The Arc on the fall and rise of Sydney in 2017. The Swans are one thing the models got right this year: they never looked that bad, even at 0-6.
No team has ever made the finals after losing their first four games of the season, at least not in the period since 1994 when the AFL has had a top eight finals system. The 2017 Sydney Swans didn’t just lose their first four games – they dropped their first six. Given the historical record, the Swans should have no shot at the finals this year, but they’ve clawed their way back into contention.
