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Find your Sport Nation frequencyWhy the Swans shouldn't give up on Tom McCartin as a forward
Sam Watson • March 11th, 2025 10:20 pm
Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne has explained why Dean Cox should continue playing key-defender Tom McCartin in Sydney’s forward line.
McCartin managed just one goal from seven disposals in the Swans’ 20-point loss to Hawthorn on Friday night, but Hoyne believes his usual defensive impact has been exaggerated by those criticising the positional change.
“He’s been a good player, but he's not he's not Sam Taylor. He's not Jeremy McGovern. He’s not Jacob Weitering,” Hoyne said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“He hasn't been a game changing fullback, centre halfback, and he hasn't been that sort of key defender where you look up as an opposition team and you're threatened by his presence behind the footy.”
“I don't mind Sydney experimenting with McCartin inside forward 50 to create that contest ahead of the ball, which Dean Cox is actually looking for.”
Hoyne acknowledged the importance of replacing McCartin with another solid key defender like Joel Hamling, but he then explained why Sydney’s defence left a lot to be desired in 2024.
“Their contest behind the ball last year, Sydney, was bottom four in the competition.
“Their defensive profile last year got worse as the year went on. Their defensive profile last year, in terms of how they defended the opposition off turnover, was bottom six in the competition. So, it wasn't as if it was an absolute bulletproof, rock-solid defensive system.”
“And I've heard Dean Cox mention that he wants to change the way in which they defend. And you can understand why with the defensive profile that they had in place last year. And McCartin was there for pretty much the majority of the season.
“So, I think people need to just relax on this guy potentially being one of the best key defenders in the competition. He's a reasonable key defender, but I think it's worth experimenting him going forward, if you potentially are looking to replace him with a Joel Hamling.”
Listen to Daniel Hoyne's full explanation here.
