Player Watch #33 Caiden Cleary

[caesar88]

He will win the Brownlows that Rankin was supposed to get.

I think you mean Norm Smiths.

Florent was supposed to get the Brownlows.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

The only mid players guaranteed selection are Adams/Parker, Gulden and Chad

I reckon there are two spots between Gus, Roberts, Jordon, Rowy and Cleary.

 

[Callipygian]

The only mid players guaranteed selection are Adams/Parker, Gulden and Chad

I reckon there are two spots between Gus, Roberts, Jordon, Rowy and Cleary.

Rubbish. Rowy is just as assured of selection as Parker. Maybe slightly less on account of not being captain but only for that reason.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Our mids are being rebuilt. That area has been a glaring weakness.

Rubbish. Rowy is just as assured of selection as Parker. Maybe slightly less on account of not being captain but only for that reason.

Rowy should not be guaranteed a spot and I doubt he has been. Expect his end of year interviews would have pointed to areas he has to improve on

 

[Callipygian]

Our mids are being rebuilt. That area has been a glaring weakness.


Rowy should not be guaranteed a spot and I doubt he has been. Expect his end of year interviews would have pointed to areas he has to improve on

You are quite entitled to your own views about Rowy but it's pretty clear that the club values him more highly than you do. He's had consecutive podium finishes in the B&F. The coaches have singled him out for praise at different times. His spot is assured as can be, granting that nobody is absolutely guaranteed a start and they will be monitored over the pre-season.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

You are quite entitled to your own views about Rowy but it's pretty clear that the club values him more highly than you do. He's had consecutive podium finishes in the B&F. The coaches have singled him out for praise at different times. His spot is assured as can be, granting that nobody is absolutely guaranteed a start and they will be monitored over the pre-season.

I value him and his efforts.

 

[kelpie_X]

Just to temper my expectations I've put him down as a dual brownlow medalist only.

Unders

 

[sataris]

So long as you're not skimping on the Norm Smiths too.

I have him winning two brownlows in the same season.

 

[Callipygian]

It's nice to know that Collingwood rated Caiden higher than De Mattia. It is an indication of his quality.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Excitement to play for Sydney, or not to have to play for Collingwood?

 

[rustycrate]

Interesting fact.
Caiden Cleary birthday is 5/3/2005. If he plays round 1 next year he will be 20 years old. Same age as Sheldrick, Corey Warner and Roberts who were drafted 2 years ago in 2021.

 

[Bonz]

Interesting fact.
Caiden Cleary birthday is 5/3/2005. If he plays round 1 next year he will be 20 years old. Same age as Sheldrick, Corey Warner and Roberts who were drafted 2 years ago in 2021.

Think your math is wrong here.

Do you mean 19?

 

[rustycrate]

Think your math is wrong here.

Do you mean 19?

I am wrong.

 

[Kiama Chris]

It's nice to know that Collingwood rated Caiden higher than De Mattia. It is an indication of his quality.

Pretty different types though. I guess there wasn't another decent inside mid after Cleary, certainly as far as the picks indicated. For sure they would have been happy if we passed.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Interesting fact.
Caiden Cleary birthday is 5/3/2005. If he plays round 1 next year he will be 20 years old. Same age as Sheldrick, Corey Warner and Roberts who were drafted 2 years ago in 2021.

Interesting take on facts. Ran Cleary's birthdate through the abacus thingame, consulted the Delphic Oracle and various other prognostic sources . They all suggest he turns 19 in March.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

But in wonderful news they all agreed Caiden has a great birthdate and that it is far better than the Ides of March.

 

[sataris]

I am wrong.

The spreadsheet seems a lot less accurate all of a sudden.....

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Attributes are similar to Jude Bolton

Jude Bolton

Age

44

Ht

181cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.9

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

8.4

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.6

5star

CL

3.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

11.8

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.6

4star

.

If he turns out to be 80% of Jude, we’ve got a good ‘un.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

With Mills likely out for the early stage of next season, there's a spot available in the midfield rotations for someone. Sheldrick, Roberts & Cleary seem the likely ones to get it (though I also wouldn't be surprised if none of them got it, with Parker playing full-time midfield instead.)

I think each of them have things that may work in their favour over the summer in earning a leg-up over the others.

Sheldrick has the most exposed form of the three, with four games in the midfield to his name. It's hardly runs on the board, but it gives him something to build on.

Roberts, many forget, was the preferred of he and Sheldrick early last season, being chosen as sub for the first three weeks. So he's shown he can win the coaches over in a pre-season.

