Analysis The reality of our list

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The reality of our list

1. We have a good core of young players (B.Crouch, Dangerfield, Smith, Sloane, Walker, Talia, Lynch, Jacobs) and we need to look at building a team around these guys. Our best players are primarily in the 20-24 year old bracket whilst most of our experienced players are average and need to be phased out over the next year or two. Rutten and Porplyzia will likely go this year and Thompson, Podsiadly and Reilly the following year.

2. We have a young squad and have had some key experienced players missing through injury this year which has meant that we have had to play more young players than we perhaps would have liked. Young players are inconsistent hence our roller coaster performance this year.

3. We have far too many rookie listed players on our list. The rookie draft will occasionally unearth a gem like a Rutten or Bock, but the reality is most players are rookie listed because they are vanilla players with no weapons, have some serious deficiencies (poor kicking, slow) or have a desirable attribute (height). Our current list contains the following players who were rookie listed either by us or their former club: Rutten, Jacobs, Podsiadly, Porplyzia, Jenkins, Henderson, Hartigan, Jaensch, Martin, L.Thompson, Wright, Laird, Cameron and Petrenko. That is roughly 1/3 of our squad.

4. We have a number of players who seduce you into thinking that they have something and could become good AFL players but for the most part they play average to below par football. We have made a habit of holding onto these players far longer than we should. Examples include Porplyzia, van Berlo, Mackay, Reilly, Wright, Otten, Jaensch, Martin and Petrenko and even Douglas to some extent.

5. Following on from the last point, we have a number of players whose absolute best football is an acceptable AFL standard but if they are not at their best it is not AFL standard.

6. We lack consistent ball-winners and are 2-3 elite midfielders short of being a genuine contender. Thompson, Dangerfield, Crouch, Sloane, Smith and Douglas is a good group but Thompson is nearing the end and Smith is best used off half back where he can still rack up 25+ possessions. Whilst we hold out hope that Grigg, M.Crouch and Kerridge can step up, we certainly need to look at adding some elite midfield talent in the off-season. Menzel, Toumpas, Kennedy, Motlop, Mitchell, Rohan, Lewis Jetta and O’Rourke are players we should be targeting in the trade period and Aish next year.

7. We lack pace and good ball users. Pace can be addressed with the addition of one or two genuine line breakers in the Lewis Jetta / Charlie Cameron mould but good disposal must become a focus of our recruiting.

8. Our current defensive unit is too small as a whole although this could change when we have a fully fit list. The strongest defensive units tend to have 3 players around 185-190cm, 2 KPPs and 1 small defender. I see Brown as being the long term small defender, Talia at FB, Otten playing as a Bock-style CHB, and Smith, Henderson and van Berlo providing rebound. Despite his good form this year I am still not sold on Jaensch and I think as good as Laird is, he is too small to be playing consistently in defence.

9. Whilst the situation has at times appeared dire this year, the reality is we have a reasonable list to build on. With some clever trading and good drafting in the next 2 years, and the right changes made at the top (admin/coaching/fitness etc.) I have no doubt we can turn things around and be competing for a flag within 2 years when Dangerfield, Walker, Sloane etc. are peaking. Things can turn very quickly. You need only look at Port to see that.

In my opinion, this is the core group upon which we build our next assault.

Brown Talia Henderson
Smith Otten van Berlo
Sloane M.Crouch Grigg
Lynch Walker Douglas
Betts Jenkins Cameron

Jacobs Dangerfield B.Crouch

A prediction of our list for 2015 (in order of how I rate them in their position).

Small/Medium Forwards: Betts Cameron Wright Atkins Spina*
Key Forwards: Walker Jenkins Podsiadly^
Inside Mids: Dangerfield B.Crouch Thompson^ Douglas van Berlo Kerridge M.Crouch Grigg Lyons Ellis-Yolmen
Outside Mids: Smith Sloane Mackay Knight
Small/Medium Defenders: Brown Laird Reilly^ Battersby* Kelly*
Key Defenders: Talia Hartigan Siggins
Utilities: Lynch Otten Henderson Shaw
Ruck: Jacobs Osborn*

Delisted/Retired: Rutten Porplyzia Graham Petrenko McKernan Johnston (possibly Martin, L.Thompson and Jaensch)
Trade Bait/Free Agent: Wright Lyons Mackay

^ Players in their final year
Bold Elite or A graders
Green Potential to be elite or A graders
Red Trade bait
* Rookies
 

BobaFett

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Outside midfielder with a good kick, Key defender, Ruckmen.

These are the three types we need at the draft, I don't know who you are, but hopefully our recruiting manager has a particular set of skills, and will find you
 

potatoe

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The reality of our list
3. We have far too many rookie listed players on our list. The rookie draft will occasionally unearth a gem like a Rutten or Bock, but the reality is most players are rookie listed because they are vanilla players with no weapons, have some serious deficiencies (poor kicking, slow) or have a desirable attribute (height). Our current list contains the following players who were rookie listed either by us or their former club: Rutten, Jacobs, Podsiadly, Porplyzia, Jenkins, Henderson, Hartigan, Jaensch, Martin, L.Thompson, Wright, Laird, Cameron and Petrenko. That is roughly 1/3 of our squad.
I disagree with this point but only because of your logic; this article may change your perspective: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/rookie-list-proves-fruitful-for-swans-20130821-2sa1t.html
 
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