Sydney star Chad Warner has revealed on and off-field standards dropped at the club during the Swans' shaky start to the season.
In a stark confession, Warner believes Sydney have now rectified the issues that led to last year's minor premiers spiralling down the ladder.
After suffering a 60-point belting to Brisbane in last year's grand final, Sydney collapsed to 14th with a 4-8 record following an embarrassing home smashing against Adelaide in round 12.
Since then the Swans have crushed Richmond, had the bye, before knocking off bogey team Port Adelaide away last Saturday.
Finals still remains a tough proposition, but if Sydney can upset the Western Bulldogs this Friday night then they will be properly back into calculations.
"It was more of the off-field stuff around the club as well, in terms of standards, where we kind of let slip a little bit that we wouldn't the past," Warner told reporters on Tuesday, ahead of his 100th game.
"We've tuned up a few things in terms of challenging and rewarding other players, whether it's feedback or giving advice."
First-year coach Dean Cox has recently made some huge calls at selection, dropping defenders Jake Lloyd and Ollie Florent.
Lloyd, who has played 262 AFL games, starred in the VFL last weekend, while Florent was relegated to sub before being cut to the reserves.
"It's a very big squad mentality at the moment," Warner said.
"I think it started a couple of weeks ago, that little off-field tune up with the standards that we kind of made.
"Everyone's really buying into that, which is great.
"You look at Ollie, who went back a month ago, and his training standards from there have just been huge.
"The amount of boys he's brought along with him, I think it's helping everyone.
"It's helping him, and I'm sure he'll be back soon with us as well."
