Sydney superstar Lance Franklin is just five goals away from the magical 1000 barrier. Photo: AFL MEDIA
SYDNEY
2021 record: 15 wins, 8 losses (7th)
THE INS
Peter Ladhams (Port Adelaide), Paddy McCartin (Sydney VFL), Angus Sheldrick (Claremont), Matthew Roberts (South Adelaide), Corey Warner (East Fremantle), Lachlan Rankin (Oakleigh Chargers)
THE OUTS
Jordan Dawson (Adelaide), George Hewett (Carlton), Sam Gray (delisted), Kaiden Brand (delisted), Matthew Ling (delisted), Malachy Carruthers (delisted)
THE STRENGTHS
The Swans recovered from a rare hiccup in their modern history to return to the finals last year. For the first time since the dark old days of the early-mid 90s, Sydney missed the finals in back-to-back years in 2019-20, but after their 2021 season, they look like a power on the rise again. They have quickly rejuvenated their team with an exciting batch of youngsters featuring the likes of Errol Gulden, Justin McInerney, James Rowbottom, Sam Wicks, Chad Warner, Hayden McLean, Braeden Campbell and Logan McDonald, who are all 23 or younger. They joined already-established younger players Nick Blakey, Tom McCartin, Will Hayward, Oliver Florent, Callum Mills, Tom Papley and Isaac Heeney (all aged 22-25) to help catapult the Swans up the ladder last year. And they continued to go hard at that age demographic in the off-season with impressive former Port Adelaide ruckman Peter Ladhams who is still only 24. And with a stellar old guard comprising of Lance Franklin, Luke Parker, Tom Hickey, Dane Rampe, Josh Kennedy, Jake Lloyd and Harry Cunningham, the Swans look like they’re in very good shape this season. A big key to Sydney’s dramatic improvement was their control of the footy, ranked fourth for disposals and second for marks on differentials in 2021. Thanks largely to Franklin (51 goals), Papley (43), Heeney (36) and Hayward (28), the Swans had the third best attack in the AFL last year. That same quartet also played a big part in the Swans not only ending up fifth for marks inside 50, but also being one of the most efficient teams in the competition by being ranked second for goals per forward entry. But they couldn’t achieve that without a powerhouse on-ball division with the likes of Parker, Florent, Mills and Kennedy helping small forwards Gulden and Papley catapult them to fifth in the league for total inside 50s. They also had the No.6 ranked defence with Rampe, McCartin, Blakey, Lloyd, Cunningham and Robbie Fox all producing very good seasons. Most years, 15 wins would be a ticket to the top four, but so tight was the pointy end of the ladder last year that they missed out on a double chance by percentage.
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THE WEAKNESSES
And their tough luck at finishing the home-and-away season in sixth position was compounded brutally when upstart local rivals GWS knocked them out of the finals series by one point in an epic elimination final down in Tasmania. Despite absolutely dominating the final quarter and restricting the Giants to a solitary behind, Sydney choked hard, booting a woeful 2.7 and their wild inaccuracy prevented them from moving to the semi-finals. The last six scores of the game were Sydney behinds, and they finished with 19 more inside 50s – two facts that must still haunt John Longmire’s men, not to mention GWS is now 3-0 against the Swans in finals. After kicking a goal once every four inside 50s during the home-and-away season, that figure nosedived to 15 per cent against GWS. Suffice to say, conversion under the intense heat of finals pressure would’ve been a massive focus over the summer months. The Swans were also 2-3 in games decided by less than a kick. While they scored stirring wins against Essendon (three points) and Geelong (two), losses to GWS (two) and Fremantle (two) probably cost them a top-four spot in the end. That Round 5 defeat to the Giants was especially costly considering the Swans led by 15 points at three-quarter time. Surprisingly the Swans, famous for their contested, in-and-under brand of footy for most of Longmire’s reign, came in 11th for both contested possessions and clearances on differentials last season. No doubt those two areas would have been honed in on by the Sydney coaching staff this pre-season. The losses of Jordan Dawson (Adelaide) and George Hewett (Carlton) are significant, but the Swans will back themselves to ensure they’re not too keenly felt.
ONE TO WATCH
Florent’s gradual ascent on the path to stardom continued last year as the youngster played every game in what was his best year to date. But at 23, and with Kennedy and Parker entering the twilight phase of their careers, the time is right for Florent to really step up and become one of Sydney’s best midfielders. He averaged 19 disposals last year and the aim for him should be to bump that figure up to 25 like Mills (28) did last year.
UNDER THE PUMP
Sam Reid endured yet another injury-ravaged season last year, managing just 10 games before being dropped after Round 22 and never to be seen again for the 2021 campaign. In his last four years, he’s only managed 43 games – 22 of those coming in one year (2019). He signed a new one-year deal for 2022, but with fellow key forwards McLean, McDonald and probably even Joel Amartey now ahead of him in the pecking order, extending his stay at the Swans into 2023 will be a challenge.
BEST 23
B: Jake Lloyd, Dane Rampe, Robbie Fox
HB: Nick Blakey, Tom McCartin, Harry Cunningham
C: Oliver Florent, Josh Kennedy, Justin McInerney
HF: Errol Gulden, Hayden McLean, Isaac Heeney
F: Tom Papley, Lance Franklin, Will Hayward
R: Tom Hickey, Luke Parker, Callum Mills
Inter: Peter Ladhams, Sam Wicks, James Rowbottom, Chad Warner, Braeden Campbell
Emerg: Logan McDonald, Lewis Melican, Sam Reid
McDonald is an exciting prospect but he was dropped after Round 13 and didn’t play another game last year. For now McLean is slightly ahead of him and the inclusion of Ladhams, who can pinch-hit up forward, not only gives Longmire extra flexibility, but the chance to make McDonald earn his spot back in the side. Fox beats out Lewis Melican for the third key defender position for the moment. The Swans have some decent depth with Dylan Stephens, Colin O’Riordan, Callum Sinclair, Amartey and even Paddy McCartin in the ranks. But unfortunately for ruckman Sam Naismith, his wretched run with knee injuries has continued and is unlikely to feature this year. He hasn’t played since Round 4, 2020.
Pretty good best 23 BUT:
1. No way will Fox be best 22. I expect Paddy McCartin to take his place. However I think Melican is also in front of Fox subject to regaining his fitness post-injury (and noting he missed last week’s practice match).
2. I think Stephens is in front of Campbell. However both could play given injuries may see Mills and Papley miss round 1. In that scenario I think one of the new draftees (Roberts or Sheldrick) could sneak in as the 23rd player.
3. It’s a close call between McLean and McDonald. Hopefully McDonald will be in front by the end of the season if not before – because he has a higher ceiling than McDonald and we need him to develop towards his potential.