In summary:
Young forward James Rose showed glimpses of a bright future in 2018, starring in the NEAFL, earning an AFL recall and helping the Swans lock in a NEAFL grand final berth.
The 22-year-old finished among the top three Swans in the NEAFL in average disposals, inside 50s, hard-ball gets and goals.
Rose, who’s made nine senior appearances in his four seasons in red and white, averaged 24 touches per game and bagged 22 goals across 13 matches.
The South Australian was rewarded with AFL selection as Sydney met Richmond at Etihad Stadium in Round 15, his sole senior match in 2018.
What the numbers say:
NEAFL
Games: 13
Goals: 22
Kicks: 197
Handballs: 113
Disposals: 310
Marks: 66
Best performance:
Grand Final: Sydney Swans v Southport Sharks, Fankhauser Reserve
While Sydney suffered a 55-point loss to Southport in the 2018 NEAFL Grand Final, Rose saved his best game of the season to the decider. The firebrand Swan collected 38 possessions (27 contested), 15 clearances, seven tackles, seven rebound 50s and a brilliant snap for goal. While Rose didn’t take home the Andrew Ireland Medal for best on ground, Head of Development John Blakey spoke glowingly of his performance in the pressure cooker grand finals are.
What they said:
Head of Development John Blakey
“The talent he does possess is exciting, but he’s got to produce it regularly. He showed in the Grand Final what he’s capable of and that’s what makes us really excited about 2019.”
In pictures:
James Rose is tackled by Richmond defender Alex Rance during his only AFL match this season.
James Rose celebrates a goal in the pre-season with star forward Lance Franklin.
Stay tuned for more season reviews at sydneyswans.com.au over the coming weeks.
