Swans have signed 28 year old midfielder Nik Rokahr who has been playing for Norwood in the SANFL. He won the fairest and best at Norwood this year and in 2021. He also was a premiership player with the Redlegs in 2022. Nik was originally from country Victoria and has links with Jackson McLauglan. He will add considerable experience to the midfield and is a great signing for the club.
I agree mikeh, Rokahr is a great pick up for us next year but there are going to be a lot of gaps to fill, especially for our forward line. After Tom Edwards, our next 4 leading goal kickers in Jones, Palmer, Noble and Kemp wont be there and throw in Fisher then that’s a lot of experience that we have lost. Hopefully a few of the reserves can fill the void.I particularly wouldn’t mind Tom Smith being given a go as our ruckman/forward. Early days but a few more recruitment announcements would be good.
Agree, not sure what the situation with Tom Edwards is given that he hurt his knee in the last game, so they may need to look at recruiting or developing another forward. As you said with so many outs there are bound to be opportunities for the reserves premiership players.
Looks like we have another signing, going on the WAFL player list. Jye Chalcraft from the Geelong reserves. Some details from a recent newspaper article. GEELONG Cats VFL midfielder Jye Chalcraft has claimed the club’s Best & Fairest award for a second-straight year.Chalcraft capped off a stellar third season with the reserves, polling 163 votes across all 18 games.He averaged 22 disposals per game, picking up a season-high 33 possessions in Geelong’s Round 6 win over Coburg.Chalcraft, 22, focused on his craft as a small forward, kicking 16 goals during the season.
My understanding is Edward’s to miss the first half of the twenty 24 season due to a knee problem. Although hoping it won’t be that long. Will need to wait and see.
Chalcraft looks to be another solid built player to add to our midfield/forward line. Another good pick up.
Just need a key forward with a successful CV like Chalcraft and Rokahr.
The Stokes Newspaper is reporting that Sam Fisher and Tobe Watson have both departed the club and are heading for Victoria.
Fisher departure much talked about already it was just a question to where he would end up and Watson a little surprising does he think he is in for another chance at AFL?
Do we have to wait one week out from the 2024 season before our club confirms the departures?
Frustrating isnt it ? Its like a revolving door, some players in, some players out and the net result is that the club ends up in exactly the same position season after season. It concerns me that so many players leave after a couple of seasons whereas the successful clubs are able to hang on to their recruits for the long term. A classic example of that is Leigh Kitchin from Subi. Its about developing a club culture of success, you know like what the glossy brochure says.
Fisher will be no great loss as he hardly played a game this year but Tobe Watson is very disappointing to lose. Maybe he does feel that he would have more of a chance being rookie listed playing in Victoria or it could be a personal choice, I wish him well in whatever his next step is.
Members deserve some communication about what is happening on the football side of things during the off season. The coach has been virtually incognito and all we seem to get in the members bulletins is news about anything other than the WAFL team. I need to be given some incentive to part with my money for another year and it is hard to get excited about 2024 when there are so many players walking out of the club.
Unfortunately the communication for the past few seasons that has come out from the club has been about things that don’t really relate to the real purpose why our club was actually established 90 years ago to play football.
You don’t expect it every day in the off season but once a week with football news from around the club would be nice.
It’s sad that we have had to resort to checking the player registrations on the WAFL website or reading it on here before we get any news from the club itself.
2 new signings announced see club statement below
Excitement continues to build at Swan Districts for season 2024 with the announcement that Victorian duo Tom Panuccio and Mitch Roche, will be on board joining some familiar faces.Panuccio is a former teammate in the Geelong VFL team of Swan Medal runner-up Jackson McLachlan while both he and Roche are former teammates and are good friends with fellow new recruit, and reigning Cats VFL fairest and best winner Jye Chalcraft.
The trio will now all be heading west together set to arrive in town in early December to begin pre-season training before the Christmas break.Tom Panuccio is a young player who never imagined football could take him across the country growing up in Euroa, but now after two years in Geelong’s VFL team he can’t wait to get to Swan Districts.Panuccio grew up the small Victorian town of Euroa, in the north east of the state with a population of just over 3000 people, and that saw him go on to play in the NAB League with the Murray Bushrangers.He was always an emerging and hard-running talent who then made the move to Geelong to continue his footballing progress in the VFL and that’s where he has spent the last two seasons.
Panuccio wasn’t quite sure what to expect when he embarked on his VFL journey, but having played 20 games for the Cats over the past two seasons, he has only continued to develop and now is looking for that to continue at Swan Districts.“It’s very exciting and I would never have thought footy could take me to the other side of the country,” Panuccio said."I thought I’d also be Victorian and playing a lot of VFL footy, but you can never tell what’s going to happen in the future. "With an opportunity like this, I thought it would be good to take the chance and see if I could go a bit further in footy, which is the exciting thing."After playing with Geelong in the VFL the past two years, Panuccio felt now might be a good time to make the next step in his football career.
