Veteran Swans defender Heath Grundy says it's up to the club's experienced players to dig Sydney out of its 0-4 hole after Thursday night's 26-point loss to the West Coast Eagles in Perth.
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The 30-year-old has admitted a lack of form to key players is the main reason for Sydney's worst start to an AFL season in 24 years, not its hefty injury list and reliance on younger players.
Thursday's loss to West Coast has left last year's beaten grand finalists battling against history in order to make its 19th finals series in the past 22 seasons.
No team has ever lost its first four games and made the finals since the top eight system was introduced in 1994, and the last team to start 0-4 and finish in the play-offs was North Melbourne in 1975.
"It's probably up to us guys to really step up, we've probably had a lot of guys out of form in our senior core group and we need to turn that around," Grundy said.
"That'll help the young boys get on board as well. The young boys over the last month have been probably playing better than the core group of senior guys, they've been leading the way."
Coach John Longmire has already handed debuts to five Swans players this season, including Oliver Florent and Will Hayward, who came out of last year's AFL draft.
Robbie Fox, Nic Newman and Jordan Dawson have also tasted top-grade football this season a bit earlier than Longmire would have originally planned.
Injuries across the park have forced Longmire's hand, although the Swans' playing list is slowly but surely starting to rejuvenate.
Small forward Tom Papley kicked a goal in his return on Thursday night, while ruckmen Kurt Tippett and Sam Naismith will be given every chance to play in next weekend's derby against GWS at the SCG.
Veteran Jarrad McVeigh continues to progress from a preseason calf tear although the Giants game will likely come too soon for him, while Isaac Heeney is close to a comeback from glandular fever. Vice-captain Dane Rampe remains a longer-term prospect and probably won't be seen until at least round 10.
Lance Franklin suffered a corked thigh in the loss to West Coast, but is expected to be fit for the Giants game.
Despite the weight of history against his side, Grundy said the Swans were still more than capable of resurrecting their season and making the finals.
"We've had a couple of 0-3 starts in previous years and had pretty successful seasons so there's no reason why we can't turn it around over the next few weeks," Grundy said.
"Get a bit of momentum and get some wins on the board and things can change pretty quickly.
"We're a little bit frustrated as you would be. You can't dwell on it too much, we've got to get ready for next week now, otherwise it will be slowly falling away.
"We've got to look towards next week and do everything we can possibly this week to get ourselves in the best shape against GWS, come out firing and go again."
