The odd couple
Neil Cordy
Daily Telegraph, September 23

TEN months ago a Sudanese refugee and the grandson of Aussie rules royalty moved in with each other with very little in common except for a single dream: to make their AFL debuts.

Fast forward to Friday night and Aliir Aliir and Tom Papley have gone from the unlikeliest of housemates to key cogs in Sydney’s grand final charge.

Now the Swans’ odd couple are just 100 minutes away from completing a remarkable first season.

Papley at one end kicking goals and Aliir at the other stopping them.

They lead a group of seven Swans — a third of the team — who had never played finals before this year.

Expectations, though, remained high. The Swans hadn’t missed a finals series in the last six years and have featured in September action in all but three of the past 20 years.

A far cry from tackling Geelong at the MCG in tonight’s a grand final decider, Aliir began 2016 still trying to earn a first-team call-up in his third season at the Swans. While Papley had only just put his plumbing tools away after being taken with pick 14 in the rookie draft.

Papley, the grandson of Jeff Bray and Max Papley, who both played for South Melbourne in the 1950s and 1960s, always seemed destined to have a career in the AFL.

Aliir’s journey from a Kenyan refugee camp to Australia and ultimately the Swans backline might be the reason he doesn’t indulge himself in too much football in his down time.

“I try not to watch footy at home but it’s hard because Tom is always watching replays of his goals, he’s a typical forward,” Aliir said.

Lonergan to aim up Franklin
Jon Anderson
Daily Telegraph, September 23

TOM Lonergan has the game — and the backing of Geelong defensive legend Matthew Scarlett — to stop Sydney superstar Lance Franklin in tonight’s preliminary final.

The Cats last night made two changes to their side, Lachie Henderson and Jed Bews coming in for Daniel Menzel (groin) and Tom Ruggles (omitted).

Since Lonergan took over the Franklin match-up from Harry Taylor in 2011 — Scarlett had the job before that — he has built a remarkable record on the AFL’s most dangerous tall forward.

In eight games, Lonergan, 32, has restricted Franklin to an average of 1.75 goals.

The numbers don’t surprise Scarlett, now Geelong’s defensive coach.

“Tom is one of the best key position lockdown defenders in the competition and Buddy is in the top two forwards, so it will be a pivotal match-up,” Scarlett said.

It's a Buddy good month
Neil Cordy
Daily Telegraph, September 23

NEW York Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson was dubbed “Mr October” for his exploits in the baseball World Series.

Michael Jordan earned the nickname “Mr June” in honour of the month he dominated to win six NBA championships.

Now Lance Franklin is well on his way to claiming the title of “Mr September”.

Franklin will knock on the door of history against Geelong tonight as he returns to his favourite stage, the MCG, for his 14th final at the famous venue.

Another four goals in the preliminary final will move Franklin into outright fifth on the finals goalkicking list, moving him past greats Gary Ablett snr, Alistair Lynch, Doug Wade and Stephen Kernahan.

Franklin eclipsed Wayne Carey and Billy Brownless with his four-goal haul against Adelaide at the SCG last week and moved within striking distance of Hawthorn greats Leigh Matthews (72) and Jason Dunstall (78). Only Gordon Coventry’s 111 goals looks out of reach.

Eighty in a season is considered the new 100 these days as kicking bags of goals in modern footy is proving much harder against different tactics and defensive structures.

In pressure-cooker finals matches, it’s even tougher.

But Franklin still averages 3.4 goals per game from his 19 September outings.

None of the current champions get near him. Nick Reiwoldt is the closest, averaging 2.41 goals, while Franklin’s old Hawks teammate Jarryd Roughead is next at 2.21. Even mercurial GWS Giant Steve Johnson kicks only 1.61 goals per finals game. Franklin inherited his No. 23 guernsey from an equally famous Hawk in Dermott Brereton. Brereton said Buddy’s dominance could be attributed to his physical prowess.

“He’s the best athlete to ever play AFL,” Brereton said.

“He’s a 199cm running machine with huge endurance and happens to be 107kg and can kick it out of sight.”

Jones boy has huge shoes to fill
Neil Cordy
Daily Telegraph, September 23

ZAK Jones has got up from the deck after being knocked out in the NEAFL grand final two weeks ago to be named as the replacement for injured captain Jarrad McVeigh in tonight’s preliminary final against Geelong at the MCG.

The small defender comes into the team along with Kurt Tippett who suffered a fractured jaw in the qualifying final loss to GWS.

“Zak has got some real speed,” Swans coach John Longmire said. “His form over recent weeks has been really solid and his training intensity has been of a really high standard. He gives us energy and gets across the ground really quickly which is really important at the MCG.”

Tippett’s jaw fracture was hairline and didn’t require surgery allowing him to resume training late last week.

“He did a bit of training at the end of last week, trained on Sunday and has done all the required training this week competing in the ruck.’

As expected Gary Rohan retained his spot in the team after initial fears his season was over following an awkward fall on his knee in the semi-final win over Adelaide. Scans revealed no structural damage and he was able to train on Wednesday.

Key Swans back into fray
Peter Lalor
The Australian, September 23

The Sydney trio of Kurt Tippett, Gary Rohan and Zak Jones will all take their places for the Swans in tonight’s match with Geelong at the MCG.

Sydney co-captain Jarrad McVeigh and unlucky Cats forward Daniel Menzel will both miss the match because of injuries.

Geelong have named Lachie Henderson as a replacement for Menzel.

Tonight’s game is the first time the two clubs have met in a final since Nick Davis kicked four last-quarter goals to end Geelong’s chances in the second semi-final 11 years ago.

