#chadwarner

The accusations are coming quick and hot – ‘they can’t win the premiership!’ ‘Swans just not good enough!’ The Sydney Swans’ downhill skiers. Too many players running ahead looking for the easy option rather than winning contests. For the first 7 games of the 2026 season Sydney had this aggressive forward handpassing, which was tearing opposition sides apart. Now, according to the loud mouthed ‘so-called’ experts, those opposing teams have worked out how to stop the juggernaut. The Sydney Swans have struggled to beat ordinary AFL sides of late and are losing to the real contenders, Hawthorn, Geelong and Brisbane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006RymnwLI8

What Is A Downhill Skier In AFL Terms?

A player who feasts on the outside opportunities when the offensive plays are happening but shirks the defensive contest. Sydney are the hunted and they need to become the hunters, if they are going to get back in this thing for real. The entire team needs to rediscover what applying physical pressure to the opposition really means. Winning the ball in disputed contests all over the ground. Running in packs and hunting down the oppo. Not looking for the easy ball all the time. The Sydney Swans’ downhill skiers need to put away the poles and get back to basics. Two way running until you bust a gut and win the contest.

https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/2050478/the-2026-season-so-far

Sydney Swans Must Hunt The Oppo

It all starts in the middle. The centre ball up and the ruck/midfield. I have observed that good, hard teams like Hawthorn and Geelong disrupt their oppo midfielders at ball ups. They put hands in to disrupt handpasses to spoil chains of attack. Continually you see this disruption breaking midfield possession around the ground. How many times have I seen the Swan’s handpass game get destroyed by this from Geelong, Brisbane and Hawthorn? Too many. Physical pressure piles up on the Swans’ players and they cough it up. Sydney must fight and scrap, again and again, as repeated efforts are required to get the job done. Rowbottom, Sheldrick, Heeney and Warner have to grind away and disrupt. The hunted must become the hunters!

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/teams/swans/2026_gbg.html

Downhill Skiing Won’t Win Premierships

You are not going to win a premiership via downhill skiing. Pretty chains of handball are not going to get it done against the best. Back in the Paul Roos era, it was said that the Swans had a blue collar midfield. What did the pundits mean by this? That we had grinders, blokes not afraid to roll up their sleeves and dig deep to get the job done. What was the job? Winning the bloody contest. These days, the Swans have vastly more talented players wearing the red and white but they lack a bit of heart. We had an Ablett back then, not the most talented in that family but a blue collar guy tough as nails. Josh Kennedy was in there and grinding away. Kieran Jack and Brett Kirk too – enough said about hard men toiling away. That 2005 premiership against West Coast pitted this mob against a much more skilled side but blue collar grunt prevailed. 2012 was a similar story against a more fancied Hawthorn team, that would go on to win 3 flags in a row. We are missing that stuff from the current lot.

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/L/Luke_Ablett.html

Ineffective Tackles Too Often From Sydney’s Downhill Skiers

Broken tackles brushed aside by tackling players like Jake Lloyd, Riley Bice, Caiden Cleary and half the bloody side. Poor tackling technique has plagued this team for too long. Hard and low, not high and armsy. It speaks of a lack of commitment. Too soft. Sydney must become the hunters, right now they are the hunted. How many free kicks did Swans players give away to Brisbane because of poor tackling technique? Too many.

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=1979&rt=LT&st=TA

Reviewing The Swans AFL Players

I will start with the captain, Callum Mills, in my opinion he isn’t playing good enough football. His disposal is too often ordinary and he aint winning enough contests. Leading the side is more than talking the talk. We need more from this fella. Tackling Efficiency (TE) rating 6.

Joel Amartey (TE5) and Logan McDonald (TE5) are too unreliable as forwards. Neither of them win enough genuine contests. Amartey is injured again and out for another long block of games – this must be tough for him. However, it is time for them to grow up and pull their weight every bloody week when they are fit enough to play.

Chad Warner has found some form at last and looks in scintillating shape right now. He needs more support from his team mates. TE7 https://www.afl.com.au/stats/compare?playerOneId=CD_I1012014&playerTwoId=CD_I1023261

Charlie Curnow is looking real good too, after taking some time to find his feet. Go Charlie! TE6

Isaac Heeney is rolled gold, star material and hard as nails with it. He cannot do it alone and is getting sat on most weeks now, because oppos have worked out that if you stop Heeney you go a long way to beating Sydney. TE9

Brodie Grundy has been enormous for a couple of seasons now. I hope the big fella can keep it up. He is the champion ruckman the Swans have wanted and required for years. More power to the number 4. He needs to take more marks around the ground, however, Swans are ranked last for marks in the competition. TE8

James Jordan has been a wonderful addition to Sydney and I hope he can re-find his very best form going forward. TE8

Nick Blakey is up there with the absolute best players in this highly talented team. The Lizard is another that oppos try to stop. I hope he can get back to the scintillating form of a few weeks ago. TE6

James Rowbottom is the tackling machine and heart and soul player of the Swans. We need more like him. Grunt and blue collar in a 21C way. TE9

Errol Gulden has been missing for much of two seasons and that is no accident. The very best cop the most attention, whether that be fair or not. The team needs to look after this talented gut runner and playmaker. Make it their responsibility not to let him get smashed again. The Swans must become the hunters! TE5

Justin McInerney is injured and out for a number of weeks, alas. His best season so far and we will miss his corridor possessions and goals. TE5

Tom McCartin is our most talented defender but due to concussion proneness he has the equivalent of a glass jaw in boxing terms. What to say? We all wish him well but he is a vulnerability in hard AFL contests. TE7

Will Edwards has played a handful of games but looks like our next big man defender. Can we build a defence around him? He looks the goods, but is he ready for finals this season? TE6

Lewis Melican is injury prone and a B+ AFL player. But good teams need good B graders too. TE5

Jai Serong has been a great addition to the ranks this year. Playing wing and half back he has added an aerial prowess sorely missing at the Swans. TE6

Harry Cunningham has been a good servant of the club for many years. Getting to the end now. TE6

