Past Aliir Aliir - traded 2020, to Port

Remove this Banner Ad

tKFgZSau.jpg

Aliir Aliir

Player Profile

Aliir Aliir is a key defender with elite intercept-marking skills who generates a wealth of drive out of the Sydney Swans’ backline. Although he’s just 25, the 2013 draftee is now one of the Swans’ most experienced backmen after the retirement of champion defenders Jarrad McVeigh, Heath Grundy and Nick Smith. Aliir’s height, excellent verticle leap and cat-like movement around the footy also make him a handy option as a back-up ruckman. Born in Kenya to Sudanese parents, Aliir is an inspiration to kids from diverse backgrounds starting a new chapter in Australia. Draft history: 2013 AFL Draft 3rd round selection (Sydney) No. 44 overall.

Aliir Aliir

DOB: 05 September 1994
DEBUT:2014
DRAFT: 2013
RECRUITED FROM: Aspley (Qld)/East Fremantle (WAFL)

 
Last edited:
I thought he was good. So he wasn't flawless big whoop.

Nowhere near ready? He played 13 games last year in a year we finished minor premiers, and was one of the BOGs in a QF in which we were beaten!! This is crazy talk

Laidler was a mile better in the reserves last week. If a defender was coming in it should have been him not AA.
 
Laidler was a mile better in the reserves last week. If a defender was coming in it should have been him not AA.

This. I also don't think Marsh has played that badly in the Seniors or Reserves. So, I probably would have had him above Aliir as well. Especially in a cut-throat game v GWS where you know what Marsh will bring. Aliir is more of a wild card. But did we need another defender? The likely in of JK3 which eventuated the only other change would have been a Sinclair/Hayward type.

Personally, I would have kept Florent in the team of Robinson, but I can see why we selected how we did.
 

V9x18

Club Legend
Aug 27, 2014
1,786
2,347
melbourne
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Pistons, Browns, BCFC, Lions
I thought he was good. So he wasn't flawless big whoop.

Nowhere near ready? He played 13 games last year in a year we finished minor premiers, and was one of the BOGs in a QF in which we were beaten!! This is crazy talk

i thought #runsontheboard were irrelevent
 

Log in to remove this ad.

#runsontheboard are relevant to every player on the list besides Aliir by the looks of it.

For the 100th time there isn't a defender that deserves to be dropped. Melican has been critical and is more of a defender anyway as he stays on his man all game. Who are you dropping in defence? There is a reason they are trying AA in other positions in the reserves a bit. He might come in next year as that wingman/utility. I actually see him more as a tall winger than a defender really.

We also have Maibaum in the reserves who is developing really well as a pure stopper.
 
You're advocating his selection based on the same philosophy you have criticised so often you made a hashtag for it

Especially when our defence has been outstanding. Not as if we have defenders injured. They are set, firing and in great form. Melican just looks so natural in defence.

Really rate Maibaum though in the reserves too.
 
Last edited:
We've been the best defensive team in the last 6 rounds. Teams are struggling to kick 10 goals on us. I don't see any point in changing it up unless it's forced.
 
You're advocating his selection based on the same philosophy you have criticised so often you made a hashtag for it

Exactly because it's only Aliir that is not given that luxury. If it was across the board that's fine but Horse has been coaching this way all year and suddenly it's not good enough for a bloke who was a lock for best 22 just a few months ago?

I also don't get the confusion at MY confusion to Aliir not being selected. Yes we all see things differently but Aliir is best 22 every day of the week. That he is only going to have played 3 games for the whole year does not sit well with me. It is not Aliir bias. It's best 22 bias. It's just self sabotage to voluntarily have such an important player spend the whole year in reserves. I don't want to hear he's not ready, or he can't defend. Those are nonsense excuses
 
Exactly because it's only Aliir that is not given that luxury. If it was across the board that's fine but Horse has been coaching this way all year and suddenly it's not good enough for a bloke who was a lock for best 22 just a few months ago?

I also don't get the confusion at MY confusion to Aliir not being selected. Yes we all see things differently but Aliir is best 22 every day of the week. That he is only going to have played 3 games for the whole year does not sit well with me. It is not Aliir bias. It's best 22 bias. It's just self sabotage to voluntarily have such an important player spend the whole year in reserves. I don't want to hear he's not ready, or he can't defend. Those are nonsense excuses

Have you watched him play in the reserves especially last week? He's still favouring his knee for starters and his turnovers cost 2 goals. We can live with that in the NEAFL where we win by 100...but we can't at AFL level especially against GWS! We can't be gifting them goals.

