Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve acquired till it’s gone. However Sydney have been nicely conscious of what they’d with John Longmire lengthy earlier than he departed. The previous head coach steered the Swans to a premiership in his second 12 months in cost and a finals berth in 12 of 14 seasons. 4 grand ultimate defeats, together with a pair of heavy losses prior to now three years, understandably wore Longmire down as a lot because the gamers. The coach made his final ruthless name when deciding it was time for a recent voice – if not fairly a change of path.
Following a generational chief doesn’t need to be a poisoned chalice; Longmire proved that when taking the reins from Paul Roos. The Swans gained two of their first 5 matches beneath their new coach in 2011 earlier than a late surge lifted them into the finals. A flag got here the next 12 months. The Swans have now gained two of their first seven video games beneath their subsequent head coach, as Dean Cox was dealt a fairly unhealthy hand after which paid the worth for doubling down with dicey strikes that haven’t come off.
Like even the smoothest of succession plans, the transition from Longmire to Cox confronted bumps on the highway from the beginning. The Swans discovered in 2023 how tough it’s to bounce again from a grand ultimate humiliation. They’re now on observe to turn out to be the 14th group prior to now 30 years to fall away within the 12 months after dropping a decider by 40 factors or extra. At the least 11 wins from their remaining 16 matches will possible be wanted for the Swans to keep away from turning into the seventh of these wounded runners-up in three many years to overlook the finals the next season.
Lengthy-term accidents to the captain, Callum Mills, and tireless midfielder Errol Gulden earlier than the opening spherical – in addition to livewire ahead Tom Papley after three video games – have taken away a lot of the Swans’ spark. However the absence of the influential trio has uncovered their reliance on star energy as a lot because it has examined their depth. Gun onballers Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner have been capable of encourage their aspect to a string of come-from-behind victories final season however have not often hit the identical heights this 12 months with out the identical top-line help. The difficulty grew to become most evident after the pair led Sydney to a five-goal lead over Gold Coast on Sunday earlier than their aspect gave up the subsequent 12 majors as soon as the hosts’ on-ball brigade took command.
The shortcoming to close down opposition momentum will fear the Swans virtually as a lot as their present 2-5 file. They may take classes from the best way that sides have stifled their very own ball motion, which was as devastating as we’ve seen throughout their run of 13 wins from 14 matches to start out final season. Since then, groups have slowed down their sprint and dare by clogging up the hall and limiting the benefit with which the Swans can chip their approach ahead by means of uncontested marks.
The dearth of penetration is partly behind Sydney plummeting from being final 12 months’s largest scorers to now solely sitting above bottom-four sides Melbourne, Richmond and the West Coast for common factors. It’s a change that Cox seems to have seen coming. Heeney and Warner are spending extra time ahead however have been unable to do as a lot injury as after they have been essentially the most potent midfielders within the competitors final 12 months. The dynamic duo can’t remedy each drawback and it’s the lack of a focus that continues to be among the many Swans’ main issues.
Cox took a punt on discovering a spearhead in-house, shifting confirmed key defender Tom McCartin ahead from the beginning of the primary recreation. The 25-year-old has bounced between the again and ahead halves since then, however two targets and a single mark inside 50 are an underwhelming return for a participant who reads the ball so nicely within the air. The coach was ready to “put my hand up” when conceding earlier than the conflict with the Suns that McCartin wanted to once more settle in defence, in a refreshing concession even after a more durable edge had maybe already been revealed. Cox is unlikely to have began his reign by robbing from the defence in the hunt for a payoff ahead of the ball if he was assured Logan McDonald, Joel Amartey or Hayden McLean would possibly step up and turn out to be the frontman reasonably than all being a part of the identical supporting forged.
It’s removed from uncommon for a coach to face a check of their credentials early of their tenure, and after a protracted stint as an assistant Cox took his place within the sizzling seat as extremely considered any first-year head coach has been. However with Sydney in a droop and dropping contact with the highest eight forward of a conflict with heated rivals the GWS Giants this weekend, the Swans and their new coach can in poor health afford any extra gambles that miss the mark even whereas ready for reinforcements to reach.
Crunching the numbers
The Collingwood midfielder will go the late Jim Stynes’ streak of 244 video games this week in opposition to Geelong. Crisp final missed a match in spherical 17, 2014 when he was nonetheless taking part in with Brisbane.
From the archives
Some rivalries simmer for generations earlier than boiling over; the Sydney Derby took lower than 5 years. The Swans largely bullied their brash new neighbours throughout their eight wins from the primary 9 clashes, even placing the younger upstarts of their place by snatching Lance Franklin from beneath the Giants’ noses. However the sides have been evenly matched by the point they each completed within the high 4 in 2016 and confronted off in a qualifying ultimate.
Sydney was nonetheless internet hosting finals at Stadium Australia, a lot nearer to the GWS Giants’ house base than their very own. The ocean of crimson within the stands revealed which group held sway for help, however the Giants have been something however overawed. Veterans Steve Johnson and Heath Shaw got here out steaming to set the tone, whereas former Swans ruck Shane Mumford was at his bullocking finest. Spot fires broke out when Josh Kennedy and Kurt Tippett have been floored early within the recreation. Nevertheless it was when Franklin and Johnson crossed paths after the quarter-time siren that the fireworks have been actually sparked.
The cross-town rivals may barely be separated till rising star Jeremy Cameron broke the sport open with three targets in a five-minute blitz late within the third time period. GWS pulled away to arrange a house preliminary ultimate in opposition to Western Bulldogs, however by then a real rivalry had been born.
They mentioned what?
The North Melbourne recruit added “#nomoretackling” to a reply on Instagram after Curtis was banned for 3 matches following a run-down deal with on Josh Sinn that left the Port Adelaide defender concussed.
View from the stands (or the sofa)
“We consider a number of the commentary from Kane [Cornes], significantly early this week with a few of our gamers, Jy Simpkin and Harry Sheezel, overstepped the road – inappropriate, focused, vindictive bullying behaviour that we as a membership gained’t stand for.”
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North Melbourne footy boss Todd Viney fires again on the divisive pundit over what he describes as “private” and “vindictive” assaults on the membership and its gamers. The Kangaroos rejected a request from Channel 7 for Cornes and Luke Hodge to interview coach Alastair Clarkson within the change rooms earlier than their conflict with the Bombers.
Which participant has been awarded essentially the most Brett Kirk medals for finest afield in a Sydney derby between the Swans and Giants? Bonus level if you know the way many.
Solutions in subsequent week’s e-newsletter, however if you happen to suppose you recognize it, hit reply and let me know!
Final week’s reply: Which participant has booted essentially the most targets in Anzac Day clashes between Collingwood and Essendon? Matthew Lloyd with 36.
Congratulations to Bec Reynolds, who was first to answer with the proper reply.
Need extra?
Carlton put a disastrous opening month behind them as returning spearhead Harry McKay impressed a victory over Geelong, whereas Brendan Foster remembers Peter Bosustow after the Blues’ mercurial expertise died aged 67.
Collingwood outclassed Essendon on Anzac Day’s big stage with the Daicos brothers, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Jamie Elliott as soon as once more the celebs of the present.
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