The Swans were making up the numbers in Dean Cox’s first year as coach, but 18 months into the job Garry Lyon reveals how he’s rekindled the Swans juggernaut into a premiership contender.

Dean Cox has been in the coaching system for a long time, but at the end of his first year as senior coach you got the feeling he may have learnt as much in the 2025 season as he did in the previous 10 years.

First as a ruck coach at West Coast and then most recently as the senior assistant at the Swans.

Rewind to this time last year; nine games into his first foray as the man in charge, the Swans were 14th on the ladder with three wins and six losses.

There were a myriad of reasons why, but the reality is the perennial finalists were staring down the barrel of a footy-free September for just the third time in the last 23 years.

One of those reasons, of course, was the absence of Errol Gulden for the first 15 games of the season. The fact the Swans, on his return to the team, went 7-3 from that point on was lost on no one, least of all the coach.

Fast forward a year, and after nine completed rounds of football, the Swans sit proudly on top of the AFL ladder, having dropped a solitary game: round 2 against the Hawks at the MCG.

There are tougher challenges to come, but for now the ladder position points to the fact that they are easily the highest scoring team in the competition and only Fremantle have conceded fewer points. That is a fair response to a disappointing first year for Cox.

So what would he have identified at the end of last year as the path back to contention? There is no question they are blessed with some of the genuine superstars of the game, and having them available and playing at or near their capacity as often as they can would be priority No.1.

The irony? Gulden played the first two games of the and has missed ever since, having undergone a shoulder reconstruction. Thankfully, the other four members of their rock star band have been brilliant.

Brodie Grundy is locked in a three-way battle for the title of the premier ruck in the competition, with the incumbent, Max Gawn, and the young heir apparent Luke Jackson both having legitimate claims to the crown. In fact, make it a four-way battle. I’m too scared of Tristan Xerri to leave him out.

Grundy is the fourth-rated ruckman and the No. 10 rated player in the game right now. He is tireless and indefatigable and has become an inspired leader of this group. He might need a chop out before the finals come around but they are brilliantly served in a position that has become as important as ever this year.

Isaac Heeney is a bona fide, rolled gold superstar. He sits in the Bontempelli category along with Nick Daicos, Zak Butters and Lachie Neale.

Following on from a brilliant 2025, Heeney is the No. 1 ranked midfielder and the No. 2 ranked player plays in the game. He has been, and will continue to be, the difference between the Swans winning and losing. He is that good.

Chad Warner is having a very good year, and when the Chad is having a very good year, so are the Swans. The 16th ranked player in the competition, he is the No. 2 ranked mid/forward. You cant compete if you don't have players of influence in that role. They have one of the best.

And then there’s the Lizard, Nick Blakey. The highest rated general defender in football, and No. 18 overall. The way the Swans play the game is tailor made for Blakey’s skill set. Or has Blakey’s skill set determined how the Swans play?

Either way, he might just be the barometer for this group. When he’s at his best, all of the pieces of the puzzle seem to fall in place.

Next, Cox would have looked at his list and demanded improvement from within. While supporters are guilty of looking over the fence at highly-fanciful trades as the quickest way to get better, the development and evolution of the players you have on the list can lead to the greatest gains.

And this is what I think has been underrated to some degree at the Swans. We can, and will talk about an evolving game plan and the devastating results the Swans are achieving from their back half, but I want to focus on the improvement of the ‘middle class’ of the Swans.

‘Middle’ in name only, it’s just that they need to be separated from the big five previously discussed.

Their badges and jumpers may not sell out in the merchandise shop, where the rush for the number five guernsey or the Lizard memorabilia is akin to a Boxing Day sale, but they allow the stars to shine and are playing an enormous part in the Swans resurgence.

The ratings improvement of this group from last year underlines what we’re talking about.

These are really significant improvements at every level. The defence has tightened up at a time you wonder if Rampe could get better than he has been. Bice started like a bomb last year but went quiet. He has bounced back, Roberts is influencing games, not just appearing in them and McCartin and McInerney have gone from good players to among the best performers in their field.

