Player Watch #9 Will Hayward

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Will Hayward
Spritely Sydney Swans forward Will Hayward enjoyed a rocketing start to his career as he became the 11th-youngest player in the AFL era to reach 50 career goals in 2018. The 2016 draftee’s nippy pace and cunning goal awareness have made him a dangerous option in coach John Longmire’s forward line. A broken jaw and a persistent hip injury limited Hayward to just 12 goals in 13 senior games in 2019, but the South Australian is attacking the 2020 campaign on the back of his first full pre-season. Don’t be surprised if the exciting Swan finds himself on a wing this year.

Will Hayward
DOB: 26 October 1998
DEBUT: 2017
DRAFT: #21, 2016 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Walkerville (SA)/North Adelaide (SANFL)

www.sydneyswans.com.au

Will Hayward | AFL

Follow Will Hayward's progress through AFL
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rustycrate said:
I didn't read the attached. I suppose I am just responding to the plethora of posts wanting Haywood out. I suspect if those posters got their way then in the next game they would want Haywood back. The alternative is worse. He will come good and so will the Swans this week.
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I remember last year basically the game where I'd lost patience and was calling for him to be dropped, he came good and strung some solid performances together. I've reached that point again, so here's hoping.
 
I feel he is quick and can leap for a mark. So is a potential dangerous matchup for the opposition especially if we have him and Heeney in form.

But I feel he relies on quality entries from our midfield. He is probably not going to create opportunities for himself when the team is struggling. I felt that is what happened in 2020. He was getting drawn back to the midfield unable to get involved and not able to create much off long chaos balls.

I think a mobile medium forward is an important role. To have someone who can lead into space and beat his man one on one. Obviously Heeney is really good at it. But I think we need Hayward and McDonald making leads into space as options for a short pass.
 
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I think Hayward is always going to be the poster boy for getting dropped because he is playing a role that will not rack up stats no matter what he does. He is the player on our list who is there to shut down the players who can really hurt you in their defense. I am talking the interceptors here, the Jeremy McGovern, Jake Lever, Aliir Aliir, Nick Haynes, Tom Stewart. He isn't going to be beating them with tackles like a small forward would and rack up inside 50 tackle counts. He isn't going to be kicking bags because usually he will be in defensive mode. He isn't going to be getting marks and possessions because he is there to spoil contests. He is there to try and help out with the bail out kicks coming out of defense so he will be rushed and under pressure.

When you have all of that and a forward line stacked with options I am honestly surprised that he is as consistent a scorer as he is considering he would be one of our last players inside 50 who would be a target.
 
Arrr said:
I think Hayward is always going to be the poster boy for getting dropped because he is playing a role that will not rack up stats no matter what he does. He is the player on our list who is there to shut down the players who can really hurt you in their defense. I am talking the interceptors here, the Jeremy McGovern, Jake Lever, Aliir Aliir, Nick Haynes, Tom Stewart. He isn't going to be beating them with tackles like a small forward would and rack up inside 50 tackle counts. He isn't going to be kicking bags because usually he will be in defensive mode. He isn't going to be getting marks and possessions because he is there to spoil contests. He is there to try and help out with the bail out kicks coming out of defense so he will be rushed and under pressure.

When you have all of that and a forward line stacked with options I am honestly surprised that he is as consistent a scorer as he is considering he would be one of our last players inside 50 who would be a target.
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Agreed but I'm still dropping him for that dumb 50m penalty
 
Arrr said:
I think Hayward is always going to be the poster boy for getting dropped because he is playing a role that will not rack up stats no matter what he does. He is the player on our list who is there to shut down the players who can really hurt you in their defense. I am talking the interceptors here, the Jeremy McGovern, Jake Lever, Aliir Aliir, Nick Haynes, Tom Stewart. He isn't going to be beating them with tackles like a small forward would and rack up inside 50 tackle counts. He isn't going to be kicking bags because usually he will be in defensive mode. He isn't going to be getting marks and possessions because he is there to spoil contests. He is there to try and help out with the bail out kicks coming out of defense so he will be rushed and under pressure.

