Sydney Swans defender Nick Blakey on what went wrong in AFL round 16 loss to Fremantle

Sydney is confident its shock home loss to Fremantle can serve as a wake-up call after a sluggish first half came back to haunt the AFL’s ladder leader and allowed the Dockers to clinch a huge upset.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 29: Logan McDonald of the Swans reacts after missing a kick to win the game after the full time siren during the round 16 AFL match between Sydney Swans and Fremantle Dockers at SCG on June 29, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

It might not quite be as cliche as the loss they needed to have, but the Sydney Swans’ dramatic one-point AFL defeat to the Fremantle Dockers is set to spark some important reflection heading into the back half of the year.

Comprehensively outplayed around the stoppages in the first half, the Swans gave up a 27-point lead in the opening term and for the first time this year weren’t able to reel their opponents back in.

Logan McDonald laments his miss. Picture: Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

The Dockers were superb in all facets, particularly their undermanned defence which stood tall late in the game. But the Sydney players could sense a result like this wasn’t far away if they kept starting games in a sluggish manner.

“I think it was a tale of two halves,” Swans defender Nick Blakey said.

“They’re a good side and good at what they do. They’re good around the contest and at clearances.

“There’s no doubt we were off in the first half and we turned it around a bit in the second. But we can’t keep starting like we do against good sides like that, we just don’t have enough time to peg them back.”

The dual weapon of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson proved decisive early in the game, with Caleb Serong commanding ownership of both the Sherrin and the centre square.

Isaac Heeney laments what has been a rare loss for the Swans.

But it was clear that the Swans’ pressure was severely lacking in the opening half, with their biggest names unable to play the game on their own terms.

“We got well beaten around clearances in that first half,” John Longmire said.

“We lost a lot of ground position and that made it difficult. We also didn’t move as quickly as what we normally do from those situations so that exaggerated the challenge.

“When we get back to pretty basic footy and we get our pressure up, it’s amazing what happens. It’s simple, but we’ve got to do it a bit earlier.”

Blakey added: “It’s stuff we pride ourselves on, and to be honest, stuff we’ve been pretty good at this year,”

“It’s frustrating because we know when we play our way those starts don’t happen. There’s no secrets to it, when we press hard we get it going forward and that’s our game.

“I suppose it’s a good thing as well, we doing a lot right but plenty to work on.”

Serong finds a way under pressure 👏#AFLSwansFreopic.twitter.com/h112M8XtH7

— AFL (@AFL) June 29, 2024

Blakey was Sydney’s best on the day and took the game into his own hands in the last quarter. He set up a goal for Will Hayward, kicked an incredible goal from the pocket and had four inside-50s by himself in the final term.

“He was big,” Longmire said.

“He kept attacking the game when we needed it and that was important.

“He was one of the players that were able to do that and give us a chance. And we had a chance, we just fell a little bit short.”

But while it proved to be not quite enough on the day, the dashing defender knows that the result will knock any lingering complacency on the head with just two months of the regular season to go.

“It’s not just me, a whole lot of boys stood up in that second half,” Blakey said.

“I wasn’t having the best first half so it was nice to have a better second.

“This group is extremely close. We have been doing a lot right, we’ve won 10 or something in a row, so it’s probably a good timely reminder that when you’re a little bit off and you think things might just happen, you get a whack in the face against good quality teams.

“We’ll lick our wounds and we’ll be back next week.”

Originally published as Sydney Swans defender Nick Blakey on what went wrong in AFL round 16 loss to Fremantle