Cox has demonstrated a willingness to think outside the square as well, when it comes to some of his veterans performers. He experimented with McCartin as a forward early last year but had to concede defeat. I loved it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. He’s gone again this year with Jake Lloyd. A defender for most off his career, he ventured to the wing last season, and kept going, playing 60 per cent of the year as a forward. And it’s working, with Lloyd averaging 1.2 goals a game in the last six weeks. Improvement from within. It’s critical.

Game style, they have become an offensive powerhouse.

Their forward handball game has been discussed at great length, with the seeds of change being planted in the back half of last year, as pointed out by Adam Simpson on AFL 360 Wednesday night.

They were 17th for metres gained by hand in the first 20 rounds of last year. In the last 4 months of the year they were the third highest. Coxy must have liked what he saw. They are the No. 1 team in the comp for meters gained by hand this year. The last month of last year may well prove to be the pivotal period in their ongoing success.

To arrive at a point where you’re clear in the way you want to play is one thing. It’s another to get the player buy in and execution. The fact that the Swans are the highest-scoring team from the defensive half in the last 15 years suggest the buy in has been complete across the board.

Blakey is the obvious instigator with his run and carry taken advantage of at every opportunity. But McInerney has been just as influential, being involved in 30 per of their chains to score for the year, the ninth-highest-rated player in the competition.

And then we see Tom Papley playing a little higher, allowing Malcolm Rosas the opportunity to roam the forward 50. Rosas becomes a super dangerous small forward, while Papley becomes the highest rated player in the competition for mid-chain score involvements.

Again, improvement from within, with Papley enjoying his most consistent patch of form, averaging 17 possessions, just under two goals and eight score involvements in the past five matches.

That has allowed Rosas to emerge as the third-highest rated small forward behind Nick Watson and Kade Chandler.

The final piece of this early season Sydney Swans puzzle that has come together is their ability to score from both turnover and clearance.

They lead both categories after nine rounds of football, just the fourth team to do that in the past 23 years.

St Kilda did it in 2009 and finished runners up, Geelong won the premiership when they achieved it in 2007 and the Saints made the preliminary final in 2004. They are numbers and results that should have Swans fans excited.

It’s not yet the half way mark of the season, but Dean Cox and his Swans have done a brilliant job in establishing a base from which to launch towards September.

Superstars fit and firing. Tick, with Gulden to return in the back half of the year.

Substantial improvement from within the playing list. Tick.

New players that fit into the framework of the existing group and make them better. Tick, with Charlie Curnows best still to come and Rosas and Jai Serong a brilliant bit of scouting by the recruiting team.

Game style that takes advantage of the modern football environment and has stood the test of time. Tick

Four important boxes ticked. Top of the ladder. Improvement still to come.

The Swans are on the way back.

Matt Roberts

Matt has been managing groin soreness and will undergo a short period of rehab. 2-4 weeks

Tom McCartin

Tom is a test to return to play in Round 10 following a knee sprain. Test. 

Jai Serong

Jai reported hamstring tightness following the Round 8 game against Melbourne and is a test to return to play in Round 10. Test

Charlie Curnow

Charlie reported lower abdominal soreness following our Round 8 game against Melbourne and is a test to return to play in Round 10. Test

Ned Bowman

Ned presented with calf soreness following the Round Six VFL match against the Casey Demons and will undergo a short period of rehab. 1-2 weeks

Will Green

Will is continuing to build capacity and intro running mechanics in preparation to run over coming weeks. 6 weeks

Errol Gulden

Errol is progressing well in rehab following shoulder surgery, focusing on shoulder strength, building conditioning and light rehab skills. 7 - 9 weeks

Max King

Max continues to focus on building lower body and trunk strength whilst maintaining aerobic conditioning in his lumbar stress fracture rehabilitation. He has commenced anti gravity Alter G running. 3 months

Liam Hetherton

Liam has commenced lower load stability exercises for his lumbar stress fracture. 6 months 

Taylor Adams

Taylor is building strength and progressing through hamstring rehab running. 6 weeks

Braeden Campbell

Braeden is continuing to progress rehab strength and pre running capacity following tibial bone stress fracture. 2-3 months

Riak Andrew

Riak is progressing through strength and running mechanics and due to commence running over coming weeks. 3 months

A Sydney benefactor who ploughs $1 million into the northern academies every year is reconsidering his agreement with the AFL following the league’s decision to further restrict the northern clubs’ access to homegrown talent.

