Season 2018 - Sydney - Diggers.. come at him

Sydney

Coach – John Longmire

2017
Points For – 5th
Points Against –1st

Top 5 Best and Fairest

  1. Luke Parker
  2. Lance Franklin
  3. Jake Lloyd
  4. Josh Kennedy
  5. George Hewitt

2017 Rising Star Noms

Lewis Melican (Round 18)
Will Hayward (Round 23)

Ins – Matthew Ling, Tom McCartin, Ryley Stoddart, Angus Styles, Joel, Amartey, Alex Johnson, James Bell, Jake Brown

Outs – Brandon Jack, Tyrone Leonardis, Michael Talia, Alex Johnson, Sam Fisher, Jeremy Laidler, Shaun Edwards, Sam Murray

My Prediction

The whole competition thought maybe the Sydney reign was over last year. A month and half into the season and they had not registered a win. They came home well and despite a 10 goal touch up by Geelong signaled that they are not finished yet.

Calling the Swans the best performed defense in the competition may be statistically correct but their home ground being Auskick sized certainly makes that job easier. They have ample KP backs with Grundy, Melican and Rampe. Aliir Aliir looked real promising in 2016 and they will be hoping for more from him this year. Lloyd, Mills and Jones are capable as far as run off HB goes but they tend to play more conservatively than most teams.

The midfield is consistent. Kennedy is a beast when he is on his game, Heeney is showing signs that he will keep improving. There is improvement in Hannebury after not playing up to his own standards last year. They have Parker who they rated their best player last year. They get the job done and defensively they stand up but I think sometimes they lack creativity and run when the game is going against them.

The forward line is dangerous. Franklin must always be respected and there were games last year we he looked like he was going to explode. Reid will be really important if he can stay fit. The small forwards have really improved over the past season or so, Papley is a ripper and I think Florent will start to flourish this year. Rohan is unpredictable but really needs to show some more this year.

I didnt rate the rucks last year but Naismith was good and when he was called upon, Sinclair was good as well. Makes it hard to see where Tippett is going to find a spot in the team.

The Sydney list hasn’t really improved on last year. I am not sure they are a legitimate challenger. Their home ground advantage is huge and they play the ground so well. They are going to make the finals again and come September they will be dangerous but I dont think they have the team to sneak a premiership. I think 4-6 is about their range.

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Good summary.

What area of the ground was Dew coaching last season?
They’ve always been well coached. Be interesting to see if they can just plug and play another assistant

They’re still good… yawn

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I actually reckon this will be the year they drop off.

. . . . to 18th, of course

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Will be there and thereabouts again. Their 0-6 start cost them any chance of a top 4 spot. If they can finish top 4 you’d back them to go deep. Agree though re they haven’t made any off-season moves that make them better.

All I know is that it’s about time for some fkg payback.

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Oh yeah, I’m thinking Round 19, Friday 27/7 7.50pm Eithad Staduim for instance

This time…please…

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The AFL has a vested interest in Sydney teams doing well.

For this reason you will always see one or two Sydney teams in the top 8.

See COLA, Academies and the Tippett deal.

5th

To be fair, since Swans stole Franklin from GWS and embarrassed the AFL in the process, they had heavy temporary trading restrictions imposed, they’ve lost COLA and were brutalised by the umpires in the 2016 GF. I don’t think they’re the AFL’s pets as they were for the 15 or so preceding years.

If they ever began to struggle the AFL would have no qualms in stepping in.

Tippett retiring effective immediately wtf. Presumably Sydneys going to save lots of money, so they can pay Buddy without blowing the cap?

Swans Best 22.

B: Smith Aliir Grundy
HB: McVeigh Rampe Lloyd
C: Hannebery Kennedy Jones
HF: Jack Reid Hewett
F: Hayward Franklin Papley
R: Sinclair Parker Heeney
INT: Mills Newman Florent Rohan

EMG: Melican Towers Cunningham

Swans best 22 is still pretty strong, and young.
Rohan almost forced out after poor finals series and expect Hawayd and Florent to establish themselves more up forward so Rohan will hope for more midfield time or half back and use his pace. Mills moves into midfield roatation so starts on the bench. And surely Aliir gets groomed for the fullback role with Grundy nearing retirement. Rampe was the key to their defence though - when he went down they were beatable.
Also McVeigh must be in his last year and Horse doesnt mind kicking greats to the curb in there final years and languishing them in the ressies if their form drops off (Newman looks ready to take that spot).

If swans get injuries they lack a bit of depth. But who knows maybe they will discover another good kid.

Prediction1st - 4th They are still a top team and will be one of our big rivals next year.

Edit heard the Tippett retirement the other day thought it was BS. Scratch tippett add Sinclair to Ruck

Did Tippett get an injury or just decide he’s had enough?

Retiring during PS? Soft effort

Tippett gaawwwnn!!

Retiring effective immediately.

Actually it was retiring effective 3 years ago…

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Tippett was contracted for 3 more years according to the article on the AFL website!!! His manager must have been a genius to negotiate that. At what point in the last couple of years did anyone in the world think he was worth extending to 2020?

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At a guess they probably extended the last year of his previous deal to be pretty much the same amount of money but spread out over three years. Then when he retires from chronic shitness, sorry ankle issues, it’s less of a burden on their salary cap.

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Surely he is leaving Sydney to be closer to his family

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