BEFORE the game, North Melbourne coach Brad Scott pointed to Collingwood’s eight-game winning record over the Sydney Swans and the former Magpie assistant suggested he would instruct his new, young team to play in the same manner.

However, the Sydney Swans current line-up is vastly different from the team that Collingwood has treated as a whipping boy in recent years and - as the Swans’ cheer-squad banner noted - “Recruits are firing” and “Young Bloods are inspiring”.

So when Scott watched the Swans bolt away with the game in the second half, it was unfamiliar names such as  Daniel Hannebery, Daniel Bradshaw, Lewis Jetta and Shane Mumford that were running amok: names that Scott, and Collingwood, are yet to contend with.

In fact, according to coach Paul Roos, not only are his team’s opponents learning about the new-look Swans, the Swans are learning about themselves and, indeed, their own capabilities.

“We are still a team that is learning a bit about each other in terms of what those new players bring [and] what the young players bring,” Roos said.

“[But] the other good thing about it is that all the players we got from other clubs are having significant impacts on a weekly basis.

“Obviously we know the experienced players but [what we are yet to know about the new guys is], can they maintain their high standard?”

While that is an unknown, after four games for three wins and one impressive loss against ladder leader St Kilda, it is becoming evident that the Swans are improving.

In the 40-point win against North Melbourne, youngster Hannebery enjoyed a break-out game for the club and Daniel Bradshaw performed at a level that suggested he was returning to his very best.

Not only that, Mumford had arguably his finest game for the Swans and smooth-mover Jetta again showed a touch of class.

So this week, Roos found himself not talking about Hawk Ben McGlynn or former Eagle Mark Seaby, as his has previously done, but the aforementioned.

Hannebery was “outstanding”, according to Roos.

“He played a very good game and a really good second half and was probably one of the ones that got them going.

“I thought Lewis Jetta’s game was really good when it needed to be. He really ran and carried the ball, he probably didn’t quite finish as well…[but] it is good to have a couple of young guys who are starting to generate some real drive and are changing games this early in their careers.”

Roos said Bradshaw - who missed a chunk of the pre-season - was nearing peak condition.

“I thought probably last week there were really good signs [for Bradshaw] and I thought over the next couple of weeks we were going to see some of his best footy and I thought today he was outstanding.

“He caught everything that went his way and I think he had eight shots at goal and 18 possessions and however many contested marks, so he was certainly a real factor for us and maybe a little bit of the difference between the two sides.”

HMAS Sydney II Commemorative Football Game
Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles
Saturday 24 April, 2010, SCG, 2:10pm
Tickets from Ticketek or at the gate.