The Sydney Swans may have been the AFL’s unluckiest team last season, as a wonderful 16-win home-and-away season went to waste, bowing out of the finals with two straight losses.
In the Swans’ Round 20 win against Collingwood, their season took an ugly and unfortunate turn, as reigning club best and fairest Luke Parker went down to a broken leg.
From that point on, the injury bug made the SCG its home.
Co-captain Kieran Jack suffered a knee injury that ended his season, while bum hamstrings forced key defender Nick Smith and the versatile swingman Sam Reid to join Parker on the sidelines for the finals.
Parker, Jack, Smith and Reid are four of the Swans’ most proficient players, so one can almost excuse Sydney for having such a rough finals series, consisting of a nine-point loss to the Fremantle Dockers and a 26-point loss to North Melbourne.
As the book closes on 2015 and opens on 2016, the Swans are flying under the radar as the most underrated premiership contender this season.
Sydney did loss some experienced bodies over the off-season, as Adam Goodes, Mike Pyke and Rhyce Shaw all said goodbye to the game, while Lewis Jetta bolted to his hometown to join the West Coast Eagles.
While those guys will leave holes in the Swans line-up, the acquisitions of Callum Sinclair, Callum Mills and Michael Talia should help keep Sydney as one of the league’s strongest outfits.
Although, the Swans have x-factor in their best 22: Lance Franklin.
Franklin’s mental health issues were exposed during the finals series, and the Swans felt it was best for him to sit out the end of the season. While many criticised both Franklin and Sydney for that decision, it was absolutely the correct one. Mental health is as serious as it gets, and Franklin’s situation proved no one is immune.
Coming into 2016, Franklin should be mentally and physically fresh to get back to the form that earned him that monstrous $10 million contract. When he is healthy, no player in the AFL can match Franklin’s ability – he can change the game in a heartbeat. Whether it be from a 65-metre bomb off one step or an electrifying, tackle-breaking run down the middle leading to a goal, Franklin’s extraordinary skills on the football field are unmatched, and he should be back to his very best this season.
Best 22
B: Zak Jones, Ted Richards, Nick Smith
HB: Jarrad McVeigh, Heath Grundy, Dane Rampe
C: Kieran Jack, Josh Kennedy, Tom Mitchell
HF: Sam Reid, Lance Franklin, Issac Heeney
F: Ben McGlynn, Kurt Tippett, Gary Rohan
Foll: Callum Sinclair, Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker
INT: Callum Mills, Brandon Jack, Harry Cunningham, Dean Towers
MVP: Josh Kennedy
The 93-kilo bull in the Swans midfield, Kennedy once again raised his game to new heights last season. Already one of the AFL’s elite midfielders, Kennedy increased his averages to incredible levels last year, putting up an average of 30.5 disposals, 17.6 handballs, 12.8 kicks, 6.2 tackles and 3.1 marks per game.
Kennedy also ranked first in contested possessions and second in disposals, handballs and contested possessions, solidifying his rank as one of the AFL’s best, and there is no drop-off coming.
Future star: Callum Mills
Sydney’s top academy draft pick, Mills is set for superstardom. The 18-year-old fits right into the Swans’ system, as a hard-bodied, aggressive and in-and-under midfielder, who should slot right into Sydney’s best 22.
Mills possess good size, at 188 centimeters, which allows him to dominate in the middle of packs, and be a headache to deal with in the guts. He is also a tackling machine, sources saying he has already taken down Jarrad McVeigh in a training drill, proving Mills isn’t afraid to mix it up with the big boys.
Mills was one of the draft’s best talents and the Swans have a gem on their hands.
Make or break: Gary Rohan
The sixth pick in the 2009 national draft, Rohan has yet to live up to his potential.
Originally drafted as a defender, the Swans have transformed Rohan into a more forward-midfield type player. He has been in and out of the Swans’ best 22 and with Sydney possessing as much depth as ever, with the likes of Brandon Jack and Harry Cunningham coming through the forward line, Rohan will need a breakout 2016 season if he wishes to keep his spot secure.
Rohan averaged 11.1 disposals per game and kicked a mere 13 goals in 2015; if he wants to secure a spot playing more as a forward, he needs to provide the Swans with effective output.
blah
Guest
your thoughts on lloyd seem deluded. i refer to my observations above.
blah
Guest
jake lloyd is too slow for an exclusively outside player and his passing by foot is too safe. there is no way he will be in the team ahead of callum mills. whereas laidler was very good for sydney last year and will most likely be in their starting 22 for 2016.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Richards was cooked last year. Like Pav he is going around one year too many. Question is how do they replace Shaw & Jetta after already losing Malceski? Answer is they can't because they don't have an elite ball user with pace to play at half back which is essential in today's footy. They can play McVeigh back there but he is looking pretty close to cooked himself.
Don Freo
Guest
Only a bit. That bit is that they are similar in size.
RnR
Guest
McVeigh plays a bit like Craig Bradley - should have plenty left.
Antony Pincombe
Roar Rookie
he means in the sense that the injuries came either just before the finals or in the finals. In the end 6 players down against Norf. Brisbane and Gold coast probably would not have made the 4 anyway.
Antony Pincombe
Roar Rookie
Yes I'm a bit surprised that Talia was not included seeing we traded for him to play FB and free Teddy up as a third tall. Onto other things in the article. There is no way Lloydy will not be in the side. At this stage Mills is an unknown quantity. He played very little footy last year and is going to need match fitness to prove himself at AFL level. Maybe reserves to start with. Sam Reid (not Ben) will play CHF not Bud. bud I'm sure, after seeing footage of the intra match, will play more a roam where he wants role. Be like having Ryno with a boot. Jared McVegh is not 'one of the big boys' he is not a hard tackle in any ones language. If he were tackling Bud, Parks, Mitchell, Joey then yes.
Don Freo
Guest
Looks like a good team...as long as Grundy and Richards can maintain the pace. Talia should go past one of them. Rohan is a star...potential AA. He'll probably replace Jetta on a wing. Make or break, for me is Rampe. Very loose. The reserves look good and should go past McVeigh this year. (Mid-season retirement?)
Hyena
Guest
Interesting that you say "the acquisitions of Callum Sinclair, Callum Mills and Michael Talia should help keep Sydney as one of the league’s strongest outfits." yet Michael Talia is not in your 22. As mentioned above you have also missed Lloyd and Laidler who were consistent performers last year. With a few younger players also developing (Rose and Robinson) hopefully we have a bit of depth and this mini-slide is very small and we still play in the finals.
David C
Guest
Unluckiest team? GC and Brisbane were devastated with injuries last year.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Swans backline looks very very old, slow & shaky this year.
RnR
Guest
Tackling Jarred McVeigh (aka Captain Gumby) is taking on one of the big boys? More like a soft target if you ask me.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I read a piece last year on Jake Lloyd's training regime prior to becoming an AFL footballer - he may not be the most skillful player out there, but thanks to his old man lining up a brutal training program for him, he must be one of the fittest. Lot to like about his work ethic, hopefully he can cement a spot in the side over the next year or two.
Justin Edwards
Roar Rookie
Jeremy Laidler and Jake Lloyd missed 3 games between them in 2015, would have to think they'd be in the best 22! Definitely agree with you on Rohan, must lift this year
blah
Guest
rohan was not originally a defender. he played all his junior football as a forward. he was converted to a defender for a while after his leg injury.