As the Sydney Swans’ recruitment team finalises its preparation for this year’s National Draft, set to be held at Marvel Stadium next Wednesday and Thursday, Swans Media looks at the players the club has recruited from NSW.
The Swans have drafted 23 players from NSW via the National Draft since it was introduced in 1986, with John Brinkotter the first and prized 2018 recruit Nick Blakey the most recent.
The 1980s saw the Swans lock in Brinkotter, Donald Thompson, Laurie Menhenut and Tony Vigona.
The 1990s delivered Leigh Campbell, Dion Myles, Stefan Carey, Brad Seymour, Damian Lang, Andrew Bomford, Leo Barry, Justin Crawford, Tim Scott and Ben Hollands.
And the 21st century has produced Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Adam Schneider, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird, Isaac Heeney, Jack Hiscox, Abe Davis, Callum Mills and Blakey.
Swans Media revisits below the careers of five of the most successful players recruited from NSW via the National Draft.
Leo Barry
The Swans faithful will never forget the moment Barry leapt for the heavens to clinch the club’s first premiership in 72 years. The star defender’s extraordinary grab secured Sydney a four-point Grand Final win over the West Coast Eagles and ended the longest flag drought in VFL/AFL history. Barry, who was drafted from Deniliquin via a zone selection at the 1994 AFL Draft, played 237 AFL games, was a two-time All Australian and is a member of the greatest NSW team of all time, while he’s also a Swans Hall of Famer and Life Member.
Leo Barry clunks his famous 2005 Grand Final mark.
Lewis Roberts-Thomson
Roberts-Thomson didn’t take up Australian rules football until the late age of 14 and was still very fresh to the game when he landed at Sydney via pick 29 at the 2001 National Draft. But although the junior rugby star was, in the words of coach John Longmire at Roberts-Thomson’s retirement press conference, “raw” in his early days as a Swan, he was also “a massive competitor”. Countless one-on-one battles with gun key forward Barry Hall in the goal square at training put Roberts-Thomson on the right path, and when he retired late in the 2014 season, he had a resume to be proud of. The New South Welshman played 179 AFL games, won premierships with Sydney in 2005 and 2012, is a member of the Swans Hall of Fame and is a Swans Life Member.
Adam Schneider
A short, stocky kid from Osborne with a prodigious goal-kicking ability arrived at the Swans via pick 60 at the 2001 National Draft. A handy option in the midfield and forward line, Schneider played 98 senior games with Sydney before adding another 130 matches in St Kilda colours. He was a member of the Swans’ 2005 premiership team, became a Saint ahead of season 2008 and retired at the end of the 2015 campaign.
Former Sydney Swans livewire Adam Schneider celebrates a goal.
Jarrad McVeigh
The Swans snared one of the most tantalising prospects of the 2002 draft pool when they selected McVeigh with pick five. The boy from the Central Coast arrived as an outstanding endurance runner and exceptional ball-user, with coach Paul Roos then educating him on the defensive side of the game. McVeigh initially had concerns defensive play may negate his attacking prowess, but in hindsight he realises it was pivotal to him becoming one of the league’s premier midfielders. He retired at the completion of season 2019 with 325 AFL games, All Australian selection and two Club Champion awards beside his name. He also co-captained Sydney to the 2012 premiership, made a club-high 28 finals appearances, is a Swans Life Member and was named in the greatest NSW team of all time.
Sydney Swans great Jarrad McVeigh.
Craig Bird
Bird took up Aussie rules at the age of eight and grew up idolising Sydney great Paul Kelly. Then when the Swans drafted the Nelson Bay local with selection 59 at the 2007 National Draft, he inherited the number 14 guernsey made famous by Kelly and fellow Bloods Legend Bob Skilton. Bird played 137 AFL games with Sydney and was a member of the 2012 premiership team, before adding another 20 appearances with Essendon in 2016 and 2017.