He just wasn’t sure where that would be, but when he heard how highly Swan Districts’ fairest and best runner-up Jackson McLachlan spoke of his move west, and then knowing that both Jye Chalcraft and Mitch Roche were coming across to WA, it soon became an obvious choice.“I originally was just looking for a change to get over there and I had the captain from last year, Jackson McLachlan, who took me under his wing when he first came to Geelong who was already at Swan Districts,” he said."I thought I’d get a hold of him and suss him out to see what the footy’s like over there and I had that connection through him. It’s just been really good that Jye’s been able to go over there as well which is pretty exciting for us to both go over there. I think that’s definitely going to help us both."The fact that Panuccio will get to Perth and get to reunite with McLachlan, and then the fact that he will be making the move with both Chalcraft and Roche, and perhaps more importantly his girlfriend, means he’s sure he’ll have no trouble settling in.“It will help a lot knowing a few people and doing it together,” Panuccio said."I’ve never even been to Perth before either so for both me and Jye to experience it all together will be exciting and at least we’ll be able to support each other through the challenges.
Panuccio is no stranger to making big moves as part of his football journey having already left home to go to Geelong to play in the VFL, and now he is expecting another step up and to continue to develop once he gets to Swan Districts to play in the WAFL.“The past two years at Geelong really developed my game a lot,” Panuccio said."I’m just trying to embrace every opportunity I can and I think that will now help translate that into the WAFL with the bigger grounds, which should suit how I play my game."As for what sort of player he is, Panuccio would describe his running ability and footy smarts as his great strengths.“I back my endurance so running is one of my strengths and being able to read my play so footy IQ and the endurance are probably my two strong points,” he said.“With the bigger grounds and a lot more space to work in and a bit more area to use my strengths in reading the play is something that’s exciting, and I think that will help me put my best foot forward to play my best footy.”
As for what he’s expecting once he gets to Perth in early December, Panuccio can’t wait for the warm and sunny weather while from a football sense, he just can’t wait to get to experience the Swan Districts Football Club.“I’m looking forward to the nice weather from what I hear, that’s always going to be nice coming from Geelong where it’s raining all the time. It’s just going to be nice to have a change of scenery and enjoy every minute of it and give it my best go,” Panuccio said."Hopefully a premiership, that’s always good so that’s the first goal, but from what I’ve been through and all the teams I’ve played for through NAB League, I played a game with GWS in the VFL and now the last two years at Geelong, it’s more about the friendships you make. “You’re always playing with a lot of different mates when you get on the field and off the field it’s always good to make friends for life. That’s my point of view of how I see it and I can’t wait to get over there to do that at Swan Districts.”
Meanwhile, Mitch Roche joins the club for 2024 on the back of being the vice-captain at Shepparton United in the Goulbourn Valley League in country Victoria.He put together a standout 2023 season at Country football level as a high ball-winning midfielder including a best of a 43-possession performance and since then his travelling the country for football commenced.He has been in the Northern Territory recently playing with Waratah of the NTFL and now after finishing up his stint there last week, he will arrive in Perth to commence pre-season training at Swan Districts.
The explosive midfielder who can go forward to kick a goal says the move to Swan Districts all started when he found out Geelong VFL fairest and best winner Jye Chalcraft, a former Shepparton teammate of his, was heading west.“It all came about starting with Jye who is one of my best mates,” Roche said."I sort of wanted to improve my own game by playing at a higher level so I thought it was a good opportunity to try to get onto. I’m pretty keen on giving it a go now and getting to Perth to get started."It’s remarkable to think that Roche has never even visited Perth before but now he will be calling it home, but at the same time he is excited to be making the move and especially to be doing it with a couple of familiar faces, Chalcraft and fellow recruit Tom Panuccio.“With me and Jye, before we even signed anywhere we talked about it and just though, stuff it, let’s do it and get over to Perth,” he said."Going with one of your best mates and Tom is coming over as well who I know from a while back and he’s one of our mates too, so it’s going to be a really good experience I reckon for all three of us.”
It’s been quite the whirlwind of a few months for Roche who has left home in Shepparton to head to Darwin and now he’s about to move to Perth, but it’s exciting at the same time that football is taking him all over the country.“It’s definitely exciting and it’s so different going from a little country town in Victoria to Perth. It’s a massive change but I’m looking forward to it and starting a new life,” Roche said.
