AFL: Star Sydney defender Jake Lloyd keen for Swans to ‘rectify’ poor start
Sydney left itself with too much to do last week with a shoddy start against the Western Bulldogs and isn’t underestimating North Melbourne.
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Sydney star Jake Lloyd is bracing for a ferocious North Melbourne assault on Saturday as the Swans try to “rectify” their own underwhelming start last week.
The Kangaroos will fly up to soggy Sydney after copping a 108-point hiding from Brisbane that banished them to the bottom four.
But a litany of errors and uncharacteristically poor pressure saw John Longmire’s men kick only one goal to half-time against the Western Bulldogs, so the Swans have plenty to prove too.
“We’ve got to get back to what we’re good at and our DNA, so that’s at the forefront of our mind at the moment,” Lloyd said.
“Getting back to that pressure and contested ball (game is important). It doesn’t matter who you play against in this competition; it’s so even that if you don’t turn up to play, you’re going to get beaten.
“They’re really good in the contest, around the stoppages and in clearances and whatnot, so that’s a good challenge for us this week and something we’re going to have to get right.”
Lloyd joked that he and his teammates brought out their “flippers and snorkel” to train on Thursday after torrential rain pounded the city but said the weather wasn’t a major pre-match talking point.
“It probably suits our style a little bit; that pressure footy, in and under, get-after-the-opposition style,” he said.
There are greater expectations on Sydney this year after last year’s finals return and the emergence of a series of young players, including Errol Gulden, Nick Blakey and Ollie Florent, who seem likely to blossom into stars.
Lloyd said there was also a bitter taste in the Swans’ mouth about their narrow elimination final loss to the Giants.
“A lot of other teams probably wrote us off last year, but within our four walls we were really confident with the group we had,” he said.
“The kids are very skilful and they listen and learn. They take it all in very quickly (but) we’ve got to get bigger and better again.
“It was a disappointing result to go out the way we did last year.
“We felt like we had a little bit more to give if we had have got through that final. It’s a long year ahead but with the group we’ve got, we’re excited for what’s to come.”
Former Port Adelaide ruckman Peter Ladhams will make his Sydney debut as Tom Hickey’s (knee) replacement but All-Australian forward Tom Papley is at least one more week away.
Originally published as AFL: Star Sydney defender Jake Lloyd keen for Swans to ‘rectify’ poor start
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