Intraclub

[Daggersworth]

I just think that with players like Vez, D.Okeefe, Johnstone and now Jetta and Rohan, we should give them a taste ASAP - even if its only 3-5 games - just so they understand what is required at AFL level. It gives the an understanding of what they are aiming for and what is expected.

Didn't they do that with Vesz at the end of 08? Played 3 or 4 games and "got a taste".

Meredith, Hannebery, Thornton, Brabazon, MOD, Smith (in 08 against Geelong)... they all got a "taste" with a game or two.

I'm pretty sure we aren't in the business of playing injured players so Johnston is out. DOK just wasn't good enough in the end and didn't deserve a spot.

 

[kira]

looking at the list, just about every player barring the new recruits have had a taste of senior football

few exceptions are Campbell Heath (was studying back in Victoria), Johnstone (injured) and DOK (yes delisted - but argument based, that he wasn't even impressing at Canberra standard) and the rookies of course

 

[barry fu]

The majority of clubs that have promoted a high influx of youth have been serial underachievers.
Richmond, Melbourne... etc
Hawthorn has been an exception of late but if you look at the recent past list of premiers, Lions, Swans, Port, Geeeelong mature stable teams with the odd youngster playing a role.
Vez if fit would have played more football by now, Dok was not even rookied by a rival in a mooted shallow draft. The club just got that one wrong. L J needs to be fit to play, Melbourne had more than Watts development in mind whilst playing him and others last season.
I think some clubs like to try and whip up the membership drive and what better way than with their bright new tots.
What else do they have? Sign on because - We Are Bottom 4 Forsure.
We have missed the finals very little of late , so they must be getting it right, no ?
If they are good enough they will get a chance.
The apprenticeship Roos has in place in the seconds seems to be working. MOD, Agent Smith, Merry, Hanners, Birdy and Jack have looked just dandy when given their run.

 

[liz]

We can make excuses and say they were injured, but thats the case with a lot of first year players (think ziebell, hurley, yarren, swift all had concerns of some form or another in 2009 but still got games).

Same thing with Lewis Johnstone - sure he is a KP, but even jack watts got a few games.

How is the fact that they were injured an excuse? Should we have just plonked Johnston, together with moonboot, in the goal square last year?

Vesz arguably has been gifted senior games before his endurance was really up to it - both years, as soon as his body had held together long enough in the reserves he was promoted. In 2009, in particular, he looked like he was struggling to keep up. But it looks like Roos recognised his talent and wanted to give him senior experience regardless.

Ziebell was injured last year when he broke his leg. But the senior games he played were before he broke the leg. I don't rememeber seeing out there in a plaster cast last year. Swift was coming off a bad knee reco the year before- and hence it took him until well into the season before he made his senior debut.

 

[Lakey91]

Geez. I put up a random idea, not something I overly believe in but just a thought, about the way we treat our youth and I get half flamed!

Injuries may have happened, I just feel that we havent got anywhere near as much out of our high profile draftees as we could of over the last 5-10 years. Yes injuries have been concerning and we have had that golden run of finals with a settled 22 - it was just a thought that maybe we should of pushed our youngsters into games a little quicker.

That said, it isnt really in Roos' style in any way shape of form - he is more the type of coach to get a middle teir player (often from another club), and make them into something that no one (not even the player themselves) ever believed they could become, creating a disciplined and well drilled team in the process, rather than focussing on individual player development as such. This is a bit different from a focus on drafting young superstars and turning them into machines like many other clubs take, and for the record, Roos approach probably allows us to stay out of the "cycle" of dropping to the bottom of the barrel for a few years to regroup. Many people have written us off the last few years, and we have remained there abouts which is highly commendable. We will go through another fase in a few years time when the foundations of our success in Kirk, CBolton, Goodes, Jude and also Bradshaw enter the twilight of their careers, however by this time Im confident we will have turned Seaby, Kennedy, etc into fantastic replacements.

 

[SkankDanker]

I don't think you;ve been flamed Lakey, it is a fair question to poise.

Roos has doen a great job in converting other clubs virtual discards - Hall, Mattner & Jolly in particular. We'll see if we can do the same with McGlynn Kennedy, and Seaby.

He has to do this to keep the club competitive - ROK touched on it last night it - is crucial that the Swans stay in the hunt in the Sydney market, they are very fickle and like winners. I used to go when 3000 people turned up at the SCG for a game (once against Fitzroy my god it was sparse). Can't risk it even though those days are gone.

It is therefore a balancing act with young players. It is not like cricket where a raw talent can be thrown in, here they get a physical battering and there is no point letting the less mature players just get smashed while the Swans lose.

I do think they've played it pretty well, not rushing players in, giving them time to earn and compete for their place leads to a healthy culture. This blend of mature players from other clubs and a small inflow of young fellows keeps the club competitive.

I would like to see the young guys get a go this year and it looks like it will happen. Even though TDL got spanked by Joseph really, he wasn't terrible, but he learned a lot last night I would say and will be better for the run - he won't get that attention every week.

 

[Lakey91]

Ted Richards is another that has turned out admirably with Mumford, McGlynn, Seaby and Kennedy all likely types to become much better than imagined at their new club.

It will be interesting to see how the Swans coaching dynamics change next year.