Sydney Swans stars set to return after short break
James Buckley
SMH, May 29
Swans players have been given a four-day break ahead of their bye next round as the club comes to terms with Friday's nail-biting loss to Hawthorn, which might just prove to be the telling blow to their AFL finals chances.
A Lance Franklin-inspired Sydney came from behind in a stirring final quarter to poke their noses in front of the Hawks before a late Jarryd Roughead goal handed the visitors a fourth straight win at the SCG.
The players had recovery and review sessions at the club on Saturday before embarking on a four-day break ahead of their grand final rematch against the Western Bulldogs on June 8.
Former co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack are expected back for the game. McVeigh has missed the last two wins with a hamstring strain, while Jack has been nursing the hip injury he picked up during pre-season.
A week off should also give Jake Lloyd and Sam Reid sufficient time to recover from the concussions they sustained in the first half against the Hawks.
Season far from over
Neil Cordy
Daily Telegraph, May 28
CALLS that the Swans’ season is over and they are no chance of making the finals after Friday night’s gut-wrenching loss to Hawthorn are premature to say the least.
Sydney were beaten by a well-coached team and led by three of the best players in the modern era in Jarryd Roughead, Shaun Burgoyne and Luke Hodge. Sydney were also two men short (Jake Lloyd and Sam Reid) for almost all the game.
The Swans’ year isn’t done by a long shot. Even with a 3-7 record, the Swans are still only two games outside the top eight and have a healthy percentage of 100.1 per cent.
The key is they have an increasingly healthy list and a big group of emerging players including Zak Jones, Isaac Heeney, Callum Mills, Will Hayward, Ollie Florent, Tom Papley and Lewis Melican. Their stars Lance Franklin, Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dan Hannebery are all fit and playing well.
Their depth is also the strongest it’s been in seasons, last week’s NEAFL team had nine players who had played senior football this year including Aliir Aliir and Harry Marsh.
The bye has come at just the right time with Lloyd and Reid both able to use the week off to recover from their concussions.
Franklin’s five not enough
Neil Cordy
Daily Telegraph, The Australian, May 27
A LAST-minute goal from Hawthorn skipper Jarryd Roughead delivered an epic six-point win against its old foe Sydney.
It was a classic Alastair Clarkson ambush as his men played a sophisticated game of keepings-off to dominate uncontested possession 281-184 and uncontested marks 116-47.
With Luke Hodge marshalling the troops at halfback, the Hawks had the ball on a string and the Swans simply couldn’t get it back.
The victory continues the Hawks’ recent domination of the red and whites and is their fourth win in a row at the SCG.
They have also won eight of the 11 matches against Sydney since losing the 2012 Grand Final to the Swans.
Clarkson was thrilled with his team’s effort.
“The resilience of the group to find a way to fight back, that was the most pleasing,” he said.
“That’s a really good victory for our group. It gives us good belief. It’s tough to beat Sydney at this ground.
“Lads like (Dallas) Willsmore and (James) Cousins, playing their first game, it’s great that they can feel part of a winning side.
“Nailbiting wins interstate are really important for the morale of your group. It was a physical contest. Both sides had a genuine crack but it was played in great spirits.”
Hawthorn snatch SCG thriller
James Buckley
SMH, May 27
Just when Sydney's season looked to have been revived, Hawthorn came and conquered the SCG to the tune of six points, as captain Jarryd Roughead landed a late bomb to throw the 2017 Swans back onto life support.
Despite Lance Franklin's best efforts, Hawthorn might well have rescued their own season after prevailing in a see-sawing final quarter, on the night where Indigenous Australians were honoured at the SCG.
Roughead marked 50m out on a 45 degree angle with just two minutes left on the clock. He went back and produced a booming kick which proved the most important of the night.
Just moments earlier Callum Mills had the chance to break the deadlock but tamely pulled his kick from 45m out, with Blake Hardwick marking to save the day for the Hawks.
Franklin's five goals, including three in a third quarter where he moved to 10th on the all-time goal-kicking list, looked to have hauled the Swans to a stirring win over a determined Hawks outfit looking to bounce back from last weekend's disappointment against Collingwood.
But Franklin's Indigenous counterpart Shaun Burgoyne and veteran Luke Hodge had other ideas.
Franklin and Burgoyne both wore number 67 in reference to the referendum 50 years ago where Australians voted to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as real people.
"It's Indigenous round, you've got Bud who's played particularly well for Sydney, [and] Shaun, they've just been great ambassadors for the game," Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson said.
Jones set to remain in Sydney
Jon Ralph
Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, May 27
SYDNEY is confident it will ward off Melbourne’s interest in Zak Jones and reward his brilliant form this year.
It comes as Sydney football boss Tom Harley emerges as a serious contender to succeed departing chief executive Andrew Ireland late next year.
The Swans chose not to prioritise signing Tom Mitchell last year, leading to speculation they had no hope of signing Jones or free agent Sam Reid given salary cap constraints.
But Ireland said Jones, the club’s breakout star this year, was keen to stay at the club despite Victorian interest.
His brother, Nathan, is co-captain at Melbourne, with Jones’ burst of speed and precision kicking thrilling rival list managers.
“With these things you don’t count your chickens until you get the contract signed but discussions with Zak and his management have been really good and really strong,’’ Ireland said.
“We are confident he wants to be with us and people can say how tight our salary cap is, but we are confident that we can put a good contract in front of him he will be happy with.”
