The Swans are flying like early 2024, but are they built to finish?

May 8, 2026 — 11:30am

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In 2024 Dean Cox was working as an assistant coach under John Longmire when the Swans lost the premiership many thought they should have won.

It was the season they won nine of their first 10 matches, and looked unstoppable, spearheaded by their three midfield stars, Isaac Heeney, Errol Gulden and Chad Warner. They were on track to deliver an 11th top-flight flag since the foundation of the South Melbourne Swans in 1874.

However, by the final siren on grand final day, the Swans had lost by 60 points at the MCG against a rampant Brisbane. In 2026, the Swans are similarly impressive at the early part of the season, having lost once in their opening eight rounds. Have they learned their lessons from two years ago?

“We always look at past experiences, but for me, it’s about we’re a completely different group and we’re playing a completely different way,” Cox, who took over from Longmire as head coach at the end of 2024, said this week ahead of Saturday’s clash with North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.

Moving beyond the holy midfield trinity

By the latter stages of the 2024 season, the Swans had gained a reputation for stunning comebacks, led by Heeney, Gulden and Warner. While each player was outstanding and the football was thrilling, it built an unfair reliance on the trio.

Last year, the Swans........

© The Sydney Morning Herald