SYDNEY may only have won three games during the VFL season, but coach Jeremy Laidler couldn’t have been much happier with how the team performed.
The Swans held healthy leads against top-two teams Footscray and Southport, plus Gold Coast twice, and led fourth-placed Geelong deep into time-on of the final quarter before being overrun.
While losing those games was disappointing and probably cost the Swans a spot in the finals, Laidler said the fact his team had got itself into those winning positions was a positive for the future, as was the development of the younger players on the list.
"We didn’t get all the results we were after but we’re preparing our boys to play AFL as quickly as we can," he said.
"As much as we try to get wins in the VFL and want to play the best opposition, in our games we did pretty well and were a bit stiff not to get the results we were after.
"We put up a really good show against the Bulldogs, who are undefeated for the 10 games they played in the VFL, and Southport, who only lost one game – 80 per cent of those games we were ahead in the game but just faded away.
"We didn’t review the result (of those games), we reviewed the system we had in place and the preparation to get these blokes ready to play senior football as quickly as we can.
"It’s hard for the players and the staff – we all want to win games, but we looked into those things and how we went about it rather than the result.”
Laidler felt for his VFL-listed players who had to remain in Sydney when the club beat a hasty retreat in June, but was delighted to get two on the plane from Newcastle a couple of weeks later, saying the exit did have a silver lining.
"Those VFL guys want to do what they love, but it got taken away from them … and I get frustrated because I can’t control it either,” he said.
"You put so much work into these guys and all they want to do is play footy and develop and be around that team environment, but they’re stuck in lockdown in Sydney, so a massive shout out to them.
(Harry Morrison) was just starting to get going and feel a lot more comfortable at the level – it does take a while when you’re playing with guys you’re only training with once a week – it got cut short but we’re really hopeful we can keep those guys on and keep developing their careers and get them onto an AFL list.
"We were lucky enough to get one Newcastle VFL-listed player (Reed van Huisstede) to travel with us and an Academy-listed player from the Central Coast (Pierce Roseby), and then we had Patty McCartin, who was out of NSW at that time," he said.
"It's been great for (Reed and Pierce’s) development as well to live like an AFL player, (even though) we’ve been in a hotel for nine weeks, they’ve been able to see the likes of the captains and how they go about day-to-day routines, how they attack training, recovery, it has been really beneficial for them as players and people and they’ve been able to build strong relationships.
"(McCartin) is not doing anything wrong – I’m just stoked he’s been able to get some continuity out of his body – he’s played key back and key forward and he has just adapted and is absolutely loving being out there again … the boys absolutely love him.
"Even for our first and second-year players on the list, being able to build those relationships – they wouldn’t get this opportunity in Sydney because you go to training and then you go home, you don’t see what goes on behind the scenes and what it takes to be a successful AFL player."
Those players to really benefit included first-year Academy product Marc Sheather, who has enjoyed a terrific first season on the rookie list, and Irish defender Barry O’Connor, who is following in the footsteps of Tadhg Kennelly and Colin O’Riordan before him.
"Marc is a Newcastle boy who (has been) able to develop by seeing how his heroes and his mentors go about things – being a sponge and learning how Tom Papley goes about it and how Will Hayward goes about it, just different tricks and skills they’ve learnt along the way," Laidler said.
"I've thrown him around a bit, he’s played in the forward line and kicked a few goals and put on a lot of pressure down forward, and I’ve chucked him on ball and on the wing, so it has been good for his development.
"Barry has come from Ireland and his first two years have been interrupted by COVID.
"He is definitely developing – it must be really challenging for guys who move overseas – to move out of home and try to make Australia home, let alone Sydney – but guys like Colin and Tadhg stay in regular contact with him.
"And the guys who are on the fringe have made it easy for me to manage because of how good their mindset is - guys like Cal Sinclair and Ryan Clarke, they still want to play senior football – the AFL team is going so well they just can’t crack in, but they’re doing everything they can in the VFL.
"Kaiden Brand has been in and out of the AFL side, but nothing changes when he comes back and it helps the younger guys play at a higher level.
"That’s why we had Adam Gulden as our VFL captain, to have that senior player around – I was just so stoked to be able to get him on board to help direct those younger guys … like Chad Warner, Marc Sheather, Benny Ronke, they just feed off the older guys around them.
"Lachie McAndrew came in midyear as a tall ruck having not played much football, because we were healthy in the AFL squad he didn’t get much of a go in the games he did play, but seeing him grow through the season has been a real credit to him."
Laidler also sent a shoutout to Werribee and Coburg for lending players to Sydney when the Swans were stranded in Melbourne with only half their squad – he even had to name himself as an emergency twice, although at just 32 it wouldn’t have been that much of a stretch.
"We couldn’t be more grateful for those clubs lending us their players – we couldn’t have got games across the line without them," he said.
"The guys like Coops (Nathan Cooper) and Joshy Guthrie, the Sydney boys got around them and made them feel as welcome as we could – I hope they really enjoyed it and we made it feel like home for them as well.
"I was fit enough to play, I wouldn’t have minded if I played, but that was more of an emergency emergency situation – I had to name someone and we didn’t have anyone else – that’s how extreme it got."
2-8 win-loss, 19th
What went right: The season started well with a convincing win over GWS, while the form of experienced midfielders Ryan Clarke, Lewis Taylor and Sam Gray meant nobody got an easy game against a full-strength Swans – as proven against top-five teams Footscray, Southport, Geelong and Casey. Logan McDonald won’t play much more at this level and Marc Sheather also showed plenty of promise for the future.
What went wrong: The Swans gave up healthy leads to Gold Coast (twice), the Bulldogs and Sharks. Patty McCartin’s five-match suspension early didn’t help him or the team. Being forced to leave behind their Academy boys and VFL-listers including skipper Adam Gulden and reigning NEAFL MVP Jake Bartholomaeus when they had to rush out of Sydney in June was the death knell for their finals hopes.
Best and fairest prediction: Taylor and Clarke were magnificent all season and should go 1-2, while Academy graduate Sheather was outstanding at half-forward and could fill third in a battle with Will Gould.
Best young players: Sheather was the standout, while McDonald quickly showed he was above the level and Gould is coming along nicely in defence. Key forward Harry Morrison looked good at times before being left in Sydney, while the Swans should be trying to keep Dylan Stephens as he continues to develop.
Coach status: Jeremy Laidler is keen to return for a third season next year. “There are challenges because you don’t know what team you’re going to get until later in the week,” he said, “but I absolutely love it – being able to make decisions on the run and have that group around you. I’m not sure what next year looks like but if I get to coach again I’ll be stoked.”
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
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