This is the second article in a series of five where our columnists will be reviewing season 2018, beginning with the 2017 post-season through to the conclusion of the 2018 finals. Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 After handing the West Coast Eagles their only two losses of the season to Round 13, narrowly losing to North Melbourne and Adelaide at home, and beating perennial ... Continue Reading »

After what seemed like a relatively quiet trade period, eyes quickly moved to the draft to see how the Swans would continue their strong record in youth development and recruitment. Their main focus was on high-profile Academy product, Nick Blakey. After earlier in the year turning down North Melbourne and Brisbane for the Swans, he finally landed at the club after a matched-bid by the ... Continue Reading »

This is the second article in a series of five where our columnists will be reviewing season 2018, beginning with the 2017 post-season through to the conclusion of the 2018 finals. Part 1 - Part 2 Despite the core of the elite midfield group still battling on-going injury issues, the outlook at the start of the season was positive. A deep finals run was the ... Continue Reading »

This is the first article in a series of five where our columnists will be reviewing season 2018, beginning with the 2017 post-season through to the conclusion of the 2018 finals. Part 1 - Part 2 After the dramatic highs of 2016 and the extreme lows of 2017, the Swans faithful were hopeful that an even-year season would once again produce the goods, as it ... Continue Reading »

For the first time in a very long time, the AFL’s Delisted Free Agency period is shaping to be as exciting as the trade period itself. After a stunning final day of trading, with players and picks changing hands several times over, clubs have been forced to be ruthless with their squad as they manage bloated salary caps and position themselves for a shot ... Continue Reading »

Not that long ago, I compared the Sydney Swans to Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. While I was derided by some on social media, the similarities are far too numerous to ignore. Despite both teams wearing red and white as their primary colours, both relied on an abundance of gifted youth, trading away players either side of their prime, and going on long winning streaks before ... Continue Reading »

It was a week of excitement and expectation, some dreams fulfilled while others were left empty and hollow, looking ahead to the draft windows wondering what was next. That’s the AFL Trade Period and the Swans were the shakers and bakers, major role players. At least that’s how the majority of reporters phrased it leading into the trade period. There was an overwhelming ... Continue Reading »

With bated breath, many of us wondered if the Swans would wade into the final-day trading war that was erupting across the nation. Every state had a team that went full-tilt, with Fremantle the clear winners on a final day of trading that few anticipated. Long anticipated trades threatened to boil over into 2019 while Tim Kelly’s goal of returning to Perth was put ... Continue Reading »

Like most Swans’ fans, I was glued to trade radio, live update feed and AFL media in general over the trade period, while the superheroes of trading descended on Marvel Stadium. When the trading period wrapped up on Wednesday afternoon, I promptly spat the dummy, threw the toys out of my cot and wondered what in living daylights had the Swans been up to in ... Continue Reading »

As one of many thousands of Swans fans that rose this glorious, beautiful morning to hear the tragic news of our dear Dan Hannebery, glee and delight soon hid from raging, thunderous anger. Immediate thoughts of "how could they", "what the hell are they doing" swirled through my head, accusations of vehement obscenities levelled against those in control, repugnant unclean thoughts and future heads on ... Continue Reading »

You know that feeling you get when you go to KFC, you get the burger and chips, upsize it and munch away. It’s really bloody enjoyable at first, tasty even, but half an hour later you start having regrets and wonder why you keep going back? It looked promising beforehand and tasty when you started eating it. But before the meal ends you realise ... Continue Reading »

With a crippling pall thrown over the Swans defence, their parts seemingly cast asunder, almost incapacitated, two giants stand tall in the carnage casting a shadow over the competition. Their defence – almost incapacitated with the incredible injury list – has somehow stood firm over the last month, despite the herd thinning through natural attrition, courting not only praise from their peers, but demonstrating a resoluteness that ... Continue Reading »

Much has been said about the Swans midfield depth, or lack thereof this season, with what seemed to be terminal damage to the Swans’ on-ball brigade in terms of form and injury over the second half of the season. As the Swans appeared to “rob Peter to pay Paul”, trying to prop up a damaged or inexperienced forward line with Parker and Heeney, while hoping ... Continue Reading »

There’s been a raging debate for the last two years over the introduction of red cards in the AFL, spearheaded by well-known and highly regarded figures in the AFL community. The majority of discussion has centred on levelling teams once a player has intentionally or recklessly injured an opponent, with very few incidents of outright violence on which to use as a crotch. Until ... Continue Reading »