This fourth part of the six-part series comprises five players that the Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles and Western Bulldogs could least afford to lose in season 2021 plus a pre-draft honourable mention.
Sydney Swans
The Swans will be looking to take positives into 2021. They will be looking to improve on missing the finals. If they are to be in the reckoning for the eight, they’ll need all of these players fit and firing.
Honourable mention: Lance Franklin
Buddy will be a pivotal part of the Sydney system and structure as he is expected to fit for Round 1 for 2021. Expect him to draw defenders and other Swans forwards to profit from Franklin’s presence in the forward line.
5. Jordan Dawson
He’s an impressive utility who can play on a wing, in the back pocket, in the forward line or as an impact player off the interchange bench. Expect 2021 to be a good season for him as he has plenty of potential.
4. Isaac Heeney
Heeney was a big loss for the Swans for the majority of 2020 due to injury. He will be played predominantly on a half-forward flank and should make Sydney a formidable opposition if they feature in the finals.
3. Luke Parker
He’s a leader and one of Sydney’s most important players. He finished second in the Swans 2020 best and fairest for a reason – he had a good, consistent season. Expect him to be a pivotal player once again in 2021 should they play to their optimum level.
2. Tom Papley
Papley is unstoppable when at his best. He finished third in the Sydney best and fairest in 2020 despite being the only Swans player in the All Australian squad of 40. He should be integral in deciding whether the Swans are successful in 2021.
1. Dane Rampe
He was a bit of a barometer in 2020. He played only 11 matches, but four of Sydney’s five wins came when he was in the side, and he finished fourth in the Swans best and fairest. Expect him to lead from the front to put Sydney into the mix for the final in 2021.
Dane Rampe (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
West Coast Eagles
The Eagles will want to duplicate the way they played in 2020 for the 2021 season, albeit with some improvements.
Honourable mention: Alex Witherden
He’ll be an important part of the West Coast Eagles back six if 2020 is any indication. In the six games he featured in for Brisbane in 2020 he averaged the third most disposals of any Lions player. Expect him to make the Lions decision to trade a regretful one, as he should be an important part of the Eagles best 22 in 2021.
5. Brad Sheppard
He was named in the back pocket of the All Australian team in 2020. Expect him to replicate the form in 2021. He’s moved on from being an average player to one the Eagles could least afford to lose.
4. Andrew Gaff
Gaff finished second in the West Coast 2020 best and fairest. He was in exceptional form for the Eagles and was a part of the 2020 All Australian squad of 40. He should be an important part of the Eagles team in 2021 should they go deeper in the finals.
3. Jeremy McGovern
He’s the best key defender the Eagles have. At his best, when fit and available for all of the games, he is undisputedly the best centre halfback in the competition and a key part of the West Coast structure.
2. Liam Ryan
Ryan had a good season in 2020. He finished sixth in the West Coast best and fairest and was named in the 2020 All Australian team in the forward pocket. Expect him to be an imperative part of the side in 2021.
1. Nic Naitanui
Naitanui is widely renowned as the best ruckman in the competition – indeed he was the ruckman in the 2020 All Australian team and won the West Coast Eagles best and fairest in the same season. That’s why he is the player that the Eagles could least afford to lose in 2021.
Nic Naitanui (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bullldogs will want to better than they were in 2020, which is to say they should aime to finish in the top four and be in the mix for the premiership.
Honourable mention: Adam Treloar
He averaged the most disposals of any player in the AFL in 2020. Expect him to have less pressure on him in 2021 than he had in 2020. He can be used on the wing or in the midfield. He should be a surprise packet for the Western Bulldogs. Put simply, he can play instinctively as he is unlikely to get tagged. He’ll have a good season, which is depressing from the perspective of a Collingwood supporter!
5. Lachie Hunter
Hunter came ninth in the Bulldogs best and fairest playing just ten of 18 games. The Bulldogs are a better team with him in it.
4. Tim English
Expect him to improve in 2021 and have less pressure on him in the ruck given the recruitment of Stefan Martin from the Brisbane Lions. English will be an imperative part of the Western Bulldogs if they are to taste the ultimate success in 2021, as he can take contested marks and has a good work rate.
3. Jack Macrae
He was named in the All Australian team in 2020 on the wing. He will prove why he should be considered as an elite player of the competition in 2021.
2. Caleb Daniel
He was one of the best players in the competition in 2020 and was named on the interchange bench in the All Australian team. Expect Daniel to prove that his selection in the All Australian team was warranted by being a consistent performer in 2021.
1. Marcus Bontempelli
Bontempelli was named on a half-forward flank of the All Australian team in 2020. He has the capability to play as a forward or as a midfielder and has the opportunity to show why he is one of the best leaders in the competition in 2021. He may well lift the premiership cup if the Bulldogs can play to their potential.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Much the same way that two midgets in a trench coat qualify as tall.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Bulldogs: 1. Hazem el Masri....oh wait wrong bulldogs.
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Mate, Nic can't cover the ground thats a fact, he won't win a premiership medal and has a used by date, are you suggesting he will get better with age?