Jake Lloyd has rung every bit of AFL talent out of his slight form over many seasons. Time waits for no man, however. TE4

Tom Papley has been a fire starter for the Sydney Swans over the journey. Great goal sneak and burst player in the middle. Tom is injured once more and we miss his presence. TE6

Malcolm Rosas a good first half of the season, but has gone ice cold of late. We need him to fire up again in his debut year.  TE5

Riley Bice is patchy and inconsistent. Lacks defensive skills and/or application. Can be damaging offensively but a worry as a defender. TE3

Hayden McClean, the big man will get his chance now that Amartey has gone down with an Achilles injury.  Seize it son and make us proud! TE6

Matt Roberts needs to rediscover his best form from earlier in the season. Winning contests is vital. Become the hunter! TE6

Angus Sheldrick is coming on and is tough too. Keep it up Gus! TE7

Braeden Campbell we miss you! Get well real soon and I look forward to seeing you out there. TE5

Dane Rampe has been out injured for some time and is reaching the end of his great footy career. He will be hard to replace. TE6

There are plenty of fringe players who have made cameo appearances this year. Bits of great play mixed in with mediocrity. Young players, obviously, have to find their feet. All of them could be better if they play like their lives depend upon it. Winning big games comes from team effort. Winning contests and supporting your team mates out there. Don’t play scared and tackle like you mean it. Disrupt the oppo by getting a hand in legally. Knocking the ball out when you tackle is a good technique to master. Become the hunter and stop being the hunted. The Sydney Swans’ downhill skiers no more, please. Premierships are not handed out, you have to knock the other bloke down and take it. It takes blue collar grit and guts. Do you have it? Do you? What about you son?

Will Sydney Become The Hunters in the 2nd Half of Season 2026?

Can Dean Cox get his team to go after their opposition and dominate contests once more? Or are there just too many downhill skiers in this Sydney side? We will all have to stay tuned to find out.

Getting Lectured To By AFL ‘Experts’

“It is pretty tough watching football in the age of armchair experts. There are so many paid pundits commentating during AFL matches broadcast on Fox Footy that judgements fly faster than the Sherrin. Back in the day, commentators actually used to call the game. These days, critical analysis fill the watcher’s cup to overflowing. Ex-players paid to blow their trumpeted expert opinions fill the air waves. To be honest, this type of commentary sucks the joy out of footy. I don’t want to hear why every player and team are not playing perfect footy. I want to feel the excitement of the game.”

- (https://www.golfdom.com.au/watching-the-football-in-the-age-of-armchair-experts/)

Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of The Stoic Golfer; The AI Heresy; What Price Life?; America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump; and other titles. NOW AVAILABLE AT APPLE BOOKS & GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS. Google Play Books AUDIOBOOK

©GolfDom

The Sydney Swans flop off the bye at the Gabba under fierce Lion’s pressure. Personally, I hate the bye and always have as a Swan’s fan. Too many times the team fails to fire after a week off. The Swans looked soft on this Thursday night featured contest with last year’s premiers. Brody Grundy gifted Brisbane goal scoring opportunities out of the centre 4 times on the night. These free kicks for crossing the line at the ball up are huge penalties to pay for this indiscretion, especially when advantage is taken and opposing players steal out the front of the centre square toward their goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006RymnwLI8

AFL Sydney Swan’s Dive Against Brisbane

Grundy was not alone in gifting goals to the opposition. Riley Bice twice kicked short straight to a Brisbane Lion directly in front of their goal and they did the right thing by Riley by kicking truly. These indiscretions alone cost some 6 goals, when all was said and done. These couple of Swans were not on their lonesome when it came to being mentally unprepared for the intensity of the contest. Caiden Cleary was out of his depth and rarely won a contested ball. Why he was playing and Matt Roberts was omitted, I don’t know. Tom McCartin was off the pace in the first half and copped another head knock in the second half.

“CHRIS Fagan said Brisbane had prioritised defence over its mid-season break and the two-time premiers put it on full display in a statement 43-point win over Sydney at the Gabba on Thursday night.”

- (https://www.afl.com.au/news/1547178/resurgent-brisbane-lions-run-riot-against-pacesetting-sydney-swans) Gabba No Contest From Weak Swans

Time after time during the match the Swans would gift the ball to the opposition seemingly unable to cope with the physical pressure of the Lions. Let me tell you, watching this mismatch was no fun for a Sydney supporter. Chains of Swan’s possession would culminate in handpasses to no one and Brisbane would regain the pill and go down the other end and score. Defensive pressure is useless if your players are all several steps off the pace. Most of the team seemed to be still on holiday. Grundy was half the player he had been earlier in the season. Heeney was trying but fairly ineffective by his high standards. Rowbottom was hard at it but there were not enough of him. The Sydney Swans flop off the bye at the Gabba under fierce pressure from Brisbane.

Chad Warner Lone Light On Tough Night

Chad Warner was the standout Swan doing uplifting things and kicking goals. Charlie Curnow was Sydney’s best player in the first half and tried hard all night. Jai Serong was off the boil compared to his previous efforts in 2026. Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey were woeful up forward. I worry about these guys and wonder when they are going to grow up and become reliable players every week.

Ruck & Midfield Capitulation By Swans To Lions

It was around the ball and out of the centre that the Swans were destroyed by Brisbane all night. Our rucks were ineffective and well beaten and our midfield piss ordinary. Did they think that the return of Errol Gulden was going to magically lift them over the line? Errol played like someone who hadn’t played for 14 weeks. He is not the messiah, just a talented footballer who has missed a lot of football. Angus Sheldrick tried hard all night and never gave up. Chad Warner was our best in the centre but played a lone hand in winning contests. If 16 out of your 23 are getting beaten it is tough on the handful left. It was a very poor effort up against a side that got better and better as the evening progressed.

Swans Are Soft

The Swans are soft. You cannot rely on them to turn up when the going gets tough. Jake Lloyd was brushed aside by Cam Rainer so often he must have thought that he had died and come back as a  curtain. Harry Cunningham was so busy trying to body Charlie Cameron he forgot to go for the ball.

