Rating our list 2021: Jordan Sweet 41

[Hotdog60]

Hi All,

During the off season I thought I would start our list rating again. I won't included the new recruits as there is nothing to go on and I'll leave out desisted and retired players as there is no point.

Like last time I'll count down from the highest number to the lowest but I thought the poll rating this time will go on a different tack and get Woofers thoughts on how they rank from Elite to Below Average.

[Hotdog60]

https://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/AFL/Players/ChampIDImages/XLarge2022/992330.png?i10c=img.resize(scale_height:0.504)

Poor Jordan has had any stats updated on the AFL site and doesn't get a mention in the Western Bulldogs list so he's the player you have when you don't have a player.
Any way I think Jordan was a little hard done by when Martin went out of the side and he should have been given that time to help develop in the Seniors with so many disruptions to the VFL. For what Stat I can see he was averaging nearly 20 hit outs a game and around 6 hit outs to advantage.
Which is slightly more than Tim, it's around the ground that Jordan needs to improve on and I'll be nice and say average but he needs to prove himself and to push Martin out of the side.

[GVGjr]

Intriguing player for us in 2022. I've had reports from 2 people at the club, one of them Dale Morris, that Sweet has had an impressive off season and that he should be one of the improvers for us this year. His fitness has improved.

We lack a lot of depth at the ruck position with Stef Martin struggling last year to get on the ground consistently and it appears Bevo would prefer English to play more as a forward so the timing couldn't be better for Sweet to put his best foot forward.
I've heard he is also working on his forward craft with the aim of clunking a mark or two up forward and to learn how to block defenders out of marking contests being his primary focus.

He's below average at the moment in my assessment but he could easily make a big impression on all of us by the end of the season.
A player with plenty of upside in a side with not a lot of depth at his natural position is a good incentive for Sweet.
After a few seasons he will really get his chances in 2022 and he just needs to make the most of them.

[bornadog]

I have rated him as below average at this stage. He may have some potential, but at this stage he hasn't shown it.

He needs to not only improve his ruck work, but also his around the ground play. He has a great opportunity to cement himself into the number one ruck roll if he can get the basics right.

[Testekill]

Sweet has potential but he needs to work a lot on his fitness. I put him down as below average.

[The Underdog]

It really is too early to tell given the limited exposure at AFL level. He’s looked both competent and off the pace in the games he’s played and from what I’ve seen at VFL level, he’s looked dominant and also gone missing at times. Needs to split time with Stef in the first ruck role this year, ideally pushing him out of the team by round 23.

[jazzadogs]

Can't rate anything other than below average, but hopefully by the end of the year he has at least lifted himself to average.

I like his competitive nature, kicking skills and marking ability. Continuing to build strength and fitness will make a big impact on his ability to be our #1 ruck - which is what he should be aiming for.

[josie]

Can anyone else recall him kicking at least 2 possibly a few more snaps from close to goal line in the vfl? I can and what impressed me was his quick thinking and mobility in a cramped situation for such a big chap. When I saw those passages I thought he does have something to work with.

Apart from being competitive in the ruck I think he needs to impact around the ground more. I think he has the willpower and the aggression required, let’s just hope he has the stamina to improve. If he does what a bonus that will be for us. I voted below average but reckon he will prove to be average and with a bit of luck above average.

[Vred]

Honestly needs as many AFL minutes as possible and from what I hear his going to get them, sounds like the club is gonna be working with mostly a Sweet/English ruck combo this year and bring Martin in for the real tough battles (Gawn, Grundy etc) - Kinda how GWS did with Mummy last season.

Kid has shown glimpses at both levels, I rate his tap work better than English, and his shown his got some skill at VFL. I really want him to make it because god knows we need a good ruck.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

His actual ruck craft is solid, far superior to English IMO.

Unfortunately his fitness has been well below standard.

Big year for him but I could see him becoming a slightly better than average ruck - he's big, aggressive, skills are fine and has nice craft.

[GVGjr]

His actual ruck craft is solid, far superior to English IMO.

Unfortunately his fitness has been well below standard.

Big year for him but I could see him becoming a slightly better than average ruck - he's big, aggressive, skills are fine and has nice craft.

His fitness level has supposedly improved a fair bit so there is a spot for him if he is good enough.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Ruck is a very difficult position - there are some superstars who bring unique skillsets to the position, and then some very experienced, battle hardened veterans who are not easy to play against for 20 year olds.

Sweet showed a lot in his games last year and hopefully he can build upon that and take a big step forward

[EasternWest]

His fitness level has supposedly improved a fair bit so there is a spot for him if he is good enough.

Is he flying?

[bornadog]

Is he flying?

Borderline flying

[EasternWest]

Borderline flying

Is he training the house down?

[bornadog]

Is he training the house down?

You know he is :D

[EasternWest]

You know he is :D

Well I'll have to see if he's having his best pre season ever before I can commit.

[jeemak]

He's below average and might stay that way. He also might come good with a bit of perseverance, hard work and luck.

Honestly he couldn't be in a better position to have a crack at an AFL career given our list structure, and who he could be feeding the footy. I hope he gives himself the best chance at making it.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Jordan Sweet in his odd senior appearance in 2021 proved to be a very capable ruck man in an outstanding game against GCS.
Covid has limited his game time with Footscray in the past two years. A former SANFL premiership player given increased fitness and senior games in 2022 I would be surprised if he doesn’t become a regular allowing Tim English to play as a key forward with the prolonged absence of Josh Bruce through injury.

