Faced with the loss of Darren Jolly to Collingwood, the club shored up its ruck stocks in the space of three days and ensured the 2010 Swans would pose a significant challenge in the centre square.
However, there was one young Swan who found it difficult to celebrate as joyously as the club’s supporters.
Daniel Currie began 2009 as the next big thing in the Swans’ ruck department but ended the year in frustration as groin, back and foot injuries ruined his season.
The arrival of fellow big men Mumford and Seaby made his goal of an AFL debut seem all the more distant.
However, Currie said some brutally honest feedback from his teammates and coaches helped him to view the arrival of the two new big men as a challenge.
“The playing group probably wasn’t too happy with how my season developed in the end. Obviously there were a couple of injuries but I copped a pretty blunt assessment of where I was at,” he told sydneyswans.com.au.
“The club went out and got a couple of ruckmen because my season wasn’t ideal last year with how it turned out.
“Obviously I wasn’t rapt with that, but I just went about trying to get myself right and trying to control what I could control and leave the external things alone.”
With the memory of a wasted season fuelling his every step, the 20-year-old approached his pre-season program with a mantra of leaving no stone unturned.
To date, his newfound diligence has paid off handsomely, to the point where he hasn’t missed a session.
“I’ve been really happy with how things have gone,” he said. “Last year, I probably felt that I was doing everything I could but in the end, when I reviewed my season, I didn’t think I was. I really needed to change things heading into pre-season.
“Over the off-season, it was really about getting myself right and mapping out a clear plan, heading into day one of pre-season where I tried to make an immediate statement.
“Over the years, the stats don’t really lie. Blokes who have a strong and consistent pre-season generally correlate with a consistent and injury-free home and away season as well. Hopefully I can do the same.”
With the Swans’ first NAB Cup hitout against Carlton less than three weeks away, Currie said his first goal was to be in the squad named to face the Blues at Blacktown.
Having spent time in both the midfield and forward groups during the pre-season, he hoped his versatility would give him an edge at the selection table.
“They’re going to pick a pretty strong side so if I can force my way into the side there, that’s a pretty positive start,” he said.
“From there I just want to make sure I play as well as I possibly can… and hopefully hold my spot through the pre-season games. Leading into round one, hopefully I’ve done enough to earn my spot.”
But just as important as the prospect of a long awaited AFL debut is the respect afforded him again by those in the club’s inner sanctum.
“It’s been good to earn some respect back from the group and the coaches,” he said.
“The NAB Cup is just under a month away, so there’s still plenty of work to do to earn that spot. I can’t rest on my laurels now; I just want to continue to improve as much as I can.”
