SYDNEY defender Tadhg Kennelly revealed last night that the turning point in his team's form had come after the club's leaders were "confronted" by coach Paul Roos and told to forget about off-field leadership matters and focus on football.

The off-field culture and leadership of the Swans' senior players has been a significant factor in the success of the club in recent years, but, speaking about the matter for the first time last night, Kennelly explained that their focus had drifted away from what was important.

"There was a bit of pressure on us [leaders] and we kind of knew that as a group," Kennelly said. "We started worrying about everything outside of football … or worrying about everything outside of Friday night or Saturday, or whenever you were playing.

"We started worrying about everything but the game … Once we got down to the nitty gritty, we needed to start worrying that we weren't performing as individuals … we can't expect the rest of the team or the rest of the younger players to perform if the leadership group aren't.

"That really happened after the Collingwood game. We sat down and we were confronted by 'Roosy' - and the coaches - and the leadership [group] has responded since.

"Basically, he said, 'You guys worry about playing footy, not worry about what way we are going to train, how we're going to train, what's going on outside footy. You just worry about playing and training."'

Asked if the emphasis on the Bloods' off-field culture had gone a little too far, Kennelly candidly replied: "Too far … definitely. I think it's good to lead off-field, and sometimes players and people do get carried away.

"When it comes down to it, it's about leading on Friday night or Saturday night, about leading on game day. You do put such an emphasis on being professional off the field that you can get carried away with it, and we probably have to a certain degree. Now it's back to the old days of leading by example."

With the return of their leaders' focus, the form has also made a comeback, with good wins over Brisbane and North Melbourne since that Collingwood loss.

Kennelly and his back-line partner Leo Barry know it must continue - and be there for four quarters if the Swans are to continue their season by beating the Western Bulldogs at the MCG tomorrow night.

"We had been struggling for about two months and it was just more [that] our more senior players hadn't been playing as they had been over the previous years," Barry said.

"When you've got the senior, experienced players playing well, you tend to drag a lot of the younger guys along, and I think that's been the case over the last couple of weeks.

"The last eight weeks have been up and down, but it's given us a lot of confidence over the last few weeks that we can get our better players playing really well.

"Our tackling and pressure on the opposition team has been one of our keys, and in previous campaigns, that has been the backbone of why we have been able to win finals games."

Barry could have another important job tomorrow night: popping the dislocated shoulder of Kennelly back into its place if it decides to jump out, as the case has been several times this season.

The ligaments which hold the shoulder in place are "basically destroyed", but Kennelly says he does not risk any long-term damage by playing with the injury and having medical staff - or Barry, if he is close by - pop it back into place.

"The reason I'm playing is it's not doing a lot of damage," he said. "I wouldn't have continued if it was going to be major damage for the future. I've had about 20 MRI scans after it comes out to see if I'm chipping a bone or anything, but nothing.

"I've lost count of the times it's come out - it's come out in my sleep - and I've learned to put up with it all year. Like I said to Roosy, I don't run with my shoulder.

"It's not nice and when it happens, I've got to come off and reassess where my head is at for a few minutes, but it's something I put up with. It happens when your muscles are all relaxed and it's probably when you least expect it, it happens.

"When I get contact, it's not a problem - it's more when I'm relaxed and put my arm up to wave at someone."