It is bye week for the Sydney Swans, and that allows players, coaches, members and fans the opportunity to reset, recover and reflect on the season so far as Sydney sit second on the ladder, just one win behind Fremantle but 10 points clear of Hawthorn in third.
Here is a recap of the Swans' season so far and how the side have set themselves up in a favourable position in the run home to September.
Opening Round v Carlton
Sydney 20.12. 132 def Carlton 10.9.69
The Sydney Swans opened the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season in front of a sold-out SCG against Carlton, which was highlighted by a 12-goal third term.
Off-season high-profile signing Charlie Curnow was reunited against his former club in his Swans debut. The 29-year-old finished the game with three goals in his new colours.
Justin McInerney was best on ground with 31 disposals and three goals while Errol Gulden (27 disposals) and Joel Amartey (3 goals) were also impressive.
Curnow spoke post-game about facing his old side:
"It was a bit of a grudge match ... it was a massive relief (to get the game over with) in the end. It was an enjoyable night, but also a bit of a stressful build-up”, Curnow told 3AW's Wide World of Sports.
"I was really excited to face the lads, but it does hit you all at once.”
Round 1 vs Brisbane
Sydney 15.14.104 def Brisbane 8.12.60
The Swans continued their impressive start to the season, knocking off the reigning premiers by 44 points. The Swans kicked the first seven goals of the game with Joel Amartey bagging five majors throughout the contest. Riley Bice topped the Swans' disposals with 28 while Tom McCartin had 27 of his own, dominating down back.
The victory did come at a cost however with Errol Gulden sustaining a dislocated shoulder in the final quarter, resulting in the midfielder requiring surgery and being sidelined for the next four months.
Round 2 v Hawthorn
Hawthorn 99 vs 82 Sydney Swans
After a perfect start, the Swans suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Hawks, going down by 17 points at the MCG.
The Swans led by 11 points at three quarter time but it was the Hawks who came home strongest, kicking five goals to one in the final quarter which propelled the hosts to the win.
Logan McDonald kicked three goals, while Curnow also added to his tally with another two. Captain Callum Mills had 29 disposals and Chad Warner with 27.
Round 3 - BYE
Round 4
Sydney Swans 24.19. 163 def West Coast 4.11.35
Coming off a bye and a loss, the Swans were eager to get back to winning ways, and they did that emphatically against a defenceless West Coast in Perth for Tom Papley’s 200th game.
Handing the Eagles the fifth-heaviest defeat in their history, the Swans kicked 13 goals in the first half and another 11 in the second for a resounding total of 163.
Brodie Grundy was just one of the many standouts for the Swans, with the ruck knotching up 33 hitouts, a game-high 28 disposals, nine clearances, and 18 contested possessions.
Charlie Curnow and Isaac Heeney both bagged four goals, with Heeney also having 26 disposals, while Jake Lloyd also kicked three. Tom Papley was also busy in his milestone game with 24 disposals and two goals
“It was really a strong four-quarter performance, and I think it’s something that we haven’t done at the start of the year, so it was good to see,” Dean Cox said in his post-match press conference.
Round 5 v Gold Coast
Sydney Swans 14.16. 100 def Gold Coast 9.14. 68
Rocking the 90s-inspired throwback guernsey for Gather Round, the Swans continued their four-quarter dominance from the week prior and secured a vital win against the then 3-1 Suns.
The Swans dominated the midfield contest and Isaac Heeney (33 disposals and two goals) and Justin McInerney (27 disposals) were key in securing the 32-point victory.
The majority of the key stats lines favoured the Swans, including the tackle count (96-52), clearance battle (42-39), and impressively limiting the Suns to not a single contested mark.
Round 6 v GWS Giants
Sydney Swans 17.5.107 def GWS 8.18. 66
The Sydney Swans continued their dominance in the Sydney Derby, winning their 21st derby against the Giants despite more than an hour and a half delay due to a lightning delay.
The Swans led by 19 points at the half before the Sydney skyline put on an electric and impromptu hold on the Derby with the second half not starting until just before 10pm. Despite the delay, and a late one for the 43,986 fans who had packed into the SCG the Swans would secure the win and make it three on the bounce.
Swan Nick Blakey claimed his first Kirk-Ward Medal after an impressive showing with 34 disposals and a goal.
“To Kirky and Wardy, it's a special game, and thanks for the medal,” Blakey said in his acceptance speech.
Round 7 v Western Bulldogs
Sydney Swans 18.18.126 def 9.6.60
Charlie Curnow delivered his best performance in the red and white, kicking a then-season-best seven goals in the 66-point win which also saw former QBE Swans Academy player Will Edwards and mature-age draftee Billy Cootee make their AFL debuts.
The Bulldogs were quickest out of the blocks, leading at the first break but it was all Swans after that.
Chad Warner and Joel Amartey kicked three goals each while Matt Roberts led the Swans disposals with 27.
Round 8 v Melbourne
Sydney Swans 19.17. 131 def Melbourne Demons 17.12.114
It was a shootout in Round 8 with the Swans and Demons combining for 36 goals across an entertaining Sunday afternoon at the SCG.
Off-season recruit Malcolm Rosas Jnr. kicked a career-high seven goals, with five arriving before the half. Sydney took a 22-point lead at the break and despite the Demons best efforts, the Swans stood strong with Isaac Heeney (33 disposals), Justin McInerney and Nick Blakey (29 disposals) dominant for the Swans alongside talls Joel Amartey (4 goals) and Logan McDonald (3 goals).