If he didn’t hate John Denver before, he sure does now.

The Sydney defence was never up with their opposing forwards and paid the price on the score board.

Sydney Crap At Tackling

Half the Swan’s team needs to learn how to tackle. Pissweak broken tackles and giving away countless free kicks to the opposition was the result on the night. You have to go hard and low, not high and soft. I wonder about the coaches at the Swans. Good people, but are they hard enough? Simon Goodwin talks too much about love for me, I mean WTF? This is a football team not the love boat. Where is the mongrel factor? Where is playing on the edge? Hawthorn, Geelong and now, Brisbane have brushed the Swans aside when it mattered.

The Mysterious Art Of Coaching

“In contravention of the AFL media’s obsession with star players, the art of coaching demands so much more than a roster of stars. Indeed, the mysteries of coaching AFL are on display for all to see throughout the season. Why is one team so good and another side so bad? The talking heads would like to make it all about the talent of the players in each squad but that is decidedly not the exclusive reason for success. In truth, the athletes playing AFL at this level are all very good, which is why they ended up on a playing list at an AFL club. Most of these young men have been playing footy for much of their short lives. They are remarkably talented with ball skills and have honed their physical endurance in readiness for the big leap to AFL standard.”

- (https://wordsforweb.com.au/the-mysteries-of-coaching-afl/)

Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of The Stoic Golfer; The AI Heresy; What Price Life?; America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump; and other titles. NOW AVAILABLE AT APPLE BOOKS & GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS. Google Play Books AUDIOBOOK

Here is my take on the Sydney Swans in 2026. Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox seems like a ripping bloke. A very likable chap who once was the greatest ruckman of his era. Now, in his second year as head coach of the AFL harbour side team he has begun the season 2 and 1. The Swans have a number of seriously talented footballers who are still on the more youthful stretch of their career curves. Errol Gulden, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey are game breaking talents. Isaac Heeney is the older superstar at the Bloods but he is still just on the right side of 30 at 29. That is the good news, the bad news is that Errol Gulden is out again with an injury for up to 4 months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1khA40_7DA

The Swans Take A Hit With Another Long Term Gulden Injury in 2026

Gulden is a play maker and distributor of the football. He was out for half the season last year and the Swans struggled to win games in his absence. AFL football is a team game, however, with 18 players per team on the field. The media likes to make it all about the stars of the game but that is as much a narrative position as an absolute reality. They want to tell a story and having a heroic individual at its heart sells newspapers and gets eyeballs on screens. Coaches talk about systems and that players perform roles within those systems in a bid to win games. In defiance of that some superstars seem to be able to lift themselves above the pack to do things, which appear to turn matches. Sydney will have to do it without Errol for up to 4 months in season 2026.

Handball Forward For Metres Gained In 2026 For The Swans

AFL is an extremely skilful game, which happens at breakneck speed. The more skilled players facilitate scoring goals by beating the opposition via hitting targets by hand and foot. The 2026 version of AFL is about moving the ball more quickly by running and handpassing to overcome defensive zones. Pressure on and around the contest remains the key, especially when the going gets tough. Highly skilled teams can be undone through applying maximum pressure around the contest. We saw Hawthorn defeat the Swans via this very methodology. Teams that apply pressure in multiples of players, hunting in packs, like the Hawkes did can overcome their opposition. The Swans seemed to be lacking teamwork in losing these contests. There was no shortage of effort from the Bloods but I did not see players backing up their mates in the contest enough. This was unlike Hawthorn who hunted in packs and won contests on this basis.

Coach Dean Cox Too Open With Game Plan

Watching the pre-game TNF show on Fox Footy we saw Dean Cox sharing lots of game plan information with David King and the panel prior to the match. Sam Mitchell, the Hawkes coach was far more cagey in his interaction with the footy pundits. I thought to myself at the time, here is one bloke not trying to be everyone’s best friend and instead hellbent on winning this game. In the end, the chocolates went to Sam and Dean got to eat his dust. Coach Cox did not look a happy bloke after losing this one at the MCG before the bye. The Sydney Swans in 2026 are 2 and 1.

Swans Tried Hard But Couldn’t Get The Job Done

The Swans played their hearts out but were outgunned and outpressured over 4 quarters. The Sydney talls at either end were poor and outplayed by their Hawthorn opponents. Tom McCartin was well beaten by Chol and Gunston, especially in the first half. Lewis Melican lacks defensive skills in aerial contests and loses them too many times. Logan McDonald plays like a half forward flanker rather than a key forward. It is time to build him up and get some aerial presence out of him. Charlie Curnow has been disappointing but it is early days yet. Overall the Sydney team lacked intention and were beaten by Hawkes at key contests. Nick Blakey has been great and continues to give wonderful run and metres gained from the half back line.

Sydney’s Lack Of Aerial Presence A Concern

Of course, Sydney really missed Isaac Heeney, both around the ball and forward. Too often Sydney players fail to take marks around the ground. Joel Amartey was poor in this manner against the Hawkes but had been potent the previous 2 weeks in front of goals. Brody Grundy never stopped trying and gives everything most weeks, he could take more marks, however, around the ground. I do remember a number of games last season when the Swans were outpressured and beaten in contests. Not being strong aerially compounds problems when Sydney are under the pump. Whether the team needs a plan B to cope with these games or it is purely a matter of meeting and beating that level of pressure around the ball, I do not know.

Pressure Ratings Down In 2026

Overall pressure ratings have been down in these first 3 matches of 2026. Having said that, this is true of most AFL sides this season. The rule changes have sped the game up and reduced contests it seems. The powers-that-be have been manipulating the game via rule changes to produce a fast and high scoring contest. The stand rule enforcements favour those with the ball to a remarkable degree. Defending has never been more challenging in the AFL.

https://rsn.net.au/news/2026/03/25/afl-2026-sen-com-aus-game-ratings-for-round-3

The Blood’s Midfield

Angus Sheldrick is coming on and improving as a budding midfielder for the Sydney Swans in 2026. James Rowbottom remains the rock in the middle via his hard tackling and contest pressure. Chad Warner has had a slow start to the season and needs to do more to regain his mantle as a real star of the game, in my opinion. Isaac Heeney, now Vice Captain, is the Swan’s champion in the middle and continues to be a world beater. Tom Papley had an injury interrupted preseason and his pinch hitting in the midfield is a work in progress. James Jordan is another defensive midfielder, at times, and is a worthy contributor most games on this basis. The absence of Errol Gulden will be felt once again. Caiden Cleary was disappointing against Hawthorn, but that was one game and he is just getting started in AFL. Justin McInerney has been a standout in 2026, with his run through the middle and kicking goals against Carlton, Brisbane and Hawthorn.

