AFL 2022: Sydney ruckman Peter Ladhams’ suspension forces qualifying final rethink

Sydney ruckman Peter Ladhams’ VFL suspension has left John Longmire with one less option to tackle Melbourne’s one-two punch.

John Longmire says the Swans big men must compete against Melbourne skipper Max Gawn. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Sydney coach John Longmire says the club has some “things to work on” with ruckman Peter Ladhams after his VFL suspension forced a rethink on how the Swans will handle Melbourne in Friday’s qualifying final at the MCG.

Ladhams won’t play again this season unless the Swans make the grand final after being given a three-match ban for a brutal, high and delayed hit on Taj Woewodin in the VFL on Saturday that left the first-year Demon concussed.

Longmire confirmed that Ladhams had been nursed through that VFL match and avoided centre bounce hit-outs with a view to considering bringing him in to help tackle the one-two punch of Melbourne big men Max Gawn and Luke Jackson on Friday.

But with that option taken away, Sam Reid again looms as the likely ruck partner for Tom Hickey, with Longmire also not ruling out a potential return for Callum Sinclair, who announced during the week that he would be retiring at season’s end.

“We’re obviously disappointed with it,” Longmire said of Ladhams'’s suspension.

“He’d been coming back after his broken thumb and pushing up to get some more game time and we were looking forward to having him available, not only this week but for the coming weeks.

Peter Ladhams’ suspension has left Sydney a ruckman down. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“Obviously, that has been taken away, so it’s disappointing for us.

“We had a chat and I let him chat first and get a feel for what he was thinking at the time and we’ve got some things we need to keep working on with Pete. We’ve got some things we can work on with him to improve in that area.”

The looming presence of five-time All-Australian Gawn, who had 28 disposals and kicked three goals in the round 12 encounter between the teams, which Sydney won by 12 points, has become more significant with Ladhams out of the equation.

“We understand that Max in the last game, particularly in the second half, and primarily the last quarter, his contested marking is elite and he and Jackson are as good a ruck combination going around,” Longmire said.

“Max is a very strong captain and we’ll talk about ways of making sure we can curb his influence, but it’s Tom Hickey and Sam Reid, making sure they compete at all times. We know that Max will and we all need to make sure we keep that pressure on.”

The Swans also have two All-Australians in their line-up – Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills – but it could be Chad Warner, who made the squad of 44, who proves himself to be a finals X-factor.

Chad Warner has emerged as a star in 2022. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Longmire said the 21-year-old had all the right attributes to stand up when it mattered most.

“He played (a final) last year off the back of some significant time out. He’s had a little look at it,” he said.

“But it’s a new year, he’s learned so much this year. We are confident what he brings, which is contest and power and competitiveness. Those things are alway quality attributes to have, whether it’s in home and away or now finals, and that’s what he’s got.”

Originally published as AFL 2022: Sydney ruckman Peter Ladhams’ suspension forces qualifying final rethink