There is rarely a piece you can write which has not been done before. There is not an angle which has not already received air time. There is very little which is unique.
Within the midst of Round 14, a storyline emerged which perhaps breaks from the norm.
Sydney may just be in finals contention. Again.
Since the season began, Sydney had been behind the eight-ball. The start to the season was dismal to be blunt, no wins from six starts was among the worse starts in the club’s history and surprising given their annual appearance in the finals series the year before.
Off-field changes received unwanted attention and the on-field play was rarely better.
The Swans were brilliant in patches, capable of four goal bursts and some scintillating football. However, football in 2017 cannot be played in patches and the Swans lacked the ability to go for four quarters.
Teams applied feverish pressure and the Swans were found wanting.
It seemed like the end of a dynasty was happening. John Longmire’s press conferences became increasingly taut, Sydney fans quiet on the public forums.
The Sydney Cricket Ground was surrounded in a nervous atmosphere on Friday night, fixated as Sydney fought a gallant Essendon in a battle for the ages.
As the ball landed in the hands of Gary Rohan, left one out with Marty Gleeson in the goal square with the seconds dwindling away, the nerves subsided.
And jubilation overcame the Swans faithful.
Rohan’s conversion gave Sydney a one-point win, the team’s third in a row and lifted the club to tenth on the ladder – one measly game outside the eight.
A cynic may point out that a few of the Swans wins have come in single-point margins but that is equally a reflection of the competition and Sydney’s ability to win the big moments.
In the AFL’s most open year, where anyone can seemingly beat anyone anywhere at any given time, Sydney have burst into finals contention.
Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery and Josh Kennedy, the old firm in the midfield, are firing again.
Earlier in the season, they struggled to influence the game to their usual standard, yet now with ball in hand, they have re-joined the conversation as one of the competition’s best midfields.
All three managed over 25 possessions against Essendon, the third week since the bye they’ve all gone over 20 possessions for the game.
The second-tier stars of Sydney notably Jake Lloyd, Callum Mills and Isaac Heeney have gone with the midfield trio and lifted to the verge of having breakout years.
Jake Lloyd has been particularly commanding at halfback with clever ball use, averaging 29 possessions since the break.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
Not to mention the firepower in a three time Coleman Medallist Lance Franklin and a rejuvenated Sam Reid. Tom Papley and Will Hayward add to a promising forward line.
Arguably the biggest bonus for the Swans is after Friday night’s game against fellow finals aspirant Melbourne, they don’t travel outside of Sydney until late July.
They’ve unearthed capable players in Nic Newman and Lewis Melican while the stars of Zak Jones and Oliver Florent are rising. For a while Sydney had its depth questioned but now it has an abundance of players to pick from, it is incredible how quickly an image can change given the context which surrounds it.
The question of rebuilding has suddenly been substituted with dreams of grandeur. They’re in-form and winning close games as good finals teams do, the players are firing and in an open year, Sydney has the finals experience and depth to go deep in September.
No side has ever played finals after a 0 and 6 start. Sydney might well achieve the improbable and have every reason to fantasise about September.
That is not cliché.
Winston
Guest
It really is a shame. He has all the attributes to be a good modern footballer. Can play forward or mid, tall, athletic, powerful, agile, that must be why they keep giving him chances because those attributes are too good to let go of. But isn't it just the classic case of the AFL speed and pressure being too much for him to handle? With all those great attributes, he kills it every time he plays in the NEAFL. Just can't deal with that extra half a second less each time he has to make a decision unfortunately.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Yeah, you'd have to think Jones comes in for Towers this week. No need for any other changes at the moment I don't think. It's Towers' disposal that lets him down. If he could manage to improve that he'd be a good part of the team. But it's been a characteristic of his for a while now. Sooner or later the coaching staff will come to the conclusion he isn't going to improve in that area and stop selecting him.
anon
Roar Pro
The Sydney Swan's are GWS's pigeon. They own the Swans. Swans have no answers.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
The GWS game is certainly winnable. Remember the GIants haven't been dominant at home in several games - 2 point win over the Dogs and 3 point wins over the Pies and Tigers. Not saying the Swans will beat them, but they're every chance I reckon. Crows have been very up and down at home too. There's two very possible games that get them well into the eight by season's end.