“Heeney was almost knocked out by a careless Florent knee to the temple, whilst he lay prostrate on the ground. It says something about the character of Oliver Florent, in my view. Good riddance to a bitter lesser light. Isaac Heeney recovered and went on to play some fine football in that second half. “

- (https://www.golfdom.com.au/sydney-swans-season-2026-opening-round-game/)

Where will the Sydney Swans in 2026 end up, ladder-wise? Does Dean Cox have the nouse to take this team to the top? Perhaps, the inclusion of Simon Goodwin on the coaching panel will enhance the prospects of the Swans this season? I think, Charlie Curnow will need to fire up forward and start taking some contested marks and kicking goals for the Bloods to win enough games to be real world beaters. The team will have to toughen up and start winning the hard games, like the one they dropped to the Hawkes at the MCG if they are to progress to the upper echelon. It all starts again with the West Coast at Optus this week and the Eagles have won back to back for the first time in years. Go Bloods!

https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/afl

Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of The AI Heresy; What Price Life?; America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump; and other titles. NOW AVAILABLE AT APPLE BOOKS & GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS. Google Play Books AUDIOBOOK

©GolfDom

I am writing this as a long time Swans supporter. The Sydney Swans season 2026 opening round game was a tale of two halves in extremis. I must admit I was cursing Dean Cox at halftime and thinking nasty thoughts about underprepared teams. Mea culpa, Dean. However, it was a bumbling, stumbling effort against Carlton for the first 2 quarters. The Blues looked better, were cleaner with hand and foot and harder at the footy. Carlton should have been much further ahead at halftime. Nick Blakey was the lone hand for the Swans playing some decent football.

Sydney Vs Carlton 2026 A Game Of Two Halves

Carlton had belief, along with a handful of former Swans, and they won contests and moved the ball better. I was not spitting chips because I was eating pizza but you get the idea. It is like your whole imagined season passes before your eyes after a woeful performance in that vein up to halftime. David King on Fox Footy was bellowing about how good the Blues looked and how crap the Swans were. It was galling to be hosting the opening game of season 2026 and playing absolutely diabolically.

Swans Boot 3rd Biggest Quarter Score In AFL History

The Sydney Swans season opening round game was looking like nothing to celebrate and then… Suddenly, the Bloods remembered how to play football in a hurry. Not just footy but a lightning fast running and handpassing game par excellence. Goals were scored with aplomb from all sorts of players and angles. Sydney had only kicked 2 goals up to halftime and now the floodgates opened. The Swans piled on 12 goals in the third quarter. Errol Gulden was running and linking up with Isaac Heeney to produce multiple goals. Matt Roberts was kicking them from everywhere. Justin McInerney kicked 3 and it should have been 4 in that quarter alone. Charlie Curnow got on the end of one or two, as did Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey. Tom Papely played few minutes but was big on score assists and a couple of goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9LyjI4bP0E Swans Kick 12 Goals In The Third Quarter

Needless to say that the grumblings prior were soon forgotten amid the mile wide smiles on the faces of the Swans players at the SCG. Players interviewed post-game were a mite sheepish about the first half performance but the media was only interested in rhapsodising about that second half onslaught! Heeney was almost knocked out by a careless Florent knee to the temple, whilst he lay prostrate on the ground. It says something about the character of Oliver Florent, in my view. Good riddance to a bitter lesser light. Isaac Heeney recovered and went on to play some fine football in that second half. Chad Warner made a big impression on the night with his stellar running and evasion skills. The Chad needs to straighten up his goal kicking to be even more effective. Jai Serong was great on debut and played well for four quarters. The Sydney Swans season 2026 opening round game was a victory!

https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/afl

SYDNEY            0.3     2.6     14.9     20.12 (132) CARLTON          2.2     4.4     8.6        10.9 (69)

GOALS Sydney: Curnow 3, McInerney 3, Amartey 3, Roberts 2, Heeney 2, Warner, Sheldrick, Rowbottom, Rosas, Papley, McDonald, Grundy Carlton: Pittonet 3, Ainsworth 2, Moir, McKay, Kemp, E.Hollands, Hayward

BEST Sydney: Gulden, McInerney, Heeney, Warner, Serong, Roberts Carlton: Walsh, Lord, Smith, Pittonet

INJURIES Sydney: Nil Carlton: Saad (hamstring tightness)

- (https://www.afl.com.au/news/1472140/sydney-swans-stunning-blitz-sinks-carlton-blues-in-season-opener) 5 Reasons Why Golf Is For Smarter Folk

“Here are 5 reasons why golf is the thinking person’s pastime. Moving about on a large grassed maze and plotting the strategic pathways of a small white sphere, as it seeks to visit eighteen holes of golf in the least number of strokes is a thinking person’s pastime. This is no off the cuff performance. This is no mad charge up a rugby field. This is no micro-managed pool table. This is life at large upon the big stage; equipped with fourteen sturdy clubs with which to do battle with a largely unseen foe. Practice swings are the stuff of wishful thinking. The only real go you have at it must be strictly counted each time on a scorecard kept in pocket.”

