.

The ironic thing is that in his draft year, Ed Richards was the stereotypical skinny half-back flanker.

Something this board has tended to disapprove of when it comes to our drafting. Just once or twice.

But I’d LOVE to see Ed in Swans colours. Great player & seems a genuinely likeable bloke too.

 

[Kbroome]

The ironic thing is that in his draft year, Ed Richards was the stereotypical skinny half-back flanker.

Something this board has tended to disapprove of when it comes to our drafting. Just once or twice.

But I’d LOVE to see Ed in Swans colours. Great player & seems a genuinely likeable bloke too.

Played in the midfield as well in his u18 year but a majority half back player

 

[RedOrWhite]

The ironic thing is that in his draft year, Ed Richards was the stereotypical skinny half-back flanker.

Something this board has tended to disapprove of when it comes to our drafting. Just once or twice.

But I’d LOVE to see Ed in Swans colours. Great player & seems a genuinely likeable bloke too.

I'm hoping McInerney can emulate his rise this season. Especially in Errol's absence. He has the talent and has filled out now too.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Its 100% drafting it reads horrific viewing since the Covid years.

It’s been thoroughly discussed elsewhere, but 2021 we plucked out Sheldrick, Roberts and Corey. If you look at the 2nd and 3rd rounds of that draft, we did pretty much as well as we could have.

2022 was a complete disaster.

2023 could still go either way with Cleary & Green, but it’s starting to look a little bit concerning.

Dattoli and Bice could still turn out to be wins from the 2024 draft.

So apart from 2022, we haven’t selected dreadfully. But we haven’t had high picks over that period either & the fact is that lower picks are less likely to become quality AFL players. When coupled with a few list clogger trades, depth has suffered.

I really hope Curnow succeeds, because we’ve given up a lot in future draft capital to snare him. Having said that, I think it was the right thing to do.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

It’s been thoroughly discussed elsewhere, but 2021 we plucked out Sheldrick, Roberts and Corey. If you look at the 2nd and 3rd rounds of that draft, we did pretty much as well as we could have.

2022 was a complete disaster.

2023 could still go either way with Cleary & Green, but it’s starting to look a little bit concerning.

Dattoli and Bice could still turn out to be wins from the 2024 draft.

So apart from 2022, we haven’t selected dreadfully. But we haven’t had high picks over that period either & the fact is that lower picks are less likely to become quality AFL players. When coupled with a few list clogger trades, depth has suffered.

I really hope Curnow succeeds, because we’ve given up a lot in future draft capital to snare him. Having said that, I think it was the right thing to do.

Lets be honest.. 2023 is looking like a wipeout look at the projection Cleary career is going and Green just broke his ankle so thats another few months out.

High hopes on 2024 hopefully.

 

[bedford]

Lets be honest.. 2023 is looking like a wipeout look at the projection Cleary career is going and Green just broke his ankle so thats another few months out.

High hopes on 2024 hopefully.

Green broke his foot

 

[Kbroome]

Lets be honest.. 2023 is looking like a wipeout look at the projection Cleary career is going and Green just broke his ankle so thats another few months out.

High hopes on 2024 hopefully.

Cleary is tracking exactly like bloody Gussy Sheldrick. Once they actually give him some significant time in the middle he will do just fine.

One thing Cleary is showing is that he isn't a small forward, so maybe the coaching staff should not play him there if they want their next bloody contract

 

[bedford]

Cleary is tracking exactly like bloody Gussy Sheldrick. Once they actually give him some significant time in the middle he will do just fine.

One thing Cleary is showing is that he isn't a small forward, so maybe the coaching staff should not play him there if they want their next bloody contract

So who does he replace ? Can't just get a spot there if you've done nothing

 

[liz]

I'd prefer to see more solid midfielders such as Petracca, Finn Callaghan, Bontempelli, Jai Newcombe and Ed Richards - ie. Bulls at a gate (that's what we're missing), not that I'm asking much hahaha.

Everyone wants one of these but they're pretty few and far between. A lot of players who are drafted as "big bodies", sometimes with early draft picks, don't actually make it. If you're big but slow, the game is no longer for you unless you're exquisite at something else - say way superior kicking skills, or overhead marking. The fact you can list the desirable ones and they fit onto one line kinda demonstrates this (though that list could be expanded to include Dangerfield, Anderson, Heeney and probably a few more).

