The Sydney Swans recruiting department have kicked into action as the work ramps up ahead of November’s National Draft in Melbourne. 

After the AFL Grand Final the Draft Combine begins before attention turns to the free agency and trade period ahead of the National Draft in late November.

General Manager of Recruitment and List Strategy Kinnear Beatson said there was plenty happening over the coming months.

“This time of the year the focus is starting to do a lot of interviews and background checks with teachers and employees of the various players we are interested in,” Beatson told SwansTV.

“We have the free agency period coming up as well as the trade period and the Draft Combine which starts on the 1^st of October.

“This is a really busy time for us with a lot on.”

The Swans currently hold pick 4 in the National Draft to be held on November 20.

Beatson said the Club was open to trading that pick during the upcoming trade period if the right player became available.

“The trade period will influence greatly where our draft picks fall,” Beatson said.

“At the moment we look like having an early draft pick but that doesn’t mean we will hold that pick.”

“We may trade it out if a suitable player becomes available so we will be open minded about that.”

The introduction of live trading of draft picks on draft night has created an extra layer of complexity to the planning process.

“In the old days once the season was over and the initial trade period was over you knew exactly where your draft picks were.”

“Now because of live trading during the draft you are not quite sure where your last pick may be because a trade may come up that will bring you in earlier in the draft but may throw your last pick out later in the draft. 

“That has given rise to us having to have all bases covered which means a lot more work in terms of covering the depth of players.”