I ate pies
Guest
Neither of us are talking about teams above them on the ladder. We just don't think they'll win enough games to get into the eight. I watch them closely enough - I live in NSW, I have to watch their games every week.
Winston
Guest
Birdman that's easy, just drop Towers and the clangers column goes down by about 12 each week.
Birdman
Guest
Will need to stop burning the ball if the Swans are to make top 8, let alone go anywhere in finals.
anon
Roar Pro
They're probably better served just missing the 8, getting an extra 2-3 weeks break in the offseason, feeling embarrassed to miss the finals, licking their wounds all offseason and coming out with something to really prove next year. Sydney are playing well, but not quite like the team they were last year. I think GWS will them if and when they meet in the finals. Every other match will be on the road. Too hard for an interstate team.
Alicesprings
Guest
Agree. Remember when they were 0-6 everyone wrote them off. Finals were mathematically possible but no one really thought it was a serious possibility. For the record i think they finish the season 7th or 8th.
Adam Daunt
Roar Guru
It'd certainly make for a more interesting run to the end of the season and finals would be even more unpredictable.
Adam Daunt
Roar Guru
Love the thinking here, I often use it for Melbourne games.
Adam Daunt
Roar Guru
Those away games are winnable, especially three of them : -Melbourne is in-form but injuries are piling up and key players are missing that might eventually pile up and affect their form. - Adelaide have been hit and miss recently and with Sloane able to be tagged out of the game, they aren't as invincible as they seemed earlier. Huge questions over Geelong especially if Dangerfield and Selwood get injured or have an off game. Can they deliver if their stars don't? GWS have also been hit on the injury front but I couldn't see Sydney winning here but 3 possible wins meaning they could get 12.
Glenn
Guest
Mathematical possibility? They are 1 game out with 9 games to go. They have making the finals in their own hands, they don't have to worry about the results of other teams. Making the finals is far from just being a mathematical possibility as it stsnds right now. That's like saying at the start of the year, before a ball is bounced, that a team is a mathematical possibility of making the finals.
Adam Daunt
Roar Guru
Huge 'what if', you're right but it's just been such an unpredictable season, thank god I don't do tipping
Glenn
Guest
From the bottom of the ladder, Sydney continues to beat teams above them on the ladder each week. Maybe it is about time you people accepted that the 6 losses at the start of the year mean nothing now and Sydney is now beating teams that they would be above on the ladder if that 6 game losing streak had not have happened. I think Sydney will lose only 2 of their remaining games, so from someone that watches them a hell of a lot more closely than you do, it looks like they will make the 8 and quite easily. And it's a little silly to be saying that Sydney has to win 6 games more just to make the 8, when all of the teams they are competing against for spots, also have to win 5 or 6 more games. Sydney's draw can't be viewed in isolation.
I ate pies
Guest
I agree. I've been saying for a couple of weeks that they won't be the finals, based on pretty much the same analysis, and been shouted down because of it.
Alicesprings
Guest
If they win this week then its most definitely season on. Will be interesting to see what happens to their top8 odds..a win this week and finals won't just be a mathematical possibility.
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
Sydney would need at least 12 wins to make the eight this season IMO. They currently have 6 wins. So they need another 6 from 4 home games and 5 away games. I think the 4 home games GCFC; STK; FREO and CARL are a lock and maybe the away game against the HAWKS, although if the HAWKS bring their form against ADE I wouldn't be to confident of a win for SYD. That would give them 11 wins. Hard to see them winning an away game against MELB; GWS; GEEL or ADE to get them to 12 wins. Looks like they will come up short at the end of the season.
BigAl
Guest
I tend to agree with you Archibald . . . or, they may take a serious pounding and disappear from finals contention for the next 5 years - as they have done several times in the past. - a fuchsia never blooms twice !
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Sorry South Melbourne devotees – last year you got steamrolled by a working class fairytale, tomorrow night you’re going to get trodden under a well-heeled Julius Marlow brogue. The MCC is on the march – the Fuchsias are blooming, and the swansong is nigh.