LABELLED 'ageing' and the club's 'achilles heel' prior to the season, the numbers tell a different story about the Sydney Swans' defensive group.
Yes, Ted Richards is 33 years of age and likely in his last season of footy, but co-captain Jarrad McVeigh (31) and Heath Grundy (29) are in great form, with the Swans' backline conceding the second fewest points in the competition after 10 rounds.
Alongside that experienced trio, All Australian Nick Smith (27), Jeremy Laidler (26) and Dane Rampe (25) are in career-best touch, while Zak Jones (21) and Callum Mills (19) have added run and a touch of flair and have just 33 games between them.
Match preview: Gold Coast v Sydney Swans
Laidler said on Tuesday that he has a chuckle each time he reads the doom and gloom constantly written about the Swans' defence.
"I suppose it goes with the team, they wrote us off at the start of the season too," he said.
The versatile left-footer said Mills and Jones have become valuable members of the Swans' defensive set-up this year, while the likes of Aliir Aliir and last week's debutant Harrison Marsh have shown the club's systems are working.
"Its real credit to our development group of Rhyce Shaw, John Blakey and Nick Davis," he said.
"They've put a lot of time into those boys.
"Whoever comes in they just play their role. They don't have to do anything outstanding, they just have to defend first.
"We've brought in 'Millsy' (Callum Mills) and 'Jonesy' (Zak Jones) to give us a bit of drive from the backline, and they've been really good since they've come into the team."
Laidler, Grundy and Rampe took on North Melbourne's talented talls in last week's 26-point win at the SCG, and kept Drew Petrie, Ben Brown and Jarrad Waite to just one goal for the night.
This week one of the Swans will get the job on Gold Coast star Tom Lynch, who has kicked 34 goals this season, or maybe all three will get a chance to shut down the key Sun.
There's also the option for coach John Longmire to bring swingman Sam Reid into the team after he returned through the NEAFL last week, and Laidler said that’s the beauty of the Swans' backline this season.
"We've got a few options, Heath Grundy is in outstanding form and Dane Rampe is in similar form," he said.
"But you don't stick with one match-up these days, it sounds a bit silly but you don't play on one player for a whole game.
"We work pretty well together and it just shows the flexibility that our back six or seven has.
"We try and keep the opposition to a low score like all teams do, but we try and make sure it's not just the back six that’s getting recognition for that, it's the whole team.
"I think John (Longmire) has said it before, we do play a 22-man defence and offence."
