Inaugural Gold Coast Suns coach Guy McKenna says veteran midfielder David Swallow would provide an emotional charge no other player could provide if he is picked for the club’s historic first final on Saturday week, against Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
“He has to be able to fulfil his role for the side, that’s the first thing, and Damien Hardwick is the coach not me, so it’s up to him, but if you are choosing between David Swallow and someone else then what he brings to the table is the emotional card for the rest of the team,” McKenna said.
“The players will know his journey, what type of person he is, what he has done for the club, whereas the other player who might be up for selection wouldn’t have that history, wouldn’t have that background, wouldn’t provide the same buzz for teammates.
“I know he has been subbed a bit this year because that’s his role and maybe it’s about his body as well because he’s been such a combative player.
“If he doesn’t warrant to be in the 22, he would be a very handy 23rd player coming on because the lift he would give his teammates would be enormous.”
East Fremantle product and former Suns captain Swallow shapes as the fairytale, or heartache, story of September.
The only foundation player still in the squad, the 32-year-old has managed only seven games this season for a total of 247, four of them as the starting sub, and has been out of action with a knee issue.
Fit and now available, Swallow’s place in the team will be one of the toughest selection decisions coach Damien Hardwick will ever make.
“It’s going to be a really, really hard decision,” Hardwick said after qualifying for September with a 95-point win over Essendon on Wednesday night.
“He’s put the club first his whole career. He’s taken less. He’s given money back, all that sort of stuff. And he’s a player that we think incredibly highly of. And there’s no doubt that’ll come into the decision-making at some stage.”
The Suns recruited Swallow with their first ever selection, the No. 1 pick overall in the 2010 national draft, when West Coast Eagles legend McKenna was at the helm as coach.
McKenna said Swallow reminded him instantly of his old premiership teammate John Worsfold.
“Just because he would do everything and anything for his team,” McKenna said.
“I used to talk to the players about the privilege you have of bringing your jumper to life. That’s what ‘Junior’ (Swallow) did. He wears 24 like Woosha did and he has just had this brutal assault on the contest even as a young fella.
“As a 17-year-old he invested in the club well before he could have and should have.
“We said to him we are going to take you in the draft and you are going to be our No. 1 pick and he said ‘Righto, I want to start playing against men’ and so he played four (league) games for East Fremantle which obviously helped his development and played for us in the VFL the year before we started In the AFL.
“He is such a professional off the field and one of the best team men you could play with. He played through the midfield for us, he’s gone to half back, he’s gone to half forward, he played anywhere for us and would just do anything for the jumper, anything for his teammates, anything for his footy club.
“He’s been through coaches and rebuilds and to still be there and standing when the club gets to play finals, it’s a fantastic result for him.”
McKenna steered the Suns through their first four AFL seasons, having arrived at Carrara ahead of their first pre-season in 2008, a year in the under-18 TAC Cup in 2009 and the VFL the following season before launching into the AFL.
They had three wins in each of their first two AFL seasons, before they started to climb up the ladder, with a 14th place in 2013 with eight wins and 12th with 10 wins in 2014.
They were finals bound in 2014, before their marquee player Gary Ablett Jr, dislocated a shoulder in round 16. McKenna was sacked at the end of the season.
McKenna watched Wednesday night’s game at a pub in St Kilda, with a group of Gold Coast originals, including former Andrew Travis (original COO), Andrew Catterall (AFL appointment), Travis Auld (CEO), Dom Abrogio (head of recruiting), Tomy Woods (sponsorship and marketing) and Scott Clayton (list manager).
“I get misty eyed talking about it,” McKenna said of the Suns’ first finals appearance.
“It was a great journey and I enjoyed it. No one wants to get sacked of course but as the saying goes, there’s two types of coaches, ones that are about to be sacked and ones that have been sacked and I ticked those boxes.
“But I was so grateful for the opportunity. The first two years, in the 18s and the VFL, and then the four years in the AFL when I was around, it shaped the players and shaped the club.
“It was so hard for these kids to be fronting up against men.
“Now the club is older, the team is older and obviously Dimma is an experienced coach and a premiership coach.
“To get into finals, I am thrilled for this group, because they get to bring the jumper to life in a finals series.
“And I am equally proud of the resilience and the work put in from previous staff, players have done to get the club in this position.
“It’s like building a house with a solid foundation. We poured the concrete and let that concrete set, and then they put on the walls and the roof if you like, so now this club can walk into a final series ready to go.”
