We've had enough McGuire!

[ScottH]

Nothing changed really.
Good for long enough to get your hopes up then fades like a cheap tattoo.

Best game was when he kicked six in a practice match.
They were all wetting their pants.
I bet they still love him, though.

[tasmania60]

Agree people with all your views but in a realistic view key players CHF and Tall backmen nothing more for 2-3 years ?

[Danzar]

Not that he has much to compare it to, but it's probably the most astute thing Jon Ralph has ever written. It's all well and good saying you need to look after this player and that player and respect tradition etc, but if you want to win things you have to outperform the other clubs, bot on AND off the field.

For sure Doctor.

There's a strong message here for Eddie or for any club - don't cry foul at the Swans for excelling in the basic functions expected of any professional sporting club anywhere in the world.

If the blame lies anywhere it lies with those clubs that are blind to the fact that by rising to the same challenge themselves, it will be for the betterment of the sport itself. In fact, we should be pissed at the Collingwood Football Club for leaving this all up to Sydney to do.

Maybe we should change the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to a Cost of Making Aussie Rules Better (COMARB) allowance. Has a nice ring to it.

[Meg]

I might be drawing a long bow here but ... I wonder if the fact that our club is based in Sydney and the majority of our players are recruited from interstate actually works to the advantage of our culture? It might have both encouraged and made it essential to our success that the club really supports our players both on and off the field.

For example, a couple of anecdotes. I recall Rhyce Shaw saying that when he flew up to Sydney to join the club he wondered if anyone would meet him. Well not only did someone, it was Paul Roos then senior coach. Again I heard Bruce McAvaney say this year that Tom Derrickx had said to him what a good club the Swans are which I interpreted to mean as much off the field as on the field. And from a different perspective, in an interview recently Dan Hannebery said what good mates the team are as so many of them don't have family in Sydney which means they look to each other for friendship and companionship.

And by the way I don't underestimate Mr & Mrs Kenny's role in this. Adam Goodes said in that recent video about Kenny how many roast dinners he has had at their home and I suspect that would be true of many of the players.

This 'home away from home' culture may be more difficult to engender in a Melbourne club.

[liz]

This is a great feature that brings home how clubs can build teams without substantially relying on multiple top 20 draft picks, tracking the players (from both sides) likely to run out on Saturday afternoon who started their life on a rookie list somewhere (nicely coming on top of Priddis' triumph at the Brownlow). As a bonus, there are some fantastic pictures of these players before they joined their clubs, most as U18 youngsters.

No Cookies | dailytelegraph.com.au

Is it my imagination or has Pyke substantially changed his body shape since that picture? Given he was already a fairly mature, professional footballer before he joined the Swans, my "memory" of him was that he already had the size. But his legs look like match sticks in the photo.

[ernie koala]

I might be drawing a long bow here but ... I wonder if the fact that our club is based in Sydney and the majority of our players are recruited from interstate actually works to the advantage of our culture? It might have both encouraged and made it essential to our success that the club really supports our players both on and off the field.

For example, a couple of anecdotes. I recall Rhyce Shaw saying that when he flew up to Sydney to join the club he wondered if anyone would meet him. Well not only did someone, it was Paul Roos then senior coach. Again I heard Bruce McAvaney say this year that Tom Derrickx had said to him what a good club the Swans are which I interpreted to mean as much off the field as on the field. And from a different perspective, in an interview recently Dan Hannebery said what good mates the team are as so many of them don't have family in Sydney which means they look to each other for friendship and companionship.

And by the way I don't underestimate Mr & Mrs Kenny's role in this. Adam Goodes said in that recent video about Kenny how many roast dinners he has had at their home and I suspect that would be true of many of the players.

This 'home away from home' culture may be more difficult to engender in a Melbourne club.

Totally agree Meg.
No doubt, with most players living away from home and family, helps the club to foster it's culture and somewhat insulate the players.

[erica]

But isn't that the same for clubs like Brisbane? They don't seem to have such a strong culture.

[Meg]

But isn't that the same for clubs like Brisbane? They don't seem to have such a strong culture.

What I was trying to say is that I get the impression that the Swans have recognised 'away from home' as a potential issue and seem to have particularly strong player welfare & support networks. Possibly Brisbane has not done as well in this area. Total speculation on my part.

[magic.merkin]

But isn't that the same for clubs like Brisbane? They don't seem to have such a strong culture.

They were until mid 00's. Management, coaching, salary cap changes all added up to a decline. Then when you start trading out premiership hero's with poor handling it's in free fall.

[ShockOfHair]

What I was trying to say is that I get the impression that the Swans have recognised 'away from home' as a potential issue and seem to have particularly strong player welfare & support networks. Possibly Brisbane has not done as well in this area. Total speculation on my part.

That's absolutely right, at least the Swans part. THey put a lot of effort in making sure the young guys settle in, learn to cook and run a household, etc. You know, happy at home, happy on the field.

Which reminds: for all the millions of words spilled about Buddy, no-one seems to have made the obvious point that he's bound to be a lot happier if he's living in connubial bliss with his girlfriend, which was the point of him coming to Sydney in the first place. No wonder he's playing well.

[Zlatorog]

That's absolutely right, at least the Swans part. THey put a lot of effort in making sure the young guys settle in, learn to cook and run a household, etc. You know, happy at home, happy on the field.

Which reminds: for all the millions of words spilled about Buddy, no-one seems to have made the obvious point that he's bound to be a lot happier if he's living in connubial bliss with his girlfriend, which was the point of him coming to Sydney in the first place. No wonder he's playing well.

Connubial bliss with his girlfriend? That doesn't exist in bogans vocabulary

[liz]

I don't think there's any doubt that the fact most of the guys are from interstate requires the club to focus on the togetherness element of the squad. Many Swans players have commented on it. I also think it is inherently the same for all four of the NSW/Queensland clubs. But the other factor is success. Nothing breeds bonding like success. When a young player is in a struggling club, maybe getting injured, maybe not getting the senior opportunities he thinks he deserves, the little "homesick" voice becomes louder than when there is a buzz of success around the club.

[ernie koala]

Which reminds: for all the millions of words spilled about Buddy, no-one seems to have made the obvious point that he's bound to be a lot happier if he's living in connubial bliss with his girlfriend, which was the point of him coming to Sydney in the first place. No wonder he's playing well.

I fairness, I've heard quite a few commentators, Robbo, Dunstall and Sheehan for starters, mention how happy Buddy looks and how that must be contributing to his form.

[erica]

They were until mid 00's. Management, coaching, salary cap changes all added up to a decline. Then when you start trading out premiership hero's with poor handling it's in free fall.

I guess the difference is that our club sustained the culture, regardless of the players and officials who came and went. That's a tribute to all involved.

[Go Swannies]

This is a great feature that brings home how clubs can build teams without substantially relying on multiple top 20 draft picks, tracking the players (from both sides) likely to run out on Saturday afternoon who started their life on a rookie list somewhere (nicely coming on top of Priddis' triumph at the Brownlow). As a bonus, there are some fantastic pictures of these players before they joined their clubs, most as U18 youngsters.

No Cookies | dailytelegraph.com.au

Is it my imagination or has Pyke substantially changed his body shape since that picture? Given he was already a fairly mature, professional footballer before he joined the Swans, my "memory" of him was that he already had the size. But his legs look like match sticks in the photo.

Liz, I called in at training yesterday and the main things I took from it was that Benny barely managed to raise a smile he's concentrating so hard, Sam seemed to be moving well (and was being pushed) and Mike has lost a lot of weight. Mummy told me it happens for him over the season and it's certainly true for Mike.