In terms of football purity, few moments top the decisive passages of Sydney’s two most recent premierships. ‘Leo Barry, you star’ needs no articulation, and Nick Malceski’s flag-sealing snap against Hawthorn seven years later was just as special.
From the wobbly, celestial arc of Malceski’s hurried punt – a kick that always seems to go out of bounds on the full or barely sneak in for a behind, yet on this occasion decided to win the grand final – to Dennis Commetti’s underrated call of ‘Is this the grand final?’ and Sydney’s cathartic display of pure elation, this was one of footy’s magical moments.
The magic was accentuated by the fact that it was the Swans responsible for it. They were the eternal overachievers, the Bloods, the team that compensated for a lack of flash and individual dominance with grit and a relentless collective endeavour.
While Chris Judd, Gary Ablett Jr and Lance Franklin were propelling their teams to premierships off the back of their athletic majesty, the Swans were epitomised by the likes of Brett Kirk and Jude Bolton – unremarkable athletes but breathtaking football players in their own charmingly minimalist way.
Underdogs in perpetuity, the Swans won their flags in 2005 and 2012 from third on the ladder. In ’05 they toppled the bad boy glitz of Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr and the Eagles, and in ’12 they overcame the highly fancied, supremely talented Hawks.
The Swans were the San Antonio Spurs or New England Patriots of the AFL – a no-nonsense club that made winning almost monotonous. Aside from the occasional Barry Hall hook, the Swans rarely made headlines, they just went about their business of quietly making the finals every year.
They were never dominant enough to own the news cycle – from 2003 to 2012 the Swans made the finals nine years out of ten but never finished in the top two – but they found their identity lurking in the comfortable shadows known as ‘between third and seventh’, ready to pounce if their more glamorous rivals slipped up.
The 2003-2012 Bloods were the ultimate ‘won’t beat themselves team’. They were so cohesive, so consistent and so team-oriented that they would never implode and they rarely handed games to their opponents. They would bend but not break, and then capitalise on the slightest chance, the faintest window of opportunity if it was presented to them.
It’s almost too perfect that Sydney’s two flags this decade came in games where their opponents had more scoring shots than them. This was the Bloods identity in a nutshell.
This identity gave the Swans a supremacy and more importantly, a legacy. But all this took a hit on October 6 2012, and it died an impressive death on October 8 the following year. These are the dates that Sydney won the signatures of star forwards Kurt Tippett and Lance Franklin. On paper both moves, however controversial, were no-brainers.
Entering 2013 Sydney hadn’t had a player kick more than 45 goals in a season since Barry Hall kicked 78 in 2006. The Swans had won the flag in 2012 with Lewis Jetta as their leading goalkicker for the year, and as promising as Sam Reid was, the forward line needed reinforcements. Tippett, one of the most dominant athletes in the game, was coming off a preliminary final where he was the most influential player on the park. He was the last piece of the puzzle.
Getting Franklin a year later was a sign that the Swans were done with piecing puzzles together – they were ready to just sip mojitos while they watched the rest of the world burn. As obscene as a $10 million, nine-year deal was for a 26-year-old, the Swans were getting the best forward in the game – for some perhaps, the best player.
To the naked eye, winning the signatures of Tippett and Franklin was a coup for the red and white, the moves that would propel them to clear premiership favouritism. But as those stars signed, the Swans signed something of themselves away that they haven’t been able to get back – their identity.
The workmanlike, grit and grind Bloods culture of the Swans is entirely incompatible with the ‘Bondi Billionaires’ personality the team has taken on over the past two years. It’s one thing to be an underdog Rocky Balboa boxing in a Philadelphia meat-locker – it’s another to be Apollo Creed, heavyweight champion of the world, everything to lose and very little to gain. The Swans have transitioned from Balboa to Creed, and they’ve lost what made them special in the process.
