The evidence was quietly telling us, but Brisbane’s Thursday night belting of Sydney laid bare the Swans’ “alarm bells” as the business end of the year fast approaches.
Dean Cox’s side was completely constricted when it tried to use the corridor, also seeing its handball game diminished, while the defence was again leaky; in line with recent form.
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Across the first eight weeks of the season, the Swans were first in the AFL for points against and points against from turnovers. But between Rounds 8 and 15, they sat 14th and 14th respectively.
And on Thursday, Sydney conceded 7.4 from stoppage and 5.1 from defensive half on a night where it looked vulnerable in defensive transition and impotent going forward.
“I thought Brisbane was cleaner, tougher, hungrier – plain and simple,” Cox said in his post-match press conference.
“You can’t just rely on one phase of your game to get going to try and rectify the other couple … 20 shots (conceded) from turnover, that’s too many.
“We didn’t get our back-half ball movement going until the last quarter, but we can’t only rely on that.”
AFL legend Jason Dunstall explained how the Lions didn’t allow the Swans “any time to breathe”.
“Every handpass was under pressure,” he said.
“The player receiving was under pressure – they kept pressing up into the faces of the Sydney players trying to transition the ball.
“And in the end, they got desperate. Players like Gulden tried to force the issue; they turned a few over trying to find something that actually wasn’t there.”
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BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 25: Sydney leave the field following the 2026 AFL Round 16 match between the Brisbane Lions and the Sydney Swans at the Gabba on June 25, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Sydney managed a defensive-50-to-inside-50 rate of just 14 per cent, while generating a measly six points from its defensive 50.
That isn’t going to get it done in the modern game, pitted against a Brisbane side that’s had its defensive transition challenges.
“You can see the (Lions’) defensive coverage that was there through the corridor,” former Carlton coach Michael Voss said on Fox Footy.
“There was not a man that wasn’t occupied, so you’re forced to actually do something you don’t want to do.
“And Gulden we know is an amazing kick, but he has to kick to a one-on-one that’s in a really dangerous position on the field.
“Obviously, Brisbane were able to read it really well and create the intercept. And they just did it play after play, and became energised by it.”
Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna, who said in the immediate post-match that “there are some alarm bells”, added that it’s becoming “predictable” for opposition teams to sniff out what the Swans are trying to do.
“I think everyone knows what you need to do (to beat the Swans). Now, whether you’re good enough as a defensive unit to be able to stop it is the challenge,” he said.
“But I think we’re seeing that the good teams, now, are able to do it … they’ve got Fremantle and Adelaide coming up (in their next three weeks), who are two of the best defensive teams in the competition.”
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The Swans have now lost to three flag contenders in Hawthorn, Geelong and Brisbane, raising concerns over their game style’s ability to stand up against the best.
“They just couldn’t generate any run off half-back,” Voss said.
“We talked about the runners that they need off half-back, the importance of their midfielders being able to link them through midfield.
“And they just got nothing from their tall forwards. Charlie Curnow was able to take a few good contested marks down the line, but we just didn’t see enough of Amartey and McDonald.
“As a result, Brisbane’s defenders were set up in an assertive position, and they were able to counter-attack going back the other way.”
Overall, Montagna said the Swans were “a watch” as their brand comes under the microscope.
“Ladder position, they’re going to be fine … (but) they’ve got some tough games coming up, and I’m just interested to see from a bigger-picture looking forward to September, how their game style is going to stack up against the best teams.
“That’s my concern.”
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Voss, meanwhile, said it wasn’t yet ‘alarm bells’ for Sydney, but rather Thursday night will cause the Swans to sharpen up for the run home.
“The interesting part, when you dive into a bit of psychology, when you win a few of the games that maybe you should have lost – and are the ears as open as they need to be?” he offered.
“You’re winning games of football, you’re in a great position on the ladder, you just get over the line in a couple of those games, and you’re sitting in the review as a player saying: ‘Yeah, I know what you’re talking about, coach, but we’re OK, we’re still winning these games’.
“Not too many alarm bells just yet, I think, if anything … this is ears-open, have a listen – ‘on Monday, let’s have a look through this, because we brought nothing that we stand for as a football team’.”