Sydney Swans, Hawthorn astutely wheel and deal their way to top talent

IT has been billed as the Bondi Billionaires versus Clarko’s Cherry Pickers. Andrew Capel looks at how the Grand Final teams were built.

AFL Round 22 Western Bulldogs v Sydney at Etihad Stadium. Nick Malceski goals early 3rd qtr . Pic: Michael Klein. Sunday August 24, 2014.

IT has been billed as the Bondi Billionaires versus Clarko’s Cherry Pickers.

You can say what you like about how Sydney and Hawthorn have constructed the AFL’s best two teams who will contest tomorrow’s grand final but they have been masterfully put together using the Moneyball effect.

Sure, the Swans have benefited from the controversial cost of living allowance which has helped them raid rivals to secure glamour forwards Lance Franklin, ironically from the Hawks, and Kurt Tippett from the Crows.

But they also have drafted superbly, traded astutely and developed players every other club overlooked into high-quality performers.

Hawthorn is in a similar boat.

It has more top draft picks than Sydney but its ability to identify talent from rivals to fill holes in its line-up and then seal the deal has been second to none.

In an era where clubs clamour for high draft picks in a bid to build premiership teams and sustained success, the Swans and Hawks have bucked the trend.

Quite remarkably, the 2014 grand final will feature only nine players still at their original clubs who have been selected in the top 30 of national drafts.

Sydney has built its forward line through the draft and free agency.

On average, there are 19 top-40 picks who run onto the MCG on the last Saturday in September.

Tomorrow, there will be just 14.

Sydney hasn’t bottomed out to achieve its success, having made the finals in 12 of the previous 13 seasons and won premierships in 2005 and 2012.

Hawthorn was able to secure captain Luke Hodge with the No. 1 draft pick in 2001 and guns Jarryd Roughead and Jordan Lewis with picks two and seven in 2004.

But it has been denied early draft selections since, having contested the finals in seven of the past eight years, winning flags in 2008 and 2013.

Sydney has seven rookies or rookie elevated players playing, including co-captain Kieran Jack and this year’s All-Australian back pocket Nick Smith.

Fellow rookie promotions Dane Rampe and Heath Grundy join Smith in the league’s meanest defence.

The Hawks will field three upgraded rookies, including ace forward Luke Breust, who bagged 54 majors this season to make his first All-Australian team.

Hawthorn has been extremely savvy in it’s trade and player recycling.

On average there have been six rookies or pre-season draft picks play in the grand final.

Sydney and Hawthorn will tomorrow also field 14 players between them who have played or were listed at another club.

This is the most in a grand final since 2004 when Port Adelaide had eight and the Brisbane Lions six.

In the past 10 grand finals, the average has been eight.

Hawthorn poached — or cherry picked — key defenders Josh Gibson (from North Melbourne) and Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs), star forward Jack Gunston (Adelaide), brilliant utility Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide) and ruckman David Hale (Kangaroos).

The Swans countered with mega-deals for Tippett and Franklin.

Sydney has four players who were traded in purely because they were on the outer at their previous clubs and looking for greater opportunities — Josh Kennedy and Ben McGlynn from Hawthorn, Rhyce Shaw from Collingwood and Ted Richards from Essendon.

Rivals will also be shaking their heads at how they allowed the Swans to draft dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes at pick 43, Norm Smith Medal fancy Luke Parker at 40 and All-Australian half-back Nick Malceski at 64.

The Hawks secured one of their best players, 2008 premiership captain Sam Mitchell, at pick 36 while tough-as-nails defensive forward Paul Puopolo was drafted at pick 66 as a mature-age selection from SANFL club Norwood.

“We maximised the draft when we could, but you have to use a combination of all avenues available when you improve your list,’’ Sydney recruiting manager Kinnear Beatson said.

The Swans and Hawks have done that better than anyone.

LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

The 2014 AFL Grand Final between Sydney and Hawthorn will feature only nine players selected in the top 30 of national drafts who are still at their original club.

DRAFTED: SYDNEY - HAWTHORN

Pick 1-10: 2 - 3

Pick 11-20: 1 - 2

Pick 21-40: 3 - 3

Pick 40+: 3 - 3

Rookie: 7 - 3

Poached: 2 - 5

Opportunity: 4 - 1

Recycled: 0 - 2