Sydney Swan young guns Chad Warner, Nick Blakey and Tom McCartin have been named in the AFL Players’ Associations 22Under22 side for 2022.
It is McCartin’s second selection in a team chosen via public vote from a preliminary squad of the best 40 players aged 22 or under throughout the entire season.
Blakey and Warner joined McCartin in giving the Swans the equal second-biggest representation in the side announced today, equal with Collingwood’s three-player representation behind only Fremantle’s four.
McCartin has played a crucial role down back in 2022, playing in every game this season with an average of 9.9 disposals, 1.5 tackles, 7.5 spoils and 2.1 intercept marks.
Blakey has played 75 games in his career to date and has continued to impress in 2022. He averages 20.2 disposals, 15.2 kicks and 455.4 metres gained this season which are all above his career average.
Young midfielder Chad Warner continues to impress in his 36 game career with 23 disposals, 13.6 kicks and 4.1 tackles on average this season. He has kicked 17 goals from his 21 games this season.
22UNDER22 FINAL TEAM
B: Hayden Young (Freo), Sam De Koning (Gee), Nick Blakey (Syd)
HB: Nick Daicos (Col), Tom McCartin (Syd), Jordan Clark (Freo)
C: Noah Anderson (GCS), Andrew Brayshaw C (FREO), Adam Cerra (Car)
HF: Connor Rozee (PA), Aaron Naughton (WB), Jack Ginnivan (Col)
F: Kysaiah Pickett (Mel), Max King (StK), Izak Rankine (GCS)
R/Fol: Luke Jackson (Mel), Sam Walsh VC (Car), Bailey Smith (WB)
I: Chad Warner (Syd), Caleb Serong (Freo), Isaac Quaynor (Col), Keidean Coleman (Bri)
It is the 11th year in which the 22Under22 team has been chosen, with the Swans now boasting nine players who have won a combined 16 selections – Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills (3), Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery and McCartin (2) and Blakey, Tom Papley, Ben Ronke and Warner (1).
The Swans rank 5th overall for representation, equal with Melbourne and behind Gold Coast (25), Essendon and Western Bulldogs (19) and Collingwood (18).
The 22Under22 squad was chosen this year by ex-Fremantle and Gold Coast player Michael Barlow, with support from the AFLPA and Champion Data.
Players must have featured in a minimum of 11 matches for the year, with consistency of performance then rewarded.
The concept was introduced in 2013 to reward the young players who make an impact on their club and the competition so early in their careers.
