The Cats had not lost at home for 29 consecutive games, its average winning margin at the venue in 2011 an extraordinary 99 points. The Swans had not beaten the Cats in their past nine clashes and had not won at the venue since 1999. It seemed so long ago since they had left the visitors' rooms as winners that 73-year-old club legend Bob Skilton told coach John Longmire in the rooms after the game that he could not remember the club's last win at the venue (for the record Skilton's last win at the venue as a player was in 1958 when the Swans won by a point).
During the week, the Swans heard the worst of all news when their co-captain Jarrad McVeigh's baby daughter Luella died. Preparing for a game under such circumstances was an enormous task but something they just had to do. The players and staff looked to McVeigh's lead and the way he had prepared the previous week against St Kilda, finding the strength to manage the dual tasks of being there for their mate in a time of need and preparing professionally for an AFL game.
Longmire has shown his maturity all week with his measured comments and after the win he was no different, complimenting the players on the way they had gone about getting ready for the game. "They went about their business and prepared well on Thursday and executed it well today. [I] could not help but think of the way 'Macca' (McVeigh) led the team last week under pretty tough circumstances and everyone just looked at that example and really followed it out to a tee," said Longmire.
McVeigh is a respected member of a respected group. The Swans have a well-earned reputation for being competitive, their stoppage work brilliant and their adherence to structures disciplined. They also manage to create stationary time in games and deny the opposition the ball. Longmire knew he could rely on his leaders to ensure there was no drop off in that aspect of their game, regardless of the opposition. "The senior players have got to take much of the credit," said Longmire. "They were keen that we weren't just going to come down here and make up the numbers. They were pretty keen we were going to be more than competitive and make sure we took our trademark footy into the game."
That trademark was on display from the start with former Cat Shane Mumford proving a strong competitor in the ruck and the Swans winning the ball from centre clearances. The traditional hard workers in Kieren Jack, Jude Bolton, Josh Kennedy and Ryan O'Keefe went to work in the clinches but they were not just winning scrubby clearances, they were putting teammates into space. Eventually the Swans won the clearances 56-34 and led the tackle count 93-89 but it was the quality of their inside 50s (which they trailed 52-58) that proved the difference. This has been the difference between the Swans winning and losing all year and on this day they used the ball well and kicked straight.
McVeigh's absence meant they had to find some spark and run around the stoppages and both 20-year-old speedster Gary Rohan playing just his 15th game and club legend, 31-year-old Adam Goodes, playing his 297th game provided that. Rohan's two bounce opening goal set the tone at the six-minute mark and from that moment the Swans had their nose in front in general play and then, eventually, on the scoreboard.
Denying the Cats the ball was effective too as they were unable to move the ball with fluency and had only 58 marks for the game, a significant figure when you consider Geelong has been averaging 100 a game this season up until this point. This pressure kept the ball on the ground and forced stoppages. Geelong has dropped off in the contested ball at times this season and the Swans took advantage.
Longmire knew maintaining pressure required a team effort and he got contributions from everyone, a fact he emphasised after the game. "I thought this week we were able to carry that on and [play] the consistent, pressure football that we want to have as a foundation of our game," he said.
Longmire managed to get the match-ups right too. Although much of the game was played in tight, each Swan appeared responsible for quelling the influence of his direct opponent. Ben McGlynn reduced Joel Selwood's influence while Jesse White was given the job of sticking with Matthew Scarlett and worked hard to stifle the full-back's run, which is so important to Geelong. Nick Smith was once again trusted with a big job being placed on Steve Johnson (who kicked just one goal) while their forwards Sam Reid and Matthew Spangher did not get sucked up the ground, competing well in the air. In the end White, Reid and Spangher took 10 marks and kicked four goals between them.
It was a great victory, but Longmire was not getting carried away (the Swans also pushed Collingwood to six points in round 14) with what it might mean for the Swans' premiership chances. "I still think we have got a bit of ground to make up against the best teams and it was a great win today but the best teams do it week in week out. We've got to do it next week," he said.
It will be a tough week for the Swans and there was certainly mixed emotions in the rooms after the game. They were not just celebrating the win but sparing a thought for the McVeigh family. Once again however, the club had shown it is a place of actions as much as words, worthy of every football fan's respect. "It's not often that things happen that have happened this week, thank goodness, but I think we're a pretty strong footy club, from the board to the management, the coaches through to the playing group," said Longmire.