- (https://www.golfdom.com.au/5-reasons-why-golf-is-the-thinking-persons-pastime/)

Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of The Stoic Golfer; What Price Life?; America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump; and other titles. NOW AVAILABLE AT APPLE BOOKS & GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS. Google Play Books AUDIOBOOK

©GolfDom

Halftime heroes and full time failures, the Sydney Swans turn toes up once again in Giant defeat. I don’t know what coach Dean Cox serves up at the halftime break but it might have been a lullaby because his players fell asleep. The GWS, well down after the first half of football at their home ground, came out post the long break and destroyed Sydney. Winning contests and running amok to kick multiple unanswered goals. Chad Warner was nowhere to be seen nor Isaac Heeney in that third quarter demolition. It reminded me of the game against the Gold Coast earlier in the year with a similar awful result for the Swans. Halftime heroes and full time failures Sydney Swans In A Tale Of Two Halves Of Football Charles Dickens may not have been present at this match but a tale of two distinct halves it was. Red and white crusaders became witches’ hats in the second half, as the Giants tore them apart. It is like Sydney is a boxer with a glass jaw, all class until they get hit with the pressure. Then, the Swans crumble and fall apart. I have rarely witnessed an AFL season where the class difference between those teams vying for the 8 are so far out of the league of the also rans. “The Giants have capped an unfathomable second-half Sydney Derby blitz, trumping the Swans 15.12 (102) to 8.10 (58) to kill their finals dream. GWS trailed by as many as 35 points in the second quarter before incredibly piling on nine goals to Sydney’s one in the third quarter to lead by almost four goals at the final change.” - (https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/live-afl-2025-gws-giants-vs-sydney-swans-round-20-live-scores-and-updates-blog-stats-derby-battle-of-the-bridge-start-time-aest-and-how-to-stream/news-story/7f788611e73d331a96a506ecf0b9c4c0) Swans Cooked After Halftime By Giant Sizzle Unfortunately, Sydney in 2025 carry too many piss ordinary footballers in their game day 23. When things are going alright and their way the swans appear to be pretty good but turn up the intensity and contest and they fall away rapidly. Yes, there were a few excuses like losing Hayden McLean in the opening minutes to a head clash and knock – he was stretchered off. Joel Hamling, who had been holding his own down back copped a leg injury and could take no further part after halftime. Tom Papley has been a crock, physically, all year. He gives plenty but his body will not stand up. Lewis Mellicen had to shoulder a lot down back and could not measure up to the Giant talent forward. Errol Gulden was mighty, effort wise, but you can tell he lacks match hardness due to the long lay off with serious injury. Callum Mills is in a similar situation and cannot go with someone like Jake Stringer when it really mattered. Sydney for 2 quarters looked darn good with Warner and Heeney firing early but GWS hadn’t got going. Sydney Swans turn toes up once again in Giant defeat. Not Bloody Good Enough Swans Sink Jake Lloyd tried hard all game, as did James Rowbottom. James Jordan was likewise in the mix most of the game. Sydney was thrashed by the Giant halfbacks in the third term and the run they created fried the Swans. Brody Grundy was a tireless contester all match and had a great duel with Briggs. Too much talent all over the park when it mattered did for Sydney in the end. Sam Wicks was disappointing. Aaron Francis cannot hold a mark under pressure and that told all game to the detriment of Sydney.

New Talent With More Gumption Required The Swans will need to recruit some new talent for next year if they are to get back up the ladder. Cunningham, Rampe, and Lloyd are all getting long in the tooth for AFL. Jack Buller looks a likely type and could deliver long term. Sydney needs a powerful fast player like a Bailey Humphrey or a Finn Callaghan. Someone to break packs and burst through. Too many lightweight types make up the red and white ranks to the detriment of the team’s performance under pressure. Perhaps, a trip up the Kokoda to harden these lads up might be in order? Something has to buck the piss weak trend exposed in losing Grand Finals by double figures. It is tough to barrack for a club with a glass jaw that can’t handle the pressure when it really matters. Sydney Swans turn toes up once again in Giant defeat. “It is bloody disgraceful the way the team is playing in 2025. Sides blanket Heeney, Blakey and Chad, and the Swans don’t fire a shot. Too bloody easy that stratagem. What is Dean Cox doing about that? Bugger all, as far as the results indicate. Not good enough Sydney.” - (https://www.golfdom.com.au/dean-cox-cant-coach/) Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of The Stoic Golfer, Money Matters and America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump. ©GolfDom

Those blowhards in the AFL media, them overpaid talking heads with exaggerated reputations, will be coming for the Sydney Swans, now that they have plummeted down the ladder. Back to back 10 to 15 goal thrashings will do that. It will be ‘so-called’ incisive judgements about the lack of talent on the Sydney list and how they will have to go into rebuild mode. These ‘geniuses’ all jump on the judgemental ‘must rebuild’ media led bandwagons, which saw clubs like Melbourne and North Melbourne stuck down the bottom of the ladder for decades. Here is a Sydney Swans playing list evaluation in 2025.

Top Tier Sydney Swans Players Currently

The Top Talent On The List: Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Errol Gulden (out injured in 2025). Tom Papley (injured most of 2025) Average At Best: Brody Grundy, James Rowbottom, Will Hayward, Lewis Melican, James Jordan, Justin McInerney, Tom McCartin, Callum Mills, Average With Potential: Matt Roberts, Joel Amartey, Sam Wicks, Braeden Campbell, Young Potentials: Caiden Cleary, Corey Warner, Tom Hanily, Angus Sheldrick, Caleb Mitchell, Indhi Kirk Past It: Jake Lloyd, Joel Hamling, Dane Rampe, Taylor Adams Journeymen: Peter Ladhams, Aaron Francis, Ben Paton Out Of Form: Oliver Florent, Riley Bice, Hayden McLean, Injured: Logan McDonald, Harry Cunningham, Robbie Fox https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/afl

