Swans wary of Seagulls
SOUTH BARWON is refusing to take a regenerated North Shore lightly as it aims to kick off its season with a longawaited win.
The Seagulls only appointed co-coaches Darren Winter and Nick Dixon in mid-January but the club has quickly got on with implementing a new style under the dual mentors.
South Barwon coach David Farrell was an interested onlooker on Saturday as North Shore hosted Lake Wendouree in a practice match and was impressed with what he saw.
“They have done a tremendous job in a short period of time to assemble a list that certainly looks improved and even from what we watched on Saturday there were some really clear structures,” Farrell said.
“They look like they will be very much improved.
“We haven’t done anything in the last couple of years for us to go into a game taking anyone lightly, for us it’s about preparing the best we can.
“I don’t know anyone who would take lightly the amount of talent they have been able to bring in … certainly knowing Nick, he would be super well prepared and setting high standards.”
The Swans are so keen to get back on the field that Farrell brought up that it had been 602 days since the last time they played unprompted when asked about his excitement for Saturday.
Chief among those ready to go is Will Sexton, who’s rising career was cut down by injuries, most recently an ACL tear that has ruled him out since Round 10, 2019.
Sexton will play for the Swans on Saturday in a welcome return to the fold.
“He’s put in so much work to get himself into a position to be playing this week and declared himself 100 per cent available and ready,” Farrell said.
The Swans are expecting to name three players to make their club debut against the Seagulls.
“We have had two years of colts come into the group as well as some guys from outside of South Barwon coming in, but in the first half of the year we could see up to 12 players debut for the senior group,” Farrell said.
“To try and force that early in one hit isn’t the best thing to do for the players individually or us as a group, so we might slowly introduce them in.”