Swans rising to the challenge

ONE game shy of the AFL’s top eight, it is all cut-throat from here on in for born-again Sydney.

Veteran Jarrad McVeigh contends the knife-edge campaign has lifted the Swans to new training peaks in a bid to create history.

Unbeaten in the past four games and with seven wins from the past eight after Friday night’s 35-point belting of Melbourne, the 2012 premiers and regular grand finalists are back in contention for the 2017 flag.

But there is little room for slip-ups in the final eight fixtures, starting with Gold Coast at the SCG on Saturday.

“We’re on edge, I think you have to be,” McVeigh said yesterday. “It’s well-documented that our start wasn’t great. We’ve pulled that back to an even ledger now but we’ve still got a lot of work to do. It feels like every week is a big one.

“But we’re training at a high level and trying to put that into practice game day, so to be on edge is good for us.”

Sydney’s revival has coincided with the return of key players including McVeigh, Isaac Heeney, Dane Rampe, Gary Rohan and Tom Papley.

Friday’s win was McVeigh’s first game back from a sixweek injury spell and only his third in a season plagued by hamstring and calf issues.

The veteran defender’s 24disposal display was also one of strong back-line leadership.

“There’s always nerves,” McVeigh said. “It was nice to play in the reserves the week before to get 70-80 minutes under my belt.”