Assessment Of Playing Issues In Season 2025 Brody Grundy is the first serious investment in ruck stocks in decades at the Swans. Yes, he was a bargain basement deal with Collingwood paying a chunk of his salary.  Grundy wrestles his way through games of AFL football for whatever that is worth. He leads an appalling lack of aerial marking presence in matches for the Swans. Only Tom McCartin provides a real marking presence during games. Ladhams and McLean are pretty woeful in this regard. Amartey is too busy missing games due to suspension or injury to mark the ball. It is, often, left to Isaac Heeney to take contested marks and teams are clamping down on him. Dean Cox is the tallest head coach in AFL and his team cannot mark the bloody ball. You cannot win matches if you have no aerial presence. At centre bounces the Swan’s midfield are either on or stone cold. This makes them all duck or no dinner. Opposition teams waltz out the front of the stoppage and score really easily against the Swans under Dean Cox. Lately, they have looked so negative with players in the middle trying to lock down on an opponent that there is no one left to win the ball and take it forward. We all know that a team needs to get the offence and defence balance right to win games. Well, this aint happening with the Swans in season 2025. Yes, the team is sorely missing Errol Gulden. Tag Heeney, Chad and the Lizard and the Swans are dead in the water. The Swan’s players are lousy at tackling in 2025. I think that their body mass is too light weight with them all looking like distance runners. There is an observable reduction in upper body mass in the 2025 playing group. Yes, tackling is a lot about technique and Sydney could focus on brushing up on their tackling technique. I reckon the physical conditioning maestros have got it wrong. Because the team are getting monstered out of contests by sides like Melbourne and Adelaide. It is not all just a lack of mental application to the job at hand – it is physical mass too. The Swans look lighter and slighter than opposition sides in 2025.

Photo by Harrison Reilly on Pexels.com Out Of Form, Suspended & Injured Swans in 2025 Sydney Swans playing list evaluation in 2025. Yes, serious injuries have meant no Errol Gulden in season 2025. No Logan McDonald, and no Robbie Fox or Harry Cunningham. Virtually no Tom Papley or Callum Mills. Suspensions due to poor discipline have cost 12 weeks suspension to Justin McInerney, Joel Amartey, and Lewis Melican. Out of form players are the bane of coaches and supporters. Oliver Florent was once a stirring line breaker coming off the half back or wing. Now, he cannot win a contest and his ball use has been dire. Will Hayward has played a couple of good games but has been largely underwhelming. The forward line has been missing Papley, McDonald, and Amartey at various times, which means more falls upon Hayward to do. Hayden McLean had a late start to the season and has been woeful. His body mass for a centre half forward is too thin and he gets moved off the ball with ease by opposing players. What is going on with the physical conditioning of McLean? He is not going to move faster by shrinking his size. He is a lumbering type player and requires body mass to be some sort of power forward for the Swans. Justin McInerney and Braeden Campbell have both been disappointing this season. I thought that they would step up to fill Errol’s shoes. Callum Mills, the Captain has been missing in action for the best part of 2 years – thanks to misadventure and injuries. Not sure if he is still the player he was? Juries out on that. Jake Lloyd has been a wonderful servant of the club over many years. He is a senior player and has value on this basis. However, watching him this year, his ball use going forward is largely ineffective, Lloyd is not a great user of the ball. He has got the best out of his small stature on the AFL arena but he can't tackle either. The Swans are missing the surgical distribution of the ball by Gulden in 2025. Nick Blakey has been stuck down back defending too often and making far fewer effective runs up field. Dane Rampe is getting pretty long in the tooth. Despite this, he has shown some positive signs of late but it must be his last season, you would think. Matt Roberts continues to be a ball user of prowess beyond his young years. Riley Bice has dropped off alarmingly after an exciting start to his Swans AFL journey this year. Sam Wicks was moved down back and was good in quite a few matches there. Wicks plays with aggression and speed – all good qualities the Swans require. Sydney Swans playing list evaluation in 2025. The Swans team needs a powerful midfielder, like a Bailey Humphrey type, the side lacks grunt and grit. A player that can break open games via his forceful skills. Losing Luke Parker was not ideal, as can be ascertained via the mess the team is currently in. James Rowbottom is a heart and soul player but the red and white team needs more of them to compete. Heeney and Chad Warner cannot rise above the tags every week, it seems on the evidence. Angus Sheldrick shows real potential but he is just getting started. Something is wrong with the Swans! The team is bleeding and getting thrashed each week.

The Consequences Of Buddy Are the holes in the playing list becoming gaping wounds, which are the consequence of paying overs for Lance Franklin for a decade? Buddy was a giant but has he left a giant sized hole? Did John Longmire hold this team together via force of coaching personality and nous? Has the perfect storm of injuries, change of coach and time itself exposed serious inadequacies in the list? Is the quality too little and now too late? Did Dean Cox inherit a poisoned chalice? A Russian doll with ever smaller players and talents inside? Watching the Crows brush aside and monster the rabble in red and white was shocking to many longtime supporters. “Perhaps more of these structural and list deficiencies might have been glaringly apparent last year, and Sydney forced into a far more pro-active off-season on the player management front, had Heeney, Warner and Gulden not been so outstanding.” - (https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/45382485/afl-sydney-swans-dean-cox-losses-did-overachieve-last-year) Old timers tell us that the Sydney Swans have always had a charismatic power forward to hang their marketability upon in the most competitive city based sporting market in the world. Warwick Capper, Tony Lockett, Big Bad Barry Hall, and Buddy. That is quite a list of AFL superstar forwards. The Swans went after Joe Daniher prior to Brisbane landing him. Who will be next? Will it be a King brother? It would have to be a bonafide star! The fans would be licking their chops. The club needs a forward with real presence. “They’re going to get Ugle-Hagen for next to nothing, take him away from his bad influences in Melbourne, turn him into the best forward in the competition and make another (losing) grand final, aren’t they? “ - (https://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/1l18wv3/sydney_swans_told_to_get_star_forward_after/) Can Cox Coach? Lengthy apprenticeships don’t guarantee successful stints in the big chair. Dean Cox seems a ripping bloke. However, plenty of nice guys never make the grade. Head coaching in the AFL is no easy task. You have to have the playing group playing for you, first and foremost. On this basis, you must be a devilishly good communicator with your key talent. Your game plan must be solid and easily understood by 23 blokes each week. The Cox caper, on the available evidence after 12 weeks, fails to fulfill these requirements. I have never seen so many easy goals kicked against the Swans. There is a distinct lack of fight by players in the defensive half of the ground. Good teams scrap and fight to prevent each and every score, but not this version of the Swans. It is a tragedy and it’s getting worse each week. It looks like players are thinking about where they should be and what they should be doing instead of playing instinctive football. You cannot compete against the well drilled AFL teams if you are floundering. If the coaches message is not getting across and the results are not coming to fruition, it becomes a vicious circle of failure and defeats. “Former St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt says the AFL world needs to 'harden up' regarding its reaction to Wayne Milera's Sydney Swans 'rabble' comment. In a refreshing moment of honesty, Adelaide flanker Milera described the Swans as a 'rabble' with the Crows kicking 21 goals to five in the SCG demolition.” - (https://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/news/afl-world-needs-harden-sydney-swans-rabble-saga/269b7696d0d858718db7f776) “Gerard Healy calls for the tag and it has become a running joke. Tag every player, maybe? Could it be because nobody plays on anyone anymore in AFL? The demand for tagging is really a deeper cry for greater accountability? A bit more mano on mano? Funnily enough, ball use efficiency decreases when the tag is applied. AFL mutterings in the manosphere. No kidding, it’s not rocket science but the coaching stratagems are so far up you know where with zoning pinched from basketball that the penny aint dropped. Footy has become the unaccountable game. When I played the game we all played on someone.” - (https://www.midasword.com.au/afl-mutterings-in-the-manosphere/) Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump. ©MidasWord

