2020 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

**Blood Fever** · 23rd September 2020, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by giant

I see Serong, a player many pundits had us selecting at pick 5 last year, won the best first year player. There is much positivity around Stephens here, and he's obviously a talented kid - but arguably, Serong might have been our third best midfielder already if we'd selected him. Beetson, who gets so many draft selections right, seems to get way too cute when it comes to the (non-academy) first round picks - dare I say it, Stephens has the whiff of Paddy Vezpremi about him. God I hope that's not how it plays out.

Stephens was excellent v Cats and will be at least the equal of Serong when he gets stronger. He was selected because of our need for speed and elite kicking. McInerney the same. Serong is very good but didn't fit our needs as well. Simple really. Vezpremi comparison bewilders me.

**Ludwig** · 23rd September 2020, 10:28 AM

An article on the AFL website about small forwards in demand has Ben Ronke as someone who could be one of those. I've been against delisting Ronke, mainly because I think he's too good to be delisted, but I think trading Ronke would be a good move. With Papley staying, we are loaded up with small forwards: Taylor, Gray, Foot. I don't have any of these in our best 22.

A third round pick would seem fair to me.

**dejavoodoo44** · 23rd September 2020, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Ludwig

An article on the AFL website about small forwards in demand has Ben Ronke as someone who could be one of those. I've been against delisting Ronke, mainly because I think he's too good to be delisted, but I think trading Ronke would be a good move. With Papley staying, we are loaded up with small forwards: Taylor, Graya, Foot. I don't have any of these in our best 22.

A third round pick would seem fair to me.

I would leap at a third round pick. I wonder if Hawthorn may have a slightly inflated view of his worth, as his 7 goal game was against them? Their third rounder might be really helpful, when we attempt to minimize how much we go into deficit next year.

There's also Wicks as a small forward, who sticks tackles more than Ronke, and Gulden, who was played

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...as a small forward. Although I prefer him as a midfielder, they might want to ease him into the squad.

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Originally Posted by dejavoodoo44

I would leap at a third round pick. I wonder if Hawthorn may have a slightly inflated view of his worth, as his 7 goal game was against them? Their third rounder might be really helpful, when we attempt to minimize how much we go into deficit next year.

There's also Wicks as a small forward, who sticks tackles more than Ronke, and Gulden, who was played

- - - Updated - - -

...as a small forward. Although I prefer him as a midfielder, they might want to ease him into the squad.

Of course, 'helpful' and 'Hawthorn' never really go together in my mind.

**Thunder Shaker** · 23rd September 2020, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by mcs

Everyone is absolute entitled to their opinion. But can I please see this post bookmarked for future reference.

Stephens will be a jet in time - certainly way in front of Vezpremi already. Last few games really started to show what he can do.

A lot of people are willing to make judgments based on so few games about players. Surely as a swans fan, where many times great patience with players has led to great rewards should highlight that first indications are not always a good indicator of long term outcomes with players.

Recruiters are much better at their job than a club's fans. That's why they are working as recruiters and the club's fans are not.

Recruiters are not always going to get it right, but they would have a better success rate at recruiting than individual club fans would.

**stevoswan** · 23rd September 2020, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by giant

I see Serong, a player many pundits had us selecting at pick 5 last year, won the best first year player. There is much positivity around Stephens here, and he's obviously a talented kid - but arguably, Serong might have been our third best midfielder already if we'd selected him. Beetson, who gets so many draft selections right, seems to get way too cute when it comes to the (non-academy) first round picks - dare I say it, Stephens has the whiff of Paddy Vezpremi about him. God I hope that's not how it plays out.

What a strange thing to say......did Vezpremi even get a game? Stephens has already shown that he is way above Vezpremi.

On Serong, we should get in his ear in the near future. If he had barracked for Hawthorn, the Vic journo's would already be writing things like "when the Hawks lure Serong back to Victoria to bolster their midfield, ect". Although with Freo seemingly on the rise......luring him to NSW may be a challenge. We need to thrash them next year!

