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Joined November 2013
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The very young Swans looked very young last round and are now very very young.
Frankly, I think we (the Swans) are going to get absolutely slaughtered tonight, as the sheer volume of debutants/inexperienced players (like Florent, who looked undersized at times last week) is unable to be ignored.
Dogs by 40 points.
Western Bulldogs vs Sydney: Friday Night Forecast
Hard to argue with any of this Isabelle. Mark Waugh I’d argue is the worst offender in the ‘hopelessly conflicted’ ranks, and his Thunder bias is overwhelming, and it’s a blight on Ten’s forecast.
Fans deserve better than cricket's conflicted commentary teams
Apparently the club is less than impressed by his late call to be traded.
Had a poor finals series, and with Sam Reid coming back he can see it would be more NEAFL time on the cards.
Don’t be surprised to see him hang around though.
The delisted free agency period and pre-season draft: Who could be on offer?
Sky look unbeatable don’t they! The only thing they have to worry about is Froome crashing late in the race. That’s it. Otherwise the race is for Sky to lose.
Eight key questions for the Tour de France from the Criterium du Dauphine
Big fan of that Chaves smile. A big week of hills ahead and if he can continue that sort of climbing form I can’t see much stopping him for that podium. Question will be whether it will be Nibali or the big Dutchman on the top step. I’m thinking Nibs still…
'Aussie' Esteban Chaves on track for Giro podium after winning Queen Stage
Definitely a good opportunity for Ewan, particularly the first week of flatness. As you point out, the question will be how long he can hang in after that…
Giro d'Italia 2016 preview series: Sprinters still don't rate it like the Tour de France
Excellent Ronan. You’ve hit on a sentiment that so many of us hold – the constant disappointment with Warne for never quite growing up.
What’s even more frustrating is how sharp a cricket brain Warne has (as shown while commentating), just to remind that he’s not a dullard.
Not a dullard, just a showmen desperately lookig for the last bright spots of the spotlight, (and doing it disgracefully).
Shane Warne is my idol no longer
A fair assessment and about where I expect the Swans to finish too (complete with a loss in the first, maybe second week of finals).
Only one point of disagreement and that’s the suggestion that there isn’t much depth beyond the best 22 listed. I’d argue that there is a load of (young) talent coming through behind them but they’re very raw – like Papley, Hewett and Robinson.
It’s not given much attention but Sydney are actually in the midst of a mini rebuild, with a list that has gone from being one of the most experienced to now below average (from 5th to 10th in games played).
Given that superstars-in-waiting like Heeney and Mills are literally teenagers, the longer term future looks quite solid. Expect a few lean (at the fringes of the 8) seasons in the meantime though.
AFL preview series: Sydney Swans
Sounds like a plan.
No question that the current rookie system is clunky, particularly the elevation process. Scrapping it altogether though, without a commensurate push towards youth contracts, is not the way forward.
The Grima Rule: Let AFL clubs sign players whenever they like
Rookie is just a classification, true, but one that comes with it the promise that a club doesn’t have to pay them much.
That’s the whole point though – if clubs draft state players then they have to pay them at the minimum player wage (much higher than the rookie wage). Also, just half of the rookie wage counts toward the salary cap, so in effect you can get three rookies for the price of one state league player.
It’s all about the money money money…
The Grima Rule: Let AFL clubs sign players whenever they like
Good work as ever Ryan.
As mwm touched on above, there is a glaring issue with abolishing rookies – it disincentivises clubs to choose fringe youth players, and could make the whole league unintentionally older.
The attraction of rookies (at present) is that they’re a very easy bet for a club. They don’t cost much, and the two year window means that if they don’t work out you only have to wear it for two seasons. Done.
In turn, if a rookie does work out you’ve got yourself talent at minimal cost (compared to say the full draft) – and the club just elevates them.
But if there are no rookies – and the base wage is much higher – then the attraction of untried youth is considerably lower. Why pay an immature, undersized 18yr old a decent wage when you can convince an older player (perhaps) to stick around for another season and get considerably more output?
As it stands, the requirements of maintaining a fixed squad, complete with requisite rookies, means that each club is forced to turn over their list each year, a process that subtly ensures a constant push for youth that is league-wide.
But remove the rookie requirements and you remove the impetus to chase youth (aside from the absolute cream), a process that would unequivocally lead to an older league.
There is much not to like about the current rookie rules, but the one thing they do offer is a pathway for youth to enter straight into the AFL system.
On the flipside, abolishing rookies could encourage more emphasis on state leagues, as this would be the only way for kids to get noticed. Again, that would push the league average age up, as players are not going to get noticed in state leagues unless they’re smashing it – which isn’t going to happen if you’re an undersized 18yr old.
This could be a good thing in time, as it would make the pathway to AFL act more like a representative system rather than influenced by the ‘long term bet’ philosophy of rookies and the rookie draft.
But could it also just make AFL more like cricket, where (in the national side at least) no one gets a game until they’re 30 and then they only get 4-5 years of service before their body falls apart?
The Grima Rule: Let AFL clubs sign players whenever they like
Poor form guys. This is clearly advertorial and should be labelled as such
Reaching the peak: How a Big Bash League player returns to the top of their game
I was surprised by Evans’ commentary too – he was much more involving than expected.
King Kennaugh ends Australian domination on the Ocean Road
It’s an attempt to challenge the sporting public but it mainly just comes across as a rather amateurish poke at Hewitt to make a point.
A modicum less snide personal attacks would make this article much more credible…
Bye, Lleyton. Thanks for the validation
Feel better now that you’ve got that snark out of your system Ben?
Bye, Lleyton. Thanks for the validation
Agreed. Siddle is said to be struggling with a for complaint so this seems like a very practical move. That said the forecast for Sydney’s weather suggests the whole week will be a washout anyway…
Sun: Late showers
Mon: Rain
Tues: Showers
Wed: Showers
Thurs: Possible showers
Stoinis the man to replace Mitch Marsh
Woah. Picks 3 and 10 this year to Melbourne for pick 6 and 2016 first round. WTF?
Are the Gold Coast Suns rebuilding?
Ditto. Great read. Love hearing the inside story.
A day with IAM Cycling on the Arctic Race of Norway
So. Excited. As ever with the tour it is the subplots that make it fun – will Quintana look middling and then blow everyone away in the Alps? Will Froomey freak out in rainy Belgium/northern France (again)? Can Sagan top the weight of Tinkoff’s expectations?
So much to look forward to!
Why the route could make the 2015 Tour the best in recent memory
Well put Kate.
I can’t see the point in excluding reformed dopers either – it’s highly likely that they (I’m talking about O’Grady or David Millar for example) can offer more as educators about the dangers of doping than anything else.
Stuart O'Grady, cycling and punishment
I sadly only saw highlights. This footage is just incredible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvd6mmuQttA
Every bump feels like pain
7 conclusions from the Tour of Flanders
The on bike footage from the back of the peleton up the cobbles is amazing. Brutally hard.
7 conclusions from the Tour of Flanders
Future second round for a contracted player when the midfield is already looking depleted? Yeah Swans aren’t going to go for that. Especially now that Tippett’s salary will only tip a little into 2019. They’ll want two second rounders at minimum.
Is Dan the man? Struggling Swan makes surprising sense for St Kilda