Dubbed the ‘handball happy Roos’ by some media, North went on a tear in the second half of 2012 winning nine out of ten games and reaching the finals for the first time in four-years.
"It's funny because it just sort of happened," Swallow told Jay Clark.
"It wasn't anything in particular that we were told to do - it (our game style) just sort of evolved.
"To some extent, you've got to play to the strengths of the team and our strengths were we had some good runners and guys who could break the lines and it worked for us.
"Especially in that second half of the year when the confidence started to grow in the group.
"We won a couple of games in a row and it was probably the most enjoyable footy I've been involved in.
"We were beating teams, and winning convincingly, which hadn't been like that for a long time."
Criticised for being ‘too vanilla’ and ‘one paced’, the Roos found a spark and began to set the football world alight with their run, carry and potency in front of the goals.
"It was great to see the crowd, (enjoy it)," Swallow said.
"It was exciting to see them come and sing the (club) song at half-time, and in the last quarter."
With the likes of Drew Petrie, Robbie Tarrant, Lindsay Thomas, Kieran Harper and Lachlan Hansen booting the goals, scoring isn’t the issue at Aegis Park according to Swallow, the other end of the ground is.
"Especially defensively, and we have been working hard on that, because we think when we get the ball, we are a pretty good attacking team.
"But we are still getting scored against too much."
Swallow says moves off the field have also contributed to the club’s revamped image.
"You start to realise that (as a club) if we had not made the changes, it probably would have got to the point where you think, 'Actually, if I want success I'm going to have to go elsewhere'," Swallow said.
"But the club's worked pretty bloody hard on this facility (Aegis Park) with a new coach and a lot of talent around the place.
"Whether it (a flag) happens this year, next year or five or 10 years, hopefully it comes sooner rather than later.
"Hopefully, when we do get there people will give us the recognition we deserve."
