Nobody else has nominated for this week’s preview & I thought it might be cathartic to write one …. simply because it means we can all look forward, instead of dwelling on the utter dumpster fire that was the SCG yesterday.
I've finished mowing the lawn, so here goes. I’ll try not to sound defeatist. But jeez its hard at the moment.
The Key Details:
Sydney Swans(4-8) vs Richmond Tigers (3-9)
Venue: MCG
Date: Saturday June 7
Time: 1.20pm AEST
Cox Status: not sacked
Preamble
2024 feels like a long time ago.
Ah yes, those blissful late autumn days, when we were flattening everyone and sat coyly atop the AFL ladder, peering down at the huddled unwashed masses far below.
Days when talk on the Swans Bigfooty board revolved around who we should be resting, because we could basically stand down most of our stars and still brush aside whatever hapless opponent the AFL draw dictated was the week’s roadkill.
Gulden was a deity.
Heeney was going to win the Brownlow by as far as Cripps is tall.
Chad was unstoppable.
Jordon was the recruit of the millennia.
Hayden McLean was serviceable because he tries hard.
But, dear reader, as we all know, dark clouds were gathering.
And the first hint of vulnerability came against the lowly, wretched Richmond Tigers.
For those who have forgotten, in the corresponding game at the MCG last year, Richmond won. By 5 points. In what was widely considered at the time to be the upset of the decade.
It was, unfortunately, a sign of things to come.
Errol was stifled. Heeney was below his Colgate-brilliant best. Chad was strangely quiet. Jordon allowed Tim Taranto to get completely off the leash. McLean may or may not have played, to this day nobody is really sure.
Richmond’s playing ranks were decimated. Indeed so deep was their crisis, they had to get a bloke called Mykelti Lefau out of the cheer squad to stick some boots on & have a crack. He kicked 2 goals, sang the team song, jumped back over the fence and went home with his wife and kids.
That game was the thin edge of the wedge. A sign that the Swans weren’t an unstoppable force.
And now we’ve come to know that the Swans are more than stoppable. They’ve stopped.
Is our season officially over? Probably. Would a win here provide a glimmer of hope? Probably not.
Is a win important? Very much so. Our coach needs it desperately.
Will we win?
I have no bloody idea anymore. The Tigers were widely tipped to go winless this season. But right now, this one feels like it could go either way.
The Teams
When it comes to Richmond, the biggest question each week is …. Will Noah Balta be allowed out to play?
My understanding is that yes, he will.
It’ll be strange watching an opposition player run around with an ankle bracelet, but such is modern life.
Prestia, Hopper, Taranto and Hugo R took it right up to the Orange Team in the midfield this week. Nank is Nank (sigh). Vlaustin, McIntosh (he of the cool Vitas Gerulaitis style headband) and Broad are still effective down back. Tom Lynch is still a threat, when he's not being an utter douche. And then there’s the sprinkling of first round draft kids all over the park. Wholesale change isn’t likely. The Tigers have surprised everyone this season by being competitive.
Unlike a certain other team.
Speaking of the Swans ……
Where do I start?
Well, on the positive side, there didn’t seem to be any “tight hamstrings”. And Justin McInerney broke his own 2025 record by going one whole game without getting suspended. Onya “Torana”.
The only potential injury concern appeared to be Pete Ladhams, who had a mangled noggin & looked slightly maimed in the leg too. Only time will tell if he’s OK.
Callum Mills will re-emerge from the coaches box & take his place in the line-up this week.
Aaron Francis (who has strangely become one of our most important players since his display against Carlton and subsequent concussion) might also be available.
Harry C played three quarters in the VFL side & wasn’t disgraced. In fact, his withdrawal from the game at ¾ time triggered perhaps the worst 4th quarter display by any side in the history of the sport. Bringing Harry back would be a cry of desperation, but given where things are at …. desperate measures might be called for.
Ollie Florent was poor in the VFL. But that didn’t stop McLean coming straight back in, so who knows?
As happens every week, there’ll be some calling for Buller’s inclusion. That won’t happen. Give it away folks, it is NOT going to happen.
Wicks seems very unlikely.
Probably the most interesting thing this week is who Cox decides to hang out to dry. Will it be the youngsters? If so, Sid Mitchell, Gus, Corey and Cleary are all vulnerable (unfairly so in my view). Will he finally move on the hopelessly out of form elder statesmen such as Lloyd? (spoiler alert: no). Does Adams survive after an underwhelming display? Is the Honeymoon over for Bice and he’ll be re-introduced to his VFL teammates?
I honestly don’t know. But Cox is in a terrible position – he has to make changes, but the VFL side is woeful and finding the answers in the twos just ain’t gonna happen.
Forced to hazard a guess, I’m going to say:
In: Mills Francis Cunningham Florent
Out: Bice Cleary Hamling Ladhams
The Verdict
I don’t know if we’ll win or not.
But I am confident Heeney will start complaining to the umpires within the first 5 minutes & we’ll go on to concede at least four 50m penalties.