On the back of the Reserves team winning the flag last year, competition for places in both the League and Reserves team will be strong at Swan Districts in 2024, but at the same time he thinks his strengths will suit the style of play.The wider expanses of the WAFL grounds are something Roche is looking forward to taking advantage of although getting used to the Burley footballs might take a bit more time.“It will be a little bit of a step up from what I’ve played before when I’ve mainly played just senior country footy,” Roche said. “It’s not a bad league, but it’s definitely going to be a step up in the WAFL and the grounds are going to be quite a bit bigger too and they use different footies too. It’s going to be a whole different experience and I’m looking forward to all the challenges it will present.”
This was posted to the Swans website two days ago.
Ins and outs at Swan Districts for 2024
Monday, December 11, 2023 - 3:52 PM
Change is a reality in between any WAFL season but excitement is building at Swan Districts for 2024 on the back of new additions that include two reigning state league fairest and best winners, and some exciting new and returning talent.
No stone is being left unturned at Swan Districts to make the 2024 season a successful one given how competitive the team was able to be in 2023 despite a frustrating string of tight losses early, and then a horror run with injury.
That will mean that players like Will Collins, Seb Bright, Brandon Erceg and Brad Lynch, will be almost like new recruits given the significant periods they missed in 2023, but then there are plenty of new and exciting faces jumping on board at Swans as well.
The new recruits include the return of Jake Pasini after four years from Port Adelaide while reigning fairest and best winners at their respective SANFL and VFL clubs, Nik Rokahr and Jye Chalcraft, bring immediate quality to the midfield at Swan Districts.
Tom Panuccio and Mitch Roche are two more Victorian recruits on board as well while Leigh Kohlmann makes his return and Bryce Watson is also back after playing two league games at Swan Districts back in 2022.
Pasini was initially drafted from Swan Districts to Port Adelaide and now the key defender will make his return home for the 2024 WAFL season to add further size, quality and experience to the back-line group.
The 22-year-old is excited to be coming home after a rollercoaster ride over the four years in Adelaide that included a knee reconstruction.
“I reckon coming back home to Perth was an easy decision,” Pasini said.
"I’ve lived at home for four years and I feel like it’s definitely taught me a lot and I’ve definitely grown from that, but coming back to Swan Districts was a bit more of a tough decision.
“Pretty much every WAFL club hit me up but Swannies is always my home and I was pretty comfortable coming back to the team and the boys, and the coaching staff and everyone at the club. That definitely made that decision easy and I’m looking forward to coming back.”
Rokahr joins Swan Districts as a prized recruit having grown up in the country Victorian town of Shepparton before playing in a Northern Territory Football League premiership at Southern Districts, playing in the VFL at Geelong and spending the last four years in the SANFL.
With Norwood, Rokahr cemented himself as one of the best midfielders in the competition winning two fairest and best awards, winning a premiership, and playing for South Australia, and now he can’t wait for his next move.
“I’m obviously learning as we go and I’ve got a lot to learn, but in my brief experiences in talks to Smarty and Andrew, and what they’ve educated me in, obviously it’s a proud club and a big club with a big fan base,” Rokahr said.
"That’s something that I’m really excited about getting to play in front of and their last premiership in 2010 so it’s been a couple of years in between drinks but looking at their last couple of years, and they’ve been teasing distance from having a go at finals.
“I think if they had a little bit of luck earlier on they could have got there this year so with another good pre-season and a couple less injuries, then we can be well and truly up there next year so that’s exciting.”
Chalcraft joins Swan Districts fresh off winning the past two fairest and best awards in the VFL with Geelong so the gun midfielder is another player excited for his new start with the black-and-whites.
“I’m very excited and I reckon this could be the best midfield group that I’ve played with just looking at the names and what I’ve learned about them,” Chalcraft said.
"That did definitely play a big part in me signing seeing the calibre of players that the Swannies have and I feel like we can all come as one and try to win a flag.
“That’s the ultimate goal and having a good midfield core is always a good place to start because you can usually go pretty far in finals if you do have that good midfield.”
Panuccio is another player familiar to both Chalcraft and Rokahr, and also with his former Geelong VFL captain Jackon McLachlan.
Having grown up in Euroa and playing at the Murray Bushrangers, he has played the past two seasons with Geelong’s VFL team and now can’t wait for his next step.
“It’s very exciting and I would never have thought footy could take me to the other side of the country,” Panuccio said.
"I thought I’d also be Victorian and playing a lot of VFL footy, but you can never tell what’s going to happen in the future.
“With an opportunity like this, I thought it would be good to take the chance and see if I could go a bit further in footy, which is the exciting thing. I never thought I’d be over there that’s for sure, but I can’t wait.”
Meanwhile, Kohlmann is making his return to Swan Districts with the 31-year-old key forward to add some important size and experience up front for the black-and-whites.
