THE EAGLES’ PRIORITY PICK CASE
GREG Swann was two years into his tenure as Brisbane’s chief executive when his club put out its hand for a priority pick.
The Lions, back in 2016, were the last team to be handed a single selection when they got an end-of-first round choice as they battled to push up the ladder.
Now, as the AFL’s new executive general manager of football starts his first day at League headquarters on Monday, there is another priority pick and list concession package decision coming.
But the Eagles just don’t have the cattle. Throw in the absences this year of Jake Waterman, Elliot Yeo and Jeremy McGovern – who combined for 14 games before McGovern’s retirement last month – and McQualter has been left without experience to help shepherd through his younger charges.
The Eagles have won one game this year and 10 since the start of 2022. That’s 11 in their last 86. The way it’s going, it will be 11 in 91 by the end of the year.
The AFL has used recent success as a benchmark for priority pick or list concession package decisions in the past. In 2022, the Kangaroos received two future draft picks to be traded for players, as well as granting the Roos two extra list spots, after they had won 12 of their previous 84 games.
In 2019, Gold Coast had won seven games from its previous two seasons before it was given a huge assistance package that included the No.1 pick – Matt Rowell – as well as a suite of draft selections and Academy concessions, including the ability to pre-list Academy talents without matching bids.
A year earlier, in 2018, the Suns had claimed 20 wins from their past four seasons when they, as well as Carlton (eight wins over two seasons) were given the ability to pre-list state league players – either to keep them or then trade them on in other deals.
In 2016, the last time a club was handed one pick as a priority selection, Brisbane was given pick No.19 at the draft after claiming seven wins over two seasons.
In an already super compromised draft, rivals will fume if the Eagles receive any extra draft help. West Coast has so far kept quiet on any intentions to ask for list help but while the rules are open for a handout, it is hard to see why they wouldn’t.
It will be a decision for the AFL Commission, Andrew Dillon and Swann, parachuted into his new role after building Brisbane up to the 2024 flag, later this year.
Brisbane CEO Greg Swann ahead of the 2024 Grand Final. Picture: AFL Photos
NO DOCKER SHOCKER
LUKE Jackson’s smother on Brayden Maynard on the wing to force a throw-in. Nathan O’Driscoll’s courageous spoil. Hayden Young’s smother of Nick Daicos’ rebounding kick. Josh Treacy’s shift back and heroic mark. Caleb Serong just being Caleb Serong.
They are the mini moments that became mega in the frantic final quarter as Fremantle landed a big blow with its one-point win over Collingwood at the MCG. That backs up an important win over Hawthorn last week and has the Dockers with eight wins from their past nine games.
Finally, the Dockers are playing to the level of expectation.
The win puts them two victories ahead of the Western Bulldogs, who are chasing the pack in ninth position, and Justin Longmuir has to get his side into the finals from here. They will beat West Coast next week, then play Carlton at Optus Stadium, Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, Brisbane at Optus Stadium and the Bulldogs at Marvel in round 24. Three wins will get them into the eight, four puts them in the mix for a top-four position.
Serong was unbelievable with 37 disposals and nine clearances against the might of the Magpies, while Jackson’s final quarter was enormous as the Dockers kicked four goals to two in the last quarter to steam past the ladder leaders.
Fremantle had recorded 12 wins by round 20 last year before losing the last four games of the year and fumbling a finals spot. But the Dockers are a far better team this season and have unearthed valuable players – like first-round gun Murphy Reid and spirited forward find Patrick Voss – and brought in Shai Bolton as their star. Plus, Young will only be better after his long layoff from his hamstring injury.
HOW THE SWANS HAVE THE CROSSTOWN EDGE
GREATER Western Sydney is on song and gunning for a top four berth. But as the AFL gears up for its pseudo ‘Rivalry Round’, the Giants’ battle with crosstown foes Sydney stands in their way.
The clubs have met 11 times over the past five seasons, with Sydney winning eight games by an average of 26 points. The Giants have won three of those matches, by one point, one point and two points. Sydney has had the numbers.
But the big factor throughout this time has been goalkicking accuracy. As Champion Data numbers prove, most teams don’t kick straight against the Giants, but the Swans don’t suffer the same yips.