On the field, Tippett and Franklin haven’t been the problem. Franklin has been every bit the superstar that the Swans hoped they were signing, current injury issues notwithstanding. Tippett hasn’t lived up to his contract but he’s been an eminently effective ruck-forward. The problems lie deeper with the general malaise that seems to have swept a once defiant group.
It’s a lot easier striking from the shadows than it is with the spotlight cast firmly upon you. For the first 24 matches of 2014, the bright lights seemed to invigorate Sydney. But ever since the last Saturday of last September, expectation – something this group was never accustomed to – has crippled the Swans.
Last year’s grand final was the most gutless display from a quality team on the big day in recent history. Forget Port Adelaide’s 2007 defeat, that team never should have been there. Sydney was just as talented as Hawthorn but they were beaten by a team that was harder, tougher and more clinical than they were. The Swans were beaten by a memory of who they used to be.
2015 has been an understated debacle for the red and white. Given their respective lists, there is no universe in which Sydney should be behind the Bulldogs on the ladder after 19 rounds. A team that once prided itself on winning the hard ball, the Swans rank 11th in contested possession differential, behind the likes of Carlton and Melbourne. With Tippett, Franklin and Sam Reid in the fold, the Swans should be a dominant aerial team, yet they rank just 11th for marks inside 50 and a dismal 17th in contested marks (only the Daniel McStay-led Lions have taken fewer).
It’s not all over for the Swans. They have a creampuff fixture to end the season and will likely enter the finals in fourth spot riding a four-game winning streak. The likely qualifying final against Fremantle in Perth will be an ordeal, but not an inescapable one. Who knows? With everyone writing off the Swans, maybe they’ll rediscover themselves as underdogs once again.
mick
Guest
The issues in this article explain why Goodes is boo'd more than racism. I used to have a soft spot for Sydney. Now I'd say I despise them. People hate the swans and unfortunately Goodes has been the focus of this hate.
Mark
Guest
Hush child.
Gecko
Guest
If you think the Swans have 3 A-grade inside midfielders, you must be bewildered by them continually losing in clearances against stronger midfields. Hannebery gets the ball sometimes on the inside but he's only at his best as a run-and-carry midfielder.
Boban Fett
Guest
The thing about Sydney is just how many sports can capture people's imagination there. I think the reason the Swans sold the farm to get Franklin was a marketing decision and also because of the presence of Alessandro Del Piero at Sydney FC.
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
An excellent article Jay. I feel the challenge for the Swans is not just integrating their marquee signings but also the AFL rules which are preventing the team from any trade based rebuilding. The gap between our best and least players is too vast and, special cases like Isaac Heeney aside, we are currently unable to rebuild internally in the manner of teams such as West Coast, Collingwood and GWS. Andrew Pridham spoke strongly on this topic at Friday's pre game Chairmans function and I sense the Club is ready to legally challenge the AFL over the matter, It is hard to build belief amongst the players when they see obvious deficiencies in the squad which are not being addressed because of League interference. The currently imposed restrictions must be removed and Sydney must be an active player in Trade period, willing to lose some genuine talent in the short term to facilitate medium to long term success. Names such as Reid, Jetta, Jones, and even Hannebery must be available if the right offer is made - and in Hanners' case it would need to be an amazing offer
Olivia Watts
Guest
a wonderful article and an accurate assessment. I hope that we can return to our roots, billionaires notwithstanding
Leapin Leo
Guest
Have a look at the replay of the aftermatch of the Bloods walking back into the change rooms and consider your theory shot down in flames. THAT's what the Bloods Culture is.
WhereIsGene
Guest
If Sydney wants to ditch the Trade Ban there is absolutely nothing stopping it from trading out Tippett & Jetta for a couple of first round draft picks, and then notifying the AFL that they would like the COLA gone immediately. BOOM, end of trade ban, end of Swans endless complaining. Unfortunately SYDNEY HAS ELECTED TO KEEP ITS UNFAIR SALARY CAP ADVANTAGE over its competition for as long as possible. So guys, please stop the whinging and whining about it because your club made this bed for itself, now it has to shut up and lie in it. Other clubs would kill to have your $1 million dollar advantage, and wouldn't sook like children because they'd finally be made to play by the same rules as everyone else.