Cheer cheer (if you haven’t left the ground already).
I've finished mowing the lawn, so here goes. I’ll try not to sound defeatist. But jeez its hard at the moment.
The Key Details:
Sydney Swans(4-8) vs Richmond Tigers (3-9)
Venue: MCG
Date: Saturday June 7
Time: 1.20pm AEST
Cox Status: not sacked
Preamble
2024 feels like a long time ago.
Ah yes, those blissful late autumn days, when we were flattening everyone and sat coyly atop the AFL ladder, peering down at the huddled unwashed masses far below.
Days when talk on the Swans Bigfooty board revolved around who we should be resting, because we could basically stand down most of our stars and still brush aside whatever hapless opponent the AFL draw dictated was the week’s roadkill.
Gulden was a deity.
Heeney was going to win the Brownlow by as far as Cripps is tall.
Chad was unstoppable.
Jordon was the recruit of the millennia.
Hayden McLean was serviceable because he tries hard.
But, dear reader, as we all know, dark clouds were gathering.
And the first hint of vulnerability came against the lowly, wretched Richmond Tigers.
For those who have forgotten, in the corresponding game at the MCG last year, Richmond won. By 5 points. In what was widely considered at the time to be the upset of the decade.
It was, unfortunately, a sign of things to come.
Errol was stifled. Heeney was below his Colgate-brilliant best. Chad was strangely quiet. Jordon allowed Tim Taranto to get completely off the leash. McLean may or may not have played, to this day nobody is really sure.
Richmond’s playing ranks were decimated. Indeed so deep was their crisis, they had to get a bloke called Mykelti Lefau out of the cheer squad to stick some boots on & have a crack. He kicked 2 goals, sang the team song, jumped back over the fence and went home with his wife and kids.
That game was the thin edge of the wedge. A sign that the Swans weren’t an unstoppable force.
And now we’ve come to know that the Swans are more than stoppable. They’ve stopped.
Is our season officially over? Probably. Would a win here provide a glimmer of hope? Probably not.
Is a win important? Very much so. Our coach needs it desperately.
Will we win?
I have no bloody idea anymore. The Tigers were widely tipped to go winless this season. But right now, this one feels like it could go either way.
The Teams
When it comes to Richmond, the biggest question each week is …. Will Noah Balta be allowed out to play?
My understanding is that yes, he will.
It’ll be strange watching an opposition player run around with an ankle bracelet, but such is modern life.
Prestia, Hopper, Taranto and Hugo R took it right up to the Orange Team in the midfield this week. Nank is Nank (sigh). Vlaustin, McIntosh (he of the cool Vitas Gerulaitis style headband) and Broad are still effective down back. Tom Lynch is still a threat, when he's not being an utter douche. And then there’s the sprinkling of first round draft kids all over the park. Wholesale change isn’t likely. The Tigers have surprised everyone this season by being competitive.
Unlike a certain other team.
Speaking of the Swans ……
Where do I start?
Well, on the positive side, there didn’t seem to be any “tight hamstrings”. And Justin McInerney broke his own 2025 record by going one whole game without getting suspended. Onya “Torana”.
The only potential injury concern appeared to be Pete Ladhams, who had a mangled noggin & looked slightly maimed in the leg too. Only time will tell if he’s OK.
Callum Mills will re-emerge from the coaches box & take his place in the line-up this week.
Aaron Francis (who has strangely become one of our most important players since his display against Carlton and subsequent concussion) might also be available.
Harry C played three quarters in the VFL side & wasn’t disgraced. In fact, his withdrawal from the game at ¾ time triggered perhaps the worst 4th quarter display by any side in the history of the sport. Bringing Harry back would be a cry of desperation, but given where things are at …. desperate measures might be called for.
Ollie Florent was poor in the VFL. But that didn’t stop McLean coming straight back in, so who knows?
As happens every week, there’ll be some calling for Buller’s inclusion. That won’t happen. Give it away folks, it is NOT going to happen.
Wicks seems very unlikely.
Probably the most interesting thing this week is who Cox decides to hang out to dry. Will it be the youngsters? If so, Sid Mitchell, Gus, Corey and Cleary are all vulnerable (unfairly so in my view). Will he finally move on the hopelessly out of form elder statesmen such as Lloyd? (spoiler alert: no). Does Adams survive after an underwhelming display? Is the Honeymoon over for Bice and he’ll be re-introduced to his VFL teammates?
I honestly don’t know. But Cox is in a terrible position – he has to make changes, but the VFL side is woeful and finding the answers in the twos just ain’t gonna happen.
Forced to hazard a guess, I’m going to say:
In: Mills Francis Cunningham Florent
Out: Bice Cleary Hamling Ladhams
The Verdict
I don’t know if we’ll win or not.
But I am confident Heeney will start complaining to the umpires within the first 5 minutes & we’ll go on to concede at least four 50m penalties.
Cheer cheer (if you haven’t left the ground already).
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