Traded #26 Luke Parker

[Kennedy Parker]

Luke Parker
Luke Parker

26

Luke Parker

Age

32

Ht

183cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.2

5star

K

12.6

5star

HB

11.6

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.8

5star

D

22.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

9.9

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

5.0

5star

CL

5.5

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

8.0

5star

CL

5.2

5star

has plenty of football ahead and has already compiled a resume packed with impressive achievements. Since landing at the Sydney Swans via the 2010 AFL Draft, he has won a 2012 premiership medal, earned All Australian selection and won two Bob Skilton medals. In 2015, he was added to the club’s leadership group at the age of just 22, and has led the team as a co-captain alongside Josh Kennedy and Dane Rampe

24

Dane Rampe

Age

34

Ht

187cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.0

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

2.5

4star

MG

358.8

5star

D

14.1

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.1

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

284.5

4star

D

10.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.4

4star

since 2019. While Parker is among the league’s elite midfielders, his strong marking and expert game awareness make him a genuine threat when rotating through the forward line.

Luke Parker

26

Luke Parker

Age

32

Ht

183cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.2

5star

K

12.6

5star

HB

11.6

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.8

5star

D

22.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

9.9

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

5.0

5star

CL

5.5

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

8.0

5star

CL

5.2

5star

DOB: 25 October 1992
DEBUT: 2011
DRAFT: #40, 2010 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Langwarrin (Vic)/Dandenong U18

Luke Parker | AFL

Follow Luke Parker's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[TasSixer]

Gonna suck watching him play his 300th for North.

 

[bedford]

Gonna suck watching him play his 300th for North.

Don't watch

 

[KingV23]

Hopefully he plays his 300th in Melbourne. I'll go.

 

[bedford]

Still the best 26 is Stevie Wright

 

[Mister B]

Don't watch

Lol. It's Norf. Nobody does, including their own supporters.

 

[SSwans2011]

Difference being Macrae is basically only able to play one role in the seniors and Beveridge has pushed a lot of players out, for better or worse. Not entirely sure it's the best comparison to make to justify the club's stance.

It was more a general point that its not abnormal for a once gun player to find themselves on the fringes when the game style that the club wants to play becomes less compatible with what they have to offer. I don't think the treatment of Macrae at the Bulldogs has been disrespectful either.

When Parker became available, Wicks was ordinary to invisible most weeks and Taylor was a solid contributor at best. At that point in time, telling a 250 game club champion and former captain to sit tight in the VFL behind a bloke in his first year playing the same position but worse, and another who was dropped for alienating the playing group off the field while offering little on it was insulting.

I said that at the time.

What has happened since simply reinforces how poor that decision was. I don't agree at all that Parker looked as poor as the other 2 in the finals. Given the negating role he was assigned he was still more productive than Wicks and about on par with Adams. In the time he spent in each of those roles through the second half of the year he performed significantly better than Adams or Wicks did when playing them exclusively. When he went forward he marked and goaled often when Wicks did neither, and when he was thrown into the middle, he tackled, won contested ball and went inside 50 more efficiently than Adams.

Parker was quite simply better than both Adams and Wicks across the course of the season when available and should have been playing ahead of them.

I would imagine that in any selection debate surrounding Wicks and Parker, the coaches would have been more concerned about the broader consequences, rather than who offers more on an individual level. Wicks is much quicker and is therefore able to cover far more ground than Parker which creates far more space and chaos forward of the ball. Wicks' form did drop off to such an extent that they had to drop him, but I don't think they wanted to because he's not at all a like-for-like swap for Parker or Adams.

Though I was for Parker or Adams taking that final spot in the finals, I would now say that was a bust and we would have been better off with Cleary there. I'm not certain Cleary will be ahead of Wicks next year, for the reasons I mentioned above, I think an in-form Wicks still has an important role to play in our forward line (not complaining if Cleary takes that spot though). I also think it's a bit unfair to bring up the off-field stuff given we know so little about it and our best form of the season came after Wicks came back into the side, so I'm not sure how "alienated" his teammates really were.

