SEN Footy analyst David King says the premiership chances of the AFL’s most in-form team will come down to finishing in the top four, declaring it unlikely any side will win four straight finals in 2017.
The Sydney Swans have won the past seven games, and 10 of their last 11 to sit just one win outside the top four, with five rounds remaining.
He said the fact that four-game winning streaks have halved in 2017 compared to 2016 shows it would be almost impossible to follow in the footsteps of the Western Bulldogs, and win four straight finals from seventh position.
“I think it’s hard to win four plus games in a row. It’s happened (only) eight times this year,” King said on SEN’s Pure Footy.
“Sydney with seven, Adelaide with six to start the year, Geelong, GWS and Richmond have had a five streak, and Adelaide St Kilda and GWS have had a four streak, so that’s eight streak of four (wins) plus for the year.
“Last year we had 16. It just shows you how it’s tightened right up, and that includes a four bagger from the Western Bulldogs in the finals.
“Unlikely for me on the back of those numbers and every number that we look at, that it will happen in a finals series.
“To me it’s getting back to the old system that if you don’t get in the top four you can’t win it.”
King said their challenging run home, which sees trips to top two sides Geelong and Adelaide is a perfect run in, and if they can secure victories will show they are a serious premiership contender.
“They play the teams they’ve got to beat,” he said.
“It’s perfect- if you’re a top four side you win those games.”
Sydney will look to make it eight wins on the bounce when they travel tomorrow night to the MCG to take on Hawthorn.