The 79-year history Swans will have to overcome to win the flag after stunning Port loss

Ladder-leaders Sydney are going to have to overcome some pretty concerning history if they’re going to win the AFL premiership in 2024.

That history is that no team has won a premiership in a season they’ve been beaten by triple figures in a home and away game since Carlton did it in 1945.

Given the Swans went down 148-36 to Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday night – their fifth loss from their last six games, the question is whether this side can even compete at the pointy end come September despite being the best side in it for the majority of the 2024 campaign.

“If they are going to go all the way, they’re going to need to do something that hasn’t been done since 1945,” Gabelich told SEN Crunch Time.

“That is recovering from losing by 100 points in the season that you win the premiership.

“It hasn’t happened since 1945 when Carlton did it. We don’t see premiers get pumped in a season, so to lose by 112 points, like they did last night [was huge].

“To concede the first 71 points… it’s a small thing, but it’s a long way back from here. Maybe because the season is so even it might help them, but all of a sudden they could lose top spot.”

Swans coach John Longmire was perplexed by his side’s effort against the Power, describing the performance as completely and utterly unacceptable as they allowed the home side to run out to a 71-0 lead just halfway into the second term.

Former Swan Dan Hannebery is also concerned by the defeat and the club’s form, but he’s confident that Sydney will correct with three home and away games remaining and can still win the flag if they can steady the ship soon.

“We don’t see premiers get pumped, but we also haven’t seen a season like this ever,” Hannebery said.

“There’s 10 to 12 teams that have been in it the whole year.

“We’ve seen Hawthorn look like a bottom two side for seven weeks of the year – they’re now a top two side.

“We’ve seen the Bulldogs get absolutely smashed and now making teams look silly.

“It’s been such a bizarre year. The Swans were the best team by a country mile at Round 14. So clearly some things have happened to them, whether they’ve got ahead of themselves, or injuries, who knows what it is.

“They’ll do a deep dive into it. They’ve got some incredible leaders and an incredible coaching staff, so they’ll look into it and correct it.

“I’m confident they’ll correct it. It’s just now a matter of how much damage that’s done and whether you know whether or not they can get themselves up and going for a final series.”But yeah, that certainly puts a massive dent in the sails.”

Sydney next face Collingwood in a huge clash at the SCG tonight (Friday, August 9). They’ll still finish atop the ladder at the end of Round 21 as they’re still a game clear of Port Adelaide and Geelong.