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Jack Hardman
Height: 173cm
Weight: 72kg
Club: Warners Bay Bulldogs/Sydney Swans Academy
Image Source: Graham Denholm/AFL Media/Getty Images AsiaPac
The Sydney Swans academy program has been able to lay low while crosstown rivals Greater Western Sydney dealt with the intense scrutiny that comes with priority access to the NSW Riverina. Lost in the commotion lurks Jack Hardman. Arguably the finest Swans prospect this year, Hardman possesses electrifying speed which was evident during his record breaking debut as a 16 year old for the Sydney Swans reserves NEAFL side (refer to clip below). Hardman had gathered a loose ball, streamed down the field with the greatest of ease before kicking the ball long to a team mate and was able to follow up on the crumbs a few seconds later to narrowly miss (hit the post) what would’ve been one of the best goals of the year.
Goals are synonymous when we speak of Jack Hardman. He kicked 38 goals from his 12 games for the Warners Bay Bulldogs senior side, in the Black Diamond League, while juggling representative duties with NSW and the Swans. The then 16 year old averaged 17 disposals and 4 marks across his two games in the TAC Cup for the NSW/ACT Rams, to go with the 5 goals he booted. Hardman is as natural as they come, he knows where the big sticks are and how to find them.Speed and agility are an afterthought for a player of his caliber, and his courage can’t be questioned as he was badly injured in a contest for Warners bay after flying back with the flight into a contest with eyes only for the ball. His field kicking will require some work, however his largest drawback remains a natural factor, height. At 173 centimetres, Hardman is tiny.
An interesting fact about Jack Hardman is he was actually born on the 31st of December, 1999. While individuals naturally tend to grow up until the age of 21, Hardman is particularly favored in this area as he is the youngest player of the 2017 draft crop.
James Bell
Height: 183cm
Weight: 72kg
Club: Illawara Thunder/Sydney Swans Academy
James Bell, Natalie Ahmat and Abe Davis – Image Source: NITV
The AFL took another scalp in the tug of war between the countries major sporting codes as indigenous prospect James Bell made the courageous decision of choosing football and the Sydney Swans academy over the soccer. Bell, a raw yet talented prospect was linked to the Western Sydney Wanderers before the Sydney Swans gave him the ultimatum to choose. In a massive boost of confidence for AFL in New South Wales the Shellharbour product decided on committing unconditionally to Australian football.
Bell who was spotted and nurtured with the backing of Sydney Swans legend and AFL great Michael O’Loughlin has been one of Sydney’s best kept secrets as his draft year of 2017 approaches. The utility made his debut for the Sydney Swans Reserves in last season’s crucial NEAFL qualifying final where he was active right from the get go. “A star is born” was a common headline as commentators raved about the natural talent and flare Bell brought to the game. He showed all the characteristics to suggest he is good enough to play at the top flight of football, with a scintillating turn of speed and aggressive tackling around the ground backed up by his ability to pop up in the forward line to kick a goal. Decision making can sometimes be a worry for Bell, however this facet of his game will only improve with more exposure at the higher levels of representative football.
Having represented the Swans academy in the 2016 academy series against GWS, Bell was then selected to participate for the NSW/ACT Rams in the TAC Cup where he travelled with the team but did not play a game. This in fact was a learning experience as the powers that be in NSW football wanted to expose Bell to the environment and atmosphere of higher representative football in preparation for his top age year of 2017. James Bell will look to stamp his authority as a crucial member of the Sydney Swans academy division 2 side as he looks to stake his claim for a birth in the division 1 “Allies” team.
Jake Brown
Height: 185cm
Weight: 76kg
Club: St George/Sydney Swans Academy
Image Source: AFL.com.au
Overage prospect Jake Brown was unlucky to miss out on an opportunity in 2017. Having been welcomed back to the Swans Academy as well as joining the Sydney Swans Reserves NEAFL Development Squad, Brown has a busy year ahead of him. In 2016 he represented the NSW/ACT Rams in the Division Two National Championships, and subsequently the inaugural “Allies” side in division one. A dodgy shoulder was the catalyst for an overall disappointing season for Brown last year, however he showed he is a player to watch for in 2017 as he finished strong for the Sydney Swans Reserves in the NEAFL.
Having been invited to the NSW state combine in 2016 where he also recorded a beep test of 15.3, Brown’s aerobic capacity is matched by few in the 2017 draft class. The “freak” endurance runner took out the 2017 Swans academy 3 kilometre time trial with a time of 9 minutes and 56 seconds. Now injury free and training with the Sydney Swans senior squad across pre-season, Brown will look to emulate the feats of Adelaide Crows player and former academy team mate Ben Davis who was drafted as a 19 year old last season.
Brown is expected to be one of the few 19 year olds given an exemption to play in the revamped division two “Academy Championships” where he may potentially captain the Swans academy. The Coffs Harbor native has all the tools of an elite AFL footballer, along with his elite running ability Brown also possesses a beautiful kick, is fierce around the contest and has shown he isn’t afraid to lay a tackle.
The Jake Brown story is one we’ll be following with a keen interest.
Luke Skrivanic
Height: 181cm
Weight: 69kg
Club: Pennant Hills/Sydney Swans Academy
Luke Skrivanic in action – Image Source : neafl.com.au
The Swans academy mystery man had a tumultuous 2016 as he battled ongoing injuries. Skrivanic can be dubbed a dark horse of the division two “Academy Championships” having played early games for the Sydney Swans Reserves, before succumbing to a serious lower leg injury last season. Skrivanic also represented the NSW/ACT Rams U17 and U18s Future’s squad that played a one off game against the Northern Territory where he kicked 2 goals in the blowout Rams victory.
The half forward is a clever player who has a strong football nous. His ability to read the play and put himself in the right positions time and time again, provides a strong foundation for improvement as he approaches his top-age year. The goal for Skrivanic, much like most of the division two draft class, will be to make the “Allies” squad in a bid to showcase his talent on the big stage. On his day Skrivanic could well be the most talented player at the Sydney Swans academy, however the constant injury struggles have, to this point, restricted us from seeing his true potential.
The Luke Skrivanic story may have Ben Davis (Adelaide Crows) like connotations as he deals with injury recovery processes and a delayed start to pre-season. Perhaps we may not see the best of Skrivanic in 2017, however Skrivanic is one we’ll be keeping a keen eye on as the season progresses.
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The post Sydney Swan Academy – Player Profiles appeared first on Over The Line Sports.