'We'd love to have him': Swans on youngster - AFL.com.au
Mills weighs into the Blakey discussion.
He certainly looked very comfortable around the younger players at the preseason match I saw. It would only be a crazy bid that we�d rejecy I�d say. If matching pick 1 or 2 meant we�d give up picks 18, 23 and 36 then we�d probably have to think it through.
I�m sure the swans have a system in place where they objectively rate him and try and make a rational decision re any matching
Our trading Sam Murray in the last trade period seems to be working out well all round. Murray is flourishing at the Pies (won the most recent Rising Star nom) but not so much as to devalue their second round pick for us (Pies, happily, are languishing at 14th place on the ladder - quite acceptable for the purposes of the value of their 2nd round pick ).
Interesting to note that Murray explained his reasons for leaving was that he was stuck behind too many good defenders like Smith, Macca, Mills. These quotes from https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/04/...lliant-bucks/:
�Sydney had been successful for a number of years�the people that play on the back flanks and back pockets at Sydney are well and truly established AFL footballers, blokes like (Jarrad) McVeigh, Nick Smith, Callum Mills and the like,� said Murray.
�Those blokes were obviously holding me back (but) at the same time they taught me a lot about my footy.
�The program they have got at Sydney is second-to-none, they�re unreal with their development of players but at the same time, for me it was about biding my time.
�I was lucky enough that I got a bit of exposure in the NEAFL and then I got over to Collingwood, which was great.�
Interestingly, the Magpies chief recruiter, Derek Hine, echoes Murray's praise for Swans development program Man from the Murray a Rising Star - collingwoodfc.com.au where he says:
Hine says it was more than just his pace that made him a trade target.
�It wasn�t only in the way that he was playing, but it was his defensive mechanisms, his confidence � he basically took to it like a duck to water.
�That, combined with being in such a good system with the Swans, who are so professional, really gave us the confidence to chase him and chase him hard.
This (a) confirms what we already know, namely that the Swans coaching and development staff are pretty much the best in the business; and (b) suggests that the quality of our coaching and development gives us a return, not only with the Swans players performing better on the field, but also at the trade table by getting us a deservedly good return for a player on our rookie list.
- - - Updated - - -
FWIW, I reckon we'll get Blakey and not Lynch (neither of them). And that will do us just fine.
Agreed. Great post by bloodspirit.
We've got a few decent players that are possible delistings this year, like Robinson, Marsh, Rose and Foote (who looked really good in the reserves game until he got injured). All could perhaps find a home somewhere else and continue their careers. It's great advertising for our program and players by Murray and Collingwood. I think we'll get more recruiters looking at our NEAFL games, which helps both us and our players.
Murray accurately expresses the circumstances of his transfer to Collingwood. It shows it really was a win-win situation. Good luck to him.
If Nick Blakey can elevate his game to be as high as say pick 3, and he nominates us, and we are premiers, we'll match, it will cost our first and the Pies second, probably no more. You don't get the chance to be premiers and still have pick 3! But expect Eddie's face to be beetroot colour - yet again!!
My contribution to the #TomMitchellDebate is a question:
When the Swans play the Hawks should we sacrifice one of Kennedy / Parker / Hannebery / Heeney to tag him (assuming that it would be an effective tag)?
I'm really intrigued by following Blakey this year. From what I've read on this year's draft crop, he is more likely in the 8 - 20 range. If he ends up in the top 5, he will have had a super year given the top end talent already being spoken about. IF, he ends up choosing us as his preferred club via the academy, I really can't see us not matching regardless of where he is bid on.
As long as it�s not a clearly ridiclous bid we have to match but in this day and age clubs really can�t afford to do that, especially with a kid that is a genuine flight risk. Adelaide have two first rounders and I could see them trying to bundle them up with a future first rounder to get their hands on Lukosius as he is an Adelaide boy
Is Blakey the next Bont ?
Are they equivalent at same age ?
How skinny and tall was the bont for a midfielder!!
https://youtu.be/RSfIZWQt48c
Bookmarks