Sydney Swans: 2019 fixtures, preview, list changes, every player and odds

Mick Stirling

Sydney Swans: 2019 fixtures, preview, list changes, every player and odds image

The Swans did what they do in 2018 – play finals - but it was a little bit different to a normal Sydney September as they were thrashed by crosstown rival GWS, scoring just 30 points for the match.

And things didn’t get much better once the dust had settled, with three-time All Australian Dan Hannebery asking for a trade to St Kilda and club mascot Gary Rohan also wanting out, while rumours swirled about the futures of Luke Parker and Jake Lloyd. 

The exodus was limited and at the end of the day the list looks no weaker than it did before the post-season dealings, but there’s been an air of disquiet hanging around the Swans since the 2016 Grand Final loss and it’s starting to smell just a little pungent.

The young talent at Sydney could be the breath of fresh air the place needs, and the addition of Nick Blakey in the draft is a great addition to a side desperate to find help for Lance Franklin in front of goals.

However, many believe there is a divide between youth and the veterans at Sydney, and with half a dozen ‘over 30s’ still shuffling around it may be a while before true happiness is in place. 

List changes

In

Ryan Clarke (North Melbourne), Jackson Thurlow (Geelong), Daniel Menzel (Geelong), Nick Blakey (Sydney Academy, pictured), James Rowbottom (Oakleigh Chargers), Justin McInerney (Northern Knights), Zac Foot (Dandenong Stingrays)

Nick Blakey

Rookies

Durak Tucker (Peel Thunder), Harry Reynolds (Sandringham Dragons), Kurt Tippett (Sydney)

Out

Dan Hannebery, Nic Newman, Gary Rohan, Jake Brown, Jordan Foote, Alex Johnson, Harry Marsh, Daniel Robinson, Angus Styles, Dean Towers


 

Best Brownlow chances

Josh Kennedy $34, Lance Franklin $51, Isaac Heeney $81, Luke Parker $101

While Kennedy is the shortest-priced Swan in Brownlow betting the skipper would need to have an Indian Summer next winter if he was to be any chance, although he may have already had his last hurrah with 2017’s fourth-placed finish.

Heeney seems the more likely as he has been taking his game to new heights recently and getting a real knack for the spectacular. There’s no doubt the 22-year-old is going to be a superstar of the game, its just a matter of when he takes the leap.

‘Buddy’ also knows how to catch the eye and managed to rack up 16 votes in 2018 – roughly one vote for each minute of training if we’re to believe John Longmire.

The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.

Players to watch

Nick Blakey, Daniel Menzel

Blakey could have chosen to go to either North Melbourne or Brisbane as a father-son recruit, but settled on Sydney as an Academy graduate and where his old man John happens to work. His future looks to be as a key forward but he has all the attributes to make the grade as a midfielder, and a bloody good one. It will be interesting to see if John Longmire throws Blakey in at the deep end in an effort to relieve the pressure on Franklin, or if the Swans prefer to nurse their investment through the lower leagues.

Menzel will definitely be placed at Buddy’s feet from round one – if he’s fit to play. The former Cat had groin surgery last week that will keep him from full training until February and may delay the start to his season. No one questions Menzel’s goalkicking ability, but his pressure game has come under plenty of criticism and it’s imperative to his future, and Sydney’s, that he learns how to keep the ball in the front half.


 

A last chance to watch?

Jarrad McVeigh, Heath Grundy

The coach seemed to have McVeigh retired midway through 2018 and speculation rose that the 33-year-old would look for a new club, but it was impossible to question his value to the team and, with Dan Hannebery leaving, the Swans’ midfield needs all the quality it can get while the young kids develop. A one-year contract extension came through, but it will be hard to see the former skipper and two-time best and fairest winner making it to 2020. 

Grundy is another club favourite and the cornerstone of Sydney’s defence for the past decade, however he’s only signed till the end of 2019 and will be 33 by then. A natural successor may not yet be evident, but Longmire will be hoping to find younger options to take his side into the future. 

#heath grundy

Sydney Swans’ 2019 list

No. Name Games Date of birth Height, weight Position
36 Aliir, Aliir  28  5 Sep 1994  194cm 94kg Defender
46 Amartey, Joel (R)  2 Sep 1999  196cm 88kg Ruck
32 Bell, James (R)  10 Feb 1999  183cm 79kg Midfield
22 Blakey, Nick    195cm 82kg Forward
17 Cameron, Darcy  18 Jul 1995  204cm 100kg Ruck
  Clarke, Ryan  40  17 Jun 1997  184cm 87kg Defender
7 Cunningham, Harry  104  6 Dec 1993 182cm 77kg Forward
34 Dawson, Jordan  9 Apr 1997  190cm 88kg Forward
13 Florent, Oliver  32  22 Jul 1998  183cm 80kg Forward
16 Foot, Zac    181cm 73kg Midfield
42 Fox, Robbie (R)  13  16 Apr 1993  185cm 85kg Midfield
23 Franklin, Lance  290  30 Jan 1987  199cm 107kg Forward
39 Grundy, Heath  255  2 Jun 1986  192cm 105kg Defender
9 Hayward, Will  40  26 Oct 1998  186cm 80kg Forward
5 Heeney, Isaac  80  5 May 1996  186cm 85kg Midfield
29 Hewett, George  71  29 Dec 1995  188cm 83kg Midfield
15 Jack, Kieren  248  28 Jun 1987  178cm 81kg  Midfield
10 Jones, Zak  73  15 Mar 1995  181cm 78kg Defender
12 Kennedy, Josh P.  227  20 Jun 1988  190cm 95kg Midfield
19 Ling, Matthew  21 Apr 1999  183cm 76kg Defender
44 Lloyd, Jake  115  20 Sep 1993  180cm 79kg Defender
21 Maibaum, Jack  27 Mar 1998  193cm 94kg Defender
30 McCartin, Tom  15  30 Dec 1999  192cm 82kg Forward
3 McVeigh, Jarrad 319

