Don't miss any of the news involving the Swans as we bring you everything from the newspapers around the country on Monday, June 6, 2016.

Sinclair facing a tall order
Neil Cordy
Daily Telegraph, June 6

THEY’RE second favourites for the AFL premiership and the bookies’ pick to topple local rivals the Giants, but Sydney’s Callum Sinclair is still wary of the task of containing the “awesome” combination of GWS big men Shane Mumford and Rory Lobb.

Sinclair and fellow ruckman Kurt Tippett will have their hands full up against the 206cm Lobb and 197cm Mumford in Sunday’s clash at Spotless Stadium.

But the 26-year-old former West Coast star is no stranger to overcoming obstacles after leaving an Eagles side that played in last year’s grand final for a team which out in the finals in straight sets and was predicted to fall away in 2016.

Instead, Sinclair, who arrived in Sydney as part of the Lewis Jetta trade, has praised the culture of the playing group which has made the Swans perennial finalists.

“The thing that has impressed me the most since I’ve joined the club is how player driven the culture is,” Sinclair told The Daily Telegraph.

“That starts with the leadership group and flows through the playing ranks. It’s an honest environment and very competitive. I’ve found it quite unique, I’ve played at a few footy clubs now and have seen how they work. It’s a united, competitive and honest playing group.”

Tippett finds his groove
Andrew Wu
SMH, June 6

What a difference a year makes for Kurt Tippett, who has transformed from a maligned, high-priced star to become one of Sydney's Mr Dependables.

The big man was recruited from Adelaide to play out of the goal square but it has been in the ruck where he has produced his best run in the red and white since his feted arrival in 2013.

While it has taken many until this year to catch on to Tippett's hot form, his improved run started midway through last year when he was forced to shoulder more of the ruck duties.

If there was a best and fairest vote count starting from midway last season until now Tippett would be polling up there with the club's midfield dynamos Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery and Luke Parker.

It now seems hard to believe his name was being mooted as potential trade bait by former great Wayne Carey.

Tippett defied the big wet on the Gold Coast by amassing a career-high 50 hit outs to be one of the best players on the field. It comes after he beat All Australian ruckman Todd Goldstein and played a starring role in the Swans' win over Hawthorn.

His duel next week with Shane Mumford will be one of the key match-ups in the Sydney derby.

"He's been just so consistent with his ruck work," Swans coach John Longmire said.

Slippery Swans shut out the Suns
Andrew Hamilton
Daily Telegraph, June 5

THE worst of Gold Coast weather was on show on Saturday night but also the best of its footballers as local Kurt Tippett starred for the Swans in their 38-point victory.

The Swans ruckman who is in career best form, dominated Tom Nicholls at the ball-ups winning 50 hit-outs.

The Swans lost George Hewett in the second quarter to concussion while Suns midfielder Jesse Lonergan sat out much of the second half with a knee injury.

And Tom Lynch, whose frustrations have come close to bubbling over for several weeks now, was reported for striking Jeremy Laidler late in the game.

However, it is unlikely to earn the Suns forward more than a fine.

Suns coach Rodney Eade was confident Lonergan would be right for next Sunday’s clash with Richmond.

But Eade said vice-captain Lynch showed poor leadership with his late infringement.

“Laidlaw stayed on and was OK, so I don’t think there was anything in it but, from our point of view, it was totally undisciplined for a leader,” Eade said.

The conditions were atrocious and the 4368 who turned up to watch were just as committed as the players.

Swans shine in deluge as Suns wallow again
Ed Jackson
SMH, AAP, June 5

Sydney have overcome Gold Coast at a sodden Metricon Stadium to claim their third straight win.

The Swans once again proved their wet-weather credentials with the 11.13 (79) to 6.5 (41) victory on Saturday night. The low-scoring affair was no surprise given more than 200mm of rain fell on the stadium turf in just over 24 hours.

The conditions also kept the crowd low, with an attendance of just 4368. Swans pair Gary Rohan and Luke Parker were the only players to kick multiple goals, with two apiece for the visitors, who trailed by 11 points at quarter-time but then turned the screw on the Suns.

Tom Mitchell was a star for the visitors, keeping a tight watch on Suns skipper Gary Ablett and picking up a goal in the third term.

