Hmmmmmmm.Originally Posted by The Runner
Luke Parker certainly isn't playing like he's distracted by that. It's hard to imagine that we won't find a way to pay him.
As for Stephens - he doesn't really seem to have settled into the playing group. That draft is looking on the busty side, excepting Warner.
This is pure speculation on the part of this journalist. His last comment was “no one knows what the salary cap will be”, which is likely the true issue. With Parker there may be a difference in length of contract, but I can’t see the club letting him go, or him leaving just as we open another Premiership window. Gerard Healy’s advice to Adam Cerra is equally applicable to all our players too.
Partker would surely only leave if another team right at the top came in for him. He and his Mrs seem very settled in Sydney, and I'd be pretty suprised if he went anywhere.
Would not be suprised to see Stephens leave, and think he will make a good AFL player. But a bit of patience on his part would not be a bad thing either.
"You get the feeling that like Monty Python's Black Knight, the Swans would regard amputation as merely a flesh wound."
Certainly agree with the last sentence, which is kind of related to my comment about him not settling. To be fair, it's a tough draft class to settle - we've been travelling for two seasons in a row.
What we will never know about that draft class is how much COVID disrupted their development.
Some blokes jump into it, and Chad is likely one of those. Some take a bit more time and need time in reserves to develop and work on their game. Would Gould for example have come good by now with regular, week on week play? Dunno. Will he get there? Dunno.
But it’s certainly nothing like we’ve had before.
'Delicious' is a fun word to say
If Parker leaves we can forget premierships , we will be F'd
Panicky reaction to a journo who is short of stories and has proven to be wrong many times. Stephens is still a baby in AFL terms..
Geez mate, would you easy up?
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Tom Morris is an excellent journalist. He spoke about 4 Swans players and only made 2 errors about them. Stephens was a pick 5, not pick 4 as he said, and Parker is a RFA, not a UFA, as Morris stated. So you can tell that he's really looked deep into this issue.
That aside, Stephens didn't look happy sitting on the bench as the medical sub.
It\s been tough on the covid draftees, not getting into optimal training routines, games cancelled in the reserves, hub life and the like.
Ling might be in a similar headspace, losing 2 years to injury then going into covid mode.
With a lot of players injured last year, Stephens got to play 8 games and finished the season strongly. This year, with few injuries, he's had fewer chances and hasn't quite performed well enough to h old down a spot.
If we bring Melican in for Bell this week, or make no changes, which is not out of the question, there will be a lot of hopefuls not in the senior team: Warner, Rowbottom, Campbell, Stephens, Gould, O'Riordan, McDonald.
Our depth is too good. I hope we can make everyone happy, but the young players have to perform when they get their opportunities. That's going to be the same at every club.
Last edited by Ludwig; 2nd August 2021 at 11:28 PM.
Why are people surprised when they hear that Stephens is looking around for opportunities. A pick 5 from a football state didn’t get drafted to play reserves while less talanded players such as Bell and Wicks get senior opportunities ahead of him. I’m don’t need to hear about positional requirements.
He is a talented player, a high draft pick and you find a way to get him into the senior team to make things work. Someone called me absurd earlier. I think it’s absurd that down this stretch that Bell was in the senior team and Stephens was not.
Stephens also seems to be the most punished player on the Swans list for his mistakes while other players such as Rowbottom, Bell, Blakey and Wicks are afforded greater leeway.
Bell should never be picked ahead of Stephens, Im trying to forget about the fact we didny grab Serong who was a Swans fan.
All this talk about Bell crashing packs, avout 5 times he picked up the ball and got group tackled. Yes he wasnt holding the ball but offers nothing.
I reckon the last mo th has been 2 goals, 8 tackles and 30 possessions.
Stephens, would be a mainstay if he was given a month.
I hope its not Jed Lamb returns, we dropped him late in the year and he never played for us again
Parker is a critical player for us. Its not just his performances but also his leadership. Surely we can find enough in the Cap to hold onto him.
Dawson is another we must keep for his sheer talent and performances.
I can understand why Stephens may look for opportunities elsewhere. He has struggled to get senior games this season and when playing has struggled for impact.
George is a solid consistent, contributor. In our best team. However, I'm not sure we can pay him enough to keep him.
If we manage to hang onto the first two I will be happy. All four and I will be ecstatic.
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