Analysis 2026 - The Way Forward

[SwansLifer]

Missing Hetherton.

* CoxGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

 

[SwansLifer]

Kinda like the yellow box approach SwansLifer used above as to who should be locks in our best 23 based on exposed form:
Defence 7
McCartin, Melican, Blakey, Wicks, Cunningham
Need 2 more. Rampe the big question as his form was pretty good but do we leave him out on strategic grounds? Serong, Edwards, Snell and Hamling all possibles with Roberts and Bice.
Five certainties
Rucks 2
Grundy. Ladhams and McLean fight it out.
One certainty
Wings 2
Gulden, McInerney who relieves?
Two certainties
Mids 6
Heeney, Mills, Warner
Probably Jordon, Sheldrick, Rowbottom but anyone else? Cleary?
Three certainties
Forwards 6
Curnow
Almost certainly McDonald but what about Amartey?
Papley
No other certainty from Campbell, Rosas, Corey, Cootee, Hanily, Lloyd
Two certainties
Total of 13 certainties though a fair few probables.
Early days the only draftee I could see getting a run would be Cootee.
Defence has decent depth but midfield is skinny until Cootee, Philippou, Kyle and King develop but maybe Corey or Campbell can run through there if necessary.

Excellent analysis and some important questions. I think there is at least 1 if not 2-3 that pop this year. Not suggesting it has to come from the Rosas Jr, Serong, Co. Warner, Roberts contingent either, could just be a draftee that is much better than even the Swans thought they would fit in.

 

[Jewelsbon]

I put the playing list into CoxGPT and this is what it came out with as an early prediction for first round team.

Squad Breakdown (Fully Fit List – Yellow Cells = Certainties)​

Backline​

• McCartin is the only absolute lock. He’s already proven himself as one of the competition’s elite key defenders, and Sydney lacks experienced depth in this area.
• Wicks and Cunningham have the defensive track record to handle small forwards and provide reliable coverage.
• The half-back line skews taller, but the focus is on the collective functionality of the back six and the flexibility it provides.
• Serong is next in line, showing he can also push up to a wing when required.
• Blakey remains an automatic selection due to his importance, versatility, and stature within the side.

---

Midfield​

• This is the Swans’ familiar, high-quality engine room.
• Sheldrick is expected to become a consistent midfield presence heading into 2026.
• Mills is a guaranteed inclusion overall, though whether he starts in the midfield depends on his fitness level. If fit, he plays on-ball.
• Gulden, McInerney, Heeney, and Grundy complete what should be one of the more intimidating midfield divisions in the league.

---

Half-Forward Line​

• All three selected players are certainties for the best 22, though their exact roles may shift.
• A line of Warner, McDonald, and James Jordan offers speed, versatility, and scoring power.

---

Full Forward Line​

• The remaining forwards provide genuine goal threat and match-winning capability.
• It’s hard to see Round 1 selections not featuring Papley, Curnow, and Amartey, given their pressure, marking ability, and proven scoring output.

---

Interchange​

• These selections are far more situational and will be shaped heavily by pre-season performance.
• Rosas Jr., Rowbottom, Campbell, and Cleary all offer pressure, flexibility, and development upside.
• Ladhams provides early-season backup ruck and forward options.
• Cox gives support behind the ball and can rotate with McDonald when required.

---

VFL Outlook​

• The projected VFL side also shapes as a strong, balanced team.
• On paper, it should be more than capable of pushing deep into finals in the 2026 season.

---

If you’d like, I can also create:

• a visual of me and Curnow skipping down the hallways at Swans HQ,
• a "Who gets trialled in a different spot next",
• or a version that dud Longmire would have gone with that includes Florent.

View attachment 2485321

CoxGPT has done a magnificent job there. It actually looks like we could field a very strong VFL team next season, as long as the footy gods allow anyway
I'd to see a visual of you and Charlie skipping down the halls of of Swans HQ, been a while since I had a good laugh

 

[Kiama Chris]

Excellent analysis and some important questions. I think there is at least 1 if not 2-3 that pop this year. Not suggesting it has to come from the Rosas Jr, Serong, Co. Warner, Roberts contingent either, could just be a draftee that is much better than even the Swans thought they would fit in.

