Sydney’s win over St Kilda shows they are more than a mathematical chance of finals

NO team has ever come back from a 0-5 start to make finals, let alone a 0-6 start, but Sydney’s win over St Kilda shows records are made to be broken.

Lance Franklin kicked four goals in the second half. Picture: George Salpigtidis

COACHES always talk about being a “mathematical chance” of playing finals.

Hope is never lost until the numbers say it is impossible to make finals.

Some said Sydney was finished at Round 6 after a 0-6 start to the season.

No team has ever come back from a 0-5 start to make finals, let alone a 0-6 start.

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But the Swans are back and after a third-straight win over St Kilda, their season still mathematically alive.

Ravaged by injury over the opening two months, John Longmire is slowly getting his best side back on the park and senior players who started the season slowly are starting to find form.

Sydney’s forward pressure was at fever-pitch against St Kilda, their transition from defence sublime and their reliance on star forward Lance Franklin minimal.

Dean Towers celebrates his goal in the third quarter. Picture: George Salpigtidis

The Swans have grunt on the inside, pace on the outside, a strong defence and a lively forward line which knows how to find the goals.

Then there are two midfielders by the names of Josh Kennedy and Dan Hannebery, who at their best are one of the most damaging duos in the competition.

Now sitting 3-6, the Swans have seven home games to come at the SCG, including three of their next four.

In 2014, Sydney lost three of its first four games before going on to win 16 of its next 18 to finish on top before making the Grand Final.

Turnarounds can happen.

While Saturday’s 50-point win inflated Sydney’s hopes, the Saints would have been left deflated.

Having built significant belief in recent weeks with impressive triumphs over Hawthorn (75 points) and Greater Western Sydney (23 points) and getting the job done against Carlton (19 points) last weekend, the Saints took a big step backwards.

Saturday’s performance was lacklustre to say the least.

The home side shot itself in the foot with turnovers by foot, failed to find marking options going forward and lacked run out of defence.

The loss of Jack Newnes in the first quarter did not help St Kilda’s cause, the 100-gamer coming off worse for wear in a collision with Sydney’s Callum Mills.

But the reality was too few of his teammates won their positions, let alone set the game alight.

St Kilda won the clearances 38-26 and almost broke even in contested possession (143-141) but was unable to move the ball forward with any purpose and managed just 10 goals from 47 inside-50s as a result.

There were St Kilda players who racked up disposals, but few significantly impacted the contest.

Nathan Brown was tasked the job on Lance Franklin, and kept him to just two marks and one behind in the opening half.

Jack Steven kicks the Saints into attack.

But it takes a lot to keep a star down and Franklin went on to kick four second-half goals.

Kennedy (35 disposals, one goal), Jake Lloyd (35 disposals) and Hannebery (30 disposals, two goals) were standouts in an even team performance for the Swans, but votes could have gone to many.

In the end it was an all-too familiar story in matches between the two sides.

Sydney had won its previous six games against St Kilda dating back to 2012, the past four all by over 50 points.

This was another to add to that list.

The Saints will be hoping it was a one-off speed bump in their season, which still sits a respectable 5-4.

The Swans will be hoping it is the moment that ignites their 2017 campaign.