He did kick 21 goals in 14 games back in 2019 for Swan Districts, and then 17 in eight games in 2020, so is a proven goalkicker at WAFL level and now will be a welcome addition again in 2024.
Another player returning to Swan Districts is Bryce Watson with the Gingin product starting his career at Swans in the colts before breaking through to make his league debut in 2022, and now the 20-year-old will be looking to build on that further in 2024.
It’s never a one way street in any off-season at a WAFL club and Swan Districts does have some departures to confirm from the end of the 2023 season.
Sam Fisher departs Swan Districts after four seasons which saw the prime on-baller rack up 47 matches including a stunning first season in 2020 that saw him win the Sandover Medal.
Chris Jones is another player who will be returning home to Victoria in 2024 after being co-captain alongside Brandon Erceg in 2023. He started out as a terrific key defender with his intercept marking a standout in his first season in 2021.
He was moved forward in 2022 and went on to kick 52 goals across the past two seasons but due to family reasons he will returning home to Victoria.
Tobe Watson is a Swan Districts product through and through who has played some tremendous football at the club since leaving Fremantle, but he will be moving with partner Anthea to Victoria in 2024 and playing in the VFL at Port Melbourne.
Jesse Palmer came to Swan Districts on the back of his time in the AFL at Port Adelaide and has kicked 85 goals in his 51 games over the past three seasons, but he too will be heading home in 2024.
Ryan Kemp has played some handy football as a hard running half-forward the past two seasons with Swan Districts as well but he has moved to Adelaide to be with his partner.
SWAN DISTRICTS UPDATE FOR 2024
Ins – Jake Pasini, Nik Rokahr, Jye Chalcraft, Leigh Kohlmann, Bryce Watson, Tom Panuccio, Mitch Roche.
Outs – Tobe Watson, Chris Jones, Sam Fisher, Ryan Kemp, Jesse Palmer, Lawson Humphries (drafted), Riley Hardeman (drafted).
Sounds like Kohlmann got bored with South Bunbury in SWFL bagging sacks of goals every week. Would this be his 3rd stint back at the club?
Bryce Watson the nephew of Buzz. It will be good to see him back too, showed some promises and then disappeared. Where has he been?
If Kohlmann can kick 2-3 goals per game this year this will be a great boost to Swans chances of making finals. Our midfield is now loaded with some good players but we need some decent forwards to finish off the work and Kohlmann would be another target as well as Tom Edwards and Jesse Glass- Mccasker
To all the SD boys enjoy the festive season and have a great Xmas day with family and friends.To Mikeh,BH,Mayor,et al have enjoyed your 2023 posts and looking forward to 2024.
[quote=“TheFeds post=232954 userid=3849”]To all the SD boys enjoy the festive season and have a great Xmas day with family and friends.To Mikeh,BH,Mayor,et al have enjoyed your 2023 posts and looking forward to 2024.
[/quote]
Cheers mate, all the festive best to you and yours as well. Look forward to the Swans v West Perth games in 2024. They always seem to be closely contested affairs whether at Joondalup or Bassendean. With any luck there may be a 3rd clash in September!
We have reportedly signed Cruz Woodley from Subiaco.
Subiaco will benefit from a handy transfer fee.
Swans have just announced that they have signed Sydney Stack from Perth/Richmond.Swans are aware of the personal challenges Stack faces and believe that playing football is his best chance of creating a positive future for himself.“Our club has had long conversations with Sydney about the significance of joining the Swans family and how important our club values are for everyone at the club,” said Chief Executive Jeff Dennis.“While we’re proud to provide opportunities to reset and reconnect, it cannot disrupt the club’s strong culture.”
Swans is well known for offering second chances for many players in the past, none more so than Andrew Krakouer.
Good player. Hope it works out.
I am sick of these useless ungrateful pricks. He was contracted for another 2 years so hopefully Perth will receive overs for him like Claremont made us pay them for Hayden Busher.
Another Elijah Taylor, blames everyone else but himself. Bad attitude, lack of discipline. Obviously Swans used the Andrew Krakouer story and sold it. Stack isn’t qualified to carry Andy Krakouer’s bags.
About all I’ll say is if you can keep this bloke out jail and stop him from committing crimes then you will have done society a favour. Football manager Peos strikes again. This cunt hates the Perth football club. He is a fucken grub. Leggett, Sparks x 2 and now Stack. Absolute weirdo this bloke.
I believe English was also managed by Peos. But good riddance to Stack, I can’t see SD getting a game out of him. Sure, they can talk up Andrew Krakouer. But Murray Newman, Dayle Garlett, Josh Simpson… SD haven’t got some magic formula with difficult players. I’d rather have the transfer fee.
Yeah not too sure about this one. Swans have taken on a number of these troubled players over the last decade and really none of them have worked out. Having said that I hope he can make something of the opportunity