Agreed. Also a bit depends on how aggressive Cox wants to be with his team selections and what happens with injuries.
For example, picking Bice over Rampe would be an aggressive choice to attack more from the back at the risk of being less defensively sound, while picking a third tall defender would allow for an interceptor and would mean a defensive restructuring. Also aggressive IMO.
Two tall forwards vs three is more aggressive as it should mean less bombing long. That was Brisbane's structure plus the resting ruck part-time.
And then there's the midfield. Hopefully with Mills. Leaving him in defence would be very defensive.

 

[SwansLifer]

CoxGPT has done a magnificent job there. It actually looks like we could field a very strong VFL team next season, as long as the footy gods allow anyway
I'd to see a visual of you and Charlie skipping down the halls of of Swans HQ, been a while since I had a good laugh

 

[stevie26]

Would love to see Blakey on the wing. That's all folks!

 

[SwansLifer]

Would love to see Blakey on the wing. That's all folks!

Where is SE Asia?
Man Stevie Wright is a legend!!!

 

[rustycrate]

I hope that

• Rampe and Lloyd play cameo roles. Filling in when needed. If so the youth is pressing for spots.
• Mills plays midfield. No time down back. If so then Jai Serong and Rampe have that covered.
• Sheldrick becomes the man. Extracting and delivering quality ball to the outside. He is a beaver.
• Curnow forms a bond with McDonald, Amartey, McLean etc that is a force. Like the missing piece of a jigsaw that completes everyone.
• Papley, Dattoli, Rosas, Cootee, Hanily are the best crumbers in the AFL per inside 50
• Gulden and Warner cause havoc after stoppages and run and deliver quality ball and score handsomely too
• Campbell plays just outside the 50 and kicks long bombs and scores heavily. Becomes the man to run around the back of a free like Buddy and gets the ball and bombs big goals.
• McDonald is a weapon leading and taking marks and delivering and scoring
• Amartey kicks the occasional bag of five or more goals. He is capable. If he only believed it. Or if his body can stand up to 23 rounds.
• Wicks and Cunningham starve opposition smalls such that they need to seek psychological help to continue to play AFL.
• Blakey breaks the record for metres gained in AFL history.
• Hanily breaks the record for VFL goals in a season just ahead of Cootee for a small forward. Cootee played a few AFL games.
• Hetherton is seen as the steal of the year and performs like a seasoned AFL forward in the VFL kicking bags and confounding AFL recruiters weekly as to why they did not pick him.
• Kyle breaks record for metres gained by a mid in the VFL.
• Rowbottom breaks his own record for tackles in the AFL season.
• Heeney kicks 5 goals in 5 consecutive games. 12.5 off the left foot and 12.5 off the right foot.

 

[Punts]

Hope we don’t play 2 rucks

Curnow , amarty and McDonald are enough up front

 

[SwansLifer]

I hope that

• Rampe and Lloyd play cameo roles. Filling in when needed. If so the youth is pressing for spots.
• Mills plays midfield. No time down back. If so then Jai Serong and Rampe have that covered.
• Sheldrick becomes the man. Extracting and delivering quality ball to the outside. He is a beaver.
• Curnow forms a bond with McDonald, Amartey, McLean etc that is a force. Like the missing piece of a jigsaw that completes everyone.
• Papley, Dattoli, Rosas, Cootee, Hanily are the best crumbers in the AFL per inside 50
• Gulden and Warner cause havoc after stoppages and run and deliver quality ball and score handsomely too
• Campbell plays just outside the 50 and kicks long bombs and scores heavily. Becomes the man to run around the back of a free like Buddy and gets the ball and bombs big goals.
• McDonald is a weapon leading and taking marks and delivering and scoring
• Amartey kicks the occasional bag of five or more goals. He is capable. If he only believed it. Or if his body can stand up to 23 rounds.
• Wicks and Cunningham starve opposition smalls such that they need to seek psychological help to continue to play AFL.
• Blakey breaks the record for metres gained in AFL history.
• Hanily breaks the record for VFL goals in a season just ahead of Cootee for a small forward. Cootee played a few AFL games.
• Hetherton is seen as the steal of the year and performs like a seasoned AFL forward in the VFL kicking bags and confounding AFL recruiters weekly as to why they did not pick him.
• Kyle breaks record for metres gained by a mid in the VFL.
• Rowbottom breaks his own record for tackles in the AFL season.
• Heeney kicks 5 goals in 5 consecutive games. 12.5 off the left foot and 12.5 off the right foot.

This is what perfection looks like. I honestly think this is capable of happening.

 

[stevie26]

Where is SE Asia?
Man Stevie Wright is a legend!!!

