Player Watch #8 James Rowbottom

[Kennedy Parker]

James Rowbottom

The Sydney Swans recruited James Rowbottom

8

James Rowbottom

Age

23

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

CL

2.0

4star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.6

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

2.5

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.2

4star

with their second selection at the 2018 AFL Draft and the midfield bull impacted from the get-go. The Oakleigh Chargers product made his AFL debut against Richmond at Marvel Stadium in Round 5, 2019 and finished the season with 12 senior games beside his name. Rowbottom also led the NEAFL MVP voting when it was hidden from the public after Round 12. The young Swan is a ball magnet, explosive at the stoppages, an outstanding tackler and a clean user of the footy.

James Rowbottom

8

James Rowbottom

Age

23

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

CL

2.0

4star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.6

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

2.5

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.2

4star

DOB: 19 September 2000
DEBUT: 2019
DRAFT: #25, 2018 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Camberwell (Vic)/St Kevin's College (Vic)/Oakleigh U18

James Rowbottom | AFL

Follow James Rowbottom's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Mick Oxlong]

There’s no safe picks.

Probably the safest comment on here!

 

[The King!]

Haven’t seen much, only had a few who know ask me wtf we took him so high for

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Haven’t seen much, only had a few who know ask me wtf we took him so high for

Completely disagree with people saying we shouldn't have taken him so high. Was always in this range. Has all the tools to be an exceptional dynamic midfielder. His improvement over the last 12 months was impressive. Think how good he'll be with another 12 months. Great selection.

 

[anotherletdown]

Haven’t seen much, only had a few who know ask me wtf we took him so high for

I never quite understand that type of comment. Our next pick was another 15 spots behind. If you want him and you don’t think he’ll be available at your next pick then what’s the other option?

IMO He was no chance of being available at our 3rd pick so it’s definately not a reach. We just backed our recruiters in.

 

[caesar88]

I never quite understand that type of comment. Our next pick was another 15 spots behind. If you want him and you don’t think he’ll be available at your next pick then what’s the other option?

IMO He was no chance of being available at our 3rd pick so it’s definately not a reach. We just backed our recruiters in.

There’s no such thing as a “reach” anyway. The phantom drafts and power rankings done by pundits and armchair experts are based purely on opinion. So then when the actual recruiters, who have even more info on hand, inevitably go in a different direction, everyone questions and doubts the recruiters, but not the armchair experts who got it wrong. It’s very bizarre

 

[eDPS]

There’s no such thing as a “reach” anyway. The phantom drafts and power rankings done by pundits and armchair experts are based purely on opinion. So then when the actual recruiters, who have even more info on hand, inevitably go in a different direction, everyone questions and doubts the recruiters, but not the armchair experts who got it wrong. It’s very bizarre

Im still giving it to the Draft Central guys, has been my guy since before the championships this year and it does feel good to get it right from time to time

Also James is a smart cookie aswell

 

[caesar88]

Im still giving it to the Draft Central guys, has been my guy since before the championships this year and it does feel good to get it right from time to time

Also James is a smart cookie aswell

Holy **** the King twins!

 

[eDPS]

Holy **** the King twins!

They are perfect at everything the bastards

 

[caesar88]

They are perfect at everything the bastards

Not perfect at ending up at successful clubs apparently!

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Not perfect at ending up at successful clubs apparently!

Yet.

 

[caesar88]

Yet.

Hope I'm wrong, but don't think I will be.

 

[RobbieK]

Hope I'm wrong, but don't think I will be.

They support the Saints, so you would think that Max is happy to stay there and it is the most likely destination for Ben post-Suns. I'll leave it up to others to interpret whether that means they will ever be at a successful club...

 

[Jewelsbon]

I know I sound a bit like Bedford here, but what does the King twins have to do with Rowbottom?

 

[RobbieK]

I know I sound a bit like Bedford here, but what does the King twins have to do with Rowbottom?

They were mentioned in the same article which highlighted the best academic results from this year's draft crop. By the looks of it Rowbottom did the fourth best of the draft class in the VCE, behind the Kings and Will Kelly.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Hmmmm ... The greatest coach we ever had - Norm Smith, desctribed a futurec Tory Minister as the Educated Idiot".

 

[connolly]

Hmmmm ... The greatest coach we ever had - Norm Smith, desctribed a futurec Tory Minister as the Educated Idiot".

He entered parliament while he was still playing. His biggest atrocity was the awful "Life Be In It" nonsense. Tried to get our collective arses off the couch on the public purse. Destroyed marriages. A complete idiot.

 

[RUNVS]

I am excited for Rowbottom. I am not sure why the media draft experts had him so low but I really like his highlights. He seems to have exactly what we need and I would love to see him play some games in 2019.

 

[caesar88]

I am excited for Rowbottom. I am not sure why the media draft experts had him so low but I really like his highlights. He seems to have exactly what we need and I would love to see him play some games in 2019.

In fairness while some didn’t even have him going in the first three or four rounds, others had him as high as the 20s. The one knock on him was his foot skills, which I have to say look no worse than anyone else. I recall watching Lukosius in one of those championship matches, and this kid who is supposed to be the silkiest in years fluffed quite a few regulation disposals. Then he’d deliver only one or two super clean bullet passes the whole game and the commentators started frothing over how skilled he was. Skills at an U18 level don’t mean much to me personally.

 

[6yearsold]

looked good at training

 

[McRobie]

Rd 1 Smokey?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Rd 1 Smokey?

Would have to be a chance, he seemed fairly ready made when we got him.

 

[McRobie]

Would have to be a chance, he seemed fairly ready made when we got him.

I like his flair, something not many of our guys have.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I like his flair, something not many of our guys have.

Also he’s a genuine mid and we need mids not flankers being mids

 

[John Longmire]

Also he’s a genuine mid and we need mids not flankers being mids

Stick to Bigfooty.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Stick to Bigfooty.

.... well there went a mouthful of wine through the nose.