Who is the Swans’ best recruit of all-time?

It is a question that has run hot across the football world this week after Lance Franklin played his 100th game for the Swans on Friday night to become the 44th player in AFL history to play 100 games for two clubs.

Franklin is the fifth member of this group to have played with the Swans, joining Barry Round, Paul Williams, Greg Williams and Anthony Daniher.

Also among this quality-plus list of players is Swans head of development John Blakey, who played 135 games for Fitzroy and 224 games for North Melbourne.

What constitutes a “recruit”? Simply, it’s a player who began his AFL career elsewhere before joining the Swans.

Among the 132 players who have played 100 games for the Swans, 19 began their careers at another club.

But who is the best? Is it Franklin? Or Greg Williams, Barry Hall or Josh Kennedy? Or Barry Round, Craig Bolton or Paul Williams? Or is it someone outside the 100-game club. Like Gerard Healy, Tony Lockett, Paul Roos or Roy Cazaly?

It’s a conversation without a definitive answer, and generates enormous debate among loyal Swans supporters.

In order of games played for the Swans, players in the ‘best recruit’ conversation might include:

Ted Richards – Played 228 games and 21 finals for the Swans from 2006-16 to rank 19th on the club’s all-time list after 33 games at Essendon from 2002-05. Was a member of the 2012 premiership side and played in the losing grand final sides in 2006 and 2014.  Was All-Australian and runner-up club champion in 2012.

Rod Carter – Played 217 games and four finals for the Swans from 1980-90 after 76 games for Fitzroy 1974-79. Is a member of the Swans Hall of Fame.

Josh Kennedy – The current captain has now played 205 games and 21 finals for the Swans since 2010 after 13 games with Hawthorn in 2008-09. Won All-Australian selection in 2012, ’14 and ‘16, has finished top four in the club champion award eight years in a row, and was a member of the 2012 premiership side before playing in losing grand finals in 2014 and 2016.

Stuart Maxfield – Played an even 200 games for the Swans from 1996-2005 after 89 games at Richmond from 1990-95. Captain in 2003, ’04 and ‘05, he was runner-up in the 2005 club championship and five times finished top 10. Also played in the losing 1996 grand final, and is a member of the Swans Hall of Fame.

Barry Round – Played 193 games for the Swans from 1976-85 after 135 games with Footscray from 1969-75. Won the Brownlow Medal in 1981, the Swans club champion award in 1979 and 1981, was club captain from 1980-84 and is a member of the Swans Team of the Century and Hall of Fame, and the AFL Hall of Fame.

Craig Bolton – Played 170 games for the Swans from 2003-10 after 29 games with Brisbane from 2000-02. All-Australian in 2006 and 2009, he finished third in the club champion award in 2005 and 2007, and five times finished top 10. Was a member of the 2005 premiership team and the losing 2006 grand final team and was co-captain from 2008-10. Is a member of the Swans Hall of Fame.

Barry Hall – Played 162 games with the Swans from 2002-09 after 88 games at St Kilda from 1996-2001 and before 39 games for the Western Bulldogs in 2010-11. Captain of the breakthrough premiership side in 2005 and co-captain in 2006, when the club played in a losing grand final, and 2007. Won the club championship in 2005, was runner-up in 2006 and finished top 10 five times. Also won the AFLCA Player of the Year Award in 2005. Kicked 467 goals to rank third on the club’s all-time list, led the club goal-kicking seven years in a row from 2002-08, and was among the League’s leading goal-kickers through that period. Is a member of the Swans Hall of Fame and the AFL Hall of Fame.

Rhyce Shaw – Played 143 games for the Swans from 2009-15 after 94 games with Collingwood from 2000-08. Runner-up in the club championship in 2009 and 2011, he played in the 2012 premiership and the 2014 losing grand final. Now a member of the Swans coaching staff.

Bernard Toohey – Played 129 games for the Swans from 1986-91 after 94 games with Geelong from 1981-85 and before 40 games for Footscray from 1992-93. Was All-Australian in 2007 and in 2009 was the club’s leading goal-kicker after playing only half a season at full forward.

Ben McGlynn – Played 127 games and 15 finals for the Swans from 2010-16 after 44 games with Hawthorn from 2006-09. Played in the losing grand finals in 2014 and 2016, and twice finished top 10 in the club championship.

