Player Watch #3 Taylor Adams

[Ticky009]

Player Profile:

Drafted by GWS with Pick 13 in the 2011 National Draft, Taylor Adams

3

Taylor Adams

Age

31

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.9

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

11.4

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.8

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

20.4

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.9

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

18.2

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.0

5star

CL

2.2

4star

made his AFL debut in Round 5 of the 2012 season. After 31 games with the Giants the midfielder moved to Collingwood where he went on to play 10 seasons and five finals campaign for the Magpies. He joins the Sydney Swans with a wealth of experience including a Grand Final appearance in 2018. In 2020 he was named the club’s Best and Fairest and selected in the All-Australian team.


DOB: 20 Sep 1993
Draft: 2011
RECRUITED FROM: Collingwood

 

[hairy biker]

The opportunity for Taylor (and us) was last year. Manage him quietly during the year and then have him flying for the finals.

Unfortunately, we took a different approach. Gas him during the year and then not play him in finals.

So I would still go into next year looking at him as someone that you just keep fresh for the backend of the season.

Adams played 67% of game time in the 19 games he played last season (incl 3 games subbed on/off).

That was 27th of the 31 players who turned out for us last season.

Even Amartey, the guy supposedly with no tank, had a higher TOG %.

Corey Warner, Cleary and Caleb Mitchell had less TOG minutes than Adams, but they only played 13 games between them and 9 of those were subs in/off.
When they did play full games, Mitchell (1 game) had 76% TOG, Cleary (2) recorded TOGs of 85 and 91% and Corey (1 game) had 74 % game time.

The only guy comparable to Adams with so little time on ground was Campbell (average of 60.5 TOG) (incl subbed off 6 times) and even then Braeden recorded 5 games with TOG of over 80%. Adams managed 3.

Whatever we did with Adams certainly didn't equate to 'gassing' him.

If we are relying on Adams being our finals saviour, in the immortal words of Private Frazer,

 

[tombomb]

Adams played 67% of game time in the 19 games he played last season (incl 3 games subbed on/off).

That was 27th of the 31 players who turned out for us last season.

Even Amartey, the guy supposedly with no tank, had a higher TOG %.

Corey Warner, Cleary and Caleb Mitchell had less TOG minutes than Adams, but they only played 13 games between them and 9 of those were subs in/off.
When they did play full games, Mitchell (1 game) had 76% TOG, Cleary (2) recorded TOGs of 85 and 91% and Corey (1 game) had 74 % game time.

The only guy comparable to Adams with so little time on ground was Campbell (average of 60.5 TOG) (incl subbed off 6 times) and even then Braeden recorded 5 games with TOG of over 80%. Adams managed 3.

Whatever we did with Adams certainly didn't equate to 'gassing' him.

If we are relying on Adams being our finals saviour, in the immortal words of Private Frazer,
View attachment 2178929

The ol’ Horse method. He doesn’t need to miss a game. We just manage his game time.

And I didn't say he would be our finals saviour.

He might be finished and it would have made no difference if he had missed games during the home & away season.

But he is contracted and we are stuck with him. And the best chance of him being a useful player is to save him for the final part of the season.

 

[Cadsky]

Early season Adams was praised for the work he did off the ball. Everyone seems to forget that lead to a few really important moments. It didn't seem to get mentioned after half way through the season. I think he can play an important role even if he's not getting the midfield minutes, though I hope he does get a chance.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

A bit of a victim of Heeney's amazing form. I don't think many would have predicted Heeney would become a superstar mid in the space of a single season.

Too much overlap between he and Parker in 2024, and he's now a year older. Given his age, 2024 was his opportunity to cement his place in the team, and if we're honest, he ultimately failed to do that. Despite being important in keeping us competitive early in the year, his contribution faded as the year wore on (whether due to form or just not being in the top 10-15 players in the side - mix of both really imo).

The challenge ahead of him is to perform to a standard where he demands a place in the team. I'm not sure he's really capable based on exposed form, particularly with a fair line of promising young players battling for a spot in the team.

Cox will favour the team's future over giving Adams a spot in the team.

 

[SeanM]

I think over the course of a long season Adams can still be useful.

Maybe he can offer some hardness at the contest as an inside mid. We were lacking in that area at times last season.

They could manage Heeney a bit more during the season. And we will still have injuries at various times.

 

[Jewelsbon]

A bit of a victim of Heeney's amazing form. I don't think many would have predicted Heeney would become a superstar mid in the space of a single season.

Too much overlap between he and Parker in 2024, and he's now a year older. Given his age, 2024 was his opportunity to cement his place in the team, and if we're honest, he ultimately failed to do that. Despite being important in keeping us competitive early in the year, his contribution faded as the year wore on (whether due to form or just not being in the top 10-15 players in the side - mix of both really imo).

The challenge ahead of him is to perform to a standard where he demands a place in the team. I'm not sure he's really capable based on exposed form, particularly with a fair line of promising young players battling for a spot in the team.

Cox will favour the team's future over giving Adams a spot in the team.

Sadly I agree.
He should have played in the GF. Probably would not have made the slightest difference to the result, but at least Lachie Neile would have realized it was actually a game and not a training run.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Love this about Taylor from McKirdy:

Not only is he vocal and taking several of the club’s newest names under his wing, he looks fit and was thriving when attacking the ball around the stoppages.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Love this about Taylor from McKirdy:

Not only is he vocal and taking several of the club’s newest names under his wing, he looks fit and was thriving when attacking the ball around the stoppages.

Maybe he's not done yet

 

[zyzzbruh]

Maybe he's not done yet

He's got a point to prove. I think we'll see vintage Taylor Adams next season

 

[SSwans2011]

Early season Adams was praised for the work he did off the ball. Everyone seems to forget that lead to a few really important moments. It didn't seem to get mentioned after half way through the season. I think he can play an important role even if he's not getting the midfield minutes, though I hope he does get a chance.

I mentioned this after the Grand Final. For all 3 finals we struggled to make the most of forward stoppages.

Throughout the season, it was Adams putting blocks on at stoppages that allowed Gulden and Warner to go to work. I'm not sure we have any other players in the team better at that than him.

If he's in the team, I'd prefer him as a midfielder that pushes forward at stoppages to do that, but he definitely still has a bit to offer. I want a starting midfield trio of Rowbottom, Mills and Heeney. I reckon the rotation for Rowbottom and Mills should be either Adams or Sheldrick. I reckon a set-up like that would keep us competitive (at the very least) in first halves and then you could look at players like Warner spend more time in there in the second half when fatigue comes into play and he can be more damaging.

 

[Callipygian]

Is it just me? Every time I see pictures of Taylor Adams it feels a bit heartrending. He looks like he misses his mates at Collingwood, he's devastated about his flag-winning dreams turning to ash, and he's just focused on being uber-professional and getting through this period of his career as best he can.

 

[Superstar swan]

Still a bizarre and unnecessary pick up for me