By Colin MacGillivray

Since claiming a memorable flag in 2014, Swifts have only one finals win to their name.

Their mission is to change that during the coming weeks.

The Baggies were bundled out in the first week of the finals by Edenhope-Apsley last season but have rebounded this year to finish fifth on the ladder.

One of the side’s calling cards this year has been a stout team defence, conceding just 69 points a contest.

Co-coach Scott Carey said recruit Todd Matthews – lured to the club after years playing for the Wimmera Football League’s Stawell Warriors – had helped boost the Baggies’ backline.

“He has been a great inclusion this season,” Carey said.

“He’s been a bit of a general down back and given us a bit of a calming influence under pressure, which is one of the areas we identified from last season that we need to improve on.”

The gains made in the backline have helped offset the loss of forward Andrew Cameron, who departed for Great Western in the Mininera league before the start of the year.

But the Baggies’ forward line is far from bereft, with former coach Ben Martin spearheading the attack.

Martin has slotted 33 from his 12 games this season, including multiple bags of five and six.

Alongside Martin is the talented Zach Salmi, also 33 goals, while hard-running midfielders such as Carey and Ryan Folkes have also pushed forward to hit the scoreboard.

The team’s midfield depth took a big hit with the departure of dual best and fairest Ben Taylor, but the Baggies brought in Zach Salmi’s younger brother Jakob – a former junior player for the club – to help cover.

Despite still being in his teens, the younger Salmi has slotted right into the Baggies’ line-up and regularly features among the team’s best players.

Premiership ruckman Brett Hargreaves is another big inclusion, forming a potent ruck-forward tandem with Matt Healy.

Carey said despite finishing with a respectable 10-6 record, the Baggies were yet to produce their best football consistently in 2019.

Despite having a few sore bodies, Carey said the team felt refreshed after a round 16 bye and was ready to attack the finals head on.

He said if the team could find its best form in the coming weeks, it could make opponents extremely nervous.

“We’re excited with what the finals could hold for us,” he said.

“This season we feel like we haven’t really hit our straps just yet, but have had some pretty good performances throughout the year to put us in a position where we’re playing finals.

“We feel like we have a really decent chance to go deep into September.

“We’ve been able to get better than we were last season; whether or not that’s enough, we’ll wait and see.

“That’s why football is so exciting to play – you never know what could happen.”

Players to watch:

Ryan Folkes

Instantly recognisable for his dreadlocks and tattoos, Folkes has become something of a cult figure in the league. The 23-year-old is enjoying a breakout season, providing plenty of run through the midfield for the Baggies and hitting the scoreboard more often than in years past.

 

Matt Healy

One half of what coach Scott Carey refers to as his ‘twin towers’, the big-bodied Healy showed his versatility during this season’s interleague game. Playing at full forward and in the ruck, Healy kicked three goals and was among the Horsham District’s best players.

 

Brett Hargreaves

A premiership ruckman for the Baggies in 2014, Hargreaves has returned to the club with great effect this season. Hargreaves forms the other half of Swifts’ ‘twin towers’ and, like Healy, can push forward when required. The two have combined for 14 majors this season and give the fleet-footed Baggies some height and brawn.

 

Todd Matthews

A long-time member of the Stawell Warriors, Matthews crossed over to the Baggies this season and has made an immediate impact. He has been a steadying influence for Swifts’ backline this year, helping the team’s defence improve from conceding an already stellar 71 points a game in 2018 to 69 a game this year.

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