Martin Mattner – Played 124 games for the Swans from 2010-16 after 98 games with Adelaide from 2002-07. A member of the 2002 premiership team, he finished third in the club championship in 2008 and eighth in 2009,

Graham Teasdale – Played 121 games with the Swans from 1975-81 after six games at Richmond in 1973 and before 14 games at Collingwood in 1982-83. Won the Brownlow Medal and the Swans club championship in 1977. Is also a member of the Swans Hall of Fame.

Darren Jolly – Played 118 games for the Swans from 2005-09 after 48 games with Melbourne from 2001-04 and before 71 games with Collingwood from 2010-13. A member of the 2005 premiership team and the 2006 losing grand final team, he finished top 10 in the club championship three times.

Paul Williams – Played 117 games with the Swans from 2001-06 after 189 games with Collingwood from 1991-2000.  A member of the 2005 premiership side, he won the club championship in 2001-02 and finished eighth in 2003, when he was All-Australian. Is also a member of the Swans Hall of Fame.

Greg Williams – Played 107 games for the Swans from 1986-91 after 34 games at Geelong in 1984-85 and before 109 games with Carlton from 1992-97. Won the Brownlow Medal in 1986 was All-Australian four years in a row from 1986-89,  and is a member of the Swans Team of the Century and the Hall of Fame, and the AFL Hall of Fame.

Joe Prince – Played 103 games with the Swans from 1910-18 after two games with St Kilda in 1908-09 before 10 games at Collingwood in 1919. Played in losing grand final teams in 1912 and 1914.

Jim Dorgan – Played 102 games for the Swans from 1951-58 after three games with Melbourne in 1949. Was club champion in 1956 and finished third in the Brownlow Medal.

Francis Jackson – Played an even 100 games for the Swans from 1975-82 after six games at Richmond in 1973-74.

Lance Franklin – Has now played 100 games for the Swans since 2014, including losing grand finals in 2014 and 2016, when he was All-Australian, and was equal second in the Brownlow Medal in 2014. Also equal runner-up in the 2017 club championship after finishing third in 2014 and sixth in 2016.  Won the Coleman Medal in 2014 and 2017, topped the club goal-kicking in 2014, ’15 and ‘16, and has kicked 315 goals to sit just outside the club’s top 10.

While not all of these players will feature in the ‘who is the best recruit?’ conversation, some others definitely will. To demonstrate the depth and quality of the club’s recruits, this list might include:

Tony Lockett – Played 98 games for the Swans from 1995-99 and in 2002 after 183 games at St Kilda from 1983-94. Was All-Australian in 1995, ’96 and ‘98, won the Coleman Medal in 1996 and 1998, and topped the Swans goal-kicking five years in a row from 1995-99. Kicked 462 goals for the club to rank fifth on the all-time list. Also won the Swans club championship in 1995 and is a member of the Swans Team of the Century and the Swans Hall of Fame, as well as the AFL Hall of Fame.

Roy Cazaly – Played 99 games for the Swans from 1921-27 after 99 games for St Kilda from 1911-20. Was inducted as an inaugural  Legend in the AFL Hall of Fame. Is also a member of the Swans Hall of Fame.

Wayne Schwass – Played 98 games with the Swans from 1998-2002 after 184 games with North Melbourne 1988-97. Won All-Australian selection in 1999, when he also won the club championship after finishing fourth in 1998 and before he was fourth in 2000 and sixth in 2001.

Nick Davis – Played 97 games with the Swans from 2003-08 after 71 games at Collingwood from 1999-2002. A member of the 2005 premiership side and the 2006 losing grand final side, he is best remembered for kicking four goals in the final quarter of the 2005 semi-final against Geelong to keep the Swans’ premiership dream alive.

Jason Ball – Played 90 games with the Swans from 2000-05 after 103 games with West Coast from 1992-99. A member of the 2005 premiership team.

Andrew Schauble – Played 88 games for the Swans from 2000-05 after 79 games at Collingwood from 1995-98. Won the Swans club championship in 2000.

Paul Roos – Played 87 games for the Swans from 1995-98 after 269 games at Fitzroy from 1982-94, including the 1996 grand final loss. Was All-Australian in 1996-97 and later coached the Swans from 2002-10, masterminding the breakthrough premiership of 2005. Is a member of the Swans Hall of Fame and the AFL Hall of Fame.