7 Apr 1985

184cm 84kg Defender
27 Mcinerney, Justin 0     Midfield
43 Melican, Lewis (R)  20  4 Nov 1996  195cm 100kg Defender
2 Menzel, Daniel  73  13 Sep 1991  190cm 90kg Forward
14 Mills, Callum  55  2 Apr 1997  188cm 82kg Defender
35 Naismith, Sam  28  16 Jul 1992  205cm 109kg Ruck
38 O'Riordan, Colin (R)  12 Oct 1995  185cm 83kg Defender
11 Papley, Tom  60  13 Jul 1996  177cm 77kg Forward
26 Parker, Luke  173  25 Oct 1992  183cm 88kg Midfield
47 Pink, Toby (R)  11 Aug 1998  194cm 92kg Forward
24 Rampe, Dane  138  2 Jun 1990  189cm 86kg Defender
20 Reid, Sam  121  27 Dec 1991  196cm 99kg Forward
31 Reynolds, Harry (R)    190cm 74kg Defender
25 Ronke, Ben (R)  18  18 Dec 1997

182cm 77kg

Forward
1 Rose, James  9

16 Apr 1996

186cm 79kg Forward
8 Rowbottom, James    186cm 76kg Midfield
18 Sinclair, Callum  87  23 Sep 1989  200cm 96kg Ruck
40 Smith, Nick  211  12 Jun 1988  183cm 83kg Defender
33 Stoddart, Ryley  15 Oct 1999  184cm 73kg Defender
6 Thurlow, Jackson  46  28 Mar 1994  191cm 88kg Defender
8 Tippett, Kurt (R)  178  8 May 1987  202cm 106kg Forward
28 Tucker, Durak (R)    189cm 84kg Defender
45 Wicks, Sam (R)  0     Forward


 

Sydney Swans’ 2019 Fixture

Round Date Opponent Venue
1 Saturday 23 Mar 7:25pm  Western Bulldogs  Marvel Stadium
2 Friday 29 Mar 7:50pm Adelaide SCG
3 Saturday 6 Apr 1:45pm Carlton Marvel Stadium
4 Thursday 11 Apr 7:20pm Melbourne SCG
5 Saturday 20 Apr 7:25pm Richmond Marvel Stadium
6 Saturday 27 Apr 7:25pm  GWS Giants SCG
7 Saturday 4 May 4:35pm  Brisbane Gabba
8 Friday 10 May 7:50pm Essendon SCG
9 Saturday 18 May 7:25pm  North Melbourne  Blundstone Arena
10 Friday 24 May 7:50pm Collingwood SCG
11 Saturday 1 Jun 4:35pm  Geelong GMHBA Stadium
12 Sunday 9 Jun 3:20pm  West Coast SCG
13 BYE    
14 Friday 21 Jun 7:50pm Hawthorn SCG
15 Saturday 29 Jun 4:35pm  Gold Coast SCG
16 Saturday 6 Jul 1:45pm  Essendon MCG
17 Saturday 13 Jul 1:45pm Carlton SCG
18 Saturday 20 Jul 6:10pm Fremantle Optus Stadium
19 Sunday 28 Jul 3:20pm Geelong SCG
20 Saturday 3 Aug 2:10pm  GWS Giants  Showground Stadium
21 Saturday 10 Aug 1:40pm  Port Adelaide  Adelaide Oval
22 Friday 16 Aug 7:50pm Melbourne MCG
23 TBC St Kilda SCG

Games played on

Thursday: 1
Friday: 5
Saturday: 13
Sunday: 2

Teams played twice

Essendon, Carlton, GWS Giants, Melbourne, Geelong

Aliir Aliir

2019 Preview and premiership odds

Is it ever possible to write off the Swans going into a new year? Probably not, but the feeling is they’re at the least competitive level they’ve been this century and there’ll need to be a bit of pain before success comes knocking again.

Champion Data recently rated Sydney 13th when assessing the strength of club lists, a lot lower than the equal fifth-favourite premiership odds of $12 would suggest, and with Hannebery gone and McVeigh, Kennedy, Franklin, Grundy and Kieren Jack all on the wrong side of 30, it would seem the magnificent recent era is coming to an end.

Is there time for one more tilt at the title before the champions leave and with Heeney, Luke Parker and Callum Mills coming through?

It may be harder to get to September, but if the Swans are there when the finals come around … well, you just don’t know.
 

Mick Stirling