BRETT Kirk has played down talk of Carlton’s Brendan Fevola moving to Sydney next season, but the inspirational Swans co-captain wasn’t playing down the danger posed by the Blues star ahead of Carlton’s visit to the SCG this weekend.
"Brendan can kick a big score so it's important for our midfielders to nullify the service to him. He'll want to come back and play well,” Kirk said on Wednesday.
“He's an important part of their structure and he's kicked a lot of goals this season.
“They have some good young players with good foot skills. We've also got to nullify some of their better players.”
As for the press rumours Fevola would join Hall and O’Loughlin in the Swans front line next season, Kirk wasn’t keen on fanning the speculation.
"I have only just read whatever is in the paper. I haven't even thought about it at this stage and wouldn't think about it until the end of the year."
However, the Swans star added that last weekend’s superb win over Fremantle might just be a turning point for the side as they head towards the final stretch of the home and away season.
“There was a real genuine feeling when we walked off that that was how we wanted to play our footy. Hopefully we can replicate that form in coming weeks but obviously there were milestone moments which don't come along each week.”
The Swans’ 28-point victory over the West Australians has been hailed as one of the best performances of the season, with the 2005 premiers moving into tenth spot on the ladder.
“I really feel honoured to have been part of a game with such emotion and passion. I could only think of playing well for Mick last week. Nothing was going to stand in my way.
“Is it a turning point? I hope so.”
Kirk also addressed the issue of consistency, which has dogged the side this season. “Every year we talk about at least having 15 or 16 guys who don't rely on a few other guys to get us over the line. We haven’t had that. Too many have been up and down.
“That's where the improvement needs to be, rather than having just 10 or 11 players like that.”
Kirk dismissed the suggestion he’d been carrying the team but stressed the importance of psychologically turning up for each game. “You've got to mentally turn up to play footy and mentally turn up to compete.
“You should be able to mentally turn up each week to play AFL football. We're all human beings and it's not going to happen all the time but we can't be in each other's heads every day of the week.
“Things go on in each other's lives and hopefully guys can come mentally prepared.”
Kirk added that the side will remain positive. “I don't feel too much pressure to win each game now because we always want to win each game anyway.
“There isn’t too much focus on the ladder. Our destiny is in our own hands.”
"Brendan can kick a big score so it's important for our midfielders to nullify the service to him. He'll want to come back and play well,” Kirk said on Wednesday.
“He's an important part of their structure and he's kicked a lot of goals this season.
“They have some good young players with good foot skills. We've also got to nullify some of their better players.”
As for the press rumours Fevola would join Hall and O’Loughlin in the Swans front line next season, Kirk wasn’t keen on fanning the speculation.
"I have only just read whatever is in the paper. I haven't even thought about it at this stage and wouldn't think about it until the end of the year."
However, the Swans star added that last weekend’s superb win over Fremantle might just be a turning point for the side as they head towards the final stretch of the home and away season.
“There was a real genuine feeling when we walked off that that was how we wanted to play our footy. Hopefully we can replicate that form in coming weeks but obviously there were milestone moments which don't come along each week.”
The Swans’ 28-point victory over the West Australians has been hailed as one of the best performances of the season, with the 2005 premiers moving into tenth spot on the ladder.
“I really feel honoured to have been part of a game with such emotion and passion. I could only think of playing well for Mick last week. Nothing was going to stand in my way.
“Is it a turning point? I hope so.”
Kirk also addressed the issue of consistency, which has dogged the side this season. “Every year we talk about at least having 15 or 16 guys who don't rely on a few other guys to get us over the line. We haven’t had that. Too many have been up and down.
“That's where the improvement needs to be, rather than having just 10 or 11 players like that.”
Kirk dismissed the suggestion he’d been carrying the team but stressed the importance of psychologically turning up for each game. “You've got to mentally turn up to play footy and mentally turn up to compete.
“You should be able to mentally turn up each week to play AFL football. We're all human beings and it's not going to happen all the time but we can't be in each other's heads every day of the week.
“Things go on in each other's lives and hopefully guys can come mentally prepared.”
Kirk added that the side will remain positive. “I don't feel too much pressure to win each game now because we always want to win each game anyway.
“There isn’t too much focus on the ladder. Our destiny is in our own hands.”
