Sydney
Coach – John Longmire
2020 –
Points For – 15th
Points Against –12th
Top 5 Best and Fairest
- Jack Lloyd
- Luke Parker
- Tom Papley
- Dean Rampe
- Harry Cunningham
2020 Rising Star Noms
Justin Mcinerney (Rnd 15)
Ins – Logan McDonald, Braeden Campbell, Errol Gulden, Malachy Carruthers, Tom Hickey
Outs – Aliir Aliir, Zac Foot, Michael Knoll, Jack Maibaum, Harry Reynolds, Brady Rowles, Ryley Stoddart, Elijah Taylor, Jackson Thurlow
My Prediction
The general consensus amongst those who know much more than me is that the Swans are crushing a rebuild and are set for bigger things in the shorter term. I am not sure if this is based in fact or relying on muscle memory which has rarely seen the current incarnation Swans outside the eight for any significant period.
The backline performed reasonably last year and looks like their strongest area. Rampe gets the big jobs and does them well, McCartin has come through and will continue to build. I think they will miss Aliir this year but Melican looks solid and they get drive from Lloyd, Dawson and Mills. Playing most of their games on the postage stamp SCG certainly helps their backline as does having a midfield not scared to work defensively.
Every time I think Kennedy is too beaten up to carry the team, we play them and he destroys us. They will need him this year. Parker is another one you would think needs to maintain what has been an incredible level of output again this year. Blakey will come through the midfield and they have good younger players coming up in Cunningham, Florent and Rowbottom. Heeney and Mills couldn’t certainly come through and relieve some of the pressure.
The forward line is set with the recruitment of McDonald who I think can have a pretty good impact in year one. I sit firmly in the camp that can’t believe North let him get to Sydney. Who knows what Franklin will deliver this year. He looks shot but you can’t write off a champion, he is another player likely to rip us to shreds. Papley is one of my favourite players to watch and an absolute gun. Throw in Heeney and Hayward and you have a pretty functional forward line albeit one with a young full forward and a broken centre half forward.
The rucks look a worry for mine with Hickey likely to step in as number one ruck and be supported by Sinclair. This would be close to the worse ruck division in football with the least amount of upside. Naismith may find his way back towards the end of the year but you wouldn’t want to rely on him with his history. There isn’t much we don’t know about Longmire. I think he had his chance to leave the Swans gracefully when the North job was available last year and I think he should have taken it. The game plan will always give them a chance but I think with their cattle he has some pretty big challenges ahead.
I don’t see the bounce coming next year, I don’t think it is coming any time soon as I would expect Parker and Kennedy to have a reducing output from this point forward and if Franklin was a racehorse, you would put him to stud. They have some bones to build around but there are hole in their line up that are really hard to look past. I think they will finish around the same range again next year. 14-16 for mine.