[comrade]

Would have been much better prepared for 2022 if we’d played him instead of Lewis f’n Young, rather than rotting away in half assed scratch matches.

[Mantis]

Jordan Sweet in his odd senior appearance in 2021 proved to be a very capable ruck man in an outstanding game against GCS.
Covid has limited his game time with Footscray in the past two years. A former SANFL premiership player given increased fitness and senior games in 2022 I would be surprised if he doesn’t become a regular allowing Tim English to play as a key forward with the prolonged absence of Josh Bruce through injury.

Should this be referenced by the point that GC had no recognized ruckman for this game?

[Vred]

Would have been much better prepared for 2022 if we’d played him instead of Lewis f’n Young, rather than rotting away in half assed scratch matches.


Biggest waste of last season was not playing him when Martin went down, should of just run Sweet/English no matter what and kept at it.

[Axe Man]

Biggest waste of last season was not playing him when Martin went down, should of just run Sweet/English no matter what and kept at it.

Whatever we did we did a lot right in looking like winning a grand final until late in the third quarter. I was fine with them picking whatever side they thought was going to get us there - I definitely would not have been in favour of playing anybody "no matter what". You don't throw away a shot at a flag in the name of development, they are too hard to win.

Whether Sweet was deserving of being picked more often in the team is a different argument. We were up to our necks in a flag race, development of players is a tricky proposition in that scenario.

[comrade]

Whatever we did we did a lot right in looking like winning a grand final until late in the third quarter. I was fine with them picking whatever side they thought was going to get us there - I definitely would not have been in favour of playing anybody "no matter what". You don't throw away a shot at a flag in the name of development, they are too hard to win.

Whether Sweet was deserving of being picked more often in the team is a different argument. We were up to our necks in a flag race, development of players is a tricky proposition in that scenario.

That’s fine, but we’re talking about Lewis Young being picked ahead of him, who was largely crap in the primary ruck role during his lead up home and away games (we lost 3 on the trot prior to finals anyway, playing Sweet in those games would have been 100% developmental upside)

And in his two finals he was a non factor so much so he was effectively benched after half time vs Brisbane and never seen again, before hightailing it to Carlton.

Our ruck selection in 2021 was a complete MC balls up throughout that also has 2022 at risk given our lack of coverage/experience/quality in the role and getting smashed in a GF doesn’t forgive it.

[Axe Man]

That’s fine, but we’re talking about Lewis Young being picked ahead of him, who was largely crap in the primary ruck role during his lead up home and away games (we lost 3 on the trot prior to finals anyway, playing Sweet in those games would have been 100% developmental upside)

And in his two finals he was a non factor so much so he was effectively benched after half time vs Brisbane and never seen again, before hightailing it to Carlton.

Our ruck selection in 2021 was a complete MC balls up throughout that also has 2022 at risk given our lack of coverage/experience/quality in the role and getting smashed in a GF doesn’t forgive it.

Like I said that's a different argument. I was only disagreeing that we would place development before all else when we are fighting for a flag.

[bornadog]

Like I said that's a different argument. I was only disagreeing that we would place development before all else when we are fighting for a flag.

Totally agree.

In Sweet's last game he had 4 disposals - not good enough.

Like I said and a few posters, he needs to work on not only ruck work, but around the ground. He has potential, but to me at this stage he is still below average as a complete footballer.

[Grantysghost]

I think the age profile of our ruck stocks is the biggest restriction presently.
Two guys very young in games and years.
It's rare they hit great heights early.

Shame we haven't been able to recruit someone in that 25-30 year bracket for the now but hasn't happened so we have to do with putting time into what we have which I think we are doing.

[Mofra]

Biggest waste of last season was not playing him when Martin went down, should of just run Sweet/English no matter what and kept at it.
He was getting smashed at VFL level late in the season.
You need to deserve a spot, not get gifted a game because you're tall.

[comrade]

Like I said that's a different argument. I was only disagreeing that we would place development before all else when we are fighting for a flag.

The point is playing Sweet ahead of Young would have made no difference to our on field results in 2021 but may have paid big developmental dividends in 2022.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

The fact that Young had 8 disposals and 4 disposals in his two finals says to me that even if Sweet wasn't playing well, Young wasn't a good choice either. Not sure hindsight applies given many weren't a fan of Young being our ruck to begin with.

[jazzadogs]

The fact that Young had 8 disposals and 4 disposals in his two finals says to me that even if Sweet wasn't playing well, Young wasn't a good choice either. Not sure hindsight applies given many weren't a fan of Young being our ruck to begin with.

I wonder if there was an element of 'let's play Lewis and we might be able to convince him to stay' involved, in which case it was just as 'development-focussed' as playing Sweet.

Young's mobility and marking is definitely ahead of Sweet, and Sweet probably also would have contributed 8 and 4 disposals - so I think at the end of the day it really doesn't matter. The finals Young played in, we still won.

[MrMahatma]

I hope he genuinely has had a massive preseason. I mean, there’s only so much a bloke is going to develop in the space of 4-5 months but hopefully he’s put on a few KG of muscle and built his running capacity somewhat… and that he can build in that this year with more game time.

I’d be getting prepared for another disrupted VFL season so his early year form and getting into the seniors is going to be very critical to his development this season.

[Bullies]

He was getting smashed at VFL level late in the season.
You need to deserve a spot, not get gifted a game because you're tall.

I didn't think there were any games late in the season due to covid?