Gerard Healy – Played 81 games for the Swans from 1986-90 after 130 games at Melbourne from 1979-85. Won the Brownlow Medal and the AFLPA Player of the Year in 1988 and was All-Australian and club champion three years in a row in 1986, ’87 and ‘88. A member of the Swans Team of the Century and the Swans Hall of Fame, as well as the AFL Hall of Fame.

For the record, the 44 players in AFL history who have played 100 games for two clubs are:

Bernie Quinlan 366 games (177 Western Bulldogs, 189 Fitzroy), 
John Blakey 359 games (135 Fitzroy, 224 North Melbourne), 
Shaun Burgoyne 351 games (157 Port Adelaide, 194 Hawthorn), 
David Cloke 333 games (219 Richmond, 114 Collingwood), 
Gary Dempsey 329 games (207 Western Bulldogs, 122 North Melbourne), 
Barry Round 328 games (135 Western Bulldogs, 193 Sydney Swans), 
Brendon Goddard 325 games (205 St Kilda, 120 Essendon), 
Paul Salmon 324 games (224 Essendon, 100 Hawthorn), 
Roger Merrett 313 games (149 Essendon, 164 Brisbane), 
Gary Ablett 311 games (201 Geelong Cats, 110 Gold Coast Suns), 
Alastair Lynch 306 games (120 Fitzroy, 186 Brisbane), 
Paul Williams 306 games (189 Collingwood, 117 Sydney Swans), 
Russell Greene 304 games (120 St Kilda, 184 Hawthorn), 
Gavin Wanganeen 300 games (127 Essendon, 173 Port Adelaide), 
Eddie Betts 288 games (184 Carlton, 104 Adelaide Crows), 
Peter Bell 286 games (123 North Melbourne, 163 Fremantle), 
Lance Franklin 282 games (182 Hawthorn, 100 Sydney Swans),
Chris Judd 279 games (134 West Coast, 145 Carlton), 
Heath Shaw 275 games (173 Collingwood, 102 GWS Giants), 
Darryl Wakelin 261 games (115 St Kilda, 146 Port Adelaide), 
Fraser Gehrig 260 games (115 West Coast, 145 St Kilda), 
Danyle Pearce 258 games (154 Port Adelaide, 104 Fremantle), 
Matthew Clarke 
258 games (130 Brisbane, 118 Adelaide Crows, 10 St Kilda), 
Sav Rocca 257 games (156 Collingwood, 101 North Melbourne), 
Daniel Chick 252 games (149 Hawthorn 103 West Coast), 
Greg Williams 250 games (34 Geelong Cats, 107 Sydney Swans, 109 Carlton), 
Jeff Farmer 249 games (118 Melbourne, 131 Fremantle), 
Robert Scott 245 games (132 Geelong Cats, 113 North Melbourne), 
Paul Hudson 245 games (134 Hawthorn, 107 Western Bulldogs, four Richmond), 
Brad Ottens 245 games (129 Richmond, 116 Geelong Cats), 
Stephen Paxman 240 games (102 Fitzroy, 138 Port Adelaide), 
David Hale 237 games (129 North Melbourne, 108 Hawthorn), 
Dean Rice 234 games (116 St Kilda, 118 Carlton), 
Anthony Daniher 233 games (115 Sydney Swans, 118 Essendon), 
Nick Stevens 231 games (127 Port Adelaide, 104 Carlton), 
Darren Jarman 230 games (109 Hawthorn, 121 Adelaide Crows), 
Michael Rischitelli 227 games (111 Brisbane Lions, 116 Gold Coast Suns), 
Ian Hampshire 224 games (113 Geelong Cats, 111 Western Bulldogs), 
Tony McGuinness 222 games (109 Western Bulldogs, 113 Adelaide Crows),
Kane Johnson 220 games (104 Adelaide Crows, 116 Richmond), 
Tim Pekin 219 games (107 Fitzroy, 112 St Kilda), 
Earl Spalding 211 games (109 Melbourne, 102 Carlton), 
Leigh Colbert 209 games (105 Geelong, 104 North Melbourne)
Tyson Stenglein 208 games (106 Adelaide Crows, 102 West Coast).