Downfall.

With the entire footy community at a loss to explain last year’s grand finalist’s stunning downfall this year, Bolton has highlighted a number of concerning issues for the club, including a detracting consequence of the captaincy shake-up this off-season.

Writing in a column for ESPN, Bolton suggested the club’s on-field performance reflects a deeper problem at the centre of the football club.

“After a few of the Swans’ early losses this year, I gave the club the benefit of the doubt because they had a late start due to playing in the grand final, plus they copped some important pre-season injuries — especially to Dane Rampe and Jarrad McVeigh, who both organise the defence so well and add real composure to the team,” Bolton wrote.

“But those excuses don’t cut it now, and it’s obvious there are deeper issues. The Carlton loss has to be a line in the sand for them. The scrutiny is well and truly on them now.”

While pointing out a number of concerning issues for the club, including the loss of the team’s identity of tough, competitive football, Bolton highlighted the drop-off of talk on the field since star Josh Kennedy replaced Kieran Jack and Jarrad McVeigh as captain.

In the trenches.Source:News Corp Australia

“One of the intangibles that has dropped is voice across the ground — they look like a quiet group at the moment, and that has never been the case with the Swans, who have always been very vocal, demanding and instructional on the field,” he wrote.

“It may have something to do with the change of captaincy at the start of the year, with Josh Kennedy a quieter personality — he’s not as vocal as Jack or McVeigh but of course he leads by example and his standards are always elite.”

He also said some players have been guilty of playing selfish, self-preservation-styled footy, by only looking after their section of the ground in defence or failing to help out a teammate.

It comes as Kennedy admitted his team failed to protect rising star Callum Mills when the 20-year-old was repeatedly whacked by Carlton players off the ball during the Blues’ 19-point win on Saturday.

“We need to look after each other,” Kennedy told Fairfax Media.

“That criticism is not something we want to hear, but it’s probably valid. Obviously things have to change.”

Swans coach John Longmire on Wednesday admitted Sydney have lost their ruthless edge.

The winless Swans remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder after six rounds.

Next up is a home clash against Brisbane, a team who haven’t beaten the Swans in nine attempts dating back to 2010.

“I’m confident we can rediscover the form that we need to rediscover and I’m confident that our group have been able to deliver for a long time and I’m confident that we can get up and deliver again,” Longmire said on Wednesday.

It can still get worse.Source:News Corp Australia

“But there is a time when we need to actually go out on the ground and display the sort of football that we know we can.

“We’ve said that before and we haven’t delivered.”

Longmire has shown little inclination to axe any under-performing stars, as North Melbourne did to such good effect last week with former skipper Andrew Swallow and forward Lindsay Thomas.

“It’s not so much searching for answers,” he said.

“We know we’re not playing trademark football, that ruthless hard edge, so we know what the problem is.”

Longmire branded the round-six defeat to Carlton as unacceptable, but used much stronger language in private to his players.

The Swans’ run of six straight finals series under Longmire is almost certain to end this year, despite them beginning the season as genuine title contenders.

The coach said he understood the specific scrutiny of his position, but stressed there was a collective responsibility to drag Sydney out of the mire.

“Obviously it’s a bit more pointed as a coach, I understand that, everyone understands that,” Longmire said.

“But we’ve enjoyed some fantastic times at this football club as a collective and we’ll work through the tough times and the challenging times as a collective.

“That’s what good clubs do.”

Speedster Gary Rohan will miss Sunday’s match at the SCG after suffering whiplash in a nasty collision with Carlton’s Sam Rowe.

— with AAP