2026 Mid Season Review
All the hype about the recruits and we are still under perfoming.
Would have been better off sticking with our junior development of bringing players through our Swans system. Futures, Colts, Reserves then into the League Side.
Yes we may have been in a worse position but its obvious that the recruitment isnāt working.
This development of our young players and building the belief that itās a privilege and honour to wear the Black and White jumper.
Two years ago when the Reserves won the premiership, everyone was like āhere we go, our depth is great, a premiership is around the cornerā and what do you know, we donāt blood them through to the League side and they disappear or go bush for $$$$$
If the Reserves win the Premiership this year the next step is to develop and blood these young men into our next League Premiership, and therefore develop and blood our over age colts players into our next Reserves premiership.
Success comes from within.
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Reserves success doesnāt always translate to league successā¦..how many āeliteā reserves players have we seen over the years, who struggle to replicate their ability at league level?ā¦.happens right across all levels of footy TBHā¦..Jeremy Sharp at Peel, picking up 30 + possessions at WAFL, does he do that at AFL level?
Can understand the SD boys frustration though, especially since Blake Kelly took an Oz Footy recognition campaign, to get a league debut, and hey presto look at him nowā¦plus Lynch with his 4 goals last match on return to the league sideā¦.after another Oz Footy recognition campaign.
Recruits are always needed to refresh a teams listā¦..look at Perth, without them they are stuffed, but now with them, they younger locals are developing in a successful environment. Just a fine balance of recruiting the right types, and blooding from within to complement both the recruits and local talent.
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The problem with most of the recruits is that they come to the club for a few seasons and then leave so they donāt become part of the club culture. Sam Fisher was a classic example. Won a Sandover medal in the COVID season then got injured and never really kicked on and departed the club without much fan fare. There are a lot of other examples of recruits that looked really good and failed to deliver at the same time as keeping a young player out. You need to be strategic about who you recruit as Perth have been with Constable and Parfitt. Hopefully the young guys Swans have recruited this year such as Impey, who looks promising will commit to the club long term
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Following up on that last post consider this list of recruits since 2017
Ryan Crowley
Rhys Palmer
Xavier Ellis
Josh Simpson
George Hampson
Frank Anderson
Devon Costigan
Sam Fisher
Christopher Jones
Rhys Palmer
Nik Rokahr
All of these guys came to the club, presumably for a fair bit of coin, did their bit and then left after a year or two. To be fair to Anderson he was one of the few recruits who was going to stick with the club but his career was destroyed by a knee injury.
Hopefully the current guys can hang around for a while longer.
A lot of those retired AFL players that had long and successful careers generally donāt stick around and live up to the expectations mike unless you get them young. A lot of our interstate recruits are at that ideal age low to mid 20ās when we signed them Indi Kirk, Archer Gardiner and Zac Harding being the exceptions they are very young throw Freddy Brayshaw in there too at 18.
Charlie Constable now 27 in his third year and signed on until 2027. Brandan Parfitt 28 in his second year coming off premiership success at Geelong in 2022 but is a full-time professional footballer playing in the NT in our offseason.
Schlensog still just 25, Aaron Clarke 26. Both in their 3rd year at the club. Late addition Jack Kluske is 27 was a Sydney VFL player and pre season train on with the Swans.
But weāve had a couple that just spent one season. Zac Derksen and Joseph Chaplin. Michael Randall only lasted half a season last year.
Sold a dream and quickly realise its a nightmare.
Maybe we need some off field recruits and the onfield might start to change.
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To lead from Dangerās comments - three variables have remained constant during this period: the president, average coaches, and the placeās culture.
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I think the Pre Points cap Subi when they were flush with funds,recruited very intelligently by focusing on top VFL players instead of ones who had just come out of the AFL system,where a lot of them donāt seem to have as much motivation to succeed in our second tier competition.
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Its been yet another unmitigated disaster (no sugar coating it, D- to F grading) of a season to date and god knows how many under the current regime!
8 games left to salvage something out of 2026 but Im not holding my breath whilst they continually pick the wrong players!
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Itāll be a shame if you lose Steed and Kelly to the AFL at yearās end,but play Steed in particular in DEFIANCE of the AFL if youāre getting instructions NOT to play him in the last month,TELL THEM WHERE TO GO IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS,SWANNIES!
Just had a look at the injury list on the WAFL website and there is no information on the players who didnāt complete the game against West Coast, Pasini, Provest and Impey as well as Trew who was a withdrawal. Theres probably others. So totally out of date. How useless is this club. It wouldnt be too hard to keep this up to date
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[email protected] Mike. Iāve emailed them twice about injury lists not being put up by your club and Subiaco. Then suddenly Subiacoās list appeared and after I had a chat with WA football chair Ian Callaghan at Lathlain on game day your clubs injury list suddenly appeared.
I sent a follow up email a few weeks later when I was made aware by my Subi mate their list, like yours hadnāt been updated since. Itās about time they heard from someone else. I spoke about how disrespectful it is to WAFL supporters and unfair that most clubs are doing it while others are just slack.
Should be a $100 fine if clubs donāt update their list at least once a week even if there is no change. Doddy updated ours today Seth Clark added to the list.
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BH your right itās another wasted season. We were told at the beginning of the season about all these you beaut new players. Another year of training for the old player. And nothing has changed. Then I look at carlton SAME PLAYERS SAME SEASON . NEW COACH.
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I would love some explanations on this weeks selections..I assume we have lost a heap more in injuries to add to our season of woe.
Harley Cummings - lovely kid Im sure but has anyone seen a player get less of the ball to win a league berth? He doesnt get near it and never has.
Yeah see what you mean only averaging 10 disposals in a team that is winning every week. Im sure there would be others more worthy of a place but who dont have a well known father! Good luck to the young man though, hope he does well
A bit harsh boys, he has some ability, not sure if you even watch the Reserves at all with those comments? What is surprising is bringing in a young tall to make their debut in the conditions expected this weekend!!!
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Yeah I dont get to see a lot of the reserves and agree that judging a guy just on his stats can be misleading. As I said I hope he goes well and that he can get through without adding to the ridiculous injury list at the club
More the better. I wouldnāt mind seeing a John Todd style purge of a few of the underperforming and ācomfortableā senior players as well. Now is the time.
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