Swans to bank on youth; welcome back Jetta, NewmanFriday, February 5, 2016 - 1:42 AM - by Chris Pike

SWAN Districts might not have any quick fixes for providing both young and experienced talent into the AFL, but coach Greg Harding has made a tremendous success of banking on youth and that will again be the approach in 2016.

Ever since Swans won the 2010 WAFL premiership in stunning style, Harding has taken over as coach of the black-and-whites from Brian Dawson and after his success with the colts program at the club, he has had a terrific job by banking on youth with recruiting being kept to a minimum.

One of those senior players who was a premiership star and has only continued to get better every year since under Harding is Ryan Davis, and the 2015 Simpson Medallist was rewarded for his outstanding performance by being drafted to the Gold Coast Suns.

Another Harding success story was emerging defender Nathan Broad who is now also in the AFL with Richmond. 

With the club's third leading goal kicker of all-time Tim Geappen also retiring, Swans were banking on helping to offset some of that lost experience with the recruitment of 188-game Fremantle veteran Ryan Crowley.

However, that was undone when he was signed by Essendon as a top-up player for the 2016 AFL season.

It's far from panic stations at Steel Blue Oval, though, and Harding has plenty of reasons to fully expect Swans to be a finals contender again in 2016.

The returns of Graham Jetta and Murray Newman are significant for Swans, but what Harding is looking even more forward to is the continued development of the likes of Warrick Wilson, Nelson Ansey, Albert Dean, Jake Nuich, Jason Daniels, Josh Kirkup, Jacob Coniglio, Dylan Nelson, Jesse Turner and Levi Ridley.

"After a strong pre-Christmas phase sweating it out through the heat and humidity, our boys have come back in extremely good nick after the break," Harding said at swandistrictsfc.com.au.

"Players like Wilson, Ansey and Dean have made significant steps forward in regard to their conditioning, and that can only mean good things for the club in season 2016.

"Unfortunately our key signing in Ryan Crowley has left the club to go to the ailing Essendon and whilst disappointing, it provides our youngsters with a great opportunity to step up once more.

"With Geappen, Broad and Davis moving away from the club, we will again be a very young outfit, but with our depth of emerging talent still the best in the competition, Swans fans can look forward to the season with a great deal of excitement!"

While just through the departures of Davis, Geappen and Broad Swan Districts lose 339 games of WAFL experience, the return of Jetta and Newman certainly helps offset that.

Jetta played 106 games with the black-and-whites up until the end of 2014 when he took a year out of the WAFL where with Carey Park he had a standout season.

The 29-year-old 2010 premiership player and dual state representative will now return in 2016 ready to again make his mark with his younger brother Lewis also back in WA with West Coast.

Meanwhile, Newman decided himself that his time on West Coast's list was over and he was excited to return full-time to Swan Districts to add to his 47 WAFL game career.

Harding is excited to have both experienced and talented players back with Swans.

"Graham Jetta has returned to the Ducks to team up with his old mates Simpson, Ames and Notte in the back half," Harding said.

"And Murray Newman has had significant impact on the track in the first couple of months. His energy and enthusiasm has been great for our young kids and is a perfect replacement for the outgoing Ryan Davis."