Tom Swift

[AnyDanger]

Interested to hear people thoughts on what will become of Tom Swift. 1 of the highest rated juniors in the country as 16 year old before injury crueled him. Hes currently on the outer and its going to be make or break over the next year or 2 for him. From what ive heard he started reasonably in the WAFL this year and you still feel theres a star in him somewhere.

How Longs he got?
Will he/we look for a trade?
Is he going to end up a story of what could have been?

 

[WCE_Phill]

In his third season and at times shown really good things. But unfortunantly, i have a feeling he could be a "what could have been player" I'll give him another season or two to make my final decision on him

Alot of pressure on spots our team with majority around the same age.

Competing with Sheuy, Masten, Scooter, Priddis, Gaff, Rich ;p

 

[tonywce23]

really needs to bulk up i think

 

[Mattman93]

The kid's good. Will be one of our prime midfielders in the coming years, barring injury of course.

Unless of course, you know, we keep playing the likes of McGinnity ahead of him.

 

[Masto]

Tom Swift and Koby Stevens in the WAFL. Still no elite outside runners. Blame our recruiters for having tunnel vision. Watch us go for Daniel Rich when quite clearly we need Stephen Hill or Lewis Jetta.

 

[lloydbraun]

He'll be better than Judd I reckon, in fact I'd go even further than that and say he'll be worse than Judd.

 

[Bacchus]

really needs to bulk up i think

Yes, I agree with this strongly. Read an interview a while back with Swift (on WC website I think) where he was asked about bulking up, putting on weight. Swift gave some response like it's more about "gaining strength than mass" but I think in AFL it's both. I think if he's got some false idea about getting stronger without upping his weight then he's kidding himself and killing his own development as an AFL player, but you'd think the conditioning staff would set him straight on this.

 

[pantskyle]

Is Swifty trade bait material?

Swift plus pick for Rich? Would Sheedy bite?
What's he's current contract status?

Personally I like him as a footballer and hope that he find's that form but the clock is ticking. If he keep's getting surpassed then I doubt he will want to stay around.

 

[Jimmy_the_Gent]

It's a little bit worrying that he didn't improve in his 2nd year and that he's healthy now but not getting a run before Gaff, Hams and a few others who have less hype then Swift or should be further behind due to age.

Someone can correct me if he's had an interrupted pre-season.

 

[paran]

Honestly, from his debut season to now he really seems to have lost a bit of toe and manueverability. I suspect our idiot training staff have mede him lose his short-stepping run and than has adversely affected his rhythm, speed and agility. He's also very down on confidence. I hope he recovers what he had in that first season, because those were rare qualities he exhibited and the team would profit from them.

 

[Be Aggressive]

Needs a bit of mongrel to stay in the team, he is no rookie anymore. Everyone in the team are tackling like animals at the moment - I need to see that from Tom before I slot him in the 22. He has huge potential, but needs some urgency and aggression.

 

[justweedon]

To be honest i still think he's gonna be a star and prob our to two mid's in the next two-three years. The Kids got the work ethic, skills and build to make it. The main issue is his awareness problems (getting caught with the ball etc). The only way i think that he can get that back is by being given the licence to take anyone whos anyone on when he has the ball in matches and practice, judd style or even 16 year old swift style. He'll get smashed, but it'll give him a better indication of what his body will allow him to do. Start him off in the ressies, 1sts then our starting mid.
This seems to be his main problem atm, if this can be rectified......brownlow?

 

[The Dodger]

It is difficult with Swift.
I understand that "you have to earn your spot to get a game" mentality, and think that it is justified in 99% of cases.
Swift strikes me as the exception. He looks like one of those players that needs to get games consistently at the top level to show anything.
As with his holding the ball and generally being unaware, IMO that is not understanding the tempo, and no amount of games at the WAFL level will let him understand the tempo required.
I think he needs a string of games at the top level without injury to see his best.
We saw what he can do in '09 when he could string games together.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Haven't really noticed him since 2009, almost like Daniel Rich

 

[WCErevival]

He's just growing into his neck. He'll be fine soon.

 

[Ochre]

15 posts without anyone mentioning his hair?

Bigfooty, I am disappoint.

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

Disposal is horrible, worse than Curly Pube Rat Mullet's disposal

 

[Mattman93]

Disposal is horrible, worse than Curly Pube Rat Mullet's disposal

His disposal isn't that bad, but it is very inconsistent. Capable of some sound kicking displays, and when he's 'on' disposal-wise, his natural attacking mindset and creative abilities make him very damaging.

 

[wce4premiership]

For those wafl watchers out there, how has he been (don't want to look up stats as that isn't the whole story)

 

[adagio]

IMO all he needs is added strength - especially in his legs and through the core.

One big thing that makes Judd and Ablett look so good is that strength they have through the hips - Shuey naturally has that too.

It gives them the licence to be attacking and creative, because when they do get caught they're strong enough to stand up in a tackle and still dish the ball off to a team mate running past.

Once Swift has this strength he'll be right, but he's probably still a year or two off having it. Everything else is there. Patience people.

 

[wcesam]

IMO all he needs is added strength - especially in his legs and through the core.

One big thing that makes Judd and Ablett look so good is that strength they have through the hips - Shuey naturally has that too.

It gives them the licence to be attacking and creative, because when they do get caught they're strong enough to stand up in a tackle and still dish the ball off to a team mate running past.

Once Swift has this strength he'll be right, but he's probably still a year or two off having it. Everything else is there. Patience people.

That would help, but in 09 his main strengths were his composure in packs, his burst of pace and also good strength in the contest. Not much sign of this lately.. especially the pace.

 

[WCE_phil]

That would help, but in 09 his main strengths were his composure in packs, his burst of pace and also good strength in the contest. Not much sign of this lately.. especially the pace.

Not just to this post but to quite a few of you. How much strength do you think would be lost in the abdomen and for how long after having muscles cut to get an appendix out?

(from what i was told it wasn't the easiest of extractions either. Not claiming to be 100% right or know for certain just what was brought up over a coffee with someone.)

 

[bodazoka]

I agree with the strength and size thing, he will end up being a very good sized midfielder with a couple more pre-seasons.

Most of our 2008 kids still need allot of work physically/aerobically though JoJo, Smith and Swift.

Kids from the same draft from round 2 onwards:

Melbourne: Blease (0), Strauss (2), Bennell (37), Bail (12)
Port Adelaide: Trengove (21), Broadbent (16), Banner (10), Redden (0)
Brisbane: Redden (34), Banfield (24), Cornelius (6)
Richmond: Post (14)

Average of 14.5 Games pp
Shuey (8), Swift (23), Smith (8), JoJo (2)

So as far as games played he is well ahead of the curve and seems to have the capacity to be a decent player.

 

[shoe]

Won't make it, and unlike other posters on this board i've never really been convinced that he would.

Predicting delist end of 2012.

I will be ecstatic to be proven wrong.

 

[Masto]

Won't make it, and unlike other posters on this board i've never really been convinced that he would.

Predicting delist end of 2012.

I will be ecstatic to be proven wrong.

He'll make it for sure and with his height will prove a valuable commodity down the track. I'm not sure he will ever be a star but even if he is only a Joel Corey clone that is good enough.