Opinion
The Sydney Swans would be disappointed with the season that they had in 2019, finishing with eight wins, which left them languishing at 15th on the ladder.
Despite the fact they were disappointing, they still have some quality players to pick from, so selecting the ten players they can least afford to lose was more challenging than it looked.
10. Jake Lloyd
Lloyd finished seventh in the Sydney 2019 best and fairest. He featured in all 22 games during 2019, averaging an impressive 30.77 disposals and providing plenty of run out of defence.
9. Callum Mills
Mills finished fifth in the 2019 Sydney best and fairest. He’s also one of the five players part of the Swans leadership group for 2020. Expect Mills to have a good season playing on a halfback flank and providing plenty of run out of defence.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
8. Jordan Dawson
Dawson finished ninth in the 2019 Sydney best and fairest. He’s capable of playing a number of roles as a true utility. He averaged 18.8 disposals per game in the 20 matches he played in 2019. Expect him to improve his consistency in 2020.
7. Josh Kennedy
Kennedy finished in the top ten in the 2019 Swans best and fairest despite missing three games. He averaged an impressive 26.53 disposals per game in 2019. Kennedy was outstanding in Round 1. He is one of the three co-captains for the Swans, which shows how highly he’s regarded within the footy club.
6. Lance Franklin
Franklin averaged 2.7 goals per game in 2019. Despite his absence in Round 1 of 2020 due to injury, the Swans still got over the line against Adelaide – just. There’s still no hiding the fact Franklin is an important part of the Swans structure, and on top of that he’s been added to Sydney’s 2020 leadership group.
5. George Hewett
Hewett played every game, averaging 21.86 disposals a match in 2019. Hewett is an important part of the Swans midfield. Even though Sydney were languishing towards the bottom of the ladder, it’s a feather in Hewett’s cap that he finished second in their best and fairest.
4. Isaac Heeney
Heeney had a reasonable season in 2019, playing every game and kicking 26 goals. He finished sixth in the 2019 Sydney best and fairest. He averaged 20.05 disposals per game in 2019. He was instrumental in the Swans getting over the line in Round 1 by kicking four goals against the Crows in a best-on-ground display.
3. Tom Papley
Papley featured in every game Sydney played in 2019. He was the leading goal kicker for the Swans, with 37 goals. He finished fourth in the 2019 best and fairest. He’s dangerous, as he showed in the bushfire relief game, when he kicked five goals playing for the Victorian team. He’s a proven matchwinner.
2. Luke Parker
Parker had a good season in 2019, finishing third in the Sydney best and fairest count. Parker averaged 25.41 disposals per game, having featured in all 22 games. For 2020 he has the honour of being one of the three co-captains for the Swans, which will help him take his game to the next level, as he showed in Round 1.
1. Dane Rampe
Rampe will be one of three co-captains for the Swans in 2020, which shows he is held in high esteem by those within the footy club. Rampe was the only player from the Swans team selected in the 2019 All Australian squad of 40. He won the 2019 Sydney best and fairest despite missing one game. He continued on from the form he displayed in 2019 with a quality display in Round 1 of 2020.
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