WhereIsGene
Guest
If Co-captains isn't a ridiculous concept why aren't other clubs following suit? Right now Sydney are getting less than half the leadership out of McVeigh & Jack than Geelong are getting out of Selwood. Even Cotchin is providing superior leadership, that's how dire things have become. They should name Josh Kennedy captain and be done with it. At least he has a dip every week.
Mark
Guest
He already is. I know it's subjective but you are 100% wrong. And Hanneberry is the definition of an inside midfielder. Have you ever watched him play? Pretty obvious.
Mark
Guest
You mean using it within the rules? Another person with no idea. You're embarrassing yourself.
Mark
Guest
Exactly this. We didn't have massive depth before we signed Tippett and Buddy and it's pretty similar now so to attribute it to signing them is just lazy journalism.
Mark
Guest
How is having co-captains a ridiculous concept? Once again you attack Sydney with baseless claims. You're just embarrassing yourself. Come back when you come up with a single coherent thought.
Chancho
Roar Rookie
Well written article Jay, a joy to read. But I'd like to proffer my own opinion on the Bloods culture at the Swans: in that I don't think it exists. If we look at their history, their success happened in the inter-war years and arguably that wasn't so much about grit but being in the fortunate position to have the backing and player, mainly WA imports, which lead to the Swans moniker. Post then to their financial demise in the late 1970's was about grit, but with no success, and a deterioration to the point of extinction or relocation. None of this is the grit AND success that we like to associate with 'Bloods' culture. Or, when talking of the Bloods culture, are we referring to the '45 grand final? Well, despite it all, it was a loss, which precipitated the downfall. Or is it the number of Brownlow's in that period (8 between 1940-77)? It's great, but an individual reward. The razzle-dazzle and flamboyancy, similar to what we're seeing and associating with the 'Bondi Billionaires' was also there with the Edelstein years, which again ended in a financial disaster and wasn't all that long ago in reality, and built on a poor foundation with Edelstein only spending about half the money he said he had. I guess the difference now is the strong membership and attendances. I think the turn around for them, even considering all the way back to the '40's, the biggest change and turning point was Barassi, then players like Plugger, Kelly and Kirk, and later Eade and Roos - as well as the administration which was coordinated right through the club. I think this vintage crated for the first time the gritty AND successful culture which has nothing to do with the Bloods historically, but for some reason we have hitched it to a Bloods culture. I still remember a comment in an interview when a Swans player was asked about Barassi's impact and he said that Barassi makes sure their 'socks are pulled up, and the guernsey is tucked in'... I honestly believe hitting rock bottom and then rebounding the way they did gave birth to the successful period that we associate with them, but I really don't think they ever had that in the past.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Nothing I'm seeing tonight makes me change my mind. The disposal skills (especially from Shaw) are extremely poor. And much too slow.
holty
Guest
Curious... How do you hide a quote?
Chancho
Roar Rookie
Totally agree re Malceski... your first sentence sums that up perfectly. Away from the sanctions etc, just wanted to comment on how good Heeney has been and what a find that kid is... and he hit the ground running too, there was nothing in first game to suggest he's in his debut season... were it not for his long lay-off I doubt there'd be any debate over rising star.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
The old "first to the ball" chestnut. Wouldn't you think Sydney or Freo, with their on-ballers, might be first to the ball, yet they are near the bottom of the frees for ratios? Here's a sample of the top clubs on that list. Tell me they aren't flavour of the year (or recent times) clubs: Richmond West Coast Eagles North Melbourne Gold Coast Suns Collingwood Hawthorn Carlton Western Bulldogs Port Adelaide
Ant
Guest
What on earth is with your obsession with sacking coaches? It's ridiculous.
Dean N
Guest
Perhaps it's because they are first to the ball....