Investment banker Paul Moore, who helped underwrite the Swans academy when it launched in 2010 and now invests $250,000 annually into each of the Sydney, GWS, Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast academies, said he would address his disenchantment over the new draft rules with AFL bosses next week.

“I never thought it would be this hard to invest in the long-term future of the game,” he said.

Moore’s PM Capital, which also sponsors AFL NSW and has been a long-term patron of the game in its toughest market, signed a two-year, $2 million agreement at the start of 2024 to back all four northern academies. That deal reverted to a one-year rolling contract this year.

“St Kilda started kicking up a fuss about the academies and my position was, ‘I’m not going to make a long-term contribution until I know what I’m dealing with’,” he said.

“Head office is in a bubble. They’re always saying they’re all in and this current administration has made genuine attempts to work to grow the game in New South Wales, but then they’re always compromising. They’re trying to placate the southern clubs. I’ve got a belief if the AFL want to be a truly national game and protect their heritage, they have to be a dominant code in NSW. The Victorian clubs are fighting like we’re the enemy, but they don’t understand it’s the NRL which want to kill us.

“The hard decisions are going to be about next year’s funding. I’m not about publicly making a name for myself – I’m only in this because I want to see the game grow over the next five to 10 years. But there are plenty of other good causes out there.

“I should be careful because I don’t believe in threats and when I write to the AFL next week I want to be proactive, but if my money’s being wasted I’ll go and find another good cause. If I’m not getting a return on investment, then why invest?

“I’d like to invest more, and I would like to sign up for longer, but I feel like they ...keep watering down the incentives to develop talent.”

Moore’s disappointment and his decision to speak to this masthead come after the AFL Commission recently confirmed changes to AFL player movement starting with the 2026 national draft.

Football boss Greg Swann tightened the bidding system around high-end talent under the northern academy rules along with the father-sons and next-generation academies. Clubs can now only use two picks to match a bid for homegrown academy talent in the first 36 picks of the draft. Had the new rules been in place last year, it would have been significantly more difficult for the Lions to match Richmond’s No. 6 bid for Daniel Annable, and Gold Coast could not have recruited their four talented academy players along with Christian Petracca.

In announcing the changes, Swann said they were designed to ensure the draft was fair and effective in distributing talent.

“These changes follow an extensive consultation with clubs, and form part of a broader review aimed at driving competitive balance, ensuring the competition continues to be as even as possible year in, year out,” he said.

Rival clubs criticised the changes for various reasons. Port Adelaide, the club most adversely affected by the new points system as Tasmania enters the competition in the coming years, already believe they have made inroads with head office to wind back changes to the draft value index. Meanwhile, the four northern clubs have chosen to split from their previously united approach due to their varying circumstances.

Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham this week proposed that clubs successfully matching bids in future for Swans academy players should be forced to make a financial contribution to the academy. Either that, said Pridham, or the AFL should fund the Swans academy.

“We spend $3.2 million a year on our academy,” said Pridham. “We’re not a charity. We are not going to continue to contribute millions of dollars into an institution where we can’t get access to the best players. We are in a war for talent here.”

Pridham – citing the impact of recent draftees Will Edwards (North Shore) and Max King (Newcastle) and the impact their wider circle of family and friends had made upon the club – said the success of homegrown academy players was the greatest tool to increase membership, support and local interest in Australian rules from non-traditional support bases.

Giants CEO Dave Matthews said that his club would not accept being forced to match rival bids for top-end talent given the struggle to attract players in Sydney’s west.

Moore, who previously served on the GWS board, said: “We obviously don’t want anyone getting a head start but GWS has not produced one homegrown player. Can you keep your complaining until they actually get one? The Melbourne clubs have got to stop bitching every time we produce a top 10 players like Isaac Heeney. They make out as though it happens every year.”

Having met repeatedly with AFL bosses over recent years, Moore said he planned to contact St Kilda president Andrew Bassat – a vocal opponent of the academy and father-son advantages to rival clubs – to better understand his position.

