Sydney forward Ben Ronke says criticism no concern for winless Swans ahead of crucial Carlton fixture

Ben Ronke insists the Swans are ignoring the ‘outside noise’ that has accompanied a losing start as the forward vows to take his game to the next level this season.

Ben Ronke insists the Swans are ignoring the ‘outside noise’ that has accompanied a losing start as the forward vows to take his game to the next level this season.

The 21-year-old enjoyed his first start of the campaign in last Friday’s defeat by the Crows, kicking one goal and seven disposals.

He is hungry to build on that against Carlton on Saturday night at Marvel Stadium as the Swans strive to kickstart their season.

An 0-2 start has quickly resulted in some gloomy predictions for the remainder of the season. But Ronke isn’t letting all the chatter distract him.

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“It was good to get my opportunity against the Crows but obviously disappointing to lose,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “But we’re working hard on the track and looking to the next one (Carlton) and looking to bounce back.”

And unlike their opening round visit to Marvel Stadium, where they lost to Western Bulldogs, Ronke is adamant the players will strive to seize control this time.

“Carlton have got a lot of good young players and they’ll be bringing everything (to the contest) but front of mind is focusing on our game and what we’re going to do to beat them. We want to dictate to them, not have them dictate to us.”

As for the early-season doomsayers, Ronke insists the only opinions that matter are those from inside the camp.

Sydney forward Ben Ronke says the Swans are driven to kick start their campaign against Carlton. Picture: Michael Klein.

“You get the feedback from the coaches who work with you, know you, know your game,” he said.

“The exterior noise is always going to be there but the way a lot of players go about dealing with it is by seeking out the people they trust in the footy club.

“We’ve got full faith in the playing group and that we can start building some momentum.”

Ronke, who burst onto the senior stage in spectacular fashion with seven goals in just his third senior AFL game, is looking to become a more complete asset.

“I want to take my game to the next level,” he said. “I just know I have to bring pressure and energy to the team with tackles and putting the opposition in as much stress as possible as defence.”

And for Ronke, ‘the next level’ means excelling in every area.

“Over the off-season I’ve put a lot of work into the way I go about the defensive side of the game,” he said. “To have a lot more method to where I’m running defensively to allow me to slow the opposition up and cause turnovers and tackles.”

But he’s more than happy to offer an attacking threat while he continues to learn. He lined up alongside Lance Franklin against the Crows and hopes to repeat the experience this weekend.

“It’s massive having him (Franklin) there,” he said. “We do have a lot of younger boys in the forward line so having him around can settle the nerves in big parts of the game and point us in the right direction. He can build momentum in a game and all the younger boys feed off it.”