Sydney are battling to avoid their worst AFL placing and lowest win tally this century, but coach John Longmire is applauding his players for having a red-hot go in a difficult season.
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Saturday's gut-wrenching two-point away loss to local rival GWS was Sydney's fifth consecutive defeat, dropping their overall record to 6-13 with three rounds remaining.
The Swans will miss the finals for the first time in a decade, when they finished with an 8-14 record in 2009.
They logged the same record in 1995, their last year under legendary coach Ron Barassi before Rodney Eade took over and triggered the club's golden era.
Sydney have made the finals in 20 of the past 23 seasons, reaching six grand finals and winning flags in 2005 and 2012.
The last time Sydney won less than eight games was in 1994, when they notched just four victories.
Since 1995 when the competition has included at least 16 teams, Sydney have never finished lower than 12th, but they look almost certain to end this season below that position.
The Swans' draw over the last three rounds offers some hope of getting the two victories needed to avoid finishing with less than eight wins, with none of their final opponents in the top eight.
Their toughest task will come next week away to Port Adelaide, who will be desperate to keep their finals hopes alive.
They then play away to Melbourne before hosting St Kilda.
Despite missing numerous key veterans for large chunks of games, Sydney have invariably been competitive this year.
Their 41-point loss at home to GWS has been the only time they been beaten by more than 26 points and four of the defeats in their five-match skid have been by 10 points or less.
"As a coach you've also got to sit back and look at it in its entirety and try and step back from the emotional part of it," Longmire said.
"We're having a red-hot go we're not getting everything right but generally our players have been having a go.
"You measure them by their intent and their competitiveness..
"We're about winning and part of development is actually making sure that we win.
"'We're just short of that at the moment and over the stretch there's been some tight ones."
Australian Associated Press
