Young Swans ‘have a crack’

WITH one of the youngest groups in the AFL, Sydney coach John Longmire said inconsistency in performance could be expected.

The Swans barely looked like scoring for three quarters on Sunday night in between two productive bursts.

On Sunday night the Lions took care of the Swans at Cazalys Stadium, weathering an early onslaught and late push to run out victors 11.7 (73) to 6.5 (41).

It was a similar story last round against Carlton. The Swans kicked seven goals to halftime, looking like they had a match-winning advantage, before the Blues came storming home to win.

In the second half against Carlton, the Swans could manage just one major.

“We came into this game with the youngest group for the round and we just keep on learning from opposition quality teams and we learn again tonight,” Longmire said.

“We did a lot right and with 10 minutes to play in the last quarter, if we kicked a goal, that puts us in front.

“I would have taken that before the game.

“There is a lot that we did right, but they kicked a few easy goals from then on. We took the game on and wanted to win it.

“We had a real crack and sometimes as a young team, you get it wrong, and they were able to kick too many easy goals.

“We have five players with less than 10 games, we are doing things with our list, we only have one player over 30.

“We are working really hard to get another group together to have a crack.

“There are always going to be periods of the game when we fluctuate.”

Longmire admitted he did not have many winners in his forward group as they kicked just three goals for three quarters.

After dropping the game against the Lions, Sydney now meet Geelong on the Gold Coast to finish the home-andaway season this Sunday.

Small forward Lewis Taylor will be in some doubt to face the Cats after missing much of Sunday’s game with a foot complaint. He sat and watched for the final three quarters.

“It was early in the game and he was off in the first quarter and did not come back on,” Longmire said.

Longmire said he was proud of the way his young players fought and gave themselves a chance deep into the last quarter, before Brisbane kicked away.