Thanks SeanM, real reports of training are always appreciated and keenly looked forward to
Much appreciated Sean
I was curious when we drafted Rankin if we would use him as a more mercurial small forward or a play making HBF like say a Lloyd.
Probably the players that I would love to get an update on soon is Roberts vs Sheldrick - ie my sense was that Matty Roberts looked more to have the game awareness of a Snr team player. Dependable to not break the link in the transitions and make smart decisions. But Gus may have a little more mongrel hunting for truffles ?
Roberts played most of last season in the senior South Adelaide SANFL side so should be well advanced. I think he'll prove to be a smart recruiting decision.
Gut feel but i reckon Corey warner wont make it , reminds me of Leonardis a bit . Hope he proves me wrong and if he works hard enough he can , god knows Leonardis didn 't
Not sure about Rankin either , going to need to put a lot of meat on , looks tiny and not in a Gulden way
Good to see a nice piece in The Age today (won't link as it seems to stuff up threads) on young guns poised to rise in 2022, with JMac singled out as the Swan to watch.
I've said before that I think based on performance, he's the clubhouse leader of our 22yo-and-under players, with maybe McCartin next. They make the point his numbers rose further when he went into defence later in the year as part of the juggle involving he who shall not be named, Blakey's injury, etc.
But for me: he's an All-Australian winger in the makings and should start there.
It's not that he can't do a job in defence. He can, because everything he does is terrific and we even saw in the match against Essendon he can go into the centre square and make a big contribution. And our players are becoming more flexible, and we're a better team for it. I just think his best will come from starting as a winger.
Anyway, he started to get some kudos from astute footy types last year, and let's hope his rise continues.
'Delicious' is a fun word to say
I am also dubious about Corey without really being able to articulate my reasons. (Pretty sure I have already mentioned more than once that I would have preferred we drafted someone like Arlo Draper.) I am suspicious about how much winning the loyalty of the Warners was a factor - it was referenced as a relevant but not key consideration in an interview - I think by KB but I can't remember now.
I think Rankin is not close to ready for AFL now and so it is necessarily a bit speculative but I am optimistic for him.
I agree that Matty Roberts seems closest to being ready to play AFL and I was calling for us to draft him pre-draft (potentially even with our first pick!). He has been one of the top players in his age cohort for years and slipped quite a long way on draft night. He was consistently rated top 20 across a lot of pre-draft rankings and form guides and had been considered top 10 if not top 5 at certain stages. He already has significant senior experience and is quite versatile, which will help him to get a debut. I think Sheldrick ultimately deserved to be picked ahead of Roberts and looks evenmore promising but perhaps not quite as ready to go. Still, even assuming I'm right, Gus could still overtake Roberts and beat him to a debut.
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BTW, SeanM can you reconfirm that it was yesterday (Wednesday) you watched training. According to the club website the club trained at Lakeside on Tuesday as well and it seems surprising they would have trained there three consecutive days when normally they only train there on alternative days.
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Warner, a hard-running and smooth-moving wingman, recorded the best standing vertical jump result (76cm) of any prospects around the country, while he finished second in the running vertical jump (100cm), sixth in the 2km time trial (6:20) and eighth in the 20m sprint (2.969 seconds).
Not sure I agree with your assessment. He is a superb athlete and has footy smarts. Every chance he will make it.
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We have them where we want them, everything is going according to plan!
I don't see the point in deciding - or announcing - that any young player will or won't make it before we've seen anything of them at AFL level. Especially that they won't.
Numbers tell us that fewer than half of players drafted will carve out a decent career, but, right now, they haven't even stepped up to the starting line.
What we do know is that at the Swans it doesn't matter whether you were the first player picked or the last, you will be given every opportunity if you earn it.
Great point Liz
And the weirdest thing in sport is timing
Kirky couldnt have better fallen on his feet when he came back to the swans the (3rd time) to get on the Snr list......this time style of footy and the coach couldn't have been more suited to what he could offer as a player.
Eade wanted none of it years prior.
Sport and life is so often a web of happenings rather than just a single event.
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