Swans seeking stability in 2011

For 29 years, the Swans have had Australia’s largest city all to themselves. That relationship will last for just one more year, however, before an ambitious young AFL adversary enters the competition – the Greater Western Sydney Giants.

So Sydney know the 2011 season is vital for a club that, while fully embedded in the city’s culture, still treads a tightrope of support and financial security.

The relationship between the Swans and the harbour city has at times been an uneasy one, particularly when the red and whites have not been successful in a city renowned for its fickle sporting allegiances.

It all means Sydney are focused sharply on a successful season to strengthen their fan-base and ensure they remain in the city’s sporting headlines.

“They’re 12 months away yet,” new coach John Longmire told AAP when asked about the looming threat of the Giants.

“Our reserves will be playing them this year, which is a good thing, in a new competition (the North East Australian Football League).

“Our focus is going to be on making sure we keep maintaining our strong foothold here in Sydney and making sure we work on that over the next 12 months.

“I think we’ve got a great supporter base and hopefully we make that as solid as can be over the next 12 months.”

The Swans have traditionally struggled for print space and airtime against the dominant rugby codes in Sydney.

That will not be helped by the departure of charismatic coach Paul Roos, whose sense of humour and ease in front of the camera often led to decent grabs and newspaper fodder.

He has been replaced by the likeable, but relatively nondescript Longmire, a no-nonsense type who joined Sydney’s coaching ranks in 2002 and now has his chance in the top job.

In contrast, the Giants have guaranteed themselves plenty of press after signing walking, talking billboard Kevin Sheedy.

But the Swans have never been concerned with razzle-dazzle and will instead expect Longmire to continue Sydney’s impressive run, having missed the finals just once since 2002.

Asked if it’s strange not having Roos around, Longmire said: “It’s obviously a bit different.

“I spent eight-and-a-half, nine years with him in the office next door.

“The reality is we’ve had 21 new players added to our list in the last two years. When you have that much change, your education process really starts again.

“So my energy has been focused on that really and making sure we continue to keep teaching and educating and hopefully getting them up to speed as quick as we can.

“That’s where my energies have been directed, rather than worrying about Roosy’s legacy, as good as it has been.”

Sydney again showed their ability to regenerate their list, surprising most with a fifth-placed finish last year.

They are expecting improvement from some of their impressive youngsters in 2011, led by Rising Star winner Dan Hannebery, speedy duo Lewis Jetta and Gary Rohan and forward Trent Dennis-Lane.

The likes of Lewis Johnston, Daniel Currie and Sam Reid will also get their chance in the forward line, alongside Adam Goodes and Daniel Bradshaw, if he can regain full fitness.

Brett Kirk has retired, leaving a significant hole in Sydney’s engine room, with Kieren Jack, Josh Kennedy and new co-captain Jarrad McVeigh among those expected to pick up the slack.

“The expectation is just to get better,” Longmire said.

“We struck a bumpy patch in the middle of last year and played some average football, but then got going again towards the end of the year which was fantastic.

“We want to be more consistent and the reality is the teams above us and below us are going to keep improving as well.

“We can’t afford to stand still, we have to keep going.

“Collingwood aren’t going to get any worse and I’m sure the other teams will be getting better as well.

“So we’re going to have to get better.”

The big pre-season blow came when running defender Nick Malceski went down with another knee injury.

He has undergone a second bout of LARS surgery and won’t be back until mid-year, at the earliest.

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