We have a settled defence that hasn't let in many goals lately. We aren't changing our defence. So who are you dropping...give an alternative that isn't "oh but he's was best 22 last season". I have no doubt he'll be a better player for this run in the reserves but right now I just couldn't pick him especially in a must win game.
 
Have you watched him play in the reserves especially last week? He's still favouring his knee for starters and his turnovers cost 2 goals. We can live with that in the NEAFL where we win by 100...but we can't at AFL level especially against GWS! We can't be gifting them goals.

We have a settled defence that hasn't let in many goals lately. We aren't changing our defence. So who are you dropping...give an alternative that isn't "oh but he's was best 22 last season". I have no doubt he'll be a better player for this run in the reserves but right now I just couldn't pick him especially in a must win game.

As I said i thought he played fine in the reserves and has done all year. Some games he's been stellar. Granted he's not banging the door down, but neither did McVeigh, Florent, Rohan etc when they were selected after stints in the NEAFL. My alternative is to not drop anyone, but go with the four talls. It worked last year when Marsh/Laidler often played as that versatile small/tall defenders. If we did that again it would free up Aliir or Sir Dane to do what they do best, which is not only to defend but to sweep everything up and create play from the defensive 50. Maybe we will revisit this conversation after the derby on Saturday. Our back line may work wonders and i'll be happy to stand corrected. But right now, and for the last nine weeks, I still have not been convinced this group can contend because we're kind of doing things the ugly way. My mind keeps flashing back to that QF last year when Aliir was just about our only player who could match the run and flare of GWS. I genuinely believe it's what we are lacking.
 

SilentHunter_

Cancelled
10k Posts
Sep 15, 2014
14,424
17,738
Terra firma
AFL Club
Sydney
As I said i thought he played fine in the reserves and has done all year. Some games he's been stellar. Granted he's not banging the door down, but neither did McVeigh, Florent, Rohan etc when they were selected after stints in the NEAFL. My alternative is to not drop anyone, but go with the four talls. It worked last year when Marsh/Laidler often played as that versatile small/tall defenders. If we did that again it would free up Aliir or Sir Dane to do what they do best, which is not only to defend but to sweep everything up and create play from the defensive 50. Maybe we will revisit this conversation after the derby on Saturday. Our back line may work wonders and i'll be happy to stand corrected. But right now, and for the last nine weeks, I still have not been convinced this group can contend because we're kind of doing things the ugly way. My mind keeps flashing back to that QF last year when Aliir was just about our only player who could match the run and flare of GWS. I genuinely believe it's what we are lacking.
Ugly way? The last couple of weeks has been some of the more aesthetically pleasing football we have ever played. Our ball movement is on point. We are clean handling the ball. Our spacing is good. We are playing fast and then slowing it down when we need to. The team is in perfect balance right now. The backline chemistry is excellent. Who are you going to drop for Aliir? Mids are in ripping form and the forward line is working like a well oiled machine. No unforced changes to this line up unless something goes wrong imo.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

willym

Debutant
May 21, 2016
145
395
AFL Club
Sydney
RE Aliir's selection/non-selection: I think this year-long discussion just shows the differences in what people value in footy players.

I'm all in with caesar88 on this one - I think Aliir's counterattacking and intercept marking upside is so valuable that I'm happy to live with his weaknesses. Melican has been fantastic since he's come in, super super impressive. But I would still pick Aliir over him for sure - because in my mind Aliir's best game is much better than Melican's. He's probably more likely to cause a clanger that leads to a goal, but he's also more likely to create 2-3 goal scoring opportunities out of the blue. He's an instinctive player, which is both his greatest strength and weakness. It's why I love him and it's clearly why others see a hugely flawed player.

Anyway, that was a roundabout way of getting to my point, which is that best 22 is so damn subjective. To me he's best 10, to others he's outside the best 25. Weird how that can happen right?
 
Ugly way? The last couple of weeks has been some of the more aesthetically pleasing football we have ever played. Our ball movement is on point. We are clean handling the ball. Our spacing is good. We are playing fast and then slowing it down when we need to. The team is in perfect balance right now. The backline chemistry is excellent. Who are you going to drop for Aliir? Mids are in ripping form and the forward line is working like a well oiled machine. No unforced changes to this line up unless something goes wrong imo.

We've played witches hats the last two weeks. If we played with that kind of flair against GWS or Adelaide then that'd be a different story. Just still think we are missing that extra element and have been all year and I reckon it's Aliir. Doesn't mean i'm right just my opinion.
 