And Cleary may have two less pre-seasons to his name than the above two, but write off the Swans academy preparation at your peril. We've seen with Heeney, Mills, Blakey, Campbell & Gulden before him that it's a strong pathway in terms of hitting the ground running in your first pre-season en route to a round 1 debut.

I absolutely froth a pre-season battle for spots, so I hope all three can stay fit as I look forward to seeing it.

I think we’ll likely have a good player here in Caiden - but to suggest he’s immediately competing with Gus and Roberts feels a bit of a stretch.

Gus was racking up 30+ disposals in the VFL before his elevation, Caiden nowhere near those numbers.

And Gus went on to win the club’s rising star award last year - I reckon an injury free Gus is an automatic round 1 selection.

Pretty sure Roberts and Corey will likely also start ahead of Caiden in the initial pecking order, but it’ll be fascinating to see how they all evolve in 2024.

 

[McRobie]

Which means Longmire won't be able to play him out of position.

Geez youre a brave man making that claim, Horse will try his best to defy you.

 

[McRobie]

I think we’ll likely have a good player here in Caiden - but to suggest he’s immediately competing with Gus and Roberts feels a bit of a stretch.

Gus was racking up 30+ disposals in the VFL before his elevation, Caiden nowhere near those numbers.

And Gus went on to win the club’s rising star award last year - I reckon an injury free Gus is an automatic round 1 selection.

Pretty sure Roberts and Corey will likely also start ahead of Caiden in the initial pecking order, but it’ll be fascinating to see how they all evolve in 2024.

Gus dominants next season imo. He looked awesome before he was injured.

 

[caesar88]

I think we’ll likely have a good player here in Caiden - but to suggest he’s immediately competing with Gus and Roberts feels a bit of a stretch.

Gus was racking up 30+ disposals in the VFL before his elevation, Caiden nowhere near those numbers.

And Gus went on to win the club’s rising star award last year - I reckon an injury free Gus is an automatic round 1 selection.

Pretty sure Roberts and Corey will likely also start ahead of Caiden in the initial pecking order, but it’ll be fascinating to see how they all evolve in 2024.

I know you're a fan of Sheldrick but I can't agree that he's an automatic selection.

If four good games makes one an automatic selection then IMO we don't have the team or list we thought we did.

I would say he's most likely to get a spot over Roberts or Cleary, because he has a better idea of what's required to make it in that spot than Roberts, who has never had that opportunity, or Cleary, who hasn't even had his first session yet.

But I also wouldn't be even 1% shocked if Roberts or Cleary put in pre-seasons that saw them get that spot over Sheldrick. One's done it before (Roberts last pre-season earning sub selection in the first month over Sheldrick) and the other is from one of the most proven pathways to immediate senior impact (the academy - QBE's, not Plato's.)

Surely even you would rather Sheldrick earn his spot in the team because he's been the best-performed of his counterparts over the pre-season rather than getting it because of what transpired the year before?

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I know you're a fan of Sheldrick but I can't agree that he's an automatic selection.

If four good games makes one an automatic selection then IMO we don't have the team or list we thought we did.

I would say he's most likely to get a spot over Roberts or Cleary, because he has a better idea of what's required to make it in that spot than Roberts, who has never had that opportunity, or Cleary, who hasn't even had his first session yet.

But I also wouldn't be even 1% shocked if Roberts or Cleary put in pre-seasons that saw them get that spot over Sheldrick. One's done it before (Roberts last pre-season earning sub selection in the first month over Sheldrick) and the other is from one of the most proven pathways to immediate senior impact (the academy - QBE's, not Plato's.)

Surely even you would rather Sheldrick earn his spot in the team because he's been the best-performed of his counterparts over the pre-season rather than getting it because of what transpired the year before?

I think my Gus fanboy status probably precludes me from engaging in truly rational debate on this one!

Suffice to say I think Gus has the proven form line & it’s up to the others to prove they have what it takes. I dont believe there’s any real way to prove it apart from on game day.

 

[caesar88]

I think my Gus fanboy status probably precludes me from engaging in truly rational debate on this one!

Suffice to say I think Gus has the proven form line & it’s up to the others to prove they have what it takes. I dont believe there’s any real way to prove it apart from on game day.

Nah I think many others agree with you on Sheldrick DQ. I absolutely think he showed promise this year. How much promise is probably where I deviate from you. The pre-season games in February will be fascinating and I have everything crossed injuries don't derail our chances of getting to see some good-ol' fashioned battles for spots. (Looking at you, Melican's hamstrings.)

 

[Jewelsbon]

But in wonderful news they all agreed Caiden has a great birthdate and that it is far better than the Ides of March.

That is my husband's birthday and was my brother's birthday, just a few different years.
Both wonderful human beings.