Anyone rate the Swans a chance for 2012?

[Horns]

When you think about it, next year will be Sydney's best chance at a flag in the coming seasons. My reasoning is thus:

1) They are playing pretty consistently at the moment. Have the weirdest forward line in the AFL but still managing to win the games they should be. Obviously currently not able to compete with Geelong/Collingwood, but building alot of depth

2) Next trading period will be very big for the Swans, as the retirement of Bolton and Bradshaw will open up a huge space in the cap to retain the current best 22 and chase someone to plug Bradshaw's gap.

3) Their veteran stars (Goodes, J. Bolton, O'Keefe et al) are playing good football but everyone knows things can go downhill quickly when you're past 30. They should all hopefully be still playing and fit for the 2012 season.

I hope i get to see another Swans premiership without having to wait decades

 

[Ando727]

I hope i get to see another Swans premiership without having to wait decades

Yeah, waiting decades is overrated. We've given it a red hot go though...

 

[NTRabbit]

A warning from a team that has been very similar in many respects over the last 7 years - those guys over 30 will fade a lot faster than you expect, and with them gone the shine will rub off some of the younger players beneath them. Also, there doesn't appear at this stage to be a lot of already there KPF's on the market, plus you'll be competing with GWS when it comes to throwing money around for a forward around 25-27.

Beware the Ides of March, Caeser

 

[SydneyGoose]

O'keefe is already on the way down. Once the ball gets more than 20 meters from him he can't catch up until there's a stoppage. J Bolts has another 2 years in him but not much beyond that.

 

[Horns]

O'keefe is already on the way down. Once the ball gets more than 20 meters from him he can't catch up until there's a stoppage. J Bolts has another 2 years in him but not much beyond that.

Yeah O'Keefe seems like he playing injured even when he's 'fit'. He still gets his hands on the ball and uses it ok, a pretty good mark too so there's a use for him still.

Hard to say how long JBolton has left, he's defying his age at the moment but i'd be impressed if he played the 2013 season. Last year many people expected him to retire at the end of 2011 but he's proved us wrong.

They're showing flashes of real class in their games at the moment, just like their winning run at the end of 2010. I think they were worthy prelim finalists and Roos let the team know how badly they let the Dogs final go.

The team would have a pretty even spread of brownlow/BOG votes in the season so far, goes to show that we have a wide range of good players who are capable of getting involved.

 

[strategy]

NO , next question !

 

[Hank_Hill]

The Swans have been pretty consistant over the last few years. Always finishing in the top 8. Unfortunately i can't see them staying like this for much longer. With a list thats growing older every year at some stage they going to have to rebuild so i can see them sinking out of the 8 in the next couple years. On a good note i think they will finish around 5th this year.

 

[.Shotties.]

The Swans have been pretty consistant over the last few years. Always finishing in the top 8. Unfortunately i can't see them staying like this for much longer. With a list thats growing older every year at some stage they going to have to rebuild so i can see them sinking out of the 8 in the next couple years.

Already happened in 09. Rebuild is happening now.

 

[AG]

O'keefe is already on the way down. Once the ball gets more than 20 meters from him he can't catch up until there's a stoppage. J Bolts has another 2 years in him but not much beyond that.

I'm the opposite. Bolton is in unbelievable form this year, considering he looked like he was on the way out towards the end of last year. The end will come quickly for him imo, he has been playing such a tough brand of football for a long time. Will probably go at the end of 2012.

O'Keefe can return to being a marking target I50 once his midfield days are over. He is a fitness freak and that will help him in the long run. Another two more years for O'Keefe imo. Whether they are quality years is the question mark.

Both having great 2011's though.

In regards to the thread, until we can prove we can beat teams like Geelong and Collingwood the answer will always be no. No reason why we can't play finals again, but a flag is a bit much at this stage. Until we find a FF I will have doubts.

 

[zetz]

We haven't even proved that we can beat teams one level below Geelong and Collingwood such as Carlton and Hawthorn.

Although in saying that of course we are a chance next year, so are 17 other clubs.

 

[jerry springer]

No Chance 2012

Good solid team,not a a great team though.

If they can do some smart dealing(which Sydney are the best in the comp at doing)with some of their veterans to GWS they could be come very dangerous

 

[SM]

Well we'll go into 2012 after presumably two years of finishing 5th, and HOPEFULLY will have a full list next year not two down like we've been this year with Bolton and Bradshaw not even getting on the park. So who knows.

While people have been bleating it for years, I think the losses of ROK, Goodes and Jude Bolton over the next couple of years will really hurt, as they are class players. Hopefully by then guys like Bird, Jack, Hannebery and Kennedy will be well and truly entrenched as quality players, but who knows.

I think we're a bit different to Adelaide, as someone previously compared us to, because our older players have been retiring over a period of a couple of years - MOL, Barry, Hall, and Crouch in 09, Kirk in 10, Bolton and Bradshaw in 2011 - not all at once as happened with them last year. This means that the younger guys are not suddenly exposed, but gradually learn to deal with extra attention.

