New Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox initiated pre-season by compelling his team to review their 2024 grand final loss, where they were decisively beaten by Brisbane by 60 points. This marked Sydney’s fourth grand final defeat since 2014, and their second in two years. Cox, who took over from John Longmire, emphasised the need for a quick confrontation with their disappointment, stating, “We had to watch it.”
On their first pre-season day in early December, players analysed the match, focusing on identifying mistakes and areas for improvement. The review process proved arduous, lasting over seven hours, with the opening minute of the game alone taking an hour to dissect. Cox described the day as challenging for the players but essential for development, stating, “We had a really harsh experience on grand final day, and we have to learn from it.”
Despite the difficulty, the team was determined to embrace the learning opportunity and move forward. Cox highlighted the players’ commitment to tackle the review head-on, saying, “They wanted to get this done.” This commitment sets the stage for their upcoming 2025 season, which will kick off against Hawthorn at the SCG on March 7.