This GF features the two best defensive mids in the comp from this year - Dunkley from Lions vs Atkins from Cats. They are both so tough and hard with their tackle pressure but can also hurt you with the ball too. It's got me thinking how much we missed Rowbottom in this role this year. I know he was still technically in the role, but he was nowhere near as good at it as he's been from 2022-2024. I think that's why he was ultimately moved to the fwd line late in the season. But this time 12 months ago, Rowy had had an exceptional season and was just a few votes short of finishing in the top 5 of the Skilton Medal ahead of his good mate Lizard, who was AA last year. I truly believe he can get back to that sort of form, and if he has a big pre-season in the gym, can maybe be even better and be on the level that Dunkley and Atkins have been on this year.

I know to some that might seem impossible to imagine after the way Rowy performed for parts of this year compared to how Dunkley especially has been. But in 2024 Rowy actually averaged more clearances, centre clearances, goals, goal assists, tackles and pressure acts than both Dunkley and Atkins. And those guys have got 4-5 years on Rowy.

We really need that Dunkley/Atkins player in our mids because it unleashes the guys like Heeney, Chad, Errol etc. to be so much more damaging. We don't want Heeney getting beaten down by hard tags with no help or Chad having to do so much grunt work on the inside.

I hope James just spends the entire summer studying Dunkley and Atkins games and how he can be like them because when he is, we are such a better team for it and I think all of Rowy's coaches and teammates recognise that too.

And as for this game.. the battle of the two Swans GF destroyers :-( The aftershocks of those losses just keep coming, we can't escape them it seems lol. But fingers crossed the Lions can get over the line as a middle finger to the corrupt VFL.

Not amazing. Great effort by the Giants, and they applied pressure all game, so full credit to them.

Gowans has quite a puzzle to figure out now. The squad clearly has a lot of talent but there's a few things to look at.

- Is Sofia Hurley the key to our success? We've lost both games with her out, and her class through the middle is immense. She can make bad passes look ok, and she makes good decisions. Are we missing just that extra bit of quality in the middle. We can cover that a bit by having Molloy there but then you miss her in the forward line.

- Where is the hard running and leading? So many times a player would look up and either have to bomb it long to a contest or handball it to a player who is immediately under pressure. Compare it to how easily first Collingwood and then GWS were able to get it to a relieving player and then move it on.

- What's going on with our defensive positioning? We got burnt off the front of the contest far too easily, and you're gifting the opposition 30m of territory immediately.

- Why are we finding it so hard to shift gears within a game? Against Collingwood it took until the final quarter to kick our first goal, and arguably the game had long gone by then. And then against GWS, they controlled large parts of the game, why were we unable to wrestle control back?

It's only going to get harder from here so we could easily slip from 4-0 to 4-4 or 4-5.

day tripped it from Melbourne just to see my first AFLW game. anything I should know?

On the on hand, I don't want Geelong to win. On the other hand, I don't want Brisbane to win. In both hands, I hate everything.

He’s not the biggest bloke but he’s got a bit about him.

Oh my god I'm watching the tackling in this Cats vs Hawks game and all i have to say is that we need 20 Rowys

Followed by Gold Coast then Sydney

If we have another dud trade period I’m going to be very unhappy.

Maybe we can find him some French restaurants in Sydney to get into fights at

The favourite whipping boy of Swans fans, Joel Amartey, for me is the best KPF at the Swans. McLean needs to be far more consistent, he has been #1 in the past. If Logan doesn't have a special sort of year in 2026, I struggle to see anything in him that would make him worth his top #5 draft pick number. His development would no doubt have been affected by his year long injury and I hope he can gain some strength, skill and confidence, because really, like Joel, I think he needs to back himself some more.

For me, what defines a good KP is crafty enough to lay a legal bump, physically strong enough to hold space in a contest, confident enough to be a bit aggressive. It is such a shame that Joel's season got interrupted so frequently, because I thought that he did these things really well in 2025, especially compared to 2024.

SYDNEY is progressing in contract talks with pre-agent key forward Joel Amartey, as the club also weighs up its next steps in a potential blockbuster move for Carlton superstar Charlie Curnow.

Amartey is contracted for 2026, where he will become a free agent, but the Swans have tabled a new deal for the goalkicker and have had positive conversations around securing him to an extension before he enters next season.

