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Thread: 2018 Swans Academy Thread

  1. #1

    2018 Swans Academy Thread

    All the talk on here re the Academy this year is currently centred on Nick Blakey.

    Which is all well and good but there's surely some other kids there too. I don't know a lot about the Academy but I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on how it looks at the moment.

    * Of the 2018 grade who is likely to be in Allies contention? Any draftable (even as a rookie) below that?
    * General comments about how the academy is evolving
    * Any good kids coming through in 2019?

  2. #2
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    Swans chat Recruitment 2019

    There are some comments on Blakey and others in this thread.

  3. #3
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    Is that rugby wonder-kid who was written up as a coup for the Swans (a year or so ago) still with the academy?
    Those who have the greatest power to hurt us are those we love.

  4. #4
    The academy is ticking along nicely. My understanding is that this years group is a little lean except for Blakey and one other whose name I can�t remember. Next years group is stronger with some higher level draft picks.
    Last weekend the top end did their combine and interviews with other clubs. I think there were reps from Geelong, Brisbane and some other clubs interviewing some of the players.
    This Friday between at 5pm at lakeside the top end academy team is playing the swans neafl team. There have been 8 or 9 under 19 academy kids training and playing with the senior squad all pre season so whilst it will be a bit one sided it should be a good experience. I am not sure if Blakey will play but as far as I know he is not injured. If he plays it would be a good time to check him out against quality opposition.
    The academy team then has a couple of trials before the academy series kicks off in a couple of weeks. Given the relative strengths of the age groups expect a lot of underagers to be in the team.
    Expect Blakey, Wicks, Flanagan, Stewart, Rogers, Stern to get a run in the allies. Some of the other over agers like carrol played last year and so are unlikely to go again.
    The swans academy remains low key in terms of promoting kids to other clubs. This is in contrast with Brisbane who do lots of promotion, and get more kids drafted.

  5. #5
    The 2019 squad formed the under 16 NSW team last year that was about two thirds swans academy to one third giants so you would imagine it is a relatively strong year.

  6. #6
    This years under 18 squad has been greatly reduced from last years under 17 group but its worth remembering last year they only played 1 "real" game versus the Giants under 17's and beat them by more than 10 goals.

  7. #7
    I'd like to see more NSW/Sydney kids on the Swans list. I think a realistic KPI would be for one kid a year from Sydney to be added to the senior list either from the draft or a rookie upgrade. That would get us 12/13 or a third of the list.

    Presently I think we have 8 (Rampe, Jack, Heeney, Mills, Naismith, Foote, McVeigh, Robinson) and two rookies (Bell and Brown) so it's not unrealistic. More would be better

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by The Big Cat View Post
    Is that rugby wonder-kid who was written up as a coup for the Swans (a year or so ago) still with the academy?
    I believe that he has gone back to tugby but I'm sure someone will confirm this.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Papernick View Post
    I'd like to see more NSW/Sydney kids on the Swans list. I think a realistic KPI would be for one kid a year from Sydney to be added to the senior list either from the draft or a rookie upgrade. That would get us 12/13 or a third of the list.

    Presently I think we have 8 (Rampe, Jack, Heeney, Mills, Naismith, Foote, McVeigh, Robinson) and two rookies (Bell and Brown) so it's not unrealistic. More would be better
    Harry Cunningham, from Wagga, is another. Which makes 11 - pretty close to your target.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Papernick View Post
    I'd like to see more NSW/Sydney kids on the Swans list. I think a realistic KPI would be for one kid a year from Sydney to be added to the senior list either from the draft or a rookie upgrade. That would get us 12/13 or a third of the list.

    Presently I think we have 8 (Rampe, Jack, Heeney, Mills, Naismith, Foote, McVeigh, Robinson) and two rookies (Bell and Brown) so it's not unrealistic. More would be better
    I think, compared with other states, the Swans retention rate is pretty good. Not many gun players want to leave unless it�s for better opportunities or because we are delisting them. Compared with the SA/WA/Qld clubs and perhaps a lesser extent GWS, our interstate recruits seem happy. While having local products is good, I�d always prefer the best available talent. Course Mills and Heeney we can have our cake and eat it too

  11. #11
    Joey Reinhart is a Ben Brown look-alike from the picture on the Swans website.

  12. #12
    The future talent will be on show over next day or so. Best of the 18's tonight v swans neafl and 16's and 18's intraclub tomorrow morning.

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