Off the back of a historic 29-point home final victory against the Western Bulldogs, Colin O'Riordan was proud of how his team executed their game plan but knows they will need to elevate themselves again heading into this weekend's semi-final.  

The AFLW Sydney Swans will play in the program's second-ever semi-final this Saturday against second-placed Geelong after defeating the Bulldogs 7.4.46 – 2.5.17 in an Elimination final at Henson Park.  

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, O'Riordan said his side will be the underdogs when they take the field at GMHBA, but their brand of footy can match and compete with any side in the competition.     

“It was really pleasing,” O'Riordan said 

“I think our pressure was something that we had a big focus on going into the game, and I think the girls did it really well. 

“Like I always say, we review our standards and how we want to go about footy, but the pleasing thing was we put a big emphasis on pressure in the contest, and I think we did it really well for the majority.” 

O'Riordan believes that Sydney’s most recent game was the most complete game they have played this year and that the Swans played their way of football for all four quarters.  

“We asked for a very role-based brand of footy as well, that we want people just to play their role, O'Riordan said 

“You don't need to go above and beyond. You just play your role for the team week in, week out, and I think it was the most complete we did that this year.” 

When asked about what changes were required from the Swans to compete at the level of finals football, O’Riordan believed that the way the team competed every weekend up until now has put the foundations down for strong performances against any team they are matched up with.  

“We know we're a good pressure team and if we bring that level of pressure and that level of heat every single week, finals or no finals, it stacks up. O'Riordan said  

“We've designed a game plan that hopefully stacks up in big games, and it was nice to see it being tested last week and stood up in the big game. We still have a lot to work on, don't get me wrong. We're not the complete package by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a nice step in the right direction.” 

Sofia Hurley, who made a remarkable recovery from a serious ankle injury on Sunday after missing the entirety of the second half of the season. Will be assessed by O’Riordan and the medical staff before the semi-final team is confirmed later in the week.   

“She's a little bit sore, so that'll be an assessment we make this week again,” O'Riordan said 

“Finals footy, I think you have to roll the dice, especially in the elimination final, to make sure you have the right chance of winning, obviously. She was a pretty important player to us, but that's going to be an assessment this week on what that looks like.” 

After suffering a loss to the Western Bulldogs during the regular season, O'Riordan and his coaching staff knew that something needed to change heading into the Elimination Final rematch. One of those changes included forward Chloe Molloy playing in the defensive 50 for half of the match, with the hope of nullifying the Bulldogs' attack.  

That move was just one of many strategies implemented on Sunday. O’Riordan sighted the work his coaching staff but knows that it’s the players who must execute the plan on the field and they are the ones that deserves the applauds for the Elimination Final result.  

“We leave no stone unturned in how we want to rock up every single week, and it is pleasing to get some reward for the effort we put in during the week,” O'Riordan said. 

“But again, I always say it, the players are the ones who have to execute it so we can tell them to go out and do this and tell Chloe where to stand or help her in some way. We can tell Tanya how to go about playing on pre-chart, but they're the ones who have to execute it, so yes, we can take a little bit of reward in the fact that we came up with the plan, but it's never on us.  

“We're just the one who comes up with the blueprint, but the players are the ones who implement it.” 

Now turning their attention towards Geelong, O'Riordan is not reading too much into Geelong's shock four-point Preliminary Final loss to Melbourne on Saturday evening. Knowing that the Cats will be hoping for an immediate response to what was just their second loss of the season.  

“I think a team coming off the back of a loss, and the way they lost as well, they're probably going to be ready to bounce back, and we have to be ready for that,” O'Riordan said. 

“An injured person is always the most dangerous, and I think they're going to be hurting after that, so I'm sure they're going to be ready to bounce back.” 

Though in summary, O’Riordan stated that the squad hold their fate in their hands and that everything they do comes back to them and how they prepare in the lead-up to another historic occasion for the Club. 

“It's always about us,” O'Riordan said. 

“If we can come up with a plan for a couple of things against Geelong as a coaching group and the players rock up with that mindset of we're ready to play, it's a tough place to go, a tough place to get a win. I think the odds are going to be against us  

“So it's up to us to have the right mindset to go down there and compete and hopefully put a four-quarter performance in which gives us the best chance [to win].”