Tippett has a hairline fracture of the jaw, while Rohan and Jones were last seen leaving the field on stretchers with little hope at the time that they would play again this year.

Rohan has been deemed fit to play despite making his exit on a medicab from last Saturday’s game against Adelaide.

The running forward was thought to have sustained a serious knee injury, but was later diagnosed with bone bruising.

McVeigh has not recovered in time from a calf injury suffered during the game against Adelaide and has been replaced by Jones.

Jones has not played senior football since hurting an ankle in round 17.

Swans pick injured stars but McVeigh misses out
Andrew Wu
SMH, September 23

Sydney defender Nick Smith says Jarrad McVeigh will be sorely missed after the Swans captain fell short of making a remarkable recovery for Friday night's preliminary final against Geelong.

And there was a shock at the Cattery with more finals heartbreak for forward Daniel Menzel, who misses out through injury.

After much speculation over their injured stars, the Swans welcomed back ruckman Kurt Tippett as one of two changes and named speedster Gary Rohan in their 22.

Defender Zak Jones, who was knocked out in the NEAFL grand final a fortnight ago, is back for his first senior game in 10 weeks while Toby Nankervis makes way for Tippett.

All three emergencies – James Rose, Nankervis and Harry Cunningham – travelled with the team to Melbourne, along with McVeigh, but will not play barring a last-minute mishap to any in the selected team.

Despite the injury dramas of the past fortnight, the Swans enter their most important game of the year with only the forgotten Sam Reid, who has not played all year, and McVeigh out of their best side.

McVeigh was given little chance of playing after injuring his calf in the semi-final victory over Adelaide but hopes were raised after a positive scan result. The Swans gave him every chance to play but decided to err on the side of caution. He will be in contention for the grand final if the Swans win through.

"He was just a bit short this week. We thought he was a real chance early on in the week," Swans coach John Longmire said.

"The longer the week went it became a bit too obvious as far as the risk worth taking so we ruled him out. Hopefully he can get his calf right."

Geelong v Sydney – burning questions of preliminary final
Jon Pierik
SMH, The Age, September 23

Buddy hell – who goes to Lance?

That's an easy one – Tom Lonergan. The veteran Cat has become a "Buddy-stopper", holding the champion Swan to five goals in their past five meetings when matched up on each other. Lonergan is uncontracted yet remains arguably Franklin's greatest defensive challenge, although Adelaide's Daniel Talia has enjoyed success. Franklin reverted to a deeper role last week and he and the Swans flourished as a result, with Buddy contributing four goals. The wider expanses of the MCG are likely to mean Franklin will roam further up the ground – but he knows this venue intimately, where his 322 goals here is his best return of any venue. He will be at his most dangerous lurking around the 50m arc, and pushing back deeper to goal. If Lonergan was to struggle, expect Lachie Henderson – should he be picked – to move on to Franklin.

What do the Swans do about Patrick Dangerfield?

Once again, an opposition coach faces the question of whether to tag Joel Selwood or Dangerfield. It would seem the latter would be the priority, with Tom Mitchell in the frame for the job. When the Swans prevailed at Simonds Stadium in round 16, it was Mitchell who played a key role on Dangerfield. While the Brownlow Medal favourite had 34 disposals (and don't forget 10 inside-50s and seven clearances), Mitchell restricted him to 16 after quarter-time, while also accruing 33 of his own. The key to the Cats remain Dangerfield and Selwood, who average a combined 60 disposals per game and are both top 10 for clearance wins. But it was Cam Guthrie, with his burst of pace after half-time, which derailed the Hawks a fortnight ago.

How Swans stayed strong after AFL's harsh trade ban
Andrew Wu
SMH, September 23

Sydney's investment in its contentious academy has helped the club remain a force after the AFL's controversial trade bans but it has been anything but the free hit their southern critics believe.

By the end of this season the Swans will have spent $7 million on their academy, which was established in 2010, at the cost of $1 million for each of the seven graduates who have played senior football and, as it stands, about $65,000 a game.

While the controversy surrounding boom youngsters Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills led to the AFL changing draft rules regarding the academies, there was little discussion of the topic when the Swans secured lower-profile graduates Sam Naismith and Brandon Jack.

Insiders say there is no talent matching the calibre of Heeney or Mills in this year's draft.

Their arrivals came just when the Swans needed them most after the trade and free agency bans imposed by the AFL.

The sanctions had the potential to be very costly for the Swans, who labelled it "senseless" and "unconstitutional", at time when player movement between clubs had rarely been so fluid since the introduction of the draft and salary cap.

They were shut out entirely from the 2014 player exchange period and, after much lobbying, in 2015 allowed only to sign players on a salary less than $450,000 or risk an immediate lifting of the cost of living allowance.

The heavy ban, after the club had signed Kurt Tippett and Lance Franklin in consecutive trade periods, meant the Swans could not strengthen their best team via player movement. But it has not stopped the Swans from contending.

Their improvement has had to come from what they already had in 2014 plus what they have been able to harness in the draft and the instant dividends from Heeney and Mills. Heeney won this year's AFL Coaches Association's award for best young player while Mills was named the league's Rising Star.

Of the 22 who will wear the red and white at the MCG on Friday night, 20 were already on the Swans' list when the ban was enforced. The exceptions being the precociously talented Heeney and Tom Papley, a graduate of last year's rookie draft who has surprised many with his progress.

By comparison, the Cats have six who came after the 2014 season through trade or free agency, most notably raging Brownlow favourite Patrick Dangerfield, while ruck duo Zac Smith and Rhys Stanley and swingman Lachie Henderson would be regular players at most top clubs.