Longmire's Swans Flying Under The Radar | Thebigtip

The transition from coach-to-coach couldn't have been more smooth for the Sydney Swans.

Paul Roos was phased out and his understudy John Longmire was promoted, and the process couldn’t have gone better.

Sydney have been untroubled by the transition. They’re creeping along, sitting pretty in fifth position only a win out of the top four and two points clear of sixth.

The Swans are playing some great footy and aren’t getting the credit. Led by Adam Goodes, Jarrad McVeigh and Jude Bolton, these old Swans, the young recruits and the poached stars have combined to form a team all others should be wary of.

Goodes has starred in the midfield and forward line, McVeigh has lived up to his captaincy honours and Bolton has been an ageless warrior for the Swans.  

Players such as Ryan O’Keefe and Ben McGlynn have also played great footy for the Bloods so far into 2011, with McGlynn sitting eighth in the AFL for goalkicking as a small forward/midfielder. That’s a fair effort.

Josh Kennedy, alongside McGlynn as a former Hawk, has been putting in week after week for the Swans in the centre, and with Kieren Jack, Shane Mumford and Jesse White to return to the side that dominated Brisbane on Saturday night, I reckon they can push for the top four.

After years (not including 2005 and 2006) of finishing from fifth to eighth, winning a home elimination final and being knocked out in the semis, I’m sure the Swans and their fans would love to see them progress further.

Considering the transition between coaches, Sydney really look good. Their backline, led by Heath Grundy and Ted Richards, is negating the opposition forwards and keeping the scores down whilst providing drive through the likes of Nick Malceski and Rhyce Shaw.

The heap of midfield talent they have – Jack, McVeigh, Goodes, O’Keefe, McGlynn, Bolton, Dan Hannebery, Craig Bird, Gary Rohan and Lewis Jetta – has been the key. These players are off all ages with different skills and from different clubs and locations, but the way they play together through the midfield is the reason why the Swans have been successful so far in 2011.

The forward line is their one deficiency from what I can see. McGlynn and Goodes have combined for 35 goals, but it is their midfielders chipping in – completing the top five in goals for the Swans are Bolton (8), Everitt (8) and McVeigh (7). Sam Reid has looked good, but they need White, Jetta, Everitt, McGlynn, Reid and Trent Dennis-Lane in the forward 50 consistently performing. They can kick a winning score, but it is the midfielders doing that job.

On the flipside, having the goals shared around is a handy asset – just look at Collingwood.

It’s amazing to think of the lack of hype around the red and white. They have been one of the most successful sides of the past eight years and are unshaken, even with the change of coach. Their old heads mixed with their young stars have formed a combination teams should fear.

Not too many people have taken notice just yet, but there’s some really good things brewing at Sydney.