Scott
Guest
I will entertain this cause now I’m waiting on a job. Naitanui was listed as the 2nd most effective player and most effective eagle on the ground in that game vs Carlton. He was 0.1 behind Zac Fisher as the most effective player on the ground, even on reduced minutes. Dekoning was listed as the 2nd worst player on the ground. https://twitter.com/AFLPlayerRating/status/1292372563650215936/photo/1 AFLCA votes for Round 11 10 Dom Sheed (WCE) 8 Nic Naitanui (WCE) 6 Zac Fisher (CARL) 2 Elliot Yeo (WCE) 2 Liam Jones (CARL) 1 Patrick Cripps (CARL) 1 Tim Kelly (WCE) From the match report on afl.com Nic Naitanui (41 hitouts and seven clearances) was again dominant in the ruck, allowing the Eagles to win the midfield battle comfortably. BEST West Coast: Sheed, Naitanui, Yeo, Kelly, Duggan, Gaff Carlton: Fisher, Jones, Kennedy, Murphy, Setterfield, Walsh You can also watch every single touch Dekoning had in that game on YouTube. He had 5 possessions but only 3 whilst playing on Naitanui. All his hit outs came against Allen and Darling (he is 12cm taller then Darling), the only hit out he won vs Nicnat was a boundary throw in that landed short, he dropped 3 marks and one of his possessions was a handball directly over the boundary that resulted in deliberate out of bounds. If dekoning ran Nic Nat off his feet in this game then I suppose maybe nicnat is just too slow. He must also be too short to play AFL and needs to learn how to jump higher
Scott
Guest
Slow??? Ok this isn’t real any more. I’m done
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Nic couldn't keep up with the young kid in the game don't worry about the fact he was up against a teenager, Nic is slow, full of injuries and have never play a game out.
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Correct, wonderful fella can play, but hasn't really ever played a 4 quarter game.
Scott
Guest
Just read this comment properly, De Koning what in the flying f*#@ are you on about. Do you mean the game where Dekoning won only one hitout vs Naitanui whilst Nicnat had 44 for the game and 7 clearances? Or was it De Konings 3 clangers from 5 possessions he ran him off his feet with???
sven
Roar Rookie
not that his career is finished but unfortunately nic nat may be another one of those blokes who looked like they couldve been anything but never really got to show all their ability due to injuries
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Nic will never be, I just don't rate a guy like Nic as a 4 quarter player, yeah has a awesome 5 mins a quarter Paul Salmon would ruck one week all day then kick 10 goals the following, Justin Madden kicked the goal in the 1995 premiership that closed the door on Geelong, Carl Ditterich maybe one of the best players ever to play.
sven
Roar Rookie
according to champion data weagles have 15 ? players rated 'elite' im told, well to me any system that comes up with ratings like that has some flaws too, this is a team that has won one final in the last 2 seasons, hardly elite performance
sven
Roar Rookie
ha ha love how u slipped shaun grigg in there, yes he is indeed a premiership "ruckman"
Scott
Guest
You lost me at Stefan Martin. I’m guessing you play fantasy? As Martin scores well in that and has a good stat sheet on paper. Check the champion data player ratings for how good a player is, they punish mistakes. Every injury free season Nic Nat plays he is number 1 ruckman for effect on the game. He was the 2nd best player in the comp this year behind Cristian Petracca on champion data. Martin is never top 10 in Ruckman on champion data because he doesnt help his team win games. Gawn and Grundy are always high on the ratings but they get flogged every time they go up against Naitanui.
Cracka
Roar Rookie
these guys can play all 4 quarters week in and out, most would have a premiership medal as well. John Nicholls Don Scott Paul Salmon Len Thompson Dempsey Alan Gale Sam Jacobs Stefan Martin Simon Madden Justin Madden Dean Cox Noel Teasdale Graham Farmer Roy Wright Denis Cordner Jim Stynes Carl Ditterich Barry Round Shaun Rehn John Barnes Dean Brogan Toby Nakervis S.Grigg
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Watched a young kid run him off his feet in De Koning, a player that plays for 5 mins a quarter can't be considered a great player, yes he can do some great things but that is different to being a great player, I wouldn't rate Nic in my best 20 ruckmen maybe not even in the top 30, they wouldn't even let Nic carry Dean Coxes boots. But thats my opinion.
Scott
Guest
Nic Nat is easily the best ruckman in the game. Watch the 1st half of his game vs Gawn in round 1 of last year. It was the most Gawn has been or ever will be beaten in a game. He didn’t even win a possession or hit out until Nicnat went to the bench. 2 of his 1st 3 hit outs he won were bad bounces that Naitanui couldn’t get to and Naitanui literally roved 2 of them himself. Nicnat was then on reduced minutes in the 2nd half. Even just watch the 1st 10 minutes on Kayo if you have the time.
Thepiewoman
Roar Rookie
In regards to Collingwood...... I agree with your picks but what an indictment on Collingwood that Grundy, “ the Million Dollar a year man” isn’t on the list. He had better pull his sock up this year.
2dogz
Roar Rookie
Sounds like that 2 dogs bloke, I miss him dearly
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
If Naughton plays, he gets the best defender defending him, which should free up Bruce and perhaps English can sneak forward, with Stefan Martin in the ruck, which will be a positive for the team. The first three players from the Western Bulldogs were all in the All Australian final 22 in Season 2020. English is still the number one ruckman for the Western Bulldogs. Lachie Hunter is a star and Treloar averaged the most disposals of anyone in the competition. Sorry I couldn't fit Naughton in, but you made a valid point.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Thanks for your feedback. Sorry I wouldn’t have a clue about the Treloar situation, just think he is a big loss, but the Western Bulldogs are my second favourite team anyway!