As for Parker vs Adams, you make it sound like it was an obvious choice based on their returns this year and I just don't see it that way. Both had some really strong games and both had some really average games. If anything, I'd say the coaches have been vindicated in not changing a winning set-up because ultimately it made bugger all difference.

in fact, look at their stats - Parker and Adams were about as productive as one another this season:

Luke Parker and Taylor Adams AFL Stats Comparison

Luke Parker and Taylor Adams AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

Sure Parker scored more goals, but he also played deeper which leaves less space for our other forwards (or even our midfielders when charging forward). I'm still not convinced our team is better with him in it than Adams, but I don't think it makes a huge difference either way, and would go with someone quicker next season.

I was one of those at the end of last season that was of the opinion that Parker had to be played as a forward this year, so his VFL form wasn't overly relevant to me as a midfielder, and Adams was playing that role well enough in a team that was playing really well, so I personally have just consistently failed to understand what all the fuss is about.

I generally think this notion of the club disrespecting him has to stop given it wasn't exactly an unpopular opinion to leave him out of the best 23 and I don't think everyone that held that view has a personal vendetta against Luke. We all acknowledge he's a club legend, and the club does too based on all the talk from the players and coaches this season.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Weirdly Cleary in that position next year is exciting

 

[Adnico26Parker]

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I knew this was coming.

But it still hits hard.

 

[SM]

Shocked and flabbergasted by this. How could Parker treat the club this way when we've been so good to him?

 

[Tedeski]

Shocked and flabbergasted by this. How could Parker treat the club this way when we've been so good to him?

Not sure why you are so bothered by this. It’s exactly what the players wanted. They want to extend their careers. Luke also took a while to agree to terms last contract so both parties would be working on this.
I remember Malceski did the same thing. I hope Luke can get the most out of himself for two years at least.

 

[The King!]

The Club hasn't been talking to North all year if anyone is in the wrong it's Parker not the club . That narrative they mistreated him is just utter nonsense . He isn't bigger than the club .

Good luck at North Luke and thanks for the service . He wants to get a longer deal than the one he already has and wants guaranteed years can't begrudge him, odd career move but I expect the club owe him to just get it done .

 

[SM]

Not sure why you are so bothered by this. It’s exactly what the players wanted. They want to extend their careers. Luke also took a while to agree to terms last contract so both parties would be working on this.
I remember Malceski did the same thing. I hope Luke can get the most out of himself for two years at least.

Do you think he'd be leaving if this year had panned out differently?

 

[RilesMacca]

Sad to see a champion of the club go, but it’s for the greater good let’s hope.

Will fit north well and as for us, we’ll get some picks in return and it’s one less dilemma for selection next year. Opens up a spot for Cleary, Gussy, Adams too. Feel this is the right move if we want to move forward.

 

[McRobie]

So do we get anything back?

 

[DanMG44]

So do we get anything back?

Bag of chips

 

[Olian]

Last contract negotiations we added a 4th year to close it out which he now won’t see out. Apparently $800k freed up in salary cap for 2025. Which seems a lot for an ageing small forward.

Maybe we weren’t going to offer him as much for 2026 as North will. Can’t knock him for looking for money. Assume he will play half forward for North as there midfield seems stacked with talent.

Best move for both Swans and Parker.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Thanks for your service Parks! All the best for the rest of your career.

 

[Olian]

So do we get anything back?

For a 32 year old? Not much.

 

[McRobie]

For a 32 year old? Not much.

Yeah it’s true.

 

[Caj]

Can North offer Longmire a 2 year deal?

 

[MR0808]

Shocked and flabbergasted by this. How could Parker treat the club this way when we've been so good to him?

What does he owe the club? We paid him and he did his job. I'm happy for him and all the joy his given us. It's not like the club took a chance on him and gave him a second chance when no one else did.

 

[SM]

What does he owe the club? We paid him and he did his job. I'm happy for him and all the joy his given us. It's not like the club took a chance on him and gave him a second chance when no one else did.

I was being sarcastic.

 

[MR0808]

I was being sarcastic.

My bad. I'm too used to seeing comments like this on Facebook