Are the Sydney Swans so disappointing this year because their former coach, John Longmire, jumped from a sinking ship? Did Longmire desert the players in their greatest moment of need? Has Dean Cox, the long serving apprentice, been handed a poisoned chalice? Whatever is at the root of the blight the team are playing like a bunch of hapless losers. Cox has resorted to blaming the players in public, after 10 weeks of sucking up the pain himself, he is dishing some out himself. Questioning the list, as not being up to current AFL standards and questioning their heart. This last damning reality was never something to entertain under Longmire or Paul Roos.

Last Year’s Swans So Much Better

Last year, the Sydney Swans cut through sides like a hot knife in butter. They did this in 2022 and 2023 at times also. Acknowledgement was given to the former Adelaide AFL coach, Don Pyke, who was the team’s assistant coach at the time, for some of the impetus around this ball movement driven winning strategy. WTF is that now in 2025? Yes, Errol Gulden is missing but he was not the only exponent of this skill. Where is the dare under Dean Cox?  WTF is the Lizard anchored at full back, when we desperately need his run and incisive ball use? Nick Blakey is being poorly applied at the Swans as a winning resource in 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWC5_lEHHKg Sydney AFL Team Lack Spirit & Skill Sydney Swans so disappointing this year. You know, as a longtime Swans fan, I look at the playing group and I see boys and not enough men. Light weight body types as far as the eye can see. Luke Parker is gone and WTF happened there? Longtime Captain and champion out the door. George Hewett bigger bodied AFL midfielder gone to Carlton. Don’t get me started on Jordan Dawson. How could we not hang onto the quality? We are left with lightly framed and none too tall cattle. Yes, we have champions like Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner; but it takes 18 players to field a team and 23 to fill the bench. We have the tallest head coach in the AFL and our talls struggle to take a mark during games. Teach and train these buggers to perform their duties better! What are all these bloody coaches paid to do? “There is a worrying complacency, combined with rank mediocrity, permeating the Swans in 2025. Happy little children dressed up to play footy rather than men with a game to win is what emanates from the red and white these days. The Swans coaching cohort appear bland and beige despite being dressed in scarlet.” - (https://wordsforweb.com.au/another-sydney-swans-side-unprepared/) Peter Pans Playing Football I get the sense when I watch the players that I am watching a bunch of Peter Pans – boys inhabiting athletic bodies who haven’t been able to grow up into men. Held in stasis somehow as privileged kids in ‘no man’s land.’ They train hard and have wonderful physiques but where is the grit required to compete and win week in week out? It is a brutally hard business; but that is why they get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to perform at the elite level. Now, this reality is in the million dollar category for a few of them.

Blood’s Culture Missing In 2025 Ultimately, it comes down to culture because this is a team sport. The AFL media, like all media, focus on individuals to tell their stories. However, AFL is a team sport and it is team and club culture that wins premierships. I suspect that there is too much bullshit, extraneous bullshit going on at the club, and not enough simple messaging about what is expected of the players and the team. It is not a celebrity circus, it is a footy club, plain and simple. Why haven’t players improved in 2025? Why haven’t the gaps left by injuries to key players like Errol been filled by players rising to the opportunities provided? The players have to drive the culture and if that is missing – the leaders need to take steps to address it! “Former Demons captain Garry Lyon and respected commentator Gerard Whateley have shone a light on Sydney’s “poor” discipline in recent weeks following the Swans’ 53-point loss to Melbourne on Sunday.” - (https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2025-dean-cox-problems-at-sydney-swans-callum-mills-suspension-joel-amartey-justin-mcinerney-afl-360-comments-latest-news/news-story/a839941bddef6396f5b8) Swan’s Coaches Not Performing? I could mention that there have been very few ruckmen who have gone on to become premiership winning AFL coaches. Too tall? Too far away from the shorter playing group? The ruckman’s experience of the game itself is very different. Sydney Swans so disappointing this year. Are the Swan’s coaching staff too soft and pandering to mediocrity? I look at Hawthorn and watched their young players in comparison to the Swans. They play with far more passion and grit. It is like the Swan’s players are not all there on the night or on the afternoon. Something integral is missing. Whatever is going on the antidote is only coming in fits and starts. One week on, next week off. One good quarter and one or two bad terms. The MCG hoodoo strikes again! Are players messed up by grand final nightmares? Get the psychologists on the phone and down at the club. Call the exorcists! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWC5_lEHHKg Midfield Needs A Second Effort & Plan B We get killed out of the middle all too often. It is like the blokes in the midfield only have one gear or one effort to give. They need to have plan Bs and plan Cs when required. Who is the midfield coach? The thinking and stratagems around the centre bounces are less than stellar. Do something about that! The pundits have written off the team in season 2025, in Dean Cox’s first crack at head coaching. The players lack resourcefulness when being beaten. Whatever the game plan is, it is shallow and unrewarding in too many instances, especially when put under pressure. Keep It Simple Coach! The best coaches have always said that AFL players are not the smartest human beings. Keeping the messaging simple for every player is the key. I remember past Swannie’s saying, ‘the coach gave me a role and I went out and played it.’ Strip it back and give them a role to perform. Obviously, the better and more experienced champions can handle more instruction and freedom. AFL has been taken over by running coaches, just look at the body types of the current players, lean running machines who can’t stick a tackle. Players run up and down the field like a bunch of wingers, fast but unaccountable. The Swans get too easily pushed aside and get gun shy in response. Sydney are no longer a great AFL team without the ball. If Sydney are not attacking they are lost and if that attack is blunted likewise the game is lost. Basic Defensive Skills Poor Sydney Swans so disappointing this year. How many easy goals scored by the opposition from crumbing contests have I seen this year – these would have never been tolerated under Paul Roos. The defending has been dire. Dean Cox needs to go back to basics re-defence. There is so much emphasis on attacking from the backline that no one bloody defends. Rebuilding lost confidence can be a delicate task. Hayden McLean needs some TLC. Get in the head doctors pronto! Ollie Florent has never recovered from missing those goal shots after the siren. Something needs to be done to fix things at the Sydney Swans. I have been barracking for this club since Gary Buckenara coached Sydney; and he coached me once when I was a schoolboy footballer at Subiaco. Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump. ©WordsForWeb

