The Sydney Swans are 0-2 after two rounds of the AFL season. They are hardly in trouble but just not convincing to both themselves and their supporters.
They endured a good offseason after signing Lance Franklin and getting into winning ways in the NAB Challenge.
However after two disappointing results to two rivals in GWS and Collingwood, the Swans will be out to shrug off the doubters and show that they still really do have good culture.
Lately ideas have been thrown around leading to the assumption that the Swans culture has been ‘disrupted’. Some go even further to say that it has been ‘ruined’. Both accusations are incorrect.
Every football club in the AFL has good culture, if they didn’t they would be in serious trouble financially, on the field and in the media. Some may argue that the events of the past twelve months involving the Essendon boys has disrupted their culture, but you only need to look at their performances in both games so far this season to see this is not true.
This is no different with the Swans.
They haven’t had a good start to 2014 but this has nothing to do with culture. Simply, the Swans don’t have enough players playing good football.
Too many of their players haven’t played ‘Swans football’, leading to a disorganised unit that hasn’t delivered in all areas of the ground for four consistent quarters.
This is the issue for John Longmire and this weekend he looks to his players to rebuild the faith within themselves and within their supporters and the football world.
Sydney go to the Adelaide Oval as the Crows (another team 0-2) host their first home game of the season at the newly developed venue.
The stage is set for a cracking game of football. Adelaide haven’t played four quarters yet this season and are still struggling to find their feet in the 2014 season.
This has led many to believe the side will under-perform, which is an incredible accusation after just two games.
The pressure will be high and the outcome for the loser will be tumultuous, however one can feel in a game like this the Swans will silence the critics and come home after securing victory in Adelaide.
We are talking about a very professional outfit that will just get better as the season goes on. John Longmire admitted they were ‘poor’ against GWS and not great against the Pies, yet they improved and players continued to get more valuable game time.
Buddy Franklin is yet to make an impact at the Swans, yet a man getting paid as much as he is will eventually stand up. Once he does, look out!
An elusive midfield and a team built around defence, Sydney will always have the dogged determination and exquisite composure to finish in the top four this year.
This being said, the reality is in fact Sydney are 0-2 and they do have to play Hawthorn, Essendon, North Melbourne and Fremantle before the bye in Round 10.
Sydney are a professional outfit currently struggling through the first two games. Yet it will be in games like this that the Swans show the AFL that they still possess that famous ‘Bloods culture’.
For John Longmire and the Sydney Swans, the 2014 season begins now.
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