Cleary is tracking exactly like bloody Gussy Sheldrick. Once they actually give him some significant time in the middle he will do just fine.

One thing Cleary is showing is that he isn't a small forward, so maybe the coaching staff should not play him there if they want their next bloody contract

or Cleary can look at someone like Rhylee West who wasn’t a small forward until he realised he wasn’t getting a game anywhere else on the field and has turned himself into a pretty decent one.

 

[Bloods86]

or Cleary can look at someone like Rhylee West who wasn’t a small forward until he realised he wasn’t getting a game anywhere else on the field and has turned himself into a pretty decent one.

Maybe players can't tell coaches what they are going to do and where to play them?

Cleary plays midfield in the VFL, would train as a mid. Maybe he can request some forward drills, but if the coaches want him there in seniors, they should be the ones setting out what they want him to work on.

West's forward nous was highlighted before he was drafted.

 

[bedford]

My Ratings from Friday
Adams 7
Cunners 6
Hanily 7
Hambling 5
Kyle 5
Ladhams 7.5
Shipley 6 has a real crack
Dattoli 7
Giacometti 4
Snell 7
Peters 5
Cameron 3
Chamberland 5
Geddes 3
Tidemann 3
Edwards 5
Gibbs 3
HARRISON 3
Longmire 3
Phillipoe 2
McLean 2
Harbour 1
Hetherton 1.5

Phillipoe just struggled to get into it , but saw some good signs how he could separate from his opponent and got ignored a couple of times .
Hetherton also found it hard to get into it , but has some great speed for his size

 

[Kbroome]

So who does he replace ? Can't just get a spot there if you've done nothing

In a full strength side he doesn't get into the midfield.

In the side that we dished out on Thursday he probably should have had some of the minutes of Rowbottom and McInerney as too many times we went into the CBA with a rotation of Rowbottom, McInerney and Warner which doesn't have a handball first midfielder in there. Imo its no wonder we got smoked in the midfield with a tackler, and 2 outside runners in there most of the time

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Good write-up I saw on Twitter

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Interesting that Geelong got to play VFL on Friday evening despite having a bye in the AFL

 

[bedford]

Interesting that Geelong got to play VFL on Friday evening despite having a bye in the AFL

Great point

 

[PJ68]

Incredible scenes in Tassie with their first VFL win as they begin preparations for entry into the AFL.

Had a crowd that already surpasses Gold Coast's AFL average crowd and comes close to that of GWS's AFL crowd.

In true A/VFL fashion, they seemed to cop the raw end of the umpiring against a Vic side.

There are reports coming through that after the game was won, a strapping rooster from Launceston was seen running down the street with a Tassie jumper on, a crown on top of his head and a pair of swans budgie smugglers but no pants. Do you know anything about this The King! ?

If the crowd was near GWS reported crowd then it would be double GWS actual crowd.

 

[MightyBloods]

In a full strength side he doesn't get into the midfield.

In the side that we dished out on Thursday he probably should have had some of the minutes of Rowbottom and McInerney as too many times we went into the CBA with a rotation of Rowbottom, McInerney and Warner which doesn't have a handball first midfielder in there. Imo its no wonder we got smoked in the midfield with a tackler, and 2 outside runners in there most of the time

The amount of time Cleary & Sheldrick spent on the pine was curious.

 

[Caj]

Incredible scenes in Tassie with their first VFL win as they begin preparations for entry into the AFL.

Had a crowd that already surpasses Gold Coast's AFL average crowd and comes close to that of GWS's AFL crowd.

In true A/VFL fashion, they seemed to cop the raw end of the umpiring against a Vic side.

There are reports coming through that after the game was won, a strapping rooster from Launceston was seen running down the street with a Tassie jumper on, a crown on top of his head and a pair of swans budgie smugglers but no pants. Do you know anything about this The King! ?

We’ll see how their afl crowds go when they struggle to win a game in their first 3 seasons

 

[Mister B]

We’ll see how their afl crowds go when they struggle to win a game in their first 3 seasons

Between the die hards that have wanted an AFL team in Tassie, visiting fans who want an excuse to visit Tassie and Collingwood fans wanting to hurl death threats at Nick Daicos for leaving for the money, they will do just fine.