Former Sydney Swans AFL star Tadhg Kennelly rates the midfield depth at the club as mind-boggling and enormous.
Irishman Kennelly, who was part of Sydney’s 2005 premiership-winning team, is in awe of the volume of players coach John Longmire can throw at opposing midfields.
He cited the example of last Sunday’s clash with Richmond at the SCG, where the Tigers started well but were worn down by the Swans battalion of eager runners.
“I think the midfield depth that the Swans have got is enormous. It’s mind boggling to see,” said Kennelly, who now works for the AFL.
“Last week watching the game against Richmond, the form of (Richmond’s Trent) Cotchin and (Dustin) Martin and (Brett) Deledio, they have had to stay on the ground an awful lot and had to push forward.
“Whereas the Swans midfield is so deep, that they are able to get off the ground and stay fresh.
“That was probably in the end what allowed them to run over the top of Richmond.
“Because the Richmond midfielders had to stay on the ground a lot longer than the Swans midfield.
“Having considered there’s probably eight or nine players from the 22 that won the grand final last year that are not playing, it’s a super effort by John Longmire and all the players because of the midfield depth.”
While the current Sydney team is playing a more exciting brand of football than the 2005-06 grand final sides Kennelly was part of, he couldn’t quite bring himself to say the 2013 version was better.
Kennelly was at Skoda Stadium on Wednesday to help promote a multicultural aspect to Saturday’s match day against Melbourne, which will include a game of Gaelic football between NSW and Victoria before the main fixture.