Standing alongside coach Chris Fagan at the launch of a partnership with the Institute for Urban
“I said earlier in the season, we’d lost nine games in a row, but it was the happiest club I’d been in.
“We knew we were gradually getting better and the results would come.
“There’s a real excitement about it and with six games to go, we think we’re really improving and hopefully these next six games set us up to go into next year really looking to make a significant improvement and rise up the ladder.”
Swann said any consideration for applying for a priority pick would only come once the season had finished.
Fagan said there was no need to have a chat with Nick Robertson after being suspended earlier this week – the rugged utility beat him to it.
Robertson will miss his first game of the year on Sunday when the Lions host Carlton after he accepted a one-match ban for head-butting Richmond captain Trent Cotchin.
“He came and had a chat to me,” Fagan said.
“He thought he went a bit over what was acceptable and he’ll take his punishment on the chin.”
On Monday, Lions captain Dayne Beams said he loved Robertson’s aggression, but the 22-year-old would have to make smarter decisions in the future.
“He’s been fantastic for us this year,” Fagan said.
“A real warrior, a real competitor, and we’ll look forward to having him back in the team.”
Tough defender Darcy Gardiner has made a rapid recovery from his dislocated elbow sustained just over two weeks ago and is expected to be picked to play the Blues.
Fagan said Brendon Bolton’s men presented a difficult challenge, with their tight defence and disciplined approach.
“They’ve been on their journey a bit longer than we have.
“They started last year with 'Bolts' and are a bit more progressed than we are.
“Fundamentally we’ll play our way and not get caught up in what they’re doing.
“I think we tend to play better when we focus on what we do.”
Swann said he expects the Brisbane Lions move to a new training and administration base to be confirmed by season’s end.
With a commitment from the Ipswich City Council and funding from the AFL, Swann said the Lions were waiting on submissions to the Queensland government.
“We’ve got a commitment, we will be going to Springfield,” Swann said.
“We’ve got a commitment from the council there, we’ve got some submissions in with the state government we hope are being reviewed in the next month.
“Hopefully we’ll have an announcement before the end of the season about how it’ll all work.”
The new facility will include a 10-15,000-seat boutique stadium, which will host matches for the Lions’ AFLW team.
When the move to Springfield initially stalled four years ago, Swann described the chase for a new training and administration base as a “stone in our shoe”.
“Sometimes these things take time,” he said.
“Ultimately it’s about funding because we don’t have spare cash flying around.
“We need assistance from councils and governments and at this stage it’s looking really positive.”
