Just wanted to extend my welcome and best wishes to Tom. I'm hoping his best footy is yet to come and he'll thrive being the big man in the middle of the park. Let's hope our mids win more clearances off his tap work.
Just wanted to extend my welcome and best wishes to Tom. I'm hoping his best footy is yet to come and he'll thrive being the big man in the middle of the park. Let's hope our mids win more clearances off his tap work.
The second ruck is either Hickey or Sinclair. Take your choice. We will only play one of them on a given day, so Reid becomes the relief ruckman during the game.
Both Amartey and McLean are primarily forwards who can back up in the ruck. Amartey has shown a greater ability to play a decent undersized ruckman, but wouldn't expect that he will ever be a #1 choice. So if Amartey makes the senior team he will have to do it as a forward/relief ruckman.
It's hard to project into the future for both Amartey and McLean, as well as many other young players, due to the lack of competitive game time they were afforded this year.
Absurd situation. I assume the AFLPA won’t accept what the AFL wants to do on list size and salary cap. I am not criticising the Association for that - but the AFL should have got a deal agreed before the trade period opened.
Clubs are making decisions in a vacuum of information and players out of contract have no idea of their career future.
Welcome Tom. No pressure 😃.
Will be cheering you on in 2021 and beyond.
Ruckman are late to mature, so providing his body holds together, he should be as good as he'll ever be over the next 2-3 years.
In depth interview of Tom Hickey by Phil Davis: The eco ruckman - Tom Hickey - The Phil Davis Podcast - ABC Radio. Worth a listen if you can spare the time. If you have less time, I would suggest the second half is more worth listening to. If you have lots of time there are various other podcasts in the series with AFL players (including Tony Armstrong, Eddie Betts, Jeremy Cameron, Adam Treloar) and other athletes (e.g. Nathan Lyon) that look interesting.
The main points I took from it:
* Hickey enjoys mentoring the younger kids. He preaches stopping to smell the roses, not worrying about mistakes and focusing on what you're good at.
* He felt really welcomed arriving at Sydney, more so than at West Coast, particularly by the older players who he described as being in a smaller minority compared to the youth at the club and needing friends (he mentioned 6 older players - I take these to be Buddy, Joey, Sinclair, Rampe, Reid and maybe Parker)
* When we recruited him, he was our second choice but our first choice was unavailable (he didn't say who but I'm guessing Ladhams). GWS were also interested in him but he was also second choice for them (after Brayden Preuss).
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Thanks for the link! What a great interview with Hickey. He seems really grounded. It's clear he loves his family. Also love how he talked about the rationale for each move and how now, he takes the time to remind himself how privileged he is to play footy. I love Phil Davis' well-wishes-parting-comment about the Swans in September. He's a class act too.
I know this is preaching to the converted, but how much of a surprise packet has Hickey been this year.
Matt Rendell has him at number 3, there’s been talk he might make the AA squad of 40
Rendell names the best ruckmen in the AFL this year
I’m looking forward to him battling Darcy with two working legs this week
In the Hick of it: Why resurgent ruckman nearly pulled the pin
Tom Hickey is enjoying a stellar season on the field, but nearly left Sydney's hub mid-season
"Unbelievable!" -- Nick Davis leaves his mark on the 2005 semi final
This makes what he's done this year that much more admirable. Having been to 4 clubs and to say this has been his favourite year so far in the AFL says a lot about what's building at the Swans.
His partner is just as admirable, what an absolute champion! Would've been completely reasonable to just insist that Tom come home.
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