I taught overseas (Brunei and Thailand) until 2018. Living in Geelong now. Stevie was a little terrier. About my height too! ha ha!

 

[Wheresbuddy]

I think Rampe can play the general defender role Mills did, marshalling the troops just like Hodge did for the Lions. Serong to come in as the third tall. Back 6 to look something like this:
B Wicks McCartin Melican
HB Rampe Serong Blakey
with Cunningham to rotate through. Mills always available if required during the game.
Bice, Roberts and Kyle to be depth off HB, Edwards and Snell as tall options as season progresses.

 

[Superstar swan]

Is this our most talented side ever in modern times ?

We have 3-4 players that it would be no surprised if they were the best player in the comp next year in heeney, Errol, Chad and curnow.

All Australian calibre players such as Blakey, Grundy ,mills , tmac ( hasn’t been there yet but he’s at the level)

Talent wise it’s hard to imagine another swans team with this much top of the food chain players.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Is this our most talented side ever in modern times ?

We have 3-4 players that it would be no surprised if they were the best player in the comp next year in heeney, Errol, Chad and curnow.

All Australian calibre players such as Blakey, Grundy ,mills , tmac ( hasn’t been there yet but he’s at the level)

Talent wise it’s hard to imagine another swans team with this much top of the food chain players.

I think thats somewhat looking through rose coloured glasses.

We’re a side who missed finals & have brought in one (very good, but injury prone) forward.

 

[Jewelsbon]

I think thats somewhat looking through rose coloured glasses.

We’re a side who missed finals & have brought in one (very good, but injury prone) forward.

 

[Bonz]

Is this our most talented side ever in modern times ?

We have 3-4 players that it would be no surprised if they were the best player in the comp next year in heeney, Errol, Chad and curnow.

All Australian calibre players such as Blakey, Grundy ,mills , tmac ( hasn’t been there yet but he’s at the level)

Talent wise it’s hard to imagine another swans team with this much top of the food chain players.

It would be close, but I have 2014 up there for raw talent.

Franklin, Goodes, Hannebery, Smith, Richards, Grundy, Jack, Kennedy, Jetta, McVeigh, Parker, Tippet and Malceski were all AA quality players still at that point in time (Maybe Goodes had dropped a little).

In hindsight was a massive opportunity lost.

 

[Bonz]

I think thats somewhat looking through rose coloured glasses.

We’re a side who missed finals & have brought in one (very good, but injury prone) forward.

Or we are a side that has reached 2 of the last 4 grand finals that was decimated with injury last year and has brought in a duel Coleman medal winning full forward who has only missed 6 games since 2021.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Or we are a side that has reached 2 of the last 4 grand finals that was decimated with injury last year and has brought in a duel Coleman medal winning full forward who has only missed 6 games since 2021.

Evidence suggests we are both. Some extremely talented players, some decent role players and good enough when all fit and firing to make grand finals. But when missing some key components not deep enough to achieve those levels. The big question will not be whether we have the talent (when enough are fit) but whether we have the game plan and the competitive edge.
That last bit is why I like our efforts at the trade and draft because they all look to be competitive. Of themselves, they won't win a GF but raising the temperature can only help.
We won't know about the game plan for a while.

 

[Punts]

Is this our most talented side ever in modern times ?

We have 3-4 players that it would be no surprised if they were the best player in the comp next year in heeney, Errol, Chad and curnow.

All Australian calibre players such as Blakey, Grundy ,mills , tmac ( hasn’t been there yet but he’s at the level)

Talent wise it’s hard to imagine another swans team with this much top of the food chain players.

Finished 10th last season with a shocking percentage

Only kicked over 100 points twice and was against wce and north

10 goal runs multiple times

We have a lot of work to do

 

[Dubai Quacker]

It would be close, but I have 2014 up there for raw talent.

Franklin, Goodes, Hannebery, Smith, Richards, Grundy, Jack, Kennedy, Jetta, McVeigh, Parker, Tippet and Malceski were all AA quality players still at that point in time (Maybe Goodes had dropped a little).

In hindsight was a massive opportunity lost.

I actually think 2014 we lost to a generational Hawthorn side.

2016 was the one we botched.