Hewett’s courage on show in early days before the Swans
Andrew Wu
SMH, June 4

George Hewett was at the bottom of a pack, amid a flurry of bodies and boots, in his first contest of the match. Someone had trodden on his hand. He heard a crack, looked down to inspect the damage and after concluding it to be nothing more than a sprain he played on. He had, in fact, broken his wrist.

As a lightly-framed year 10 student playing against older boys in Adelaide’s Prince Alfred College’s first 18, Hewett had good reason to walk off but stayed on, inspiring his team to a one-point win in a cup final. His coach did not realise the duress Hewett was under during the game though, in hindsight, there were some giveaways.

‘‘He was flying for marks onehanded and protecting his arm,’’ PAC’s then-coach Troy McKinnon recalls with pride at Hewett’s courage and embarrassment that the injury went undetected. ‘‘He looked a bit green in the gills.’’

There are several aspects of heroism, or, as McKinnon puts it, ‘‘stupidity’’, in this tale, but all paint a picture of Hewett, one of Sydney’s six debutants this year, as a player you want on your team.

Hewett’s desire to stay on the field was, McKinnon says, a sign of his commitment and dedication.

‘‘He won’t leave a task until it’s done. He’s a boy who won’t quit,’’ McKinnon says. ‘‘It shows you the conviction of George and his courage and raw determination to stick with something.’’

Nor did Hewett let on post-match the extent of his injuries, even if he was ‘‘celebrating with a grimace’’. It was not until the morning after when his roommate had heard him spend the entire night ‘‘whimpering’’ that it became apparent how badly hurt Hewett was.

It turns out another reason Hewett had hidden his injury was so he could play against arch rival St Peter’s College.

‘‘I played out the game then I was in agony, I was just about crying all night,’’ Hewett says. ‘‘The pain was a bit too much so I went and had a scan, I had a broken wrist.’’ Hewett missed out on playing. ‘‘It backfired a bit,’’ he says.

Memorabilia hits the mark with Swans
David Sygall
SMH, June 4

The Swans have been gifted remarkable pieces of football history to take pride of place in a museum at their proposed new headquarters and provide ongoing funds for the club’s academy system, which has produced stars Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills.

The artefacts include premiership caps from 1888 and 1889 – when players would throw their cap on the ground to note the place they caught the ball, giving rise to the term ‘mark’ – and premiership medals from 1918 and 1933. The items, which are in pristine condition, are valued at about $150,000.

They are part of a series of rare and unique items donated by Melbourne collector Craig Meade, a lifelong Swans supporter who had long wanted the club to have a museum for public enjoyment.

‘‘When my son was five or six he collected footy cards and that’s how I started collecting and I just got hooked on it,’’ Mr Meade said.

‘‘My uncle played in the 1955 thirds premiership for South Melbourne – that’s how our family became staunch Swans supporters – and I’ve only ever sought things to do with South Melbourne/Sydney Swans. I wanted to make sure that some of these things were available for the enjoyment of not just myself but others. That’s why I donated them to the Sydney Swans Foundation.’’

Swans team of the century member Tony Morwood, who manages the Sydney Swans Foundation, said the pieces were not for sale.

‘‘These are history. These need to be kept to honour the people who’ve built the club since 1874,’’ Morwood said.

Tippett standing tall
Neil Cordy
Daily Telegraph, June 4

THERE are plenty of reasons why the Swans are now outright favourites for the premiership.

Lance Franklin is in career best form, the midfield are close to the best in the AFL and their defensive pressure is outstanding.

But there is another factor few predicted at the start of the season — the rise of Kurt Tippett as an elite ruckman.

He passed his biggest test yet last week when he edged the game’s best in North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein and will put his fast developing skills on show again on Saturday night against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium.

Even predicted rain of biblical proportions throughout south east Queensland hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for his new job among the AFL’s heavyweights.

“I’m enjoying my football at the moment,” Tippett told The Saturday Telegraph.

“To be in the centre with players like Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack, Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery and Tom Mitchell it makes my job easy.

“The weather on the Goldie will be a challenge but we’ll have to adapt to the conditions as best we can.”