Hey, lacrosse fans!
Drew Petkoff here with my first lacrosse article — so bear with me as I break down the Swarm’s regular season. I’ll also dive into the playoffs, and finally, make a case for why Georgia could go all the way.
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a former NLL player. I had the privilege of playing with Toronto, Buffalo, New England (now Albany), and most recently, Georgia. I relocated to Georgia when the team moved here and have been involved in the local lacrosse scene ever since. I’ve also done analysis and broadcast work for the team and league for a few years now — including this past season.
And what a crazy season it’s been. League-wide, we’ve seen a year full of ups and downs, surprises, and unique storylines. To say it’s been a rollercoaster — for fans, players, and coaches alike — would be an understatement.
The Swarm kicked off the season with two wins over the San Diego Seals — a team I thought was a championship contender both last year and heading into this one. With their depth and experience across the board, beating them twice was no small feat. The Swarm followed up with solid wins over Toronto and Colorado, starting the year 4-0 and looking like serious contenders.
But things took a turn as we entered the New Year. A gritty and determined Rochester squad handed Georgia their first loss. The Swarm looked either tired or maybe a bit complacent. That loss, followed by another defeat to Ottawa, marked a dip in momentum.
As a former player, I get it — no one ever intends to have a bad game or come out flat. Sometimes things just don’t click. But those losses were a wake-up call. The Swarm weren’t going to dominate the league like they did in 2017 during their championship run. After that, it was a mixed bag: a couple of back-to-back wins, some close losses, and a final regular-season record of 9-9 — good for the 7th playoff seed.
Their 9-9 record and 7th seed in the playoffs doesn’t tell the whole tale. From watching and commentating on every home game, I can tell you: week in and week out, teams brought their A-game to Georgia. Colorado and Saskatchewan played some of the most fast-paced, technically-sound lacrosse I’ve seen this season. Halifax and Philly brought energy and grit, even if their ball movement wasn’t quite at the same level.
In short, Georgia rarely got anyone’s “B” game.
And as for the Swarm? I don’t think we’ve seen them hit their full stride yet. We’ve seen flashes — but rarely have the offense, defense, and goaltending all clicked at once. That said, their recent win over Buffalo was the closest we’ve come. It was a gutsy performance against the back-to-back champions and current first overall seed.
Now — on to the playoffs.
Looking at the bracket, I don’t see a single matchup where any team, including the Swarm, has better than 60–65% odds. Every game feels like it could go either way. That uncertainty makes for what could be the most thrilling NLL playoffs in years.
The Swarm are matched up with Saskatchewan. We played them once this season — an 8–7 loss at home. That game was notable for a few reasons: the Rush were missing star forward Robert Church (congrats on the new baby!), and the Swarm were still searching for an identity.
That midseason stretch was tough. The team lacked cohesion. The offense wasn’t clicking, the defense was shaky, and even our goaltending — typically a strength — looked uncertain. Shayne Jackson wasn’t playing at his MVP level, and outside of Lyle Thompson, the righties struggled to make an impact.
But the second half of the season brought a shift. Jordan MacIntosh stepped up as a scoring threat in tight. Bryan Cole brought grit and movement, especially with his off-ball cuts through the middle. On defense, Jacob Hickey’s energy became contagious, and the return of Jeff Henrick and Adam Wiedemann helped tighten things up. All of this allowed Brett Dobson to do what goalies need: see the ball. (And for those unfamiliar, that’s both literal and figurative — seeing it clearly and reading it well.)
Historically, there’s not much predictive value in the Swarm-Rush matchup. Georgia beat Saskatchewan in the 2017 finals. The Rush were champs in 2016 and 2018. But this year’s Rush are a very different team — they finished with one of the worst records last season and have undergone major roster changes. All we really have to go on is that one-goal game from earlier this year — and I think Georgia can flip that result this time around.
I truly believe the Swarm have all the tools they need. They’ve found a formula that works. It’s not perfect, but Coach Ed Comeau and his staff have been steadily addressing the gaps. And despite the challenges, Georgia has stayed competitive even when opponents brought their best.
If they can get past Saskatchewan, I think they can go all the way to the finals.
To do that, though, a few things need to happen:
Right-side production: The righties need to contribute more offensively — if only to take some pressure off of Lyle. He’s a superstar, but he can’t do it alone.
Stick with the plan on the left: The lefties are in a groove. They just need to keep executing.
Tighten up defensively near the crease: Too many teams are getting clean looks in close. Better communication and positioning can shut those chances down — and when shots do come through, trust Dobson to do his job.
Bottom line? Trust in Brett. Trust in each other. And fight, fight, fight
