AFL Senior Coach Michael Voss said it was his side's ability to stand up in the face of fire which determined Friday night's result.
The Blues withstood a Swans barrage in the second half, managing to hold onto their big lead fashioned in the first half to come away with a 15-point victory.
This is what he had to say on the process and the key talking points to come out of the game.
On holding on after a five-day break:
“It’s a factor, but that would be taking away from Sydney and we certainly don’t want to do that. As we know, Sydney is a quality team and there was always going to be a point when it would challenge.
“There might be some factors that come into that, but we’re not going to take away from what the opposition was able to produce, and we also don’t take away from what we were able to hold onto.”
On what was the deciding factor:
“I felt like we showed an incredible defensive resilience. I’ve heard a lot of conversations about this group and being able to defend for longer: we were able to do that tonight.
“We lost some method around the contest, they were winning those battles. We gave the ball back when we got it: the only thing left for us was we just had to hold on and defend.
“It’s a real credit to the group that they were able to find some will, find some grit right until the end of the game. It’s a real credit to them.
“I’m exceptionally proud that they were able to do that. We’ve had other games where you look at it and think we were maybe lucky to win at the end… somehow through all the chaos, we were able to defend and be strong and repel any entries coming in.
“There were some unbelievable efforts behind the ball that will be acknowledged by us, that’s for sure.”
On a tale of two halves:
“Every time you come into another game, the opposition ups their game: we don’t necessarily look at any opposition more favourably than another.
“There is a level of difficulty and clearly the Swans bring that: they challenge all phases of the game. I tend to sit here and look at what we have got as opposed to what we haven’t got.
“What we did have was an incredible defensive resilience in the second half, and we needed it for the whole half.
“What we got in the first half was some exciting, exhilarating football. We got really strong field position and were able to put them under pressure.”
On maintaining the pressure:
“That’s what we hope the players are really clear on. I’ve spoken a fair bit around this, but the games that I have walked away from reviewed, it’s been more about staying at us for longer.
“Sometimes, when an opposition throws challenges at you, you’ve just got to self-correct, slowly get your structure back and get back into the fight.
“We’ve got a model there that works. We lowered our intensity [in the second half] and the Swans were able to up theirs to get them back in the game.
“But I’m taking nothing away from what this group was able to produce today.”
On the zip of the small forwards:
“As a byproduct of some injuries to our talls, yes it has [been out of necessity]. But we’ve been okay with that.
“What we’ve been able to do was get the ball on the ground and we feel like when we get it there in our front half, our smalls go to work. They’re fast and zippy and provide some challenges for the opposition.
“We feel like it’s a real strength of ours. They’ll continue to grow with the more games they play together.
“We’re talking about guys that have played very little football together. The fact they’re going out and playing like that in games like this with a crowd like that, the learning will go through the roof.”
On celebrating the positives:
“We’ll go to work on it and we’ll give it some attention [teams whittling away Carlton leads].
“But sometimes, you’ve got to stop looking under the rug. There’s a lot going on that is going pretty well.
“We’ll keep focusing on what our strengths are and what we bring and we’ll be really clear on that. Where we showed some real growth was that defensive resilience — we absorbed a lot.
“We found a way. We understand where we’re at and we’re a developing system, we still think we’re progressing in the way we want to play.
On what comes next:
“We feel like we’ve got so much growth.
“Players are coming in and out of the team, different mixes down back as well as the different mixes we’ve had up forward.
“We feel like the more footy we can play with one another, the more we can keep reinforcing about what we do and the stronger we will become in those moments.”
On if his side are surpassing his expectations:
“I don’t know where I thought we’d be: I say that in all seriousness.
“The very first thing that I didn’t want to do was put a cap on where I think we needed to be and what we needed to do. We just had a lot of work ahead of us.
“Certainly with the results being what they are, I couldn’t ask for anything more. We’re learning as we go, which is a real bonus for us.”