Moore praised CEO Andrew Dillon, saying he had changed the league’s attitude towards growing the game particularly in NSW.

“It’s a fact of life that when his legacy is written, and when his time is done, it will focus on how he grew the game in New South Wales,” he said.

“We could all just go to the draft and get rid of all the attempts to recruit homegrown talent but the players we get in the northern clubs who come from Victoria or other traditional markets tend to want to go home after a few years or when they want to marry or settle down. We want to develop and grow talent in our own market.

“The local TV revenue is the largest across New Zealand, New South Wales and Queensland, and we will never be No.1 or equal No.2 across those markets unless we increase our focus here. I tell the AFL I want to increase my funding, but I want to see that you are equally invested.

“If they [the Victorian clubs] don’t see the inroads the NRL has made in recent years, if they don’t see how our talent is dropping off in southern New South Wales and how the NRL is working across the entire state ... the NRL is working to kill them. It’s not like in Victoria where you love all sports. Up here it’s war.

“I’m not doing this for myself or the Sydney Swans or the Giants. It’s because I love the game.”

The AFL Commission meets in Sydney on Friday. AFL NSW boss Andrew Varasdi, who was prevented from talking to this masthead this week, is expected to present a detailed document addressing declining participation numbers and a new, significantly increased funding model.

With the revelation of declining numbers – particularly in western Sydney – a major embarrassment to the head office and especially game development, Varasdi is also expected to propose a better way to market the game in NSW.

In 2024 Dean Cox was working as an assistant coach under John Longmire when the Swans lost the premiership many thought they should have won.

It was the season they won nine of their first 10 matches, and looked unstoppable, spearheaded by their three midfield stars, Isaac Heeney, Errol Gulden and Chad Warner. They were on track to deliver an 11th top-flight flag since the foundation of the South Melbourne Swans in 1874.

However, by the final siren on grand final day, the Swans had lost by 60 points at the MCG against a rampant Brisbane. In 2026, the Swans are similarly impressive at the early part of the season, having lost once in their opening eight rounds. Have they learned their lessons from two years ago?

“We always look at past experiences, but for me, it’s about we’re a completely different group and we’re playing a completely different way,” Cox, who took over from Longmire as head coach at the end of 2024, said this week ahead of Saturday’s clash with North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.

Moving beyond the holy midfield trinity

By the latter stages of the 2024 season, the Swans had gained a reputation for stunning comebacks, led by Heeney, Gulden and Warner. While each player was outstanding and the football was thrilling, it built an unfair reliance on the trio.

Last year, the Swans floundered without Gulden, who returned in round 15 after recovering from ankle surgery. This season, Gulden is sidelined with a dislocated shoulder, and while the Swans will miss a player of his quality, they have successfully adjusted with Justin McInerney stepping up.

In Gulden’s absence, McInerney has averaged a career-best 21.5 disposals and in Sunday’s win against Melbourne, the midfielder finished with 29.

According to Champion Data, McInerney is averaging 9.5 score involvements per game, ranking him second in the AFL and 67 per cent of his kicks inside 50 are retained, again placing him second in the competition.

Gulden is back running at training and will slot into the Swans’ midfield when fit, but the greatest compliment to the team is that they are humming along without one of the best ball users in the game.

A balance of goal kickers

Two years ago, the Swans badly missed a target at full forward after the retirement of Lance Franklin. By the end of 2024, the numbers highlighted the Swans lack of firepower up front: Joel Amartey and Tom Papley each kicked 1.7 goals per game, and now Carlton player Will Hayward finished with 1.6 goals per match.

Charlie Curnow’s recruitment from the Blues has given the Swans a dominant full forward they needed. He attracts the opposition’s best defender, giving space for others to thrive. Amartey is in the last year of his contract and playing like it, averaging 2.5 goals a game, the same as Curnow.

The form of Malcolm Rosas jnr also highlights Sydney’s greater balance in the forward line, kicking seven goals against Melbourne. Rosas jnr managed five games for the Gold Coast Suns last year, but this season with the Swans he has doubled not only as a goal kicker, but as a relentless runner who drives pressure from the front.

