Formed: 1874 (as South Melbourne)
Joined AFL: 1897
Premierships: Four – 1909, 1918, 1933, 2005
Last finals appearance: 2007, second elimination final (v Collingwood)2007 at a glance:The Swans played on into September for a fifth straight year, but the first real cracks started to show in a squad which two years before had lifted the premiership cup. Suddenly besieged by injuries, Paul Roos' side won 12 games but was comfortably dispatched by Collingwood in the first week of the finals.2008 to date:If the cracks begun to appear last year, then they have spread further the longer 2008 has gone on. The Swans started the season in fine form, winning nine of their first 13 games, with one draw. But they have since lost six of their last eight matches – each of the defeats coming against top-eight sides. A groin injury to dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes hasn't helped.The coach:Roos is experiencing what other recent premiership coaches, including Lions mentor Leigh Matthews, have already gone through. The push for sustained success has left the Swans with an ageing list and the time to rebuild is fast approaching – Roos admitted as much on the weekend when he said his charges were unlikely "to cause much damage" in September. Mind you, the one-time Fitzroy champion has become the club's longest-serving coach with a side that has often flown under the radar.Missing in action:Michael O'Loughlin (ankle) is a chance to resume in the forward line, but running defender Nick Malceski (calf) and big forward Henry Playfair (hamstring) look unlikely to play. Roos told the media on Monday that some key players could be rested for the Lions clash, but declined to nominate who they might be.The gun:In-and-under specialist Brett Kirk probably isn't flash enough to be thought of as a bona fide star. But his stats stack up against the best of them. He leads the Swans in possessions and ranks high among the league leaders in tackles (first) and clearances (fourth). More so than mere numbers, the intangibles he brings – leadership and a never-say-die attitude – make him the heart and soul of his side.The bolter:Much like his team, young tagger Kieran Jack has slowed down somewhat in the latter half of the season. But the son of rugby league legend Garry Jack has still enjoyed an excellent second campaign at senior level. Standing only 178cm and 78kg, Jack makes up for any lack of size with plenty of heart. A candidate to mark Lions star Simon Black.Strengths:The Swans' team spirit and Bloods ethos have been much-publicised. Needless to say they are a tight bunch – tough, well-coached and mostly well-disciplined. Kirk, Jude Bolton and ex-Lion Craig Bolton are effective no-nonsense types, Jarrad McVeigh looks to be maturing into a top-notch midfielder and Ryan O'Keefe might be the most versatile half-forward in the competition. O'Loughlin and Barry Hall are elite forwards when fit and firing and Goodes' CV speaks for itself. Through the first 14 games of the season the Swans conceded only 74 points per game.Weaknesses:Talk about Jekyll and Hyde! After conceding 100 points in a match only twice through the season's first 14 rounds (against Geelong and the Western Bulldogs), the Swans have given up 100-plus in six out of the last seven outings, at an average of 110 per game. Hall's problems this season have been well documented and the form of 2005 grand final hero Leo Barry has also dropped away – a concern when he might have to match up on either Jonathan Brown or Daniel Bradshaw. Darren Jolly has had a solid season but fellow ruckman Peter Everitt's best days appear behind him.Running hot:Kirk has compiled 21 tackles over the last three weeks – a good return even by his own high standards.For all his troubles, Hall hasn't had too bad of a month. His last four games have returned 15 goals and 41 marksIrishman Tadhg Kennelly has a disposal efficiency of 82 per cent – pretty handy for a running defender who averages almost 20 possessions-per-game (and more than 23 over his last five outings).The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club
