Sydney recruiting keeping Swans in flag hunt

Andrew Wu

SMH, June 13

Sydney is again defying the system aimed to bring down perennial finalists like them as they launch another tilt at a top-four berth.

Despite only one top-10 pick since 2003 and being slapped with a controversial trade ban, the Swans have managed to regenerate their list to remain a contender.

Since the start of 2016, the Swans have blooded 15 debutants who are still on their list  which, along with Gold Coast and North Melbourne, is the equal of most of any club, according to Champion Data.

The club struck pay dirt with the acquisitions of Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills via the Swans Academy, to the chagrin of their Victorian rivals. The coups to land Kurt Tippett and Lance Franklin also played significant parts, for which they were punished with trade sanctions, but recruiting boss Kinnear Beatson has also managed to find diamonds in the rough.

All Australian defender Dane Rampe and underrated half-back Jake Lloyd arrived months after the 2012 premiership via the rookie draft.

They were joined the following year by Zak Jones, George Hewett and Aliir Aliir – the latter two with picks 32 and 44 respectively.

Promising duo Oliver Florent and Will Hayward, from the class of 2016, have benefited from the games they played during the club's horror 0-6 start last year.

Hayward is 14th among allcomers in the goalkickers' list, and Florent ranks first for entries inside 50 and stoppage clearances among this year's Rising Star nominees.

"He's genuinely hard, strong over the ball, clean and he's got some speed. He can change gears, and a really good kick and decision maker, so he's got some decent attributes for an AFL midfielder," Longmire said of Florent.

Containment the name of the game with Naitanui

Neil Cordy

The Daily Telegraph, June 13

SYDNEY ruck coach Dean Cox says stopping West Coast’s one-man wrecking machine Nic Naitanui will be near impossible when the teams meet in Friday night’s match of the round at the SCG — containment is the only option. 

Cox knows the prodigiously-talented Eagle better than most, having played alongside him for his last six years as a player and then working with him for the past three as an assistant coach. 

Sydney’s surprise success in the ruck, Callum Sinclair, has some insider knowledge as well having played alongside Naitanui in his three years in the west before he was traded to the Swans for Lewis Jetta.

The Swans inflicted West Coast’s only defeat this year in round one but Sinclair and Cox know all the homework in the world could add up to nothing if the super-athletic big man gets on a roll.

“Containment is what you have to concentrate on,” Cox said.

“You have to force him into certain areas and try to restrict him as much as you can. If and when he does get going you have to try to stop that momentum. 

“It will come and he will have an impact on the game. It’s about minimising it when it does happen it’s about reducing the time he can impact. We’ve got a few things in place but we know he will get off the chain as some time, hopefully it’s not for too long.”