Why keep Playfair?

[Corpuscles]

With all the trauma Henry has had, then the dedication to undergo surgery and persist regardless ...

...THEN

He obviously is someone the club thinks values , maybe because of a good attitude around the club?

IF... he can prove his body is right to play . He will be a good experienced ressie player to help the young ones, that is also a safety net if Swans 1sts were to lose key forwards.

Swans have enough young talent!... but not enough big body experienced KP forwards... especially in ressies.

 

[disgruntled goat]

youth overrated. heaps of kids go through the system without playing a game(especially rookies) we're still going to pick up 4 or so kids anyway. Playfair is servicable at AFL level and with the very last spot on the list he prolly will give us more then a kid would(especially in the short term, don't have alot of tall depth and the ones we have are kids who aren't going to instantly come in and be superstars)

Henry seems a nice bloke, and comes across well on radio. As for his prospects as a a Sydney player, I'd like to think we're looking beyond "serviceable" as the benchmark for our players, whether they're established players or new kids. That must be the overall goal.

But "serviceable" also surely applies to players who are fit and available to get on the park now and then, so Henry was not at all "serviceable" last season and at his age, with such a dodgy history, we're taking just as big a punt on picking him up again as we are on an unproven kid such as Panos.

 

[Dangas]

we took him as mature age rookie at no 10

 

[Hooley McBoob]

Hank's back!

 

[BIGBEZ]

He plays here in WA so I've seen a bit of him. Unfortunately he looks absolutely nothing like big Troy, has short dark hair and doesn't stand out from 10 miles away like the other Luffy.

He has definitely got his benefits, but was never going to be selected early in the draft as he doesn't set the house on fire. He isn't an attention drawing player, he goes about his role solidly and is a good negating defender. He reads the play fairly well, has a good work rate and seems to demonstrate good commitment. Has no worries about forcing a contest and will not shy away from the hard marking situations, he is "only" 190cm but Bolton isn't much taller than that, and Luff is quite decent overhead.

I have a preference for smart footballers with good work ethic rather than just being obsessed with the freak athletes, so in my opinion a player like Luff is worth a shot on the rookie list.

Pros: Name
Cons: Supports West Coast

I dont think my nerves will take it again if I hear the commentators say "and Luff gets the ball"...

 

[Dark Insanity]

Bangs head on table.

I wanted Panos.

 

[bloods01]

Looks like we want Playfair to play. We've passed with our next three picks. WTF?????

 

[bedford]

Yes wtf ?

 

[Swansujelly]

Bangs head on table.

I wanted Panos.

Agreed, the Bulldogs got him at 48, nice pick for them.. As if Playfair is in our best 22. Prove me worng Henry, prove me wrong.

 

[Dangas]

he may......then again

 

[barry fu]

The reason Hank The Hammy was kept on by the Swans was for insurance purposes in case Jenny McAsey went down with a large dose of paper cuts.

 

[whiteandred]

Great to see "H" get another chance

... he has worked his buns off to ensure that he would, and he showed enough when he first came up from the Cats (prior to his injuries) to suggest that he will be of value if he stays fit.

Our list has undertaken the biggest transformation in years ... losing an enormous number of experienced players, we would rarely have had so many kids genuinely challenging for senior selection in the past 10 years (we also still have 10 boys in the scholarship program)

Henry is also a mature, experienced and articulate individual who seems to be well respected by all ... something that is important to the decision makers at the Swans, and especially at a club that has undergone such a material change to it's composition.

Also, this year's draft was panned from day one as one of the shallowest talent pools in years ... so just how good are these "leftovers" that we didn't take, if they were overlooked by everyone else in the first place???

From all accounts the recruitment and coaching staff are over the moon with their results, and literally hit every target they had considered as impotant, and then some! ... after the "bottom out we had to have" last year, there should be some exciting times coming up (we might win a NAB cup game!)

 

[robbieando]

As if Playfair is in our best 22. Prove me worng Henry, prove me wrong.

Hard to be in the Best 22 when your on the Rookie List

Seriously some of the posts that have been made on this selection alone, amaze me when going in the Rookie Draft that we were ALWAYS going to redraft Playfair onto our Rookie List (and the same would of applied for Ablett) and we only had ONE "Live" Pick in the draft. We never were going to select anyone else, but some of you got so worked up at the prospect of some wizzbang young KPP Forward when we never once intended on doing it.

Hell if Ablett agreed to play on in 2010 via the Rookie List, we wouldn't of selected McNeil such was our indifference to this years Rookie Draft (and the fact we didn't think McNeil would fail to the Rookie Draft also, so I guess if that happened we would of made room for him). Also of note and this is a key reason one should consider when asking why we redrafted Playfair in the Rookie Draft is that the Swans like to have a senior player in the Reserves for most of the season to provide guidence, onfield direction and leadership.

It started with David Spriggs in 2005 moving into 2006, Luke Brennan in 2007 before Premiership stars like Ben Mathews in 2008 and Leo Barry was pegged for the role in last season but sadly injuries stopped him from forfilling the role. Luke Ablett quit because he didn't won't to forfill the role in 2010, while Playfair had no issues with the role. So Playfair is filling more than a backup, Key Forward position.

But overall, no one had a clue that we had only ONE "Live" Pick in Rookie Draft and just assumed that we would draft a young player before redrafting Playfair, well that couldn't be the case because of rule that allowed us to get McNeil, Gordon and the kid from the United Kingdom (look it up people, Londonderry IS IN Northern Ireland and therefore part of the UK), so which of those would you lot be happy to reject to get this KPP Forward we never looked at?