Since 2021, teams have combined to kick 366 points fewer than their expectation when they play against the Giants. It has given GWS an edge when other parts of their game have stacked up mid-table.
But in that same timeframe, the Swans are +74.5 points in expected score to score difference against GWS – clearly No.1 compared to the next best North Melbourne (+20.1 points). Only four teams (Port Adelaide and West Coast) have positive expected score data against the Giants.
Whatever Adam Kingsley has his players saying or doing on the mark of set shots has to be studied.
The clash at Engie Stadium on Saturday comes as Sydney hits its best run of form with five wins from its past six games, and in a round 20 that includes the big city clashes – Gold Coast against Brisbane, Fremantle against West Coast and Adelaide against Port Adelaide.
Sydney’s finals hopes are mathematically alive but can be snuffed out by an in-form Giants line-up that is starting to hit its straps and will have Jesse Hogan, Sam Taylor and Josh Kelly all likely to return.
HEENEY OR SWEET?
QUESTION: Who played the best individual game of the weekend?
The answer everyone would expect would be Isaac Heeney, who had 34 disposals, 13 clearances, five tackles, eight marks and kicked 5.1 in an outstanding game against North Melbourne. It was ranked the best performance of Heeney’s 219-game career, with the Swans match-winner collecting a 30.8 AFL Player Ratings score. It was the ninth-best ever recorded by a Swan.
But remarkably Heeney wasn’t even the best performance of the day, according to Champion Data.
Champion Data’s Player Ratings actually had Port Adelaide ruckman Jordon Sweet as the best performance of the round in Saturday’s loss to Hawthorn. Sweet’s 31.0 ranking is the 10th highest of any player this year and ninth of all time since ratings started in 2010 for Port Adelaide players.
Sweet had 22 disposals, 10 clearances, seven tackles, a goal and 42 hit outs against the Hawks and held up the Power midfield with his efforts.
The breakdown of Ratings points shows Sweet got 5.5 for his ruckwork, which Heeney obviously didn’t rate in, while the Port big man also had 4.2 for his defensive acts in his tackles, spoils and smothers. Heeney had 1.7 from his defensive actions.
The big difference, though, came in the ball-winning. Sweet amassed a mammoth 19.8 points for his ball winning compared to Heeney’s 7.7.
Champion Data explained that although they won similar contested possessions (Sweet 19 and Heeney 16), 14 of Heeney’s contested possessions were either gathers from a teammate’s hitout (which he shares the points with the ruckman) or free kicks won (where some of the points are attributed negatively to the player conceding the free). Sweet won his ball on his own and therefore didn’t split any points.
Heeney’s main impact points came from his ball use – a huge 21.9 rating – which rocketed him into the top-10 for a Swan ever.
Jordon Sweet (right) contests the ruck against Lloyd Meek during Port Adelaide’s clash with Hawthorn in round 19, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
HUGH’S HUGE MILESTONE
HUGH McCluggage played well in his 200th game, which is absolutely no surprise to anyone.
McCluggage’s consistency across his nine years in the AFL has been both a blessing and a curse for the Lions star; it has underpinned his success but also made it easier for casual observers to not recognise his quality over such a long period of time because it has simply been the norm.
The 2016 No.3 pick should be an All-Australian for the first time this year and is also a strong contender to pick up his first Lions best and fairest, but the accolades aren’t going to stop there.
The 27-year-old reached his 200-game milestone in eight years and 100 days since his debut – the third quickest in VFL/AFL history. He has played 200 of a possible 206 games since he arrived at the Lions.
With six years left after this season on his free agency deal at the Lions, and Brisbane likely to be a finals contender for some time, McCluggage could well end up in sight of breaking John Blakey’s 359-game record for the most games by a Fitzroy/Brisbane Bears/Lions player.
He has been a magnificent player and will be looking to back up his finals performances again this September.
AND ANOTHER THING …
JACK Ginnivan picked his moment to pull out the plane celebration. It was done with a smile and met with a laugh from Ken Hinkley in the coaches’ box.
Post-game, Hinkley was also in good humour in saying “payback’s a …” and praising there being a place for the theatre in the game.
History has very quickly shown that the $20,000 fine to Hinkley for the semi-final verbal to Ginnivan was an overreach.
There’s still a place for the drama in sport. It’s still a game.