Or has he made a mess of his first few months of the season, as head coach of the Swans in 2025? Tom McCartin? A failed experiment still costing the team stability and continuity. The Sydney Swans AFL  side is sliding down to the lower reaches of a long ladder. 14th place. Has Dean Cox inherited a damaged team? Did John Longmire exit a traumatised football team? Injuries to important senior players have made things worse to be sure. However if a solid system was in place, then, the thinking goes that new soldiers come in and play the roles required. This is not happening in terms of four quarter performances producing winning results.

Dean Cox Must Have Been Counting His Chickens

We can go on about the costly absence of Errol Gulden but the fact is that he aint available for at least half of the season. On Sunday, for almost half a game against the Suns, the Swans were serving up what appeared to be a match winning performance. James Rowbottom was tough and effective out of the middle and Chad Warner was great on the outside breaking into open space to deliver forward thrusts. Isaac Heeney was brilliant up forward in the first quarter especially. Sydney had winners all over the park, it seemed. Unfortunately, the same side did not emerge after halftime. https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1769233/injury-update-round-8 Head Coach Dean Cox Left Scratching His Head The script had been flipped and the Suns left their black shorted opponents for dead. The Swans were killed out of the middle by Witts and  the Sun’s midfielders in the second half. MIA for all those mentioned previously were the Swans. Compounding this were the unforced errors made by Riley Bice, Jake Lloyd, Matt Roberts and Justin McInerney, which were hard to explain and very damaging to the Swans in the second half. Will Haywood gave away multiple free kicks, which directly cost goals. These Swan’s players were poor when it mattered. Tom McCartin continues to be less than useful in defence. WTF is going on in the backline for Sydney?

Games Too Long For The Sydney Team Are the Swans clear about how long AFL games go for? There are 4 quarters and not just 2. The umpiring crucified this game in terms of the number of free kicks paid in front of goals. This favoured the Swans in the first quarter but turned to provide the Suns with multiple goals late in the second term and into the latter half of the match. 12 unanswered goals by the Suns put Sydney’s chances to the sword. Has Dean Cox inherited a damaged team? They are like a doughnut with a big hole in the middle, where fight and guts seem to be missing. Paul Roos must be disgusted in what has become of the Blood’s spirit. Chad Warner & Sydney Chad Warner has re-signed with the Sydney Swans, which is great news. Hopefully, this will ignite a return to form by the exciting midfielder and the team. God knows the Swans need to start putting some match winning AFL football together in 2025. David King, the Fox Footy commentator, reckons the Swans should put Isaac Heeney forward to address the lack of results in this crucial part of the ground for Sydney. Heeney has been tagged effectively by opposing sides this year, as a midfielder, and this has reduced his impact on games. This was done against the Suns and was a success for half a game. The remaining midfielders could not get the job done for 4 quarters, they had just 2 quarters in them. Is Brody Grundy up to it? The evidence is looking shaky for the big  wrestling ruckman. Unlikely Forwards Kicking Goals Aaron Francis made a successful cameo appearance at Full Forward for a quarter last week, kicking a few of goals and looking dangerous. Francis played forward in the first half, against the Suns, and moved back in the second half. He was pretty good all game. Nick Blakey was productive in a number of plays, but the umpires found him guilty of transgressions in the marking contest, which cost goals. Blakey went forward late in the game and kicked 3 goals in quick succession.

Swans’ Buckle & Fumble Under Pressure When the pressure is applied upon the Swans they buckle and fumble. They lack belief in their system and fail in its application. There is an inability to play 4 quarters at the level required. Coach Dean Cox is looking down upon a shallowness and lack of grit among the playing group. Costly errors made via ball use destroyed any hope of getting back into this game when it mattered. Jake Lloyd may be a safe pair of hands but he is an ineffective ball user. McInerney was terrible and a repeat offender with ball in hand. Florent plays a couple of decent quarters and goes missing. Bice had a shocker. McCartin is probably confused and embittered a bit about where he is playing on the field. Haywood was frustrated and very poor all day. The Swans are Champagne football or bust, at the moment. This will not measure up and is not getting the job done in 2025.   “The truth about AFL football these days is that nobody plays on each other. If you look around the ground during a game, you will see 36 players standing off from one another. Sure, the full forward and full back may be nearer to each other than most, but nobody is wearing the other, like in the old days. The modern footy game is a high possession, low contest affair that sees the ball move quickly up and down the ground. This higher scoring style of play is by design. Rule changes by those in charge of the AFL have reduced the defensive nature of the game.” - (https://www.midasword.com.au/modern-footy/) Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump. ©MidasWord