I know I'm happy with how the club handled the Rookie Draft. But I guess not everyone can be pleased....

 

[willingnable]

But overall, no one had a clue that we had only ONE "Live" Pick in Rookie Draft and just assumed that we would draft a young player before redrafting Playfair, well that couldn't be the case because of rule that allowed us to get McNeil, Gordon and the kid from the United Kingdom (look it up people, Londonderry IS IN Northern Ireland and therefore part of the UK), so which of those would you lot be happy to reject to get this KPP Forward we never looked at?

I know I'm happy with how the club handled the Rookie Draft. But I guess not everyone can be pleased....[/quote]



Yea lets rub that fact into the catholic kid (Chrissy McKaigue), its not like the catholic pop in northern ireland ever wanted to be an independent state.


Nevertheless next year promises to be an interesting one, especially in seeing how the new players fit into the side.

 

[goodesy37]

to make sure that if any swan gets injured they wont be alone

 

[bigswan]

There has to be a reason why Panos was rejected for so long and only taken as a rookie by a club desperate for tall forwards. I would prefer Palyfair every day of the week because i know what I am getting. Bring on the season. It will be an experience.

 

[strauchanie59]

NO! I can't believe we re-drafted him. If he gets injured again, that's it. But when he is fit he can be pretty good

 

[BarneyBent]

NO! I can't believe we re-drafted him. If he gets injured again, that's it. But when he is fit he can be pretty good

That's exactly why we put him on the rookie list. If he gets injured again, he's only on a one year contract, and he isn't taking up a place on the senior list. If he doesn't, he can be elevated and make use of the fact that when he is fit, he's a decent enough player.

 

[HardenUp]

He is a handy player in a structured fwd line and has proven his fitness and worth a gamble. Not a lot to lose.

We are seriously lacking KP backline depth with only two quality talls (6 and 30).

Has anyone considered him as a backman?

 

[RobbieK]

He is a handy player in a structured fwd line and has proven his fitness and worth a gamble. Not a lot to lose.

We are seriously lacking KP backline depth with only two quality talls (6 and 30).

Has anyone considered him as a backman?

I think he has the ability to play back if required.

I mean, we know he can be an ok performer at AFL level when fit. How many rookie listed players can you say that about? Not many.

If you look over our key defender stocks we have

Bolton (29)
LRT (26)
Richards (26)
Grundy (23)
Heath (18)
Reid (18)

We also have a number of medium/rebounding players - Mattner, Shaw, Malceski, Keneally. We have had a pretty small backline for the majority of the last decade, and it has been very succesful.

 

[vonn]

Playfairy would be a SHIT backmen. he gets pushed around enough in the forward line (correct me if im wrong, which btw im not) he goes down easier then a prostitute.

 

[MF]

Leo Barry was pegged for the role in last season but sadly injuries stopped him from forfilling the role.

Where did you hear this?

 

[bungee]

.... the kid from the United Kingdom (look it up people, Londonderry IS IN Northern Ireland and therefore part of the UK....

And the point is .... ?

He may live in the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland but the kid should correctly be referred to as Irish (or Northern Irish if you wish to sound pedantic), since Northern ireland is not part of Great Britain.

Referring to him as Irish is both geographically and racially accurate. National boundaries ebb and flow with war, politics and self-interest. You could just as easily make a case to call him 'that kid from Europe' given that the UK is a member state of a loosely federated Europe bound by common obligations to the Treaty of Lisbon and surviving its third world debt merely through supping milk from the teat of its powerful European neighbours.

I think 'Irish Kid' is much more apt. It's simple, self-explanatory and more accurately reflects his cultural background and heritage.

 

[DST]

That's exactly why we put him on the rookie list. If he gets injured again, he's only on a one year contract, and he isn't taking up a place on the senior list. If he doesn't, he can be elevated and make use of the fact that when he is fit, he's a decent enough player.

As we didn't list any outside vet's, we don't even have to elevate Playfair as we can select two rookies before the year starts who can play no matter what.

Playfair will be one of those, and will be handy KP forward or defender when we need cover at either end.

DST

 

[robbieando]

And the point is .... ?

He may live in the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland but the kid should correctly be referred to as Irish (or Northern Irish if you wish to sound pedantic), since Northern ireland is not part of Great Britain.

you left out Ulsterman....(but I won't go so far as to call him British as its clear he isn't Prodestant and therefore I don't want to insult him and any of my fellow Catholics)

Referring to him as Irish is both geographically and racially accurate.

In terms of him coming from the island of Ireland. But heck, lets not get his home "country" mix up with that of Tadhg's because there is a clear difference between the two regardless of the fact its all the same island except for a border which splits the South into a Republic and the North into a Prodestant majority which is largely controlled by the British out of London (same goes for Scotland and Wales and yet don't see them setting off bombs)

National boundaries ebb and flow with war, politics and self-interest. You could just as easily make a case to call him 'that kid from Europe' given that the UK is a member state of a loosely federated Europe bound by common obligations to the Treaty of Lisbon and surviving its third world debt merely through supping milk from the teat of its powerful European neighbours.

Stupid call. He is from Northern Ireland and that much should be stated because he isn't from the Republic.

I think 'Irish Kid' is much more apt. It's simple, self-explanatory and more accurately reflects his cultural background and heritage.

I think its dumbing down to the crowd. When he plays (hopefully with Tadhg) we should see as many Ulster Banners as Tricolours show off the where he is from. He isn't from the Republic, but Ulster and that has just as much cultural background and heritage that should be respected by NOT dumbing down by being so simple as saying "yep, they are all Irish and from Ireland".