Logan McDonald missed all of last season due to injury and is averaging 1.5 goals per game this year, establishing himself as a reliable tall forward alongside Curnow and Amartey. Papley, Heeney and Warner each have 10 goals for the year showcasing the range of goal kickers in the team that extends far beyond Curnow.

Reliance on one ruckman

While the Swans have been able to create balance across their team in terms of the midfield and a forward threat, their continued reliance on Brodie Grundy as a ruckman is concerning, as it was two years ago.

Coach Cox is one of the game’s greatest rucks and is actively managing Grundy’s training load and despite deputy Peter Ladhams’ lack of opportunities this season, Cox is confident he can step up when needed.

“I think it’s tough to play the level that Brodie’s playing at, but what Pete has been doing at VFL has been nothing short of exceptional, he’s been one of our most dominant players every week there,” Cox said.

“When the opportunity presents itself, whether it’s to share [ruck duties] or to do by himself, I have no doubt he’ll be ready for it.”

On most markers, Grundy is having an outstanding season. Grundy has 102 hitouts to advantage, with the next ruckman, Adelaide’s Lachlan McAndrew on 77. The contrast with McAndrew is significant, given he was delisted at the end of the 2024 season by Sydney and would have been the ideal foil to Grundy.

Instead, the Swans are faced with few options behind Grundy if the veteran gets injured.

Grundy’s strength is not simply in hitouts, it is his ability to act as an auxiliary midfielder and follow-up the play. After playing his 250th game for the Swans against Melbourne, there needs to be a contingency plan built around Grundy urgently.

Brodie Grundy's 2026 dominance

Use the column header buttons to sort columns by ascending or descending orderCurrently not sorted

	Average	AFL Rank
First Possessions	8.8	5
Clearances	6.1	8=
Hitouts to advantage	12.8	1
Ben Donaldson	16	1

Source: Champion Data

Defensive balance

The Swans are benefiting from the continued fitness and leadership of their captain Callum Mills in defence, something they have lacked for the last two seasons.

Against Melbourne, the Swans missed the injured Tom McCartin in the backline, but Mills’ calm leadership was noticeable.

Mills hasn’t missed a game this season, after playing seven in 2024 and 12 in 2025 due to injury. The 29-year-old can also act as an onfield defence coach for rookie Swans academy product William Edwards while also commanding the football; against Melbourne Mills finished with 29 disposals.

“The best part about having Callum back is his ability to be able to set up behind the ball, put his teammates in the positions that they need to do, and then to execute his role,” Cox said.

“He complements our back line really well and it’s not just about our back six, it’s also the way we defend the whole ground.”

Tom McCartin

Tom is continuing rehab following his knee ligament sprain. 1 - 2 weeks

Will Green

Will is continuing rehab following a foot fracture, building strength and endurance ahead of intro running over coming weeks. 7 weeks

Errol Gulden

Errol is progressing well in rehab following shoulder surgery, focusing on shoulder strength, building conditioning and light rehab skills. 8 - 10 weeks

Max King

Max continues to focus on building lower body and trunk strength whilst maintaining aerobic conditioning in his lumbar stress fracture rehabilitation. He has commenced pool-based running mechanics. 3 months

Liam Hetherton

Liam has been diagnosed with a lumbar stress fracture and will undergo an extended rehab program. 6 months 

Taylor Adams

Taylor is continuing hamstring rehabilitation. 6 - 8 weeks

Braeden Campbell

Braeden is continuing to progress rehab strength and pre running capacity following tibial bone stress fracture. 3 months

Riak Andrew

Riak is progressing through a rehab strength and range of motion program for his quadriceps muscle, alongside upper body strength and conditioning. 3 months

THE SWANS Academy continued their unbeaten Talent League streak with a thumping 71-point win over Tasmania in Round 6. In what was the opening game of a double-header at Blacktown ISP, the Swans ran riot with over 30 scoring shots to salute 17.15 (117) to 6.10 (46).

