Swans block out mounting hype

I think it's the amount of improvement left in the side that is scaring teams off a bit. You get Tippet Shaw Hanebery back with games under their belt and don't lose anyone else, the list at the moment is playing ok and is incomplete still coming to fitness and form. All those guys back fit and a few of them in form it will be difficult for any team to compete.

If I was a betting man, OK, a footy-betting man, I'd be putting something on a Sydney Flag. 5-2 faves at the moment, & rightly so.

Going to assume that's a joke or sarcasm...?

Michael, when they suggest Sydney is 'unbeatable', they probably mean unbeatable by a non-Fremantle side. We sometimes get lost in the purple background.

I've been puzzled by all the points you mention too Peter and the only thing I can come up with that even comes close to explaining our performances this year - Longmire is being very... Extremely cautious about seeing the group through to the finals with as few injuries as possible. Forgetting about some general brain fades at various times during the year - who doesn't have them? It also sort of explains a few Red Vests over the weeks. Horse has said a few times that you only have to win by 1 point to win. My guess is the Swans only do what's necessary to win, regardless of the competition - anything in excess comes when it's easily gotten. E.G. Why beat Carlton by 20 goals when 10 will do?... At the risk of somebody (else) doing an ankle. Sometimes it's why win by 20 points when 10 will do. The Geelong game (which in 50 years of watching footy has to be as close to a perfect team performance as I've ever seen) I can only explain as the team was fully prepped for a tough encounter that never materialized and the margin was more to do with Geelong than us. Horse keeps his cards close to his chest but I think this could be an indicator of what to expect in the finals. Not the margin, the gameplay. The Port game, I think the crowd (hither to be known as Fortress SCG!) made the difference, spine-tingling! But I think your first sentence sums it up nicely. The team focus is unshakable - I'd sure hate to be Mrs Longmire :) I can remember quite a few times after games this year thinking - "We. Are. Scary."

I suppose that's the good thing Peter. They haven't flexed their muscles as much as the Hawks did in 2013 when they won their flag, but they've risen to every challenge so far.

Numerous times throughout this 12 match streak I have commented that the Swans have been unconvincing. In round 3, they showed signs that they were back against Adelaide. Glimpses of what they could do if they played 4 quarters. They were unconvincing against Freo in the match that started the streak. Very unconvincing against the Dees. A poor second term and poor kicking on the day. Shared the goal kicking against the Lions but were again unconvincing. Looked their best all season against the Hawks, but still had that 2nd and 3rd quarter fade out. A good first half shut out of the Bombers but didn't finish them off. Yes, they beat the Cats by 110, but if not for the 2nd half, the result would have been less damaging. The Suns really took it up to Sydney and they were frustrating to watch. Lucky against Port in the end. Very unconvincing against the Tigers. Lowered their colours against the Giants when they really should have won by more. They were very unconvincing against the Eagles. One brilliant qtr against the Blues when they shook the monkey off their back. I don't mean to take the shine off it, but they certainly haven't been amazing us. I suppose the scary thing is, what does their best look like and if they play like that.....what then?

Indeed. The thing that's impressed me most this season and given me faith they can do it is the will to win. They've faced their fair share of adversities on the field, and willed themselves to win them all. We beat our bye nightmare, a bogey team against Geelong, had a sloppy come from behind victory against the Suns, held on over a last-quarter blitz by Port, came through during a rainy slog in Perth. They seem to be resilient and do whatever it takes, I'm just hoping they take that into September. If I see that attitude from the Swans during the finals series, it would make me very happy.

Moment - I think the Swans have been great at being able to play good bits and pieces over the 12 game run, and being able to coast for large chunks once games are in the bag. You never want the team to be up all game, every game. The geelong performance was a complete performance over 4 quarters - the type you want to see on Grand Final day. There's been instances of that sort of level here and there (3rd quarter against Carlton, parts of the West Coast/Port/Gold Coast games), so its certainly there. The hype is there because the Swans have been clearly the most consistent team for the good part of 4 months now, and look the hardest to beat in September. If Geelong's loses hadn't come in general against the very good sides (Sydney, Port, Freo), then the hype would be just as big as then. I think in terms of Geelong, a lot of people have that nagging feeling that when the heat gets turned up in September, they might just not be able to go with it. Only a fool would write them off though.

I agree Michael - the Swans will most certainly be in a very strong position should they win this week. 2 games clear of third would see us all but a lock to finish top 2, and if we didn't make a GF from there, one would have to be exceptionally disappointed. We are far from invincible however (no team is ever invincble), and it would only take one injury (Pyke/Richards/Grundy/Franklin) and it would bring us quickly back to the field. We are an outstanding team overall, but whilst we have great depth in midfield and arguably on the flanks, but we don't necessarily have great depth across the park. I don't know what to think about Saturday night. Hawks will be up for it no doubt, but so will we I expect. If we play anything like we did after our last bye, then the result will be a good win to the Swans. I hardly think there will be any overconfidence this week - given our recent relatively poor record against the Hawks in Melbourne (bar a wonderful saturday in September a couple of years ago!), and the great chance we have to really set ourselves up for a flag. A win this week will give us significant breathing space, allowing us to even drop an unexpected game along the way and still finish top 2. It'll also open up some opportunities to rotate and rest a few of the midfield warriors in particular. Footy is a funny game, and this talk of the Swans being a 'lock for the premiership' in late july is utter tosh. If we continue what we've done over our last dozen games for the next 9 games, then we will win the flag. But the IF in that sentence is very big indeed - and it only takes a few seconds for a season to change completely.

Michael - I consider myself a 'good' supporter - and I totally agree. Is it just me or does Victoria go a little hysterical when an inter-state team gets a run on? The Swans are playing some good footy and some ordinary footy - just like any other team. Apart from the Geelong game (still not sure what happened that night) I haven't seen anything that deserves the hype. Their biggest challenge is to ignore the attacks heading their way. Luckily (and much to Eddie's annoyance) John plays a very straight bat.

OK call be a bad supporter or what have you, but am I the only Swans fan not quite understanding the hype? We've probably been the best team this year, so being at the top of all the major betting markets makes reasonable sense, and if we win this week it will be hard to avoid the greatest Syd/South Melb team in history tag. I'm fine with all of that. But today I heard somebody say Sydney were actually unbeatable. I laughed it off until everyone at the table agreed. Has anyone actually watched them play? Take it from me, a diehard who wakes up and goes to sleep thinking about the Swans (sad, I know)... they aren't invincible. The Geelong game was the best any teams played this year. The Carlton third quarter was the best quarter any teams played this year. Other than that, the footy we've played has been around about the same standard as Hawthorn. I don't know it just seems like people are trying to make this Swans fairytale happen for whatever reason. I sure as hell hope it comes true, but theres a long way to go. If we win this week, it will be our flag to lose. And the way we'll lose it is by being complacent. Horse can say all he wants about the hype not getting to the players, but it will eventually get to them on a sub-conscious level. I think that Hawthorn will embrace the under-dog tag and come out firing and do enough to beat the Swans. Wish there wasn't so much riding on this game so I could just sit back and watch two great teams go at it, but I won't be able to enjoy it unless the bloods get up.

Given the Swans won 12 in a row in each of 1918, 1933 and 1935, then my hunch is that it could actually be described as a 96-year old record. But, be it 79 or 96, it is a very long time, and taking a very special squad to match it, and hopefully set a new benchmark on Saturday. Carn the Swans, Go Bloods!