World Footy News

The rise and success of Canadian Mike Pyke for the Sydney Swans has now been well documented.  An article that got solid coverage in Canada had a headline that he lead the Swans to victory in the AFL grand final and that attracted some criticism in one particular online news site.  However that's a fairly narrow semantic arguement.  Although he didn't dominate the match, there's no doubt that ruck is a key position and to play well when left with no backup in the final quarter of a suffocatingly tight grand final means by my personal definition he certainly was one of the players who lead the Bloods home.

So his brief career has reached a high point.  But there may now be a nasty epilogue to season 2012.  When all players in Sydney's squad are fit and firing, the 28 year old Pyke is clearly the Swans' number two ruckman.  Many clubs now only play one ruckman, but coach John Longmire chose to play his 200cm Rugby convert as a big target in the forward line and then relieving in the ruck.  He kicked 8 goals in 18 games this year and indeed provided a solid target to bring the ball to ground, occasionally also pulling in a strong mark, as well as leading the ruck on occasions.

However, the Swans have made a big play for enigmatic Adelaide forward/ruckman Kurt Tippett and are now in pole position to obtain the 25 year old.  That could put Pyke in a very tough spot.

The saga of whether supposedly home-sick Tippett would return to Queensland  has dominated Adelaide media this year, along with his numerous concussions and poor form.  The Crows invested many years in the 203cm former basketballer and were shocked when he turned down their lucrative offer and made it clear that he would field offers from clubs not just in his home state.  Many Adelaide fans are bitter, especially given Adelaide has been hard hit by raids from expansion clubs.  But the Crows are currently trying to negotiate the best outcome for themselves and grant Tippett's wish to head to the Harbour City.

Unfortunately the ramifications of the trade occurring could rock Mike Pyke's football world.  Having finally established himself as a regular with Sydney, as stated above, playing as a key target and relief ruckman (or number one in Shane Mumford's absence), the premiership player may now find himself competing for exactly the same spot against Tippett.  But where Pyke has a record of breaking even in the ruck and providing a contest up forward, Tippett would go to the Swans as possibly their highest paid player, with a solid reputation in ruck (as a backup) and, when on his game, one of the League's most dominant key forwards.  39 goals from 21 games was considered a poor season by his standards.  Provided Mumford is fit and retains the number one ruck spot, it's very difficult to see how Pyke will even get a game in 2013.  Particualry disappointing for him would be that after taking the risk on Aussie Rules and finally establishing himself, now is the time to cash in and actually make some decent money - something that he wouldn't have done yet as a fringe player but would presumably have been partially addressed in his next contract due now.  Instead he may find that his club has traded away his relevance.  Sadly the feel good international footy story of 2012 may have a fall even steeper than the rise.