Player Watch Sam Swadling

[Jen2310]

I've watched it a few times too. He looks like such a cheeky character.

I'm glad he had some fun, kids deserve to after being drafted. There isn't much time between that and before they had to pack up and fly across the country. Which I assume is probably tomorrow.

 

[BillyElliott]

I'm glad he had some fun, kids deserve to after being drafted. There isn't much time between that and before they had to pack up and fly across the country. Which I assume is probably tomorrow.

Hopefully he doesn't have a huge hangover.

 

[Jen2310]

Hopefully he doesn't have a huge hangover.

He can sleep it off on the plane lol

 

[gouki88]

Hopefully he doesn't have a huge hangover.

He’s a teenager, will bounce back immediately!

 

[Tadpole]

He's been partying last night lol

Not surprised. I said to my husband at the time that I'd be expecting more than a few sore heads amongst the draftees the morning after achieving the biggest dream of their lives.

 

[Tadpole]

He can sleep it off on the plane lol

Plenty of time flying from Perth to Melbourne.

 

[Chunky Steak]

What a character. Looks like we've got ourselves a real extrovert. Should be fun to watch.

 

[Jen2310]

 

[Jen2310]

While capable of providing a marking option when resting forward, Swadling was let down by his goalkicking this season. He finished with five goals and 15 behinds from scoring shots across all grades in 2025, a step down from his 15.9 as a bottom-ager in 2024.

Sam Swadling Draft Profile

West Perth prospect Sam Swadling is a consistent accumulator who seems to find the ball wherever he plays.

central.rookieme.com

He'll fit right in lol

 

[Harry O]

He reminds me of a young Dayne Beams

11

Dayne Beams

Age

36

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

25.6

5star

K

13.2

5star

HB

12.4

5star

M

4.5

4star

T

3.6

5star

CL

4.9

5star

No current season stats available

D

15.6

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

9.0

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

with his evasion, low centre of gravity and handball

 

[Rorzza]

First impression, the kid has some moves and good skills to match!

 

[TradeDraft]

While capable of providing a marking option when resting forward, Swadling was let down by his goalkicking this season. He finished with five goals and 15 behinds from scoring shots across all grades in 2025, a step down from his 15.9 as a bottom-ager in 2024.

Sam Swadling Draft Profile

West Perth prospect Sam Swadling is a consistent accumulator who seems to find the ball wherever he plays.

central.rookieme.com

He'll fit right in lol

Hopefully that can get better

Shows again about his Knock is his Kicking/Ball Use

Kind of reminds me a bit of HDM

 

[TradeDraft]

He reminds me of a young Dayne Beams with his evasion, low centre of gravity and handball

Hopefully not the same Off-Field Issues

 

[ANewDawn]

watching his Highlights in this Game and I notice he does turn the ball over a fair bit in the Game

Though Good Tackling and Clean Handling with the Ball

I also noticed that nothing that he did contributed to anything dynamic like a goal or a pivotal piece of play. Whether it's him or the positioning of his teammates I don't know. We have had a few midfielders, including some current young ones hovering at the edge of success, who float and loop the ball about by foot. Hopefully 'Swads', easily the best of the 3 nicknames available for him, can be taught to drill the ball down a teammates throat. He looks promising, but I wouldn't be looking for him to force his way into the team any too early. He needs patience.

 

[Harry O]

I also noticed that nothing that he did contributed to anything dynamic like a goal or a pivotal piece of play. Whether it's him or the positioning of his teammates I don't know. We have had a few midfielders, including some current young ones hovering at the edge of success, who float and loop the ball about by foot. Hopefully 'Swads', easily the best of the 3 nicknames available for him, can be taught to drill the ball down a teammates throat. He looks promising, but I wouldn't be looking for him to force his way into the team any too early. He needs patience.

I think you must have nanna napped through a few of the highlights

 

[WanderingDude]

Hopefully not the same Off-Field Issues

I think finger painting is underrated.

 

[Soups]

I think you must have nanna napped through a few of the highlights

Haha literally the first play of the video was a goal assist

 

[pablo disco bar]

This bloke kicks both feet seamlessly..

What i want to know is why wouldn't a fringe player like HDM every pre season work hard on kicking with opposite foot ....has all the resources....is on an AFL list and significantly improves making it in the AFL

Bloody staggering

 

[Chunky Steak]

This bloke kicks both feet seamlessly..

What i want to know is why wouldn't a fringe player like HDM every pre season work hard on kicking with opposite foot ....has all the resources....is on an AFL list and significantly improves making it in the AFL

Bloody staggering

And more broadly, why is our game still producing one footed footballers?

It wouldn't be acceptable in soccer. In basketball you have to be able to at least comfortably lay the ball up with both hands.

Get them kicking with both feet from the earliest age.

 

[Jen2310]

 

[SchuPie]

What a great addition this guy will be if he can put on a heap of muscle / strength and still rack up the possies

 

[Copeland]

He seems very confident and determined and has put in the work!

 

[windchimes]

For some unexplained reason I’ve got the best feeling about him from all our draftees this year.

 

[manicpie]

I can see him swadling his way through traffic

 

[Jen2310]

Like many AFL Draft hopefuls, West Perth prospect Sam Swadling counts the likes of Scott Pendlebury

10

Scott Pendlebury

Age

38

Ht

191cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

26.5

5star

K

13.2

5star

HB

13.3

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.9

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

25.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

12.9

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.3

3star

CL

3.6

4star

D

12.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

4.8

4star

M

5.8

5star

T

2.6

4star

, Chad Warner

1

Chad Warner

Age

25

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.0

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

4star

CL

0.0

1star

and Will Ashcroft among his role models.
But there is another, rather important inspiration to him: Argentinian soccer megastar Lionel Messi.
In another lifetime, Swadling could have chased a career in the round ball game and during his time as a junior at Sorrento FC, counted former Perth Glory young gun and current Young Socceroo Daniel Bennie as a teammate.
Instead, he is one of many teenagers around the country eagerly and nervously awaiting the looming draft as the talented ball magnet looks to realise his dream of reaching the AFL.

At colts level, Swadling averaged 35.4 disposals for West Perth this season and twice topped 20 disposals in his three WAFL senior games for the Falcons.
The midfielder said he had no regrets in his path but said his time playing soccer had helped him in his burgeoning footy career.
“Soccer, if you take a touch in on your right foot, you might have to pull one out on your left. It’s a really 360 game, a lot of different angles, and it’s really helped me with my evasiveness when it comes to footy,” Swadling said.


“Being able to have that 360 degree sense where someone’s coming up on the back left of you, I feel like soccer has really helped me with that. My evasiveness and my balance, football has really helped me with.”
Swadling is not the only West Perth product hoping to hear his name called this week, with close mate and fellow Falcon Jacob Farrow the only WA player invited to the first round of the draft.


“It’s what I get my confidence from. If I’m able to go away, put work in behind the scenes, I know that some of the people might not be working as hard as I am.”
And while many draft hopefuls would prefer home comforts, Swadling said he is open to moving interstate.
“I kind of prefer to move away. It’s a new opportunity, it’s exciting,” he said.
“I’m a really optimistic person. As I said before, even with the hard work stuff, you look for the positives in life and if it’s moving away, you look for the positives about going to a new state, a new community, new teammates and stuff like that.”

Cross-code junior Swadling hoping to achieve ultimate goal

In another lifetime, Sam Swadling could have chased a career in the round ball game; instead, he is one of many teenagers around the country eagerly and nervously awaiting this week’s AFL Draft.

thewest.com.au

Dont think we have to worry about him getting home sick