A LACK of consistency and a tiring side were major factors in the Sydney Swans defeat to Adelaide according to midfielder Martin Mattner.

The Swans looked the goods during the first half, taking the game to the Crows, but dropped off in the second half to go down by 16 points.

Mattner said his side were doing all the right things early on, but couldn’t maintain their intensity against a strong Adelaide side.

“We were winning stoppages and winning the ball in tight, but we didn’t do that in the third quarter and they kicked some easy goals.

“We knew they were good at getting out the back of stoppages so we had to close them down around there.

“We did that in the first half with our hard-ball gets and our tackling, and I guess that faded away in the third quarter and cost us the game.”

A drop in intensity through tiring legs and heavy workloads for the senior players didn’t help the Swans in the second half, and Mattner feels consistency is becoming a problem for his side.

Mattner said not being able to string for quarters together had been costing his side recently, and that it needed to be addressed.

“Our last quarter was good, but we just fell away with our intensity in the third quarter and that’s what cost us, and you just can’t do that in AFL footy these days.

“Against a side like Adelaide, they’ll just kick four or five goals on you in a quarter.

“That’s what’s cost in the last few weeks and we just haven’t been able to consistently put four quarters together.”

Mattner did not rule out a finals appearance, despite what seems like a very difficult task after four straight losses.

The midfielder believes making sure the blooding of youngsters, and a focus on consistency, were the stepping stones toward September.

“We don’t really worry about winning and losing now, it’s just the process of getting some young kids in.

“Finals footy is still there. There’s a tight knit group of probably 10 teams all within three or four games of each other so it’s still available for us to take on if we want.

“It’s the process of playing a four quarter game for us now.”