Can the hunters cope with being the hunted? That’s the question being asked of the Sydney Swans as they set about to defend their 2012 premiership.
In only his second season in charge of the club, John Longmire transformed the unfashionable but consistently successful team he inherited from former mentor Paul Roos. Keeping true to the Swans now famous ‘bloods culture’ of committing to relentless hard running and fierce tackling, Longmire also added a powerful attacking element. Becoming a highly potent scoring machine, Sydney were the fifth highest scoring team in 2012.
The club have refreshed and rejuvenated their list with the departures of small forward Jarred Moore and ruckman Mark Seaby, while Matt Spangher, Trent Dennis-Lane and Campbell Heath have made their way onto rival club’s lists.
Recruiting manager Kinnear Beatson demonstrated a clear strategy at the draft table, with the selection of Dean Towers, Harrison Marsh and Matthew Dick – three mid-sized and versatile players that all boast lightning pace. Another acquisition was lead-up forward Tim Membrey, who kicked 54 goals in last year’s TAC competition.
Kieran Jack has been elevated into the role of co-captain along with Jarrad McVeigh for 2013. Jack takes over the role vacated by Adam Goodes, who is on the comeback trail after tearing his posterior cruciate ligament in a warrior-like performance in last year’s Grand Final.
The Swans have solidified their core group of senior players, with the re-signing of Goodes, Jack and Ryan O’Keefe, along with Ted Richards and Lewis Roberts-Thomson both agreeing to contract extensions prior to the commencement of the season.
Daniel Hannebery, Lewis Jetta, Sam Reid and Josh Kennedy all emerged as genuine stars of the competition last season. The club will also be hoping former number six draft pick Gary Rohan can make a return from a horrific broken leg suffered against North Melbourne in April 2012. The incident was the impetus for the introduction of rules outlawing sliding into a contested ball situation at ground level.
Key Player: Kurt Tippett
The Swans have a significant ace up their sleeve with the recruitment of Kurt Tippett. Unfortunately for the club’s fans, they will have to wait until round 12 to see the former Crow make his debut for the club, after the AFL imposed a $50,000 fine and an eleven match ban on him for accepting payments outside of the salary cap over the course of his last three-year contract at Crows.
The pressure to provide value for money will be intense on the big key position forward, after his acquisition put the spotlight on the Swan’s contentious 9.8% cost of living salary cap allowance. Many clubs have questioned the validity of a reigning premiership side having the ability to add an elite player to their squad on a heavily front loaded deal, estimated at $900,000 in the first year of his contract.
Circle it on the calendar: Round seven, Hawthorn vs Sydney
The Swans venture to the MCG for the grand final rematch against Hawthorn, in what is expected to be a brutal contest. Alastair Clarkson’s men will be looking to exact revenge after squandering a multitude of scoring opportunities and going into the match as clear favourites.
A win for the Swans over this year’s premiership favourites would further validate last year’s grand final win, and once again see them staking early claims to being a genuine premiership threat.
2013 Prediction: 3rd – 5th
Sydney have a relatively comfortable draw with return matches against only three of last year’s finalists, while enjoying nine matches at the SCG and three at ANZ stadium. In recent years the MCG has been a traditional bogey ground for the club, having won only two of their last 16 games at the venue. However, they only have three fixtured games there in 2013.
The Swans will once again be in strong contention at the business end of the season.
Daniel Bramley is a Bachelor of Journalism (Sport) student at La Trobe University. You can follow him on Twitter: @bramley_d