And christ, Reid is pretty much our number one forward already at 19, not much more attention he could receive. And he's still showing great signs.

2012 should no doubt be a year pushing for Top 4, as this year is, as for a Premiership, I have no clue.

 

[The King!]

i think we have been building up for a few years now, we actually arent the old list people think we are. Since 2005 basically its been u gotta replace the old players, and over each year we have.

True that goodes bolton and okeefe are the wrong side of 30 but im confident and in what we have coming behind them and i think our recruiting is improved. We also have cap space to go after players again.

We have done well considering only had 2 top 10 picks in a decade

 

[SM]

Yeah think our recruiting has definitely improved.

 

[Blu_Outlaw]

Don't think next year is your best chance of a flag, I actually think you are a good chance to finish in the top 4 this year and as the old saying goes anything can happen on the day.

As you say the club has some older players playing very well now so now is your best chance because as we have all seen with other older players the end can come quickly for some.

 

[Sin City]

Yeah think our recruiting has definitely improved.

Definitely, picked some beauties recently.

 

[Swan2Didak]

They are a chance for sure in one of 2012/13 but after that they will need to find another player of Goodes calibre from their list. Someone who is regarded as a top 10 player in the AFL, whether it be someone like Jack, Reid or even Tom Mitchell.

 

[Alexwce]

Despite all your older boys I still think you're in a bit of a rebuilding phase and the reason you never slumped down the ladder is because of the amazing culture your your football club has. You won't challenge next year however I wouldn't be surprise if you start upsetting elite caliber teams next year.

Is it at the conclusion of this year you get that gun F/S?

 

[Membling]

Yeah F/S in Tom Mitchell which could be good

 

[Rob]

I wouldn't have thought so, but ou think that about the Swans every year, and they always seem to be up there. Should have made the preliminary final at least last year, and could easily get there this year. And if you can get to the prelim, you're always a chance.

 

[Grongey]

No we won't challenge in 2012 or 2013.

We can't kick enough goals, and players like Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Ryan O'Keefe are irreplaceable, and they will be a year older. With GWS and the Suns now in the comp, it's going to become harder to obtain quality recruits.

IMHO the Swans should be prepared to do what it takes to get early picks in the draft.

 

[SM]

No we won't challenge in 2012 or 2013.

We can't kick enough goals, and players like Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Ryan O'Keefe are irreplaceable, and they will be a year older. With GWS and the Suns now in the comp, it's going to become harder to obtain quality recruits.

IMHO the Swans should be prepared to do what it takes to get early picks in the draft.

You mean like the fact that at the end of this year we get a potential Number 1 Draftee at our pick no matter what that is? That's certainly a way to get around GWS's recruiting priveleges?

 

[Alexwce]

No we won't challenge in 2012 or 2013.

We can't kick enough goals, and players like Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Ryan O'Keefe are irreplaceable, and they will be a year older. With GWS and the Suns now in the comp, it's going to become harder to obtain quality recruits.

IMHO the Swans should be prepared to do what it takes to get early picks in the draft.

The high draft pick is more a must have necessity for clubs that don't have the culture Sydney does. You seem to be able to get the most out of players & develop players nicely because of the culture you guys have.

Obviously the talent levels differ between a top 20 pick and a top 5 pick but your culture allows the players to develop and produce results at about the same rate.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Culture will only get us so far. Since the 06 grand final, we've remained competitive but haven't been able to really challenge the top 4 sides.

You can only achieve so much with discards, look at each of the last 3 premiers, all were built on high draft picks. Sydney's recruitment strategy has changed over the last few years, we've placed a larger emphasis on youth and are looking to build a solid base that we can add to going forward.

As mentioned earlier, Goodes, ROK & Bolton are going to be the hardest players to replace. But what gives me confidence is that imo ROK does his best work in the forward line, he'll be able to return there in his last year or two. Goodes has been played in the forward line for most of 2010/11 so the Swans, as you see them these days, haven't been so reliant on him in the middle of the ground. So there's a sense that we've been kind of getting by without a massive influence from Goodes. Bolton will be hard to replace, he's a hard nut who gives 100% every time. I think when Bolton is out of the midfield there is a definite reduction in output, he's a vital component without really standing out, but his loss will definitely be felt. But guys like Jack & Bird are ready to step up, and we've got Parker coming through who will fit Bolton's mould very well. So while all 3 are extremely difficult to replace, and were 3 of our most consistent performers over the last decade, I don't think it'll be an Adelaide-like drop. It'll be a gradual change with the 3 retiring over 2-3 years.

As far as being flag contenders, I dunno about 2011, alot rests on our performance against Carlton today, and our performance against Collingwood next week. 2 decent losses and we're no chance, a win or two and we suddenly become genuine threats. If 2011 is shot, then 2012 will probably be our best chance, while our aging players are still near their peak. The main issue this year was our forward line, with Bradshaw retiring & White & TDL not coming along as well as hoped we kind of got found out up forward. If we can find some structure up forward in the second half of the season we could trouble the top sides, if not, 5th is the best finish we could hope for.

 

[blue judd]

From what I saw today no chance in hell.