Where to now for Sydney Swans’ tall timber after Logan McDonald, Hayden McLean, Joel Amartey go missing in grand final

Sydney’s tall timber is coming under the microscope in the wake of demolition at the hands of the Lions. Do the Swans persist with Joel Amartey, Logan McDonald and Hayden McLean or head to the trade table, asks LACHLAN MCKIRDY.

Sydney’s lack of attacking output during their disappointing grand final defeat to Brisbane was one of many facets of their game that have since come under intense scrutiny.

Unfortunately, the performances of Logan McDonald, Joel Amartey, and Hayden McLean didn’t live up to the standard required for key forwards in the biggest game of the season. Together they combined for just eight marks, 15 disposals and just a single point between them.

It was in stark contrast to the Lions’ main target man, Joe Daniher. The 30-year-old, who once looked destined to end up in Sydney, finished the day with two goals and four behinds but ensured his influence was felt across the field.

It was a day to forget at the MCG for Sydney’s key forwards. Picture: Phil Hillyard

This year was the first time since the Swans’ 2012 premiership season that they have played without a marquee key forward on their list. In 2013, they brought in Kurt Tippett from Adelaide while Lance Franklin joined on his mega deal 12 months later.

And although there were plenty of positives this season, there will be questions asked whether their current forward set-up is good enough to eventually break John Longmire’s premiership drought.

OVERALL OUTPUT

On a base level, the Swans’ had a fantastic year in attack. They scored the most points in the competition during the home and away season, while they had seven players finish with 27 or more goals this season – a better spread than every other team in the AFL.

Combined, McDonald, Amartey and McLean finished with 107 goals between them. John Longmire would have jumped at that number before a ball had been bounced this season. It was also a better combined return than all but one season of the Franklin-Tippett partnership – in 2014 they finished with 113 goals, of which Franklin kicked 79.

The Swans probably got more than they bargained for from their key talls in 2024. Picture: Phil Hillyard

When you throw in a record return of 41 goals for Will Hayward and 36 to Tom Papley this year, it was a strong performance from a forward line that many claimed couldn’t succeed without Franklin.

It’s also important to consider the impact that Sydney’s three talls had in the success of the other forwards around them. Overall, the Swans finished with the third-best ratio for winning one-on-one contests inside 50.

That provided a platform for Hayward and Papley, among others, to go to work and hit the scoreboard.

Outside of their grand final day failure, and one or two games in their mid-season slump, Sydney’s attack certainly stood up to the mark. It just happened that one of the few games they didn’t was the one where all eyes were on them.

McDonald was clearly hampered by his ankle injury during the grand final. Picture: Phil Hillyard

STILL TOO EARLY TO JUDGE?

25. 25. 22. They are the ages of McLean, Amartey and McDonald, respectively.

The trio are still very early in their careers, not just in age but in terms of experience. Ahead of the season, McLean had played the most games out of them with just 53.

It was always going to take time for them to develop into AFL-quality key forwards, and they were able to do that with their first proper opportunity.

Take Amartey, in particular, who finished as the Swans’ leading goal-kicker this season with 43. Before 2024, the most games he had ever played in a season was 15, and the most goals he had ever kicked was 20. He had been riddled with injuries and could never consistently get on the field.

Amartey played 10 more games and kicked 23 more goals than any other season in his career. Picture: Phil Hillyard

To play 25 games in a season is a massive tick for the 25-year-old, regardless of output. But when you look at how his statistics compare to other players after 53 AFL matches, he isn’t too far off. He has a better goal average than Charlie Curnow and Joe Daniher, while is close to Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins for contested marks.

Yet, there are still some key areas where Amartey needs to improve, quickly, because most of these players were much younger than he currently is.

While marking can be one of his biggest assets, he needs to marking more of his one-on-one contests. That goes across the board with Sydney sitting well down on forward 50 marks despite having the best attack in the competition.

Given how prolific they were once they did get it inside 50, if Amartey, as well as McDonald and McLean, can improve on that aspect, it will set them up for a dominant period over the coming years.

The fact the Swans were able to qualify for the grand final without a marquee key forward is clearly a positive. Their system stacks up to scoring plenty of points in the AFL and their young players will be better for the run. However, each of the past seven premiers, excluding Richmond in the Covid-impacted 2020 season, have won the flag with at least one of their key forwards kicking 45 goals or more.

The pressure will be on the likes of Amartey and McLean to take another step up next pre-season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

But this is the future for Sydney, they are all in with this forward trio. Amartey is signed until 2026, McLean until 2027, while McDonald put pen to paper until 2028 earlier this year. In terms of forward depth, Pete Ladhams played a single game in 2024, veteran defender Joel Hamling was their most prolific forward in the VFL after being thrown ahead of the ball and Jack Buller has never been able to get his body right.

Therefore, this season’s output should be the minimum expected of the group going forward. Their midfield will always contribute goals, but the only way they will win a premiership is if their key talls learn from the Brisbane disappointment and let it fuel their development in 2025 and beyond.