Sydney Academy -

#1 Isaac Luke
Small Forward | 173cm | 09/12/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 5 marks, 9 tackles, 3 goals

Luke played an effective small forward’s game, providing pressure and a threat around goal. His ability to wrap up opponents forced stoppages in key areas, one of which saw him shark the ball and slot his opening major. Luke also snuck through a soccer goal and set shot later in the day for a haul of three. He got involved up the ground by being an option across half-forward, where he could use his creative foot skills to set up scores heading inside 50.

#9 Lachlan Price
Midfielder/Forward | 180cm | 11/08/2008

Stats: 26 disposals, 9 marks, 8 inside 50s, 2 goals

It was another powerful performance from Price, who drove his legs and fended his way forward all day. The strongly-built midfielder not only stood up in tackles, but dragged opponents with him on the way out of congestion, before releasing to running teammates by hand. Price also spread forward well and made Tasmania pay for affording him time and space, lowering his eyes with several pinpoint forward 50 entries. While not overly quick, the top-ager burst away from a deep stoppage to boot his second goal of the day in term four, capping off an impactful outing.

#11 William Jenkin
Defender | 179cm | 25/11/2008

Stats: 20 disposals, 3 marks, 3 rebound 50s

Reprising his playmaking role off half-back, Jenkin was often in the thick of Sydney’s transitional play. He mopped up across the back half before flicking the switch into attack mode, forging plenty of combination play heading forward. Jenkin’s timing was sound when looking to overlap and he worked hard to be involved multiple times in single passages, tracking all the way up to forward 50.

#15 Sebastian Mok
Wing | 180cm | 02/06/2009

Stats: 20 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 behinds

Mok engaged in an enthralling battle with Geappen on the wing, providing plenty of outside run and drive. The bottom-ager was there to support his teammates on turnover and mopped up the spills before connecting the lines with carries and kicks. Mok showed good tenacity with his tackling and was able to bring the ball into space, but perhaps lacked a touch of consistency with his kicking on the run. With a little more composure and polish, he could have also hit the scoreboard.

#18 Henry Meaney
Midfielder | 184cm | 23/08/2008

Stats: 28 disposals, 6 marks, 8 clearances, 1 goal

Meaney continues to impress as a rising midfielder out of the Swans’ cohort. He racked up a game-high tally of 28 disposals, balancing his composed work on the inside with solid outside running. The top-ager was typically clean and evasive at stoppage, shifting his hips to step around opponents before dishing the ball off. He was just about untouched throughout the day, showing some tricks to spin and wheel out of danger. Meaney has made a habit of hitting the scoreboard and did so after earning a high free kick in term two, but also put others into scoring positions.

#22 Jake Medved
Defender | 191cm | 02/06/2008

Stats: 13 disposals, 2 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

His numbers may not jump off the page, but Medved’s raw pace certainly caught the eye on Saturday. The athletic defender was deadly when given space to run into, taking quick metres with searing speed and confidence. He indulged in running bounces along the way and broke the lines in several end-to-end passages, posing questions of Tasmania’s defence. Medved got on the scoreboard after a free kick on the end of one such passage and produced a ridiculous checkside pass on the fly for Luke to have a ping. He’s one with plenty of potential.

#23 Guy Jenkin
Forward/Midfielder | 177cm | 25/11/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 3 clearances, 6 inside 50s

Jenkin once again started up forward and earned a run through midfield. He didn’t necessarily have a major influence at the centre bounces but showed an ability to swoop on ground balls effectively. Jenkin looked most dangerous as a connection piece across half-forward, delivering the ball inside 50 with terrific skills on both feet. Much like twin brother Will, his link-up play in running waves stood out as Sydney ventured into attack. He would often apply the finishing touch.

#34 Oscar Clifton
Ruck | 198cm | 28/10/2007

Stats: 13 disposals, 14 hitouts, 8 clearances

Faced with a towering opposition ruckman, Clifton soared high at the centre bounces and remained impactful with his follow-up work. The over-ager thrived in the moments following the initial ruck contest, landing on his feet and extracting the ball cleanly to feed his midfielders. Clifton otherwise tended to hack the ball forward by foot, but nonetheless won a game-high eight clearances. He also impacted around the ground and was brave when dropping back to complete intercept marks.