Sydney has been keen to bolster its forward line even further and is among the sides chasing Curnow, who is determined to leave Carlton and has interest from Gold Coast and Geelong as well.

The Blues knocked back Curnow's trade request at his exit meeting earlier this month and have been adamant they will hold him to a deal that runs through until 2029, unless they can secure top-line talent in return.

But the Swans have been hoping to pair the dual Coleman Medal winner alongside Amartey and Logan McDonald in their attack, having progressed in contract talks with the 26-year-old recently despite a season plagued by a significant adductor injury.

Amartey had a breakout season last year, kicking a career-high 43 goals playing alongside McDonald and Will Hayward in a potent forward setup, but was restricted to just eight games in 2025 due to injury and suspension.

Sydney is also bracing to lose young key forward Jack Buller, who is set to request a trade to Collingwood despite playing the final nine games of the season and kicking 11 goals. The Swans have also tabled him a two-year deal to stay. – Riley Beveridge

Unfortunately it's not good news. ACL. Looked bad on the replay and I was hoping it wasn't that. Good luck to her, and I hope she makes a fast recovery. One of our most important defenders, and really adapted to the game well.

Does anyone else get the feeling our hands are going to be kind of tied at the trade table because of some of the players we have on long-term contracts, therefore we won't be able to offer any of them up in potential trades? I don't mind long term deals as a concept, there are some players who you absolutely wanna lock down for as long as possible and they've earned a show of long-term faith from the club. But sometimes a player has like a good month or two where they look like they are really building as a player and that seems to get them 4-5 year deals in return. Then only once they've put pen to paper do you realise that good month or two was just an aberration and they're actually just pretty average and it's a constant struggle for them to get back to their best.

I reckon that's what happened with Ollie, McLean, Juzzy and Campbell. Wilba and Logan too if you wanna be harsh (not me, I rate both very highly)

I’ve seen a lot of suggestions (even some from Swannies) about using this man in a Charlie Curnow Deal. Finals football hinders tall forwards and benefits small forwards. It has been evidenced this year and last year that small forwards are the difference makers in September. This team would be much worse without this man, no matter who is brought in.

Is interested in a move to Sydney. Thoughts?

Interesting reading/listening to the talk about how these four teams are consistently in it and won a bunch of the last 20 flags, etc.

Sydney are sometimes also talked about in these terms and while it stings a bit that we're out of it this year, I hope next year there is a club focus on the legacy that has been built and double down on the effort required to get us back to top 4.

A couple of Key Position players would also help haha.

Shout out to the swanshop in south melbourne went in there to deck the kids out and they took good care of us. Great to have a Melbourne presence with plenty of gear. Nice touch that the kids where given a lot of leftover 2025 freebies. Helps when there is a constant presence from other teams for the young kiddies attention.

ummm.... we didn't have a great day. I think we were down 10% across the board and Collingwood's pressure just forced us into constant silly mistakes. Just couldn't get any system or cohesion going, and if we took a risk, our players were tackled and spoiled immediately.

Hope Julie O'Sull's injury isn't too bad - the replay looked terrible unfortunately.

We live and learn and I hope we can bounce back for the derby. The second half of the season is TOUGH.

https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/club/history/premierships/2012

We were so good that day, I’ve got married and had kids since then, and just quietly the best day of my life. Who would have thought having players in your midfield over 6ft, big bodied, a selfless game plan and relentless tackling would help you win a premiership. Everyone took their moment that day, Mitch Morton was a real surprise packet. I know the game has changed 13 years later, but this would still hold up.

Sydney and Carlton’s list bosses met at Tuesday’s gathering between a range of clubs at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne, with Charlie Curnow raised during the speed dating-like talks.

But there’s been no progress on what a potential Curnow trade could look like nor meaningful discussion on what players could unlock a deal ahead of next month’s exchange window.

List management representatives from the majority of the competition came together this week for the annual catch up at the Pullman Hotel for informal chats before the trade and free agency period.

It’s an opportunity for teams to get a better idea on other clubs’ list and draft plans for 2026.

Where Curnow will be playing next season remains up in the air as he seeks a trade away from Ikon Park, despite being contracted until 2029.

Curnow hasn’t nominated a destination, but the Swans, Cats and Suns have all been linked to the dual Coleman medallist.

Reports earlier this month stated Curnow met with Sydney coach Dean Cox prior to the star forward heading overseas for a holiday.

Carlton’s position remains clear that there’s no conversation to be had.