Kurt Tippett works on his kicking as he prepares to add more strength to the high-flying Swans. Picture: Philip Hillyard Source: The Australian
FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon has backed Collingwood counterpart Nathan Buckley's recent declaration that Sydney is the club to beat this year.
The penny seems to have dropped with punters over the past few weeks with the Swans firming to third favourites to go back to back, a feat not achieved since Brisbane's 2001-02-03 flags. Sydney is now $4.75 to win the premiership behind Hawthorn ($3.35) and Geelong ($4).
"The premiers are the benchmark," Lyon said of the club that Fremantle managed to draw with at the SCG a little under a month ago.
"Regardless of where they play, or the scoreboard, they're giving their best and that's the sort of team we want to be. There's a benchmark out there that we are all chasing and it's called Sydney."
Buckley nominated the 2012 premiership club as the best side the Pies had played this season, after the Swans kept Collingwood to its lowest score - 8.7 (55) - and won by 47 points in round nine at the MCG.
It was a bold call from Buckley, who guided the Pies to a win over Geelong the previous round after losses to Hawthorn, by 55 points, and Fremantle.
Buckley identified the Swans as having up to eight elite endurance runners who can run at pace, and admitted his club had fewer players with the ability to do the same.
"I don't know what their endurance profile is, but from the outside in it looks like they've got six, seven, eight elite endurance runners that can run at pace up and back," he said.
The Swans, who have lost only to Hawthorn and Geelong in the first 11 rounds, could not have entered their bye weekend any better after last Saturday's 77-point win over Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.
Sydney had six of last year's premiership players out and lost another when ruckman Shane Mumford was substituted off with a fractured cheekbone in the second half.
Apart from recently retired defender Marty Mattner, also missing against the Crows was Rhyce Shaw, Sam Reid, Lewis Jetta, Lewis Roberts-Thomson and key defender Alex Johnson, who has had a knee reconstruction and will not return until next year.
It proved Sydney's depth as among the best in the competition, and included the fine performance of second-gamer Tom Mitchell, which earned him a rising star nomination.
As well, the Swans can now unleash former Crows star Kurt Tippett, who has ended his suspension and is expected to play his first game for Sydney against Port Adelaide in round 13 in Adelaide.
Sydney coach John Longmire yesterday said Tippett was a "strong chance" to make his debut, but Saturday's training session would determine whether he was ready to go first up.
The Swans may not take any chances with any of their injured players against the Power, with Reid (quadriceps) and Jetta (shin soreness) more likely to resume the following weekend against Carlton at the SCG. Mumford will be off the scene for a month, while Longmire said Shaw, who has not played since round two due to abdominal issues, was scheduled to reappear in the reserves in three or four weeks.
Longmire said Roberts-Thomson (knee) was expected to resume playing next month.
And the Swans remain optimistic Gary Rohan, who fractured his leg in round four last year, can return later in the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment