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For us, I think we need to forget about going for ready made players and just draft kids and develop them over the next few years, although, if we could snag one good a grader, that I would support.
Sydney's rebuild skips years with 2009 off-season recruiting
REBUILDING phases for AFL clubs often last several years. But in 2009, Sydney redefined what can be achieved in one off-season with an honest and accurate assessment of their list's weaknesses and careful homework on who was poachable around the rest of the league.
In what ranks among the most successful recruitment drives of all time, the Swans drafted and traded in Shane Mumford, Josh Kennedy, Sam Reid, Lewis Jetta, Gary Rohan and Ben McGlynn.
Put that six in any list and they'd be a premiership contender.
The Swans finished 12th in 2009, the first time they had missed the finals since 2002. Now they are poised for a crack at the flag and have a core of youngsters who will be stars for the next 10 years.
Sydney's version of bottoming out lasted just the one season.
Then coach Paul Roos said the secret was to identify the club's weaknesses and strengthen them and the rule was to focus on what could be brought into the club, not worry about what the club had to give up.
"We had always been a good inside team, but we specifically went after the outside run," Roos said.
What makes that off-season so remarkable was the Swans orchestrated the perfect scenario when they gave away three premiership players and became a better side.
Barry Hall was a superstar for the club but after a year of disciplinary problems he had run his race, while Amon Buchanan was languishing in the reserves and sought better opportunities elsewhere.
Darren Jolly was a pivotal player in their 2005 premiership and a pillar of the old high-stoppage game that was a Sydney trademark between 2003 and 2009. But when he wanted to return to Melbourne to the support network of family for his wife who had developed post-natal depression, Roos said he knew he had to help him get there.
Jolly was traded to Collingwood for picks 14 and 46, a fair deal considering they'd handed over pick 15 to Melbourne for his services five years earlier.
The way they spent those picks changed the way Sydney played the game. In came the explosive Jetta and hard-running goal sneak McGlynn and suddenly the Swans had pace to burn outside and multiple avenues to goal.
And when the Brisbane Lions expressed interest in Buchanan, the Swans pounced, collecting pick 28, which they promptly passed on to Geelong for Mumford.
Brisbane was also involved with Sydney and West Coast in a complex three-way trade with the Lions and West Coast that saw the Swans receive pick 47 from the Bulldogs for Hall, which they on-traded to Brisbane for pick 39 and used on Kennedy.
In short, the Swans lost Hall, Jolly and Buchanan and got Kennedy, Mumford and Jetta.
As good as 2009 was for the Swans, it was a nightmare for the Lions.
Of those recruited that year, Brendan Fevola and Xavier Clarke are no longer at the club and Buchanan and Brent Staker have not played seniors this year. Only Matt Maguire and Andrew Raines are consistent performers.
REBUILDING phases for AFL clubs often last several years. But in 2009, Sydney redefined what can be achieved in one off-season with an honest and accurate assessment of their list's weaknesses and careful homework on who was poachable around the rest of the league.
In what ranks among the most successful recruitment drives of all time, the Swans drafted and traded in Shane Mumford, Josh Kennedy, Sam Reid, Lewis Jetta, Gary Rohan and Ben McGlynn.
Put that six in any list and they'd be a premiership contender.
The Swans finished 12th in 2009, the first time they had missed the finals since 2002. Now they are poised for a crack at the flag and have a core of youngsters who will be stars for the next 10 years.
Sydney's version of bottoming out lasted just the one season.
Then coach Paul Roos said the secret was to identify the club's weaknesses and strengthen them and the rule was to focus on what could be brought into the club, not worry about what the club had to give up.
"We had always been a good inside team, but we specifically went after the outside run," Roos said.
What makes that off-season so remarkable was the Swans orchestrated the perfect scenario when they gave away three premiership players and became a better side.
Barry Hall was a superstar for the club but after a year of disciplinary problems he had run his race, while Amon Buchanan was languishing in the reserves and sought better opportunities elsewhere.
Darren Jolly was a pivotal player in their 2005 premiership and a pillar of the old high-stoppage game that was a Sydney trademark between 2003 and 2009. But when he wanted to return to Melbourne to the support network of family for his wife who had developed post-natal depression, Roos said he knew he had to help him get there.
Jolly was traded to Collingwood for picks 14 and 46, a fair deal considering they'd handed over pick 15 to Melbourne for his services five years earlier.
The way they spent those picks changed the way Sydney played the game. In came the explosive Jetta and hard-running goal sneak McGlynn and suddenly the Swans had pace to burn outside and multiple avenues to goal.
And when the Brisbane Lions expressed interest in Buchanan, the Swans pounced, collecting pick 28, which they promptly passed on to Geelong for Mumford.
Brisbane was also involved with Sydney and West Coast in a complex three-way trade with the Lions and West Coast that saw the Swans receive pick 47 from the Bulldogs for Hall, which they on-traded to Brisbane for pick 39 and used on Kennedy.
In short, the Swans lost Hall, Jolly and Buchanan and got Kennedy, Mumford and Jetta.
As good as 2009 was for the Swans, it was a nightmare for the Lions.
Of those recruited that year, Brendan Fevola and Xavier Clarke are no longer at the club and Buchanan and Brent Staker have not played seniors this year. Only Matt Maguire and Andrew Raines are consistent performers.
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