AFL: Mick McGuane thinks the Sydney Swans have struck gold with likely Lance Franklin successor Logan McDonald

Logan McDonald is in the early stages of his career but Mick McGuane is convinced he will blossom into the Swans’ Lance Franklin replacement

Logan McDonald is a key piece of the Swans’ future and maybe even their present. Picture: Getty Images

I was thrilled to see Logan McDonald re-sign with the Swans during the week for two more years.

We have only a small sample size of his AFL career to date – nine goals in eight games – and must be patient with any young key forward, but the building blocks are there for McDonald.

In the short term, the 19-year-old’s primary role looks to be as a conduit between defence and attack, which allows the grand master, Lance Franklin, to serve as the deepest forward.

Coach John Longmire clearly wouldn’t give McDonald that sort of responsibility unless he had not only the aerobic capacity to carry out the role but also the footy smarts to lead to the right areas.

This is one of the traits I really like about McDonald: the subtle ways he presents as a quality target through his field position.

Swans coach John Longmire knows he has a good one in Logan McDonald. Picture: Getty Images

That might have to do with him being a midfielder long before he became one of the AFL’s most promising forwards, a kid picked fourth overall in the 2020 draft.

McDonald looms as Sydney’s Franklin successor but his willingness to play a selfless, almost-decoy role to set up and create space for the likes of ‘Buddy’ is another impressive part of his package.

His time will come and it may not be that far down the track. I have the utmost confidence that McDonald will one day be the Swans’ main man up front.

What happens between now and then will be crucial and it will be fascinating to see how often he plays this year.

I’d like Longmire to persevere with McDonald, including this weekend, even though the forecast rain won’t necessarily be conducive to him playing his best football.

Logan McDonald is showing promising signs in the early games of his AFL career. Picture: Getty Images

It would be a great result if he could play about 16 games, roughly two-thirds of the season, in 2022.

McDonald will have done remarkably well if that eventuates, and Longmire and co. will receive dividends in future years.

But, of course, there is work to be done.

Giants defender Lachie Keeffe understandably enjoyed success against McDonald when he was able to use his body.

Keeffe is 8cm taller, 9kg heavier and 10-times more experienced than McDonald, who will need to live in the gym for a while to compete with many of the league’s defenders.

Logan McDonald has impressed Mick McGuane with his footy smarts. Picture: Getty Images

To counter that, I’d like to see him create more separation from his opponents and look to fly in late for marks, similar to the strategy that works for undersized Saint Tim Membrey.

It’s always a work in progress for emerging forwards like McDonald.

Retired champion Nick Riewoldt quickly realised his running power was his great advantage but even he would flinch a bit in contests early in his career.

One thing Longmire should consider is sending McDonald back at some stage, possibly if there are injuries, because I could see him developing into a top-class swingman in time, given his strengths.

Either way, it’s going to be fun watching this young man grow up on the footy field.

Originally published as AFL: Mick McGuane thinks the Sydney Swans have struck gold with likely Lance Franklin successor Logan McDonald