Oliver Florent is perhaps unlucky to be named as substitute tonight, the fate of many a fringe outside player but Florent's role should really be best 22 given the investment the club has made in his development. Maybe the Swans hierarchy are resting him during a long campaign, or maybe this is a wake-up call for him to have more impact in games. New coach Dean Cox may not hold the same set of loyalties as did John Longmuir, and Florent probably has some work to do to get back into a starting role for the Swans. Not that the rest of the team is starring, either.
Oliver Florent is perhaps unlucky to be named as substitute tonight, the fate of many a fringe outside player but Florent's role should really be best 22 given the investment the club has made in his development. Maybe the Swans hierarchy are resting him during a long campaign, or maybe this is a wake-up call for him to have more impact in games. New coach Dean Cox may not hold the same set of loyalties as did John Longmuir, and Florent probably has some work to do to get back into a starting role for the Swans. Not that the rest of the team is starring, either.
Oliver Florent is one of a number of young Sydney midfielders who have the job in front of them in 2022, and are good enough to step up. With George Hewett gone, Josh P. Kennedy moved to the forward line and Callum Mills struggling to get fit for round 1, more bodies are needed at the coal face for Sydney. Florent has made his name as an outside player but he's got as much chance as anyone to thrive going through the middle, though today's positioning should tell a story about what John Longmire wants out of him this season.
Oliver Florent was a POD candidate in his fifth season to finally hit his fantasy straps as an inside-outside midfielder, after many seasons spending an apprenticeship on the flanks and wings at Sydney. It hasn't worked out that way for him like it has for Darcy Parish in 2021, with his last three games in particular being very poor. He has been left on the outside as James Rowbottom and Chad Warner have been preferred for centre bounce attendances, not given an opportunity to show us what he has got in the engine room. Maybe next year?
Oliver Florent was one of the younger Swans for which much was hoped in season 2020, but as it has come to pass it looks like he and the team are going backwards. His basic fantasy average has dropped by five points in his fourth campaign, with the team as a whole losing a lot of quality inside distributors and Florent as a predominantly outside player suffering as a result, despite being swung through the middle himself at times to get his own ball. His development is looking slow and laboured, as is the Sydney list as a whole, and fantasy owners don't like the trendline.
Oliver Florent is capable of many roles in defence and has played all of them in his time at the Sydney Swans, though last year was his most notable in rebounding stats as he was asked to carry the ball across the 50m paint more than ever before. The arrival of Kaiden Brand strengthens his fantasy credentials as he can leave the ex-Hawk and Aliir Aliir to man the spine. He is not going to threaten the ranks of top six fantasy backs, but he will be a solid starter in draft leagues with a much better scoring floor than when he played more accountably.
Oliver on the outside
As Oliver Florent's midfield minutes increased so did his output, adding seven points to his average with just shy of 20 touches per game. He ranked fifth at the club for metres gained with 353, a 25% jump from 2018. A high score of 113 showed his ceiling, although he was still prone to low scores when the footy lived on the opposite wing. Florent is one to watch throughout the preseason. If he can snare additional midfield minutes and eliminate the quiet games, then his value soars, as we've seen with him averaging 94.5 points when collecting 25 disposals or more. As it stands, a late selection as bench cover seems fitting.
Florent in purple patch
Oliver Florent did everything right in his second season in the red and white, playing every match and increasing his average by 23 points, moving from a mostly crumbing forward role to an outside midfielder, with some time on the flanks. Eight matches of 20+ touches were balanced out when he went missing in a lot of games. With another preseason under his belt, Florent is almost certain to take his game to another level in 2019. He’ll be accepting more responsibility and is set to remain in the midfield rotations. If he can raise his worst and improve his best, all signs light up for Florent. He’s worth a later middle-round pick for a final on-field spot or as bench cover.
Low floor for Florent
The Swans obviously have high hopes for Oliver Florent based on a stellar junior year in 2016 playing midfield, and gave him nine senior games as a small forward without the kid setting the house on fire. With another off-season to develop and strengthen his body, the 19 year old looks poised to increase his stats this year but his output is quality over quantity, so keep your expectations low.
