AFL 2024: Sydney Swans star Chad Warner ‘still learning’, says coach

Sydney coach John Longmire has a dire warning for the rest of the AFL after one of the best individual performances of the season.

Chad Warner starred with four goals as Sydney claimed a 14-point win over the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

Sydney coach John Longmire says Chad Warner can become an even more potent attacking threat after booting a career-high four goals on Thursday night.

The star midfielder has kicked nine goals in his last three games and is equal second at the club for both goals (19) and goal assists (11) amid the Swans’ blistering 10-1 start to the season.

Longmire said the mid-season bye had come at the right time after the Swans were pushed to the line by the Western Bulldogs in their 14-point win.

He praised Warner’s “fantastic” second-half performance after he was subdued early when the Bulldogs seized control of the midfield battle.

“He’s learning. He’ll keep learning, he played well last week. He played against a gun midfield tonight, I thought at halftime they were really good, the Doggies. The Doggies’ mids were all over us,” Longmire said.

Warner took a towering mark on top of teammate, Swans ruckman Brodie Grundy, before kicking his third goal during the win over the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

“Certainly Chad played a little bit differently in the third quarter. He played a bit more forward and he was able to hit the scoreboard and was pretty dynamic, and that’s a reasonable sign that he’s able to switch on like that and get himself going like he did in that second half.

“Hopefully the players are learning that like we are every week that opposition teams are good, and we need to find a way when we’re not at our best, both individually and as a team.”

Warner managed to plant a knee on Brodie Grundy’s shoulder to reel in a soaring mark and kick his third goal in an electric passage of play during the third term.

Longmire smiled when asked about the leap and said “it wasn’t bad”.

“We’ve been talking about it for a little bit, pushing (Warner) forward, and we’ve been doing it more and more,” he said.

Longmire thought the Swans midfield including stars Warner and Isaac Heeney (pictured) were below their best early in the game against the Bulldogs, but was pleased they lifted in the second half. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

“We’ve had a bit of a (conversation) at some point (about) going forward to take a mark and back your spring in … it was a reasonable jump.”

Longmire said the Swans coaches were “kicking ourselves” when they chose to send James Jordon to Bulldogs halfback Bailey Dale instead of Ed Richards in the first term.

By the first break, Richards had 11 disposals and three goal assists, but was ruled out of the game shortly after halftime due to a concussion from a head clash with Ollie Florent.

“We were tossing up with Richards during the week. We were probably kicking ourselves around the 25-minute mark of that first quarter, we thought we might have made a bit of a mistake,” Longmire said.

“As coaches sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don’t necessarily nail it as well as what you could’ve, so we decided to make the change (moving Jordon into the midfield).

“We also wanted to change the mix around the ball … we were getting well beaten in the contest, we had to do something else in that space.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Sydney Swans star Chad Warner ‘still learning’, says coach