**707** · 23rd September 2020, 01:17 PM

Correct, how much has anyone on here actually seen of potential draftees every year? We all just go on the thumbnail highlights packages and write ups to form an opinion.

Ever noticed how when you read a potential "Top 20" Phantom draft that every player seems so desirable? Then they get in the system, a couple become stars (not necessarily the suggested top picks) a few are duds, and the rest are very good to just role players.

That's where the recruiters who watch heaps of games live, watch hundreds more games on video and hone down to what players can do, what will translate to AFL senior level, what faults are coachable out and what faults are terminal.

In KB & Dalrymple we trust. Hopefully three elite kickers this draft :-)

**stevoswan** · 23rd September 2020, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Auntie.Gerald

For me there are several areas that can make a huge difference either way to our trajectory next 3 years

Id like to put coaching on the table as one area to add to greater success........my suggestion is starting the year 2022:

We have come 15th and 15th the last two seasons. Yes we have tended to play a one on one style of footy this year which makes it very difficult for a young team to win. Yes this style of accountability and development generally leads to greater experience and ability down the line, especially when key players come back into our team like Bud, Heeney, Hewett, Rampe.

Yet I think a coach swap for season 2022 ie Geelongs Chris Scott for John Longmire would be an amazing move by the Swans. Nothing to loose and only to gain with a coach like Scott and his success and acumen.

They have both coached almost identical amount of games in AFL. Scott 44yrs of age and Longmire 49yrs of age

Scott has lead Geelong to 9 finals appearances in 10 seasons. 160 wins from 232 games = 69% win rate

Scotts win-rate of 69 per cent is the best of any coach to ever lead a club in 100-plus games plus he was the equal youngest coach to win a GF in his first year coaching.

Johnny Longmire 144 wins from 235 games = 61%

Geelongs ability to recruit on the run, blood 10 new debutants in 2012 and similar in other seasons has been remarkable when it comes to making finals footy almost every year.

Both longmire and scott are under contract until 2022/23.

Both clubs could benefit, both clubs are going through a rebuild in some ways again. The Cats a fair few debutants last year and us a lot this year last year. Both clubs are about to loose super star players next year, year after etc so will have similar list challenges.

Is this an early April 1st post?

**Auntie.Gerald** · 23rd September 2020, 02:00 PM

having or showing an attitude of patronising superiority?

**Markwebbos** · 23rd September 2020, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by stevoswan

What a strange thing to say......did Vezpremi even get a game? Stephens has already shown that he is way above Vezpremi.

On Serong, we should get in his ear in the near future. If he had barracked for Hawthorn, the Vic journo's would already be writing things like "when the Hawks lure Serong back to Victoria to bolster their midfield, ect". Although with Freo seemingly on the rise......luring him to NSW may be a challenge. We need to thrash them next year!

Maybe he can ask to “go home” to Sydney in the style of Zac Williams?

**SwanSand** · 23rd September 2020, 02:03 PM

Just counted how many first and second round drafted players are there on other teams. Of Course not drafted by the team they are playing currently at.
Richmond have 20 first and second round players and West Coast 24. Again not all of these players are regular in the team. Richmond have 3 not playing in the main team yet on a regular basis and West Coast have nearly 8.
Besides these Richmond have atleast 6-8 players outside these 20 who are regular players in the team. West Coast have 6 - 8 players outside these in the team on a regular basis (either 3rd round picks or Rookies etc).

On the other hand, We have 16 first and second round players on our list but unfortunately our players fall into the three categories -
Too old and not on park - Buddy Franklin
Too Young - Dylan Stephens and Will Gould
Or Recycled from other teams and not necessarily great players - Ryan Clarke, Lewis Taylor, Jackson Thurlow.

So if we go by just draft or great players in their age group - We need to accumulate players over next 3 - 4 years to be at the level of Richmond or West Coast Eagles. Many will come through our Draft and then specific targeting.

Eg - Maybe if Geelong is interested in Crouch and getting him, we could target Charlie Constable or maybe even Cooper Stephens (drafted last year)