Watching the performance of Swan’s ex-Captain Luke Parker for the North Melbourne Kangaroos has been both galling and full of pride. I imagine most footy team supporters are secretly happy and mad about the good performances of players that have left their side to play with another. The pride comes from having taken ownership of the player for many years on the basis of their prominent role within the AFL club you barrack for. At the same time, you get upset that they are no longer donning the jersey you support. Gee, I wish Luke Parker was still a Swan.
Why Isn’t Luke Parker Still Playing For Sydney?
In fact, I wonder, as I imagine many Sydney Swans fans and members wonder, why Luke Parker is no longer a Swan? Right now, we are going so poorly we could really do with such a senior midfielder playing well. Yes, I can infer from events that Parker was keen to take up the offer from the Kangaroos. The money would have been better and, perhaps, family stuff came into the equation, as well. However, I do think that Luke appeared to be treated somewhat shabbily last season on the back of his injury and then suspension. It was like he was surplus to requirements because we were going so well. How times can change and pretty quickly too.
Have The Swans Actively Encouraged Player Loyalty?
It is interesting to note how few lengthy playing careers have been notched up at the Sydney Swans/South Melbourne in comparison to other AFL clubs.
372 Adam Goodes (1999 – 2015)
325 Jude Bolton (1999-2013)
325 Jarrad McVeigh (2004-2019)
303 Michael O’Loughlin (1995-2009)
293 Luke Parker (2011- *)
286 Ryan O’Keefe (2000-2014)
277 Josh Kennedy (2010 – 2022)
260 John Rantall (1963-72; 1976-79)
256 Kieren Jack (2007-2019)
256 Heath Grundy (2006-2019)
https://afltables.com/afl/stats/alltime/highs.html
If you check out the table listed on the page linked above you will see only Adam Goodes makes the top 45 and that Sydney have only 4 in the top 80. For such an old AFL club that is pretty average. Has this club looked after its champions by encouraging loyalty as much as other clubs like Hawthorn, Richmond and Geelong? For this purpose I have limited my analysis to ‘one club’ players.
Luke Parker & Other Sydney Transfers
Imagine if Sydney had managed to hold onto Luke Parker, George Hewett, Jordan Dawson, Zak Jones, Darcy Cameron, Alir Alir, Nic Newman, ‘Nank’, and the rest of those that have moved on to greener pastures. Of course, it is impossible to manage this in the real world of AFL players and clubs shopping around for the best deals. I would be interested to know the finer details about some of these player movements and the deals offered and rejected. Did the club fight tooth and nail to keep Dawson? Was the Parker move really in the best interests of the club? Was an ex-Captain and almost 300 game players properly looked after? I mean we don’t have that many falling into that category.
Swans Lack An Imposing Midfielder
It is great to see Luke Parker playing so well at his new club and helping them to revive. He has been a fantastic servant of the Swans over the years. Unfortunately, in the selfish world of supporting your club the view on the red and white side is not so pretty at the moment. The team is riven with injuries to key players and the replacements are not measuring up. A new coach is struggling to get wins on the board and falling short most weeks. The Sydney team lacks a physically imposing player like Parker, as we have too many lightweights running around. When push comes to shove we have too few with the inclination to dig in. Too many players looking for an easy possession on the outside and not physically pressuring opponents. Gee, I wish Luke Parker was still a Swan. Perhaps, the price of talented youth has come at too high a cost and the grunt on the inside, which only comes from experience, has been neglected.
Bloods Type Players
Who among the Sydney Swans has the physicality required at this level? James Rowbottom cannot do it alone. Isaac Heeney is tough and physical. Sam Wicks has grunt and loves a contest. Brody Grundy provides a wrestling big man presence. More is needed from Hayden McLean on this score. James Jordan is a physical presence. Chad Warner tips in at times but not always. Similarly, Will Hayward can provide that up forward via his tackling. Taylor Adams cannot get on the park much. Gee, I wish Luke Parker was still a Swan. The team should focus on this aspect when recruiting, we do not have a Bailey Humphrey or Cam Rayner. I worry about those grey hairs in Brody Grundy’s beard!
“Taking over a top team in the AFL as coach has challenges of its own, I am sure. Dean Cox seems to be a well liked fella but can he drive the red and white bus? The concerning situation at the moment is what appears to be senior players not playing well for whatever reasons. Ollie Florent looks lost and out of form”
Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump.
©GolfDom
