Player Watch #45 Will Green

[Ticky009]

At pick 16 the Sydney Swans select AA U18 ruck Will Green

WILL GREEN



Date of Birth: 08/09/2005 ; Height: 204cm
Draft: #16 - 2023
Recruited From: Northern Knights


A developing tall, Green showcased his potential with three promising performances
as Metro's go-to. He proved hard to move in the ruck, displaying outstanding craft while also expanding his game
around the ground. There, he clunked clean marks at the highest point and was mobile enough to lay tackles. The
Northern Knights captain averaged 12 touches and 24 hitouts.

 

[Millky95]

We had a mid-late first round pick, not a top 5. We shouldn't be expecting anyone we drafted this year to debut next year

 

[Ticky009]

To temper early expectations:

Tim English played a year of WAFL reserves (i.e, against men) in his draft year.

Despite that, he still looked and played like Bambi on Ice for his first couple of years in the AFL system.

Green hasn’t had any experience outside of the juniors system - if anything, he’s likely to be less “AFL ready” than English was.

He’s going to take a fair bit of time.

Years in fact.

But it’ll be good reason to keep a close eye on the VFL side.

Yes! Super excited to watch his development through the VFL.

 

[Jimbo OZ]

When Grundy's contract finishes, Green will be 22 and still a few years away from dominating in the ruck. His selection says a few things:

1. We are comfortable with our list for the next few years and can invest heavily on a slow burn.
2. We think he is a pretty damn good prospect.

 

[Big Blood]

We've been screaming out for quality rucks for some time. Years even. This pick is in for the long haul. Well done Swans.

It's been awhile. I think Mumford was our last premium ruckman.

Who was our last homegrown ruck? Naismith would have been. We've been dining out on ruck imports for a long time.

Grundy and Green are both the athletic extra midfielder style of ruck. I hope they bring a bit of aggro and intimidation too. That's our missing ingredient.

 

[Callipygian]

Solid kicking action for a ruck. (No fatigue though)



Road to the draft.

Sent from my SM-G990E using Tapatalk

Was he kicking the ones in front from 50?

He also took one of those shots on his left foot! (From the LHS boundary just after the 8.5 minute mark.)

Plus the club has now dropped this: Sydney Swans Draft Recap – Day One.

 

[Callipygian]

Hopefully he'll be as natural at rucking as he was with his first job at Coles. "What job was that?" I hear you ask. The answer: shelf-stacking. He's got a body built for shelf stacking.

2023 Coates Talent League Profile Series - Will Green

Get to know Will Green from the Northern Knights

www.afl.com.au

 

[Cadsky]

Looks a good set shot

 

[caesar88]

I've bitched about the pick because of my qualms with ruckmen but I do just want to be positive about the kid for a sec as he does appear to have some awesome skills for a guy his size and an awareness too from those highlights. I don't get the lumbersome big fella vibe from him that I often get from ruckmen.

I still don't agree that we should've gone for a ruck but if we did go for a ruck it's hard to imagine finding a more promising one from first impressions.

 

[sataris]

I've bitched about the pick because of my qualms with ruckmen but I do just want to be positive about the kid for a sec as he does appear to have some awesome skills for a guy his size and an awareness too from those highlights. I don't get the lumbersome big fella vibe from him that I often get from ruckmen.

I still don't agree that we should've gone for a ruck but if we did go for a ruck it's hard to imagine finding a more promising one from first impressions.

So you don't think he's gonna win a brownlow in the ruck?

 

[Callipygian]

Yeah, he looks a ripper of a young ruck. He's got the size well and truly. And he's not super lanky and looks like he'll fill out impressively (more like Sean Darcy

4

Sean Darcy

Age

25

Ht

203cm

Wt

111kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.1

3star

K

3.4

1star

HB

6.6

4star

CL

2.4

4star

HO

28.8

5star

D

6.8

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

1.8

4star

HO

20.3

5star

D

11.4

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

6.8

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

32.0

5star

or Sam Draper than Lachie McAndrew). He appears relatively mobile. He has some nice soft hands with some of his taps. I like the way he often moves the play on quickly. I like his confidence to kick the ball rather than invariably handballing it off to a more kicking-credentialled teammate. He seems to kick quite accurately (based mostly on his highlights from the VicMetro v VicCountry game). His marking and tackling are also positives. A lot to like!

 

[caesar88]

I imagine when interviewing him one of the first questions we would've asked him would've been his thoughts on a potentially long apprenticeship. It'd be impossible to ignore the big Brodie Grundy

4

Brodie Grundy

Age

30

Ht

202cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.1

5star

HO

32.0

5star

D

16.4

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.0

5star

HO

34.6

5star

D

13.8

4star

K

5.2

2star

HB

8.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

20.6

5star

in the room so I think if the recruiters got any sense that Green would be impatient or not willing to learn from the best for a number of years they might've steered clear. They must've got the impression from Green that he's a studious kid who will take his development seriously.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

The last time we went all-in on a ruck was …. some bloke called Kurt Tippett

Kurt Tippett

Age

36

Ht

202cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.8

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.8

5star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

.

And when I look back on the Bigfooty commentary, that seems to be universally acknowledged as a ripping success.



I’ll show myself out.

 

[Callipygian]

The last time we went all-in on a ruck was …. some bloke called Kurt Tippett.

And when I look back on the Bigfooty commentary, that seems to be universally acknowledged as a ripping success.



I’ll show myself out.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out... and don't come back!

 

[Big Blood]

Hopefully he'll be as natural at rucking as he was with his first job at Coles. "What job was that?" I hear you ask. The answer: shelf-stacking. He's got a body built for shelf stacking.

