Player Origin Breakdown

[Matchu]

I thought I heard commentators say yesterday that there are 11 players on the Swans list who hail from New South Wales so I thought it would be interesting to analyse the origin of the Swans list and how the club is going in terms of producing their own talent through the academy. There are currently 44 players at the Sydney Swans:

Victoria (18 players, 41%)
Adam Goodes
Daniel Hannebery
Alex Johnson
Zak Jones
Josh Kennedy
Jeremy Laidler
Jake Lloyd
Sean McLaren
Lewis Melican
Nic Newman
Luke Parker
Sam Reid
Ted Richards
Xavier Richards
Gary Rohan
Nick Smith
Rhys Shaw
Dean Towers

New South Wales (14 players, 31%)
Craig Bird
Harry Cunningham
Abaina Davis (Academy)
Jordan Foote (Academy)
Isaac Heeney (Academy)
Jack Hiscox (Academy)
Brandon Jack (Academy)
Kieren Jack
Ben McGlynn
Jarrad McVeigh
Sam Naismith
Lloyd Perris (Academy)
Dane Rampe
Daniel Robinson

Western Australia (5 players, 11%)
Tom Derickx
Lance Franklin
Lewis Jetta
Harry Marsh
Tom Mitchell

South Australia (3 players, 7%)
Heath Grundy
George Hewett
James Rose

Queensland (2 players, 5%)
Aliir Aliir
Kurt Tippett

Tasmania (1 player, 2.5%)
Tony Nankervis

Canada (1 player, 2.5%)
Mike Pyke


To have 31% of the list hail from NSW is a really good effort. What do you guys think?

 

[Cadsky]

I think its pretty clear Sydney have been ahead of the 8 ball when it comes to the go home factor. The last thing any team wants is a situation similar to that of the Lions a couple years back when all their kids requested trades back to their home state. I think Sydney were smart enough to see it coming a long time ago and put measures in place to make sure it didnt happen to them. Thats why the academy is so important. Vic teams might see it as an advantage but they refuse to see the fact that when they recruit kids from vic they wont go running home a year or two later so they already have an advantage over interstate teams without even having to pay $1m for an academy every year. Very smart planning from the swans.

 

[The King!]

Its grown


Think terry thripp was one out for a bit was he not?

Helps with retention

 

[Matchu]

I think its pretty clear Sydney have been ahead of the 8 ball when it comes to the go home factor. The last thing any team wants is a situation similar to that of the Lions a couple years back when all their kids requested trades back to their home state. I think Sydney were smart enough to see it coming a long time ago and put measures in place to make sure it didnt happen to them. Thats why the academy is so important. Vic teams might see it as an advantage but they refuse to see the fact that when they recruit kids from vic they wont go running home a year or two later so they already have an advantage over interstate teams without even having to pay $1m for an academy every year. Very smart planning from the swans.

Of the four northern teams, Sydney is definitely the best in this regard. I wonder if the Swans have a target percentage for the amount of Academy players they want on their list year to year? I know the academies are still relatively new so it's unfair to judge now but I believe the Lions want to eventually get to a point where 30% of their list is coming out of their academy, which I think is a good goal to have. I forgot to add how many of the Swans players have come from the academy. I believe there are five to date - Davis, Foote, Heeney, Hiscox and Perris.

 

[Cadsky]

Brandon Jack was part of the Swans academy. Also Cunningham was part of the GWS academy.

I haven't heard any specific percentage that the swans want from their academy but im sure they have a figure in mind.

 

[Matchu]

Brandon Jack was part of the Swans academy. Also Cunningham was part of the GWS academy.

I haven't heard any specific percentage that the swans want from their academy but im sure they have a figure in mind.

I've added the info into the OP. That means 6 of the 14 New South Welshmen with the Swans have come out of their academy. Not bad.

 

[fabulousphil]

3rd Sydney team ?

 

[Millky95]

3rd Sydney team ?

Newcastle neanderthals and we lose Heeney due to homesickness

 

[fabulousphil]

Newcastle neanderthals and we lose Heeney due to homesickness

troy Luff as coach

 

[Membling]

Personally love to see at least half the list made out of home state players

 

[Matchu]

You guys must be happy with the local talent you've been able to produce in Heeney. So exciting to see a genuine star in the making come out of NSW.

 

[Millky95]

You guys must be happy with the local talent you've been able to produce in Heeney. So exciting to see a genuine star in the making come out of NSW.

It's why we need acadamies. He and Mills look to be jets but the next years aren't that great. Until the acadamies produce players like Heeney in a somewhat consistant basis, we need to incentive to keep it.

Once we produce a lot of 1st rounders consistantly, I'd love to see them opened up to the whole comp.

 

[Matchu]

It's why we need acadamies. He and Mills look to be jets but the next years aren't that great. Until the acadamies produce players like Heeney in a somewhat consistant basis, we need to incentive to keep it.

Once we produce a lot of 1st rounders consistantly, I'd love to see them opened up to the whole comp.

I agree that the northern academies need to be kept but the system probably needs to be tweaked a little bit considering Melbourne bid their 2nd pick on Heeney and the Swans were able to match with the 18th pick.

It's a great advertisement for the game to have a New South Welshmen enter the team and not look out of place for one second.

 

[Millky95]

I agree that the northern academies need to be kept but the system probably needs to be tweaked a little bit considering Melbourne bid their 2nd pick on Heeney and the Swans were able to match with the 18th pick.

It's a great advertisement for the game to have a New South Welshmen enter the team and not look out of place for one second.

I don't mind the points idea, but the values need to be looked at. In favour of that

 

[scaryness]

I thought Aliir Aliir was WA?

 

[swansfan51]

I thought Aliir Aliir was WA?

He was drafted from WA yes.

His history is Kenya (7 years), Brisbane (11 years), Perth (1 year), Sydney (1.5 years)

 

[Number37]

Mitchell is a Victorian isn't he?

 

[Matchu]

Mitchell is a Victorian isn't he?

According to his Swans profile he was drafted out of Claremont in the WAFL.

 

[fabulousphil]

According to his Swans profile he was drafted out of Claremont in the WAFL.

Claremont, was watching him run around for a couple of years in the WAFL

 

[Number37]

According to his Swans profile he was drafted out of Claremont in the WAFL.

He went west for his father's work didn't he? Hardly makes him a west aussie.

 

[Matchu]

He went west for his father's work didn't he? Hardly makes him a west aussie.

I went on state of origin rules in that the state you played most of your junior footy in is your home state. It's why I've listed Aliir Aliir as a Queenslander. I don't know enough about Mitchell's background to know how much time he spent in WA. Happy to change it if you know he spent more time in another state.

 

[Jack Lord]

I thought Goodesy was South Australian.

 

[scaryness]

I thought Goodesy was South Australian.

Nah, Mickey O was South Australian though.