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If you were just a casual follower of the game, you could be forgiven for thinking that Sydney champion Ryan O’Keefe dropped off the face of the Earth.
The 286-game midfielder is somewhere in football oblivion after falling out of favour with coach John Longmire at the start of the season.
It was a sharp decline that no one saw coming.
In 2013, O’Keefe played all 25 games for the Swans in a season that included career-best numbers in tackles, clearances and contested disposals. During the 2014 pre-season most people would have thought that O’Keefe would be an integral part of the Swans’ midfield.
But after playing the first four rounds of the season, O’Keefe has not been seen in the AFL since, forced to toil away in the NEAFL with the reserves side.
His form at NEAFL level has been superb, averaging well over 30 disposals for the season while posting high tackle numbers and influencing the scoreboard.
Yet still he appears to be miles off a recall into the AFL side, with Longmire opting to blood youngsters Jake Lloyd, Dean Towers and Harry Cunningham.
Although it appears that O’Keefe’s time at the Swans is fast approaching the end, he should not be ruled out just yet. O’Keefe is a quality player who stands up in big games.
If you need any proof of this, watch the replay of the 2012 premiership win against Hawthorn, when he claimed the Norm Smith Medal after collecting 28 disposals and a massive 15 tackles.
If the Swans happened to cop a few injuries to their engine room at this late stage of the season, I would look no further than O’Keefe. He adds plenty of experience and a hardened body, which can be invaluable come finals time.
Regardless of if that happens or not, his perseverance and professionalism this year has been commendable and I hope he finds a new home next season.
The decision to continue with his football will be up to him, but he still has plenty to offer for a club looking to top up their midfield experience or add leadership.
Follow Jackson on Twitter – @jclark182
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