BRING ON OPENING ROUND
On the track at the Swans, Curnow has been put through a rigorous training program to get his body back up to speed.
He already feels his troublesome knee is close to 100 per cent, while Sydney’s early match simulations have shown his chemistry is developing well with his new teammates.
“To be out there, healthy, it means so much to me,” Curnow said. “I want to show all the new boys what I’ve got, and I want to be out there enjoying time with them and playing good footy.
“I can see with the core middle-aged group of like Juz (Justin McInerney), Joel (Amartey), Logan McDonald, Errol (Gulden), (Nick) Blakey, that 24 to 28 age, it’s a cool, tight group. So it’s chiming in on their banter, and I sit at the back like the awkward kid; it’s like going back to school.
“The new forward line with Joel and Logan is nice. Someone like Jesse Dattoli, I’m just figuring it all out, which is cool; it’s all new to me.
“You want to be out there as much as you can. I feel like I’ve given myself that opportunity.”
Curnow’s first press conference as a Swan brought with it memories of Lance Franklin’s arrival in Sydney
While life at Tamarama has certainly added a layer of peace for Curnow, it doesn’t take much to be reminded of his past life at the Blues.
“Carlton fans are a different beast, and I love them and have really enjoyed them over the years,” Curnow said.
“But it’s pretty funny now, it’s changed. I love the competitiveness of fans and players. I’ll get stopped, but it’ll be, ‘My friend is a Carlton supporter, and I want to send them a photo of you’. It’s just funny, it was such a great part of my life.”
Undoubtedly, there will be a lot of expectation placed on Curnow’s shoulders across the next five years. The Swans traded away two club favourites, as well as three high-value draft picks, to get him to the club – if it was a game of poker, Dean Cox has gone all-in.
How do the Blues replace this?
But it’s not something Curnow has felt yet. He just wants to play his role, and he’s confident the good times will come.
“You definitely feel pressure no matter where you are at any football club,” he said. “But I feel there isn’t too much pressure because I’m just part of their footy club now, it feels natural.
I’m not here to change anything. What they do works; it’s proven. We’re looking at the end of the year, and everyone’s got the same goal in mind. The boys are hungry as, I’m just here to compliment what they’ve been doing well.”
“I got to learn about the history of the Swans and the tough period when South Melbourne moved to Sydney. We had Rick Quade, the first coach at the time, come in. It opened up to me how much they went through to make this club what it is today.
“It’s probably given me a bit of passion back into the game. I didn’t ever not love it, but it helped me find a way to enjoy it out there.”
Over the coming weeks, Swans fans will continue to get a glimpse of Curnow through fleeting clips on social media and practice matches. But undoubtedly, all eyes will be on the SCG for the opening match of the AFL season when the Swans take on Carlton on March 5.
It couldn’t have been scripted better – “I thought we were going to be playing them four times,” Curnow joked.
But as the door closes on Curnow’s chapter at Carlton, he can’t wait for his future in red and white to begin.
“It’s going to be treated as a grand final, isn’t it?” Curnow said. “It’s just one game, but I don’t know, it’s going to be a weird feeling.
I think it’ll be a lot of hate (from Carlton fans). After the game, hopefully (it’s love). It’ll be interesting. But with the boys, it’s going to be funny, and it’s going to be on. I’m sure Walshy is going to be lipping me. Weiters, he’s a gun, he’s going to try to put me in his forklift and not let me move.”
“The fans will love coming to see that. They’ll probably want to give me a bit of s**t, but hopefully one day, we’ll be back on the same side. But that’s all part of it. I was hoping there was going to be a Melbourne game.
“I don’t think about (the move anymore). When I got up here, it was such a release. I had a crack at Carlton, and I think it’s a good reset for them, and it’s going to be good for me too.”