2023 Coates Talent League Profile Series - Will Green

Get to know Will Green from the Northern Knights

www.afl.com.au

Seriously, Cole shelf-stacker is a very hard job to get. I guess being 204 cm might put you up the queue a bit.


His former coach Anthony Rocca thinks he'll be a star.

I reckon he's gonna be one of the premier ruckman in the competition - Rocca

Hear from former Swans player and former coach of Will Green, Anthony Rocca, as he tells us more about our latest recruit. Presented by Elmo Software.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Tesla Tenet]

Tim English
203-204cm
Draft weight 86kg
Now 103kg

Will Green
203cm
93kg

5 kgs a year and ready for 26 season

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Seriously, Cole shelf-stacker is a very hard job to get. I guess being 204 cm might put you up the queue a bit.


His former coach Anthony Rocca thinks he'll be a star.

I reckon he's gonna be one of the premier ruckman in the competition - Rocca

Hear from former Swans player and former coach of Will Green, Anthony Rocca, as he tells us more about our latest recruit. Presented by Elmo Software.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

I love the whole Rocca connection - he's best mates with Brodie, trains with him, and now we've drafted one of his players from the Knights to be mentored by, none other than... Brodie!

 

[RUNVS]

Tim English
203-204cm
Draft weight 86kg
Now 103kg

Will Green
203cm
93kg

5 kgs a year and ready for 26 season

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

Get him to McDonalds now.

 

[RilesMacca]

Why do you describe him as athletic? I read that he ran something like 6:34 in the time trial and jumped 87 cm in the running vertical - is that what you're basing it on?

Yeah those are some of the reasons, but also that he has a strong ability to outwork his opposing ruck and mark well around the ground, his mobility for a big guy is very good too.

 

[Swan4Life]

We have neglected the position for far too long.

Now we have traded for Grundy and drafted Green.

Stoked with the pick!

 

[Ticky009]

We have neglected the position for far too long.

Now we have traded for Grundy and drafted Green.

Stoked with the pick!

Agreed. We've not had what I would call a first class ruck for a very very long time.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Ruckman do far more than just get hit outs, what they do off the ball, possessions, presence etc. Roughead, Vardy, Stanley, Cox have been the reason those sides have lost games as well as they were mauled by quality rucks. Same reason we have lost games because of some really crap ruck performances over the years.
You left of Nic Nat, Jolly, Farmer, Brad Otten's, Farmer, Ryder, McEvoy who have led their team to premierships and or great success and were very high picks.
You're making the same argument to say you don't need a decent CHB to win a flag so you don't need to invest in the position because you can get them late in the draft. It can absolutely be done and yes you can get them late. But if you don't have a decent CHB you'd want to be bloody good everywhere else to make up for it, same as an average to poor ruck.

I think there was once a ruck called Goodes who went alright as well.

 

[Ticky009]

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

I did but didn't wanna just go off that. For instance, I'm interested if around stoppages does he tend to throw his weight around in confined spaces? Like it's great for a ruckman to be able to smash a tackle like that in open play when possible but would hope he does that in the clinches too.

To the tune of short skirt long jacket

I want a ruck who hits blokes hard
I want a ruck who leaps up high
I want a ruck who can play on quickly and can hit his man up lace up on the fly
I want ruck who gets in you face, and makes sure he lands heavily with his his knee in your thigh
I want a ruck with a brutal shepherd and strong strong strong tap work
Na na na nah, na na na nah, na nah nahhhh

 

[Kolah]

Didn't say that.

Recent premiership rucks include esteemed names like Darcy Cameron, Mason Cox, Rhys Stanley, Ivan Soldo, Toby Nankervis, Nathan Vardy & Jordan Roughead. Not one name there taken with a pick before the 30s. In nearly every one of those cases they won their premiership medals in grand finals against superior ruck opponents (Cameron & Cox against McInerney, Nankervis against Mumford, Vardy against Grundy.) In this century so far only four All Australian ruckmen have won premierships, and two of those - Dean Cox & Max Gawn - are both in the conversation for greatest ruckman to ever play the game. Both were also taken after pick 30, with Cox being a rookie pick. Tim English was the All Australian ruckman this year and his team didn't even play finals. Collingwood traded out the player we seem to believe is essential to our flag tilt en route to winning a flag of their own with a ruck combination of a pick 48 and a pick 60 in the rookie draft. Richmond lost the hitouts in 2 out of 3 of their winning grand finals. Hawthorn lost the hitouts in all 3 grand finals of their three-peat.

I just don't see any evidence that you need a quality ruckman to win a flag. A decent ruckman who can compete, yes. So forgive me for just not being excited by or interested in us using a pick 16 on a player who I think in all likelihood won't have any bearing on our flag chances in the future, regardless of how good he becomes*. It's nothing against Green at all - I know and have seen literally nothing of him - and purely about the ruck position in today's game.

(*Unless of course he becomes such a player of historical proportions like Gawn or D. Cox, in which case that changes things and I will be the first one to put my hand up and say I was wrong and that Beatson & co nailed it. Now that what's done is done and we have him now, I hope this proves to be the outcome.)

Brilliant post. But still my gut says we struggled out of the middle with good mids, so strengthening our ruck must make a difference … mustn’t it?


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Kiama Chris]

We have drafted Will for 2026 at the very earliest. At least two years in the gym adding muscle and strength. Sharing VFL duties. Trackwork. Building skills. Working with guys like McLean doing the extras. Cox, Grundy. Maybe spending time as a forward or back. Let's watch carefully and see how he develops.