Player Watch #33 Caiden Cleary

[Ticky009]

At pick #24 the Swans match Collingwood's pick for Caiden Cleary.

Caiden Cleary




Height: 182cm
Weight: 79kg
D.O.B: 05-03-2005


SNAPSHOT: “An inside bull who also works hard on the outside, Caiden Cleary impacts going both ways with serious power.”

A graduate from Sydney Swans Academy, Caiden was a member off the Allies team who won the U18 comp in 2023. He's described as a hard running on-baller who impacts games.

 

[caesar88]

Very glad he's ours! He will be a heart and soul player and I think he plays senior footy sooner than many think.

YEW

 

[Cadsky]

Don't know much about him but he seems decent pick up. Hopefully he goes well. Welcome Caiden

 

[Kiama Chris]

Seen Caiden in the VFL against strong opposition. Never a backward step. Definitely a blood in the making!

 

[ashep]

Looks like a long lost McCartin brother. Hopefully he plays as well as them.

 

[Ticky009]

 

[The King!]

might play in 2024

 

[mtooler]

Happy days another safe pick even though he was always coming to us, he'll be a player for sure.

 

[Nuggetz]

Hopefully he'll become a serviceable player for us.

 

[sataris]

Never heard of him

Hope he goes good.

 

[BloodySwan]

He's going to be a cracker, you can just feel it

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Really happy for the player and the Club. He looked comfortable in his few games in the VFL.

 

[Bonz]

Really confident on this selection.

Is a simple player, but does what he needs to really well, has a decent step, great in the contest and is tough as nails.

Will fit right in.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Absolutely the right decision to match. I don't believe the pies were playing silly buggers by calling him, the premiers wanted what he has to offer so matching was a no brainer.

 

[Bonz]

Absolutely the right decision to match. I don't believe the pies were playing silly buggers by calling him, the premiers wanted what he has to offer so matching was a no brainer.

Close to if not the best pure contested ball winner in the draft.

If we drafted on output and not "athletic potential" I imagine he would have been top ten.

 

[barry fu]

Just off the blower with Barry.
Tis a thumbs up on the Caiden call.

Cleary The Clearance.

 

[Callipygian]

Caiden looks a ripper. He appears to lack versatility which may limit his opportunities early on - not much of an outside game from his highlights - but fantastic inside game. Great work ethic. Good team player. Knows his role. Will be a great boon for our VFL side. Long term, does he have to jump in front of Sheldrick and Roberts to get a game? Does he have prospects of doing so? Time will tell but worthy and good selection.

 

[RUNVS]

Caiden looks a ripper. He appears to lack versatility which may limit his opportunities early on - not much of an outside game from his highlights - but fantastic inside game. Great work ethic. Good team player. Knows his role. Will be a great boon for our VFL side. Long term, does he have to jump in front of Sheldrick and Roberts to get a game? Does he have prospects of doing so? Time will tell but worthy and good selection.

Which means Longmire won't be able to play him out of position.

 

[caesar88]

Caiden looks a ripper. He appears to lack versatility which may limit his opportunities early on - not much of an outside game from his highlights - but fantastic inside game. Great work ethic. Good team player. Knows his role. Will be a great boon for our VFL side. Long term, does he have to jump in front of Sheldrick and Roberts to get a game? Does he have prospects of doing so? Time will tell but worthy and good selection.

With Mills likely out for the early stage of next season, there's a spot available in the midfield rotations for someone. Sheldrick, Roberts & Cleary seem the likely ones to get it (though I also wouldn't be surprised if none of them got it, with Parker playing full-time midfield instead.)

I think each of them have things that may work in their favour over the summer in earning a leg-up over the others.

Sheldrick has the most exposed form of the three, with four games in the midfield to his name. It's hardly runs on the board, but it gives him something to build on.

Roberts, many forget, was the preferred of he and Sheldrick early last season, being chosen as sub for the first three weeks. So he's shown he can win the coaches over in a pre-season.

And Cleary may have two less pre-seasons to his name than the above two, but write off the Swans academy preparation at your peril. We've seen with Heeney, Mills, Blakey, Campbell & Gulden before him that it's a strong pathway in terms of hitting the ground running in your first pre-season en route to a round 1 debut.

I absolutely froth a pre-season battle for spots, so I hope all three can stay fit as I look forward to seeing it.

 

[Callipygian]

BTW, I'm tipping Caiden to take the #3 jumper vacated by Stephens. It's not a big call but I think I'm the first to make it!

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Caiden looks a ripper. He appears to lack versatility which may limit his opportunities early on - not much of an outside game from his highlights - but fantastic inside game. Great work ethic. Good team player. Knows his role. Will be a great boon for our VFL side. Long term, does he have to jump in front of Sheldrick and Roberts to get a game? Does he have prospects of doing so? Time will tell but worthy and good selection.

Don't be surprised to see him debut in the tagging role that Clarke use to do or find a home down back as a lock down small defender. He is fast, extremely fit and makes as many tackles as one of our AFLW mids.

 

[Callipygian]

Don't be surprised to see him debut in the tagging role that Clarke use to do or find a home down back as a lock down small defender. He is fast, extremely fit and makes as many tackles as one of our AFLW mids.

TBH, I will be a bit surprised, at least in the coming season.

Maybe he could overtake Wicks and Konstanty as a pressure forward but he has not evidenced a lot of goal kicking ability/nous that I am aware of, which is also important in that role.

And with the small defender role, I could see that as an option but not as soon as this year. I think it takes a while to groom people to play in back 6 and learn our defensive systems. (Not sure how much the Academy training helps in this regard.)

 

[sataris]

Just to temper my expectations I've put him down as a dual brownlow medalist only.

 

[Callipygian]

Just to temper my expectations I've put him down as a dual brownlow medalist only.

So long as you're not skimping on the Norm Smiths too.

 

[dosser]

Just to temper my expectations I've put him down as a dual brownlow medalist only.

He will win the Brownlows that Rankin was supposed to get.