When the Sydney Swans take on GWS in Blacktown on Saturday all eyes will be on the club’s young brigade, with the new recruits eager to impress in their first hit-out of the pre-season competition.
In all, Sydney has seven new draftees including Nick Blakey, James Rowbottom, Zac Foot and Justin McInerney, and rookies Durak Tucker, Harry Reynolds and Samuel Wicks.
The Sydney Swans have drafted 154 players via the AFL National Draft since its inception in 1986 and 103 rookies since 1997, but only 11 draftees have debuted in Round 1 of their first season at the club.
Could Nick Blakey be the 12th?
While coach John Longmire will be quick to keep the proverbial lid on the early Blakey hype, if you asked the QBE Sydney Swans Academy product what he might want for his 19th birthday today it would most probably be just that.
One thing’s for certain, whichever of last year’s draftees is first to debut in 2019, they will earn a unique place in Swans history as the first player born in the 21stcentury to play for the club.
The 11 Sydney Swans draftees to debut in Round 1 in their first season at the club, each with their own unique story, have been:
2017 - Ollie Florent – The former Sandringham Dragons TAC Cup player was drafted by the Swans with selection #11 in the 2016 National Draft and debuted at 18 in 2017. He has played 32 games in two years, including all 23 games last year.
2016 - Callum Mills – The Sydney-born star became an AFL player via selection #3 in the 2015 National Draft as a QBE Sydney Swans Academy choice and debuted at 18. He won the AFL Rising Star in his first season and played 55 games in three years before missing the entire 2018 season with a foot injury.
2016 - Tom Papley – The former Gippsland Power TAC Cup player became the first and thus far only rookie draftee to debut in Round 1 of his first season at the club in 2016, aged 19. He played in the grand final in his first season and has played 20 games in each of three seasons for a total of 60.
2015 - Isaac Heeney – After a seven-year drought on Round 1 draftee debuts, the Hunter Valley product turned QBE Sydney Swans Academy star was claimed by the club with selection #18 in the 2014 National Draft and debuted at 18. Has played 80 games in four years, including the 2016 grand final.
2012 – Harry Cunningham – A wingman from Wagga Wagga who debuted in Round 1, 2012 after being drafted to the Swans as a rookie ahead of the season. Notched his 100th game in Round 20, 2018 as Sydney celebrated the 100th anniversary of its 1918 premiership victory over Collingwood. Played the 2014 grand final.
2008 – Craig Bird – A NSW Scholarship holder from Nelson Bay, he was drafted at #59 in the 2007 National Draft and debuted at 19 in 2008. He played 137 AFL games in eight years with the Swans, including the 2012 premiership and the 2014 grand final. He later played 20 games with Essendon in 2016-17 as a top-up player during the club’s drug saga.
2002 – Ricky Mott – A ruckman from country WA, he was overlooked in the 1999 and 2000 National Drafts but after playing with South Fremantle 2001 was picked up by the Swans with selection #74 in the 2001 National Draft. Debuted in Round 1 at 20 when the more experienced Jason Ball and Stephen Doyle were injured and played 17 games. Was delisted after he turned up overweight for pre-season training, and after a rookie stint with Fremantle in 2003 without an AFL game he played two AFL games with Carlton in 2004.
1998 – Jason Saddington – Drafted at #11 in 1997 from the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup, he debuted at 18 and played eight years and 142 games with the Swans. Switched to Carlton in 2006 and played 20 games over three years. Is now Academy Coach with the GWS Giants.
1995 – Shannon Grant – Selection #3 in the 1994 National Draft from Western Jets in the TAC Cup, he debuted at 18 and played three years and 58 games with the Swans before joining North Melbourne, where he played a further 243 games.
1994 – Brad Seymour – Was a NSW zone selection from Wagga in the 1993 National Draft and debuted at 17. He played 10 years and 133 games with the club, including the 1996 grand final, and has served on the Sydney Swans Board since 2015.
1994 - Damien Lang – From Leeton in the Riverina, he was another NSW zone selection in the 1993 National Draft and debuted at 18. Played five AFL games with the Swans in 1994 and after an extended stint with Port Adelaide in the SANFL played three AFL games with Carlton in 1998.
1990 – Brad Tunbridge – A ruckman who debuted as a 26-year-old after being taken at #8 in the 1989 National Draft from East Fremantle. Played 50 games in four seasons.
