‘Not AFL standard’: Swans whacked after error-strewn defeat

Swans great Ryan O’Keefe and a host of footy fans all said the same thing after Sydney’s loss to the Brisbane Lions.

The Swans’ second straight loss to start the new season left experts and fans alike all pointing to the same issue for the Harbour City club.

Following their Opening Round defeat to Hawthorn, the Swans needed to rebound at the SCG in a huge match-up with a Brisbane Lions side that crushed their grand final dreams last year.

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It got off to a good start when Sydney kicked the first four goals of the game against a Lions outfit decimated by injuries.

But the premiers worked their way back into the contest and benefited from a regular issue from the Swans, simple, basic skill errors, in Brisbane’s 12.14 (86) to 12.10 (82) win.

Time and again the Swans had the ball in a promising area only to turn it over with a poor disposal or a failure to spot a teammate in a better position.

The Swans react after their loss to the Lions. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

It reached a crescendo in the dying moments of a close game when the Swans trailed by six points and Sydney defender Matt Roberts tried a short kick out of defence that went straight to Lion Josh Dunkley.

“That is bizarre,” Dwayne Russell said on Fox Footy.

Dunkley went back and kicked what proved the sealing goal and led to a damning assessment from Hawthorn great Jordan Lewis.

“Just trying to be too cute by Roberts coming out of back half,” he said.

“You get desperate, still four minutes on the clock.

“It was a gift to Josh Dunkley by Roberts just coming out of the back half.

“Trying to be too cute, looking long, looking short. Dunkley just anticipated it really well.”

Watch the incident in the video player atop the page

Josh Dunkley's eyes lit up after Matt Roberts' mistake. Photos: Fox Sports

Nathan Buckley added it was a simple failure of execution rather than the wrong option.

“There’s so much responsibility that comes with being the guy with the ball in your hand from a kick out,” he said.

“One mistake and that’s exactly what happens, it goes to the opposition with a scoring opportunity.

“I don’t think the short option was wrong, it’s just making sure you execute it.

“It’s a crucial mistake and now the margin’s getting out there.”

Isaac Heeney’s late goal brought it back to five points, but it was too little too late for a Sydney side that has dropped to 0-2 with a trip to Perth to face Fremantle up next.

The Lions were a step ahead in a number of the big moments. (Photo by Phil Hillyard)

Ryan O’Keefe, the Norm Smith medallist in Sydney’s 2012 grand final triumph, didn’t hide his feelings about the Swans’ performance.

“I think we’ve got to stop giving players excuses early in the season,” he said on ABC Sport.

“They’re professionals, this is your trade. They’re basic errors.

“The standard that was out there today was not good enough and it’s not AFL standard.”

It was a sentiment shared by loads of Sydney fans watching on.

“I think he is 100% spot on,” footy fan Al Prior replied on X.

“Would we accept a sh**ty plumbing job after the plumber said he had just got back from holidays?

“It’s their job. And they are paid extraordinarily well to do it.”

Swans fans are missing injured duo Errol Gulden and Callum Mills. (Photo by Phil Hillyard)

Skill errors was by far the biggest issue coming from Sydney supporters and footy fans on social media.

Swans fan Matt Hope tweeted on X: “A game we lost on execution, not effort.”

After the Swans’ account posted a caption stating “We fought until the final whistle”, fans vented their own feelings.

One wrote: “I wouldn’t be proud of anything about that performance, can’t hit simple kicks and handballs.”

Another stated: “What happened to this team?! The decision making/errors were unlike anything I’ve seen from the Swans in years. That was horrific.”

A third offered: “Great effort but gees … we still look shell shocked. So much nervous kicking, dropped marks and missing kicks in front of goal.”

First-year head coach Dean Cox has a big job ahead lifting the Swans. (Photo by Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

A fourth wrote: “Can’t turn the ball over from kick ins, pathetic.”

One took it further, declaring: “Love this team but we are almost unwatchable. So many chances and we just wanna play cutesy highlight football. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a team make as many stupid decisions with a footy as I have the last 2 weeks. Don’t care how close we get sort it out man.”

The Swans do have a diehard fan base and some were trying to lift the team.

“Don’t win premierships in March, boys will come home hotter then the Stuart Highway,” came one assertion.

But first-year coach Dean Cox already has a job on his hands to lift the Swans back to the standards fans have come to expect.

Originally published as ‘Not AFL standard’: Swans whacked after error-strewn defeat