Dean Cox surveyed the Sydney Swans team meeting last Friday with a renewed sense of purpose. “We’re not going to be reactive this year,” he declared to his players. “We know our strengths.” As the Swans gear up for the upcoming season, Cox, now in his second year as head coach, is determined to lead a proactive and strategic team.
Among his players, Callum Mills, fit and ready, has resumed his role at half-back, while midfield stars Errol Gulden and Chad Warner sit poised for action. The team, including new recruit Charlie Curnow, is focused on refining their game plan in preparation for the season opener against Carlton, just five weeks away.
Revitalized Team Dynamics
The Swans’ training session last week was intense, featuring 70 minutes of match simulation under the sweltering Sydney heat. Players arrived at the state-of-the-art facility at 7 a.m., bracing for one of the toughest days of their pre-season. The rigorous training reflects the team’s commitment to improvement after missing the finals last year, a rare occurrence in their past 16 seasons.
Cox, reflecting on the extended off-season, noted, “Not making finals hurt everyone at the football club, so they’ve come back reinvigorated. I can’t question their appetite to train and improve, so hopefully 2026 is a different year.”
Strategic Changes and New Additions
This season, the Swans have undergone significant changes. The recruitment of Charlie Curnow, along with defenders Jai Serong and Malcolm Rosas Jr., marks a strategic shift. Meanwhile, the departure of players like Will Hayward, Ollie Florent, and Jack Buller has opened new opportunities within the team.
In addition to player changes, the coaching staff has been bolstered by the addition of Melbourne premiership coach Simon Goodwin as director of coaching and Jeremy Laidler as an assistant. Last year, the Swans faced challenges with a smaller coaching group following John Longmire’s departure. This year, Cox is optimistic about the expanded team.
“Last year had its challenges early but still I wouldn’t have changed it,” Cox said. “There are some challenges and things you learn from but hopefully I’m saying in five years’ time that I learn every year.”
Game Plan Overhaul
With new faces and a refreshed coaching strategy, the Swans have overhauled their game plan. Errol Gulden explained, “We’ve had a bit of an overhaul with most of our game plan, to be perfectly honest, especially our language around the way we want to play. So that’s taken us a little bit of time to learn.”
The focus has been on increasing the speed of play and maintaining high-intensity running, as demonstrated in Friday’s session. Gulden noted, “I got up to 17.1 kilometers for the session with the footy (match simulation) and running. I’m pretty cooked right now.”
For context, the AFL Telstra Tracker recorded Melbourne’s Ed Langdon and Giant Lachie Whitfield as covering the most distance in a game in 2025, at 17.7 km.
Challenges and Expectations
The addition of Curnow brings heightened expectations, reminiscent of past star acquisitions like Tony Lockett and Lance Franklin. Cox acknowledged, “He’s fitted in really well and he just has a jovial outlook on life. He’s here for a reason, which is on and off field as well.”
However, integrating all the tall players, including Joel Amartey, Hayden McLean, and Logan McDonald, remains a challenge. “I still don’t know at the minute,” Cox admitted. “Whether it’s three talls who can ruck, whether it’s four, whether you’ll play another dynamic mid, whether you play another forward, two rucks … There’s so many variables.”
Looking Forward
Last season’s early struggles and eventual 10th-place finish have fueled the Swans’ determination. The team is keen to move past previous disappointments and focus on future successes. Cox emphasized the importance of learning from past defeats and taking actionable steps forward.
Callum Mills, among others, is eager to prove himself after an injury-hit season. Cox has seen a renewed drive in Mills, who is now settled at half-back. “He’s a very dangerous half-back. He showed that at times last year, but that was off not training. So he’s training really well and we hope for a bit of luck throughout the year,” Cox said.
As the Swans prepare for the season, the focus remains on refining their strategy and building a cohesive team. The high-profile acquisition of Curnow and the team’s refreshed dynamics have sparked aspirations for a successful season, though Cox insists these goals remain unspoken for now.
“Players understand where they think a group’s at and the dynamic they have and it is unspoken,” Cox said. “But also having said that you want a playing group to have confidence in their ability in what we can do.”
With the new season on the horizon, the Sydney Swans are poised for a comeback, driven by a blend of seasoned talent and strategic innovation.