 

[WillHayward]

I hope that

• Rampe and Lloyd play cameo roles. Filling in when needed. If so the youth is pressing for spots.
• Mills plays midfield. No time down back. If so then Jai Serong and Rampe have that covered.
• Sheldrick becomes the man. Extracting and delivering quality ball to the outside. He is a beaver.
• Curnow forms a bond with McDonald, Amartey, McLean etc that is a force. Like the missing piece of a jigsaw that completes everyone.
• Papley, Dattoli, Rosas, Cootee, Hanily are the best crumbers in the AFL per inside 50
• Gulden and Warner cause havoc after stoppages and run and deliver quality ball and score handsomely too
• Campbell plays just outside the 50 and kicks long bombs and scores heavily. Becomes the man to run around the back of a free like Buddy and gets the ball and bombs big goals.
• McDonald is a weapon leading and taking marks and delivering and scoring
• Amartey kicks the occasional bag of five or more goals. He is capable. If he only believed it. Or if his body can stand up to 23 rounds.
• Wicks and Cunningham starve opposition smalls such that they need to seek psychological help to continue to play AFL.
• Blakey breaks the record for metres gained in AFL history.
• Hanily breaks the record for VFL goals in a season just ahead of Cootee for a small forward. Cootee played a few AFL games.
• Hetherton is seen as the steal of the year and performs like a seasoned AFL forward in the VFL kicking bags and confounding AFL recruiters weekly as to why they did not pick him.
• Kyle breaks record for metres gained by a mid in the VFL.
• Rowbottom breaks his own record for tackles in the AFL season.
• Heeney kicks 5 goals in 5 consecutive games. 12.5 off the left foot and 12.5 off the right foot.

What's your view on Rampe?
Cameo or core regular in defence?

 

[rustycrate]

What's your view on Rampe?
Cameo or core regular in defence?

Core if necessary.
But if the youth are not firing then Rampe. I would still back him in.
It is up to the youth to oust him.

I would still love it if he did not play 1 game of AFL. It would mean we have the youth.
But Rampe is such a champion, albeit an aged one, he is always capable. His mental fortitude must be immense. He still has it between the ears. But his speed has dropped off. He used to be immortal in a way. Now he is mere mortal.

One of my top 2 favorite players ever.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Core if necessary.
But if the youth are not firing then Rampe. I would still back him in.
It is up to the youth to oust him.

I would still love it if he did not play 1 game of AFL. It would mean we have the youth.
But Rampe is such a champion, albeit an aged one, he is always capable. His mental fortitude must be immense. He still has it between the ears. But his speed has dropped off. He used to be immortal in a way. Now he is mere mortal.

One of my top 2 favorite players ever.

Agree that Rampe will do the job if picked but it would go a long way to us improving if one of our youngsters was playing well enough to unseat him. I'd be thinking Serong or Snell as direct possibilities or Roberts and Bice if he is considered more a general defender for 2026.

 

[Kiama Chris]

What's your view on Rampe?
Cameo or core regular in defence?

I don't think you can plan Rampe without planning Mills. These are what I see in order of preference.
Plan A: neither Rampe nor Mills plays in defence. Rampe in VFL, Mills in midfield. If it works, all our questions are answered. Things progress.
Plan A2: Rampe still in VFL but Mills drops into defence to help from time to time.
Plan B: Mills is too important in midfield and if Plans A and A2 don't work bring Rampe back as a general defender and organiser.
Plan C: if you want to keep Rampe just as a break glass option then move Mills into defence.
We still need a strong bodied midfielder who ideally is Mills, even if it's part-time. Maybe rotating with Roberts?
Can't see the value in using Rampe in a cameo but as an injury replacement for sure.

 

[rustycrate]

I don't think you can plan Rampe without planning Mills. These are what I see in order of preference.
Plan A: neither Rampe nor Mills plays in defence. Rampe in VFL, Mills in midfield. If it works, all our questions are answered. Things progress.
Plan A2: Rampe still in VFL but Mills drops into defence to help from time to time.
Plan B: Mills is too important in midfield and if Plans A and A2 don't work bring Rampe back as a general defender and organiser.
Plan C: if you want to keep Rampe just as a break glass option then move Mills into defence.
We still need a strong bodied midfielder who ideally is Mills, even if it's part-time. Maybe rotating with Roberts?
Can't see the value in using Rampe in a cameo but as an injury replacement for sure.

I like Plan A. Plan A2 can happen as well. I agree.
Plan B works with Plan A. Mills to midfield.

Don't agree with Plan C. That goes against your own Plan A. It also assumes we need to move Mills to defence based upon what? Your Plan C needs work!!