RE Aliir's selection/non-selection: I think this year-long discussion just shows the differences in what people value in footy players.

I'm all in with caesar88 on this one - I think Aliir's counterattacking and intercept marking upside is so valuable that I'm happy to live with his weaknesses. Melican has been fantastic since he's come in, super super impressive. But I would still pick Aliir over him for sure - because in my mind Aliir's best game is much better than Melican's. He's probably more likely to cause a clanger that leads to a goal, but he's also more likely to create 2-3 goal scoring opportunities out of the blue. He's an instinctive player, which is both his greatest strength and weakness. It's why I love him and it's clearly why others see a hugely flawed player.

Anyway, that was a roundabout way of getting to my point, which is that best 22 is so damn subjective. To me he's best 10, to others he's outside the best 25. Weird how that can happen right?

This.
 

SilentHunter_

Cancelled
10k Posts
Sep 15, 2014
14,424
17,738
Terra firma
AFL Club
Sydney
We've played witches hats the last two weeks. If we played with that kind of flair against GWS or Adelaide then that'd be a different story. Just still think we are missing that extra element and have been all year and I reckon it's Aliir. Doesn't mean i'm right just my opinion.
Aliir is not the player he was last year. I have said this multiple times. I called for his inclusion last year anyway and that was when he was probably the best defender in the league. It is okay to have a dip in form. He'll be back but he needs time.
 
Aliir is not the player he was last year. I have said this multiple times. I called for his inclusion last year anyway and that was when he was probably the best defender in the league. It is okay to have a dip in form. He'll be back but he needs time.

Let's agree to disagree. I've had the same opinion since April and it's now July. I won't be content until Horse selects a team I can live with. Maybe i'm extra fussy
 

SilentHunter_

Cancelled
10k Posts
Sep 15, 2014
14,424
17,738
Terra firma
AFL Club
Sydney
Let's agree to disagree. I've had the same opinion since April and it's now July. I won't be content until Horse selects a team I can live with. Maybe i'm extra fussy
From your posts you'll only be content when Aliir is back into the team. I don't know why you are so inclined for this to happen considering he has shown nothing that suggests he should be picked over anyone else in the back line. Maybe he's your fav. player, who knows. Whatever the reason maybe; understand that team chemistry is important. The current unit is the best defensive unit in the league. Why change that?
 
From your posts you'll only be content when Aliir is back into the team. I don't know why you are so inclined for this to happen considering he has shown nothing that suggests he should be picked over anyone else in the back line. Maybe he's your fav. player, who knows. Whatever the reason maybe; understand that team chemistry is important. The current unit is the best defensive unit in the league. Why change that?

Yes because Aliir is the only one from my idea of our best 22 who is not getting games. As long as anyone I really rate is continually being over looked, I'm not going to be brimming with confidence. As willym said above, just because you don't see his importance to the team, doesn't mean I have to share that view. Different eyes see different things
 

SilentHunter_

Cancelled
10k Posts
Sep 15, 2014
14,424
17,738
Terra firma
AFL Club
Sydney
Yes because Aliir is the only one from my idea of our best 22 who is not getting games. As long as anyone I really rate is continually being over looked, I'm not going to be brimming with confidence. As willym said above, just because you don't see his importance to the team, doesn't mean I don't either. Different eyes see different things
Who would you drop???
 
So we're going drop a mid for a defender? I suppose McVeigh was fair enough but he's proven me wrong.

I would. It's not like i'm pulling stuff out of my arse. Last year we looked bloody good when we had 4 talls down back. I'm basing us on that and how we performed last year, not how we've performed in a year we started 0-6, pulled off two miracle comebacks and then beat witches hats in consecutive weeks. Can you see how i'm just not sold on this side and would like to see us as close to our 2016 lineup as possible? Is that such a crazy idea?
 

SilentHunter_

Cancelled
10k Posts
Sep 15, 2014
14,424
17,738
Terra firma
AFL Club
Sydney
I would. It's not like i'm pulling stuff out of my arse. Last year we looked bloody good when we had 4 talls down back. I'm basing us on that and how we performed last year, not how we've performed in a year we started 0-6, pulled off two miracle comebacks and then beat witches hats in consecutive weeks. Can you see how i'm just not sold on this side and would like to see us as close to our 2016 lineup as possible? Is that such a crazy idea?
So you want Xavier Richards back :rolleyes: ? He's not the player he was last year ffs.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back