When you have all of that and a forward line stacked with options I am honestly surprised that he is as consistent a scorer as he is considering he would be one of our last players inside 50 who would be a target.
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Role player is just another name for someone doing the bare minimum. My company has plenty of them, they punch in at 9 and out at 5. You can't fault them for what they have done because technically they did what you asked for but if we're going to improve we need more than role players.

In my opinion the role player is the bottom 3-4 players in a premiership team. At the moment we have too many role players. If Hayward is interested in just doing his role - the bare minimum - than he wont bring us any premierships
 
He is a strong tacker IMO.
Takes a good grab.
In defence last year he was ok I suppose. I don't have a great recollection - or was it the year before?
He runs and runs.
Maybe try him on a wing as the link player.
 
Congrats, has all the tools and is still young enough to forgive imo. Needs to start bringing other players opportunities though.
 
Congrats.
Couple of lean years when the club was down but has been very reliable statistically for the most part.
Given quite a few here reckon he’s a weak link with 4 marks 3 tackles and 1.5 goals, in an inconsistent forward line, gotta wonder where the bar is set for the rest of the players.

Enjoy Will!
 
Thought this was a very interesting line from Dean Cox's mid-season review interview, on the Swans site:

Will Hayward has also been important for the connection between the mid and the forward group in relation to the role he does play. His role is really rewarded at our footy club with the work-rate he possesses and the link he gives between our defenders and forwards.

I agree 100%. Really noticed it in the few games I've seen live this year. His repeated leads up the forward wings and towards the backline when we're under the pump have been super impressive. Providing an option and dragging a defender out of the forward line to free up space for the goalkickers. His defensive pressure has also been great this year, just gives away a few too many free kicks.

All in all, having a pretty solid season and playing his role beautifully.
 

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This backs up what I've been seeing over the last few months. Hayward has really taken his game to a new level when it comes to contested marking. He's a fantastic get out of jail target for our team when rebounding from 50. He took two separate marks in the last game 1-on-1 just outside our defensive 50.

Come along way from the start of last year when he was in the VFL and we were thinking of moving him permanently to the half-back flank. Only 24 this year too which is crazy considering how long it feels like he's been in the side.
 
Indie_ said:
View attachment 1483976

This backs up what I've been seeing over the last few months. Hayward has really taken his game to a new level when it comes to contested marking. He's a fantastic get out of jail target for our team when rebounding from 50. He took two separate marks in the last game 1-on-1 just outside our defensive 50.

Come along way from the start of last year when he was in the VFL and we were thinking of moving him permanently to the half-back flank. Only 24 this year too which is crazy considering how long it feels like he's been in the side.
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I’m no expert but I still can’t fathom how anyone wanted to trade him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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I've always appreciated Haywood, ever since he was a youngster showing glimpses of natural football ability to last season and early this season where some people were strangely calling for his head. Has been scoring a goal + a game for a fair proportion of the last 2 years (I'd say its somewhere in the vicinity of 90-95% of games over that period).

He's taking his game to new levels this season, after elevating his game after being dropped early on.

He's one of our most important 12 players I'd say, shows up each week and is putting in some really mature performances this year.

Must extend him now!! Throw another 4 years at him.
 
GoTheSwannies said:
I've always appreciated Haywood, ever since he was a youngster showing glimpses of natural football ability to last season and early this season where some people were strangely calling for his head. Has been scoring a goal + a game for a fair proportion of the last 2 years (I'd say its somewhere in the vicinity of 90-95% of games over that period).

He's taking his game to new levels this season, after elevating his game after being dropped early on.

He's one of our most important 12 players I'd say, shows up each week and is putting in some really mature performances this year.

Must extend him now!! Throw another 4 years at him.
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I agree with a lot of what you say but I think 4 year contracts these days are reserved for marquee players like Parker, Heeney, Mills. A 2 year boost for Hayward would be good.
 

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Player Watch #9 Will Hayward

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