Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Sydney’s AFLW team have been praised for their “incredible maturity” as they deal, again, with an off-field controversy that is not their fault.
Just as the SCG double-header against North Melbourne in August should have been a breakthrough day for the Swans women, so Sunday was to be all about their first home final.
While he spoke about how they can win their elimination final against the Western Bulldogs at Henson Park, coach Colin O’Riordan also spent a large chunk of Friday’s media conference again fielding questions about club culture.
Earlier in the week, AFL veteran Tom Papley allegedly returned a positive roadside drugs test.
This latest scandal comes after August’s SCG double-header was played in the shadow of the Pullman Hotel debacle.
The Swans’ famed bloods culture is in tatters and they are in the midst of an internal review.
“It goes without saying it’s disappointing, and ‘Pav’ (chief executive Matthew Pavlich) said that yesterday too,” O’Riordan said.
“Our group are incredibly mature … after speaking to them this morning, the only thing they want to focus on is playing finals at Henson Park in front of a big crowd, and that’s a sign of the maturity of our group.
“For us, does it distract us? It’s disappointing, but we have our eyes solely fixed on Sunday.”
O’Riordan also backed former AFL teammate Dane Rampe, who said at his retirement media conference last week that the Swans must have tough conversations about their culture.
“Tough conversations and challenging conversations is where you get some growth … whether it’s a footy club or normal-day life, you have to have tough conversations if you want to get progress,” he said.
“Dane spoke expertly well on that topic, and I think that’s when you get meaningful changes when you have tough conversations. And unless you have them, I don’t think you get them.”
O’Riordan patiently fielded questions about the Swans’ latest drama, saying they are a united club, but he made it clear where his focus lies.
“I’m not dodging the question, but we have bigger fish to fry at the minute,” he said.
On the subject of fish, O’Riordan said the playing future of their young star Zippy Fish would be addressed at the end of the Swans’ season. There is strong speculation that Fish will go to Western Australia.
O’Riordan said star midfielder Sophia Hurley was “50-50” as she tries for a recall, less than a month after ankle surgery.
He added Sunday would be “monumental”, with the Swans expected to draw another big crowd to Henson Park, and he urged his players to rise to the occasion.
“We just talked about embracing that. Don’t shy away from it. Run into the fire and take the game head-on,” O’Riordan said.
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