The Swans' fourth win in a row was a great way to cap off Brodie Grundy's 250th AFL career game against one of his former clubs. The Swans ruck had 26 disposals and 45 hitouts in a mouth-watering battle against Max Gawn.
Round 9 v North Melbourne
Sydney Swans 16.9.105 def North Melbourne 14.13.97
With a few key players out due to injury, the Swans were forced to produce an all-round team performance to come from behind against a tough North Melbourne side at Marvel Stadium.
Trailing at the break, the Swans lifted in the second half to ensure the red and white stayed ahead of Fremantle at the top of the table.
Isaac Heeney led the way with 22 disposals and three goals, Hayden McLean slotted three majors in his first game of the season, whilst Callum Mills was reliable down back, alongside Nick Blakey.
Round 10 v Collingwood
Sydney Swans 11.15. 81 def Collingwood 10.15.75
The Bloods made it seven wins in a row in a Friday night, Marn Grook thriller at the SCG.
Sydney had to come from behind for the four points, after Collingwood shut down the Swans run in the first half and both sides inaccurate in front of goals with Sydney kicking 3.6 to the Pies 6.9.
The inaccuracy continued in the second term but the stars of the Swans shone. In his 150th game, James Rowbottom had the final say with a great tackle denying Collingwood's final chance of a score.
Nick Blakey had a career-high 39 disposals meanwhile Brodie Grundy had an equal-career high contested possessions (24) for Brodie Grundy who finished with 34 disposals and a goal against his old club.
Grundy was awarded his first Goodes-O'Loughlin medal post-game after being judged best on ground.
Round 11 v Geelong
Geelong 15.17. 107 def Sydney Swans 12.8.80
The Swans' seven-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of Geelong, Sydney suffering a 27-point loss at GMHBA Stadium.
Starting the better of the two sides, the Swans were unable to keep up with Geelong, who extended their lead out to 38 points midway through the third term.
The Swans tried to claw their way back but any comeback was halted by a tough Geelong side. Riley Bice was the standout for Sydney with 34 disposals while Joel Amartey kicked four goals.
It was the Swans second loss of the season and as a result, Sydney fell to second on the table behind Fremantle.
“We played a very good football team and probably part of it was that we didn’t defend the way we wanted to,” Cox said in his post-match press conference.
Round 12 v Richmond
Sydney Swans 25.20.170 def Richmond 8.8.56
Quickly putting the Geelong result behind them, the Swans kicked a season high score of 170 to blitz past a young Richmond side.
The Bloods front line exploded in the second quarter after kicking 8.4 to lead the Tigers by 51 points at half time. The dominance continued after the break with Sydney kicking an incredible 10.13 to the Tigers 1.4 in the second half.
The Swans four-headed monster was well and truly on display with Charlie Curnow leading the way with eight goals, Hayden McLean kicking four goals, Logan McDonald two and Joel Amartey with one. Meanwhile it was Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney (32 disposals each) and Gus Sheldrick (30) leading the way in the midfield.
It was also an important day for former QBE Sydney Swans Academy athlete Harry Kyle, who made his senior debut.
Round 13 v St Kilda
Sydney Swans 15.14.104 def St Kilda 15.12.102
Arguably the game of the season thus far, the Sydney Swans' home fans were treated to a classic at the SCG as the Swans came from behind and won the game in the dying seconds, thanks to a Jai Serong snap.
The Swans trailed at every break with the Saints putting up an impressive fight, aiming for their sixth win of the season.
However, with 18 seconds left, it was a Grundy-Heeney tap and a clever handball from Heeney which found Serong who made no mistake with the snap to put the Bloods in front and send the SCG stands into raptures.
Heeney (30 disposals and 2 goals) and Chad Warner (29 disposals and two goals) were again instrumental in the victory.
"It was absolute euphoria,” Serong said post-match.
"Those games are special. We remember them in years to come. I'm so proud of the boys. We spoke about what we needed to do in that situation during the week, and it's actually funny how when we got to the game, we needed it, and everyone knew what to do,” Logan McDonald said.
Round 14 v Port Adelaide
Sydney Swans 14.9.93 def Port Adelaide 13.12.90
For the second week in a row, the Swans came from behind, this time away from home, to emerge victorious against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.
Trailing by nine points at three-quarter time, Sydney kicked five goals to three in the final term against Port to come away with the four points. It was James Rowbottom who kicked the winning goal in the final stages to cement the narrow three point win.
Isaac Heeney again put his name forward for the best player in the competition with another 30 disposal game while skipper Callum Mills led from the front with 29 disposals of his own and ruck Brodie Grundy had 26. Charlie Curnow and Logan McDonald both kicked important goals and bagged three goals each and Jake Lloyd wound back the clock with two goals, with one a memorable effort on the run to bring the Swans back into the game.
Up Next
Returning from the bye, the Swans have four remaining home games at the SCG, including a Friday Night Pride Game in Round 17 against the Bulldogs, Round 19 Friday night footy against the Crows, Saturday twilight against Port Adelaide in Round 22 and a final round fixture against North Melbourne (time TBC- this will also be a double header with the AFLW team).
Meanwhile, the Bloods will have five away fixtures, including next Thursday night against the Brisbane Lions, a top-of-the-table clash against Fremantle in Perth in Round 18 and a Sydney Derby against the Giants in Round 20 at Engie Stadium.
