Are we contenders in 2012?

[Wardy]

We certainly are.
Beating the Premiership favourites away from home!!

I won't put my MCG grand final carpark soir?e menu together just yet but I've got some ideas. Scott you will bring the cheezels of course. Let's keep the faith and keep all of our bits crossed that we continue on this path fit and uninjured. On Swans get out there and JUST DO IT!!!!

[Jewels]

We certainly are.
Smashing the Premiership favourites away from home!!

Edited for accuracy......

[ScottH]

Edited for accuracy......

[msb]

We certainly are contenders after today....what a win and what a team!

[neilfws]

Been holding off on this thread. Now confident in answering: "hell yes!"

[erica]

Big crowd at the SCG next week when the Swans bandwagon gets extra passengers?

[aardvark]

Its a YES from me too.

[ROK Lobster]

We played well today, but I am not sure if the young blokes have it in them this year.

[Triple B]

Working in a large company for many years and having contact across people of all departments, I get asked multiple times a week about our prospects. I've maintained all summer that we have the capacity to surprise and grab a top 4 spot, but may find the mountain too high to climb this year, but on the back of a GUN and YOUNG midfield, we will win a flag somewhere around 2013-16.

I'm still of the same opinion, but admit that whilst our form is not a huge surprise, some of the contenders don't have that aura of invincibility they have in years past and have come back to the pack quicker than I expected...

[DA_Swan]

Given what we have done without Mumford I think we are big show - not sure how many games we have at the MCG after Richmond in a couple of weeks but would be nice to win there before the finals

[Cheer Squad]

For us to be genuine contenders, we have to win, or perform competitively, in these key matches:

Round 11 - Essendon, Etihad
Round 13 - Geelong, SCG
Round 16 - West Coast, Patersons
Round 19 - Carlton, Etihad
Round 20 - Collingwood, ANZ

We also play Hawthorn at the SCG in Round 22, and Geelong at their home ground in Round 23, but we'll know if we're contenders by then.

Rounds 16, 19 and 20 are the really big games.

[mcs]

Its a long way off, but if that second half is anything to go by... bludy oath we are!!

Cheer Cheer!!!

[swantastic]

nope we hav gone from pretenders to contenders but am very happy with our 4th qtrs..and 7.3 in the last WTF is the......@@@@@@ amazing

[Auntie.Gerald]

I absolutely loved the way we rallied when faced with LRT off and even Benny Mcg for part of 3rd qtr?

yes Gibson was a massive loss for them but they couldnt adapt to adversity today and we did !!

I loved our pressure across the park......I was heavily disappointed with the forward pressure in the first qtr and even 2nd qtr and we almost collapsed !

I also loved the way the way we are putting the team result above any indv's .......Reidy has still been leading away the second defender where ever possible....visible was ROK and JPK moving into the space normally a tall forward would stand.........Kennedy played loose first half more then normal and lead up the ground witch absolutely was a gem of a move as it isolated him one on one with a smaller tagger......it was great coaching.......and the Hawks genuinely had trouble adapting to our changed roles and positioning

Hawks have a great strength in their backline counter and their kicking into pressure areas.........they genuinely have some very good kickers if not the most in the comp I would say in general play and combined with their 3 rotating upfront I was amazed we could hold on after qtr 1 ~

I think our players would have got a massive lift knowing we could out muscle them on the ball !!! that for me was the top of the top and signalled a change of the guard !!!

[ShockOfHair]

We were really good today but Hawthorn were pretty lame. More than lame - they gave it up without a yelp. When we beat an actual top four side I'll believe we're in the hunt.

Plus last year (and 2005) remind us that the flag winner is the team with the best form in the second half of the year, not round 5.