Football
1 April, 2025
Swifts driven by bitter disappoint
Finishing second after the regular season last year, the Swifts' Brett Hargreaves said the club and players were "bitterly disappointed" at the end to their season as they exited the finals by losing consecutive games.
The side dropped just three matches in total during the regular season, winning 13, and were in a good position heading into finals.
But they lost the semi to Harrow Balmoral by 82 points and then were defeated in the Preliminary by Noradjuha Quantong to the tune of 15 points.
"We were cruelled by injuries at the wrong time of the year, and then there is what if we had of kicked straighter in that first quarter," Hargreaves said.
"But they are all 'what ifs" and we need to get on with it.
"Harrow is the focus, they are going to be who we need to beat."
The Swifts will try and do that with changes to their forward line.
"It'll be different looking forward line this year, this season I don't think teams will know who they are meant to be covering and I'm happy with that," Hargreaves said.
"Without giving too much away, it's going to be a smaller forward line, a lot more dynamic and high pressure.
"It'll be football of a similar style to last season, but a few tweaks; a lot more run and highly skilled players."
Recruits Jordan Motton and Sean Mantell are a couple of those highly skilled players.
Although the side has lost its fair share of players from last season, with bigger names including Andrew Cameron, Chevy Elliott, Matt Healy and Paul Summers, Hargreaves is confident a lot of younger players will step up to compensate for the loss.
"Noah Stirling was our Best Under 21 player last season, and he's been a contributor every week this year," Hargreaves said.
"Kobe Lowe will fill that center half-forward position and then there is Jack Cann.
"We're really hoping these are the ones that will step up as they've all got at least 50 games in seniors now."