Sydney's record in grand finals needs scrutinising

[VinnieB]

Those Geelong teams at least had the excuse of being massive underdogs.

Sydney would have started strong favourites in at least three of their four losses.

Spot on. To not just lose, but be completely uncompetitive maybe suggests they have been overrated.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Hindsight Harry and all that.....but I noticed that in the lead-up, the Lions players looked so much more relaxed and easy-going whereas Sydney were more po-faced and serious.

I did wonder if the Swans were going to get overwhelmed by a 'this is serious business' mentality, a bit like Adelaide in 2017.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

I think the biggest problem is the mentality in Sydney media is the Swans making a GF is seen as massive achievement and they get all these pats on the back. Those swannies battling away make another GF.

Come GF day they get belted unless your in the Victoria the media afterwards don't really reflect on it and they dont get the heat.

It will be the same this week as everyone in Sydney's focus will be on NRL GF week.

There won't be much spoken about the Swans.

Yeah, in the internet/social media age, I don't agree.

It's true that most of the AFL media still emanates from Melbourne, but that's neither here nor there because it's consumed nationally. Everyone on the Swans board reads everything in the media regardless of where they're based.

There might be a few oldies who still get their news from the daily delivered copy of the SMH and they'll be insulated from the pile-on, but they're not the bulk of fans anymore by any stretch.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Must have been a devastating feeling for players like Rampe in that second qtr knowing the game was lost and thinking here we go again.

They would never admit it, but heads dropped and psychologically some of there players would have thrown in the towel at that point

 

[ApplecrossWC]

Sydney ruined grand final day for a lot of people once again. They also completely embarrassed themselves in the process.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Sydney ruined grand final day for a lot of people once again. They also completely embarrassed themselves in the process.

Yep, and as I posted elsewhere, this mouthwatering match-up between two "NRL" states had the potential to do so much good for the expansion of the game, but I can't see too many NSW fence-sitters signing up as AFL fans after yet another GF collapse from us.

But, it probably won't surprise you to hear this, if you've got any suggestions for a solution, there's a hell of a lot of people that would like to hear them.

 

[MF]

Bloods culture? WTF is it?

It died when Kirk, Bolton, Goodes, O'Keefe etc all retired. Our current list has nothing resembling it.

 

[Daka]

2019 and 2020. Are you simple or something?

You didn't understand my comment, but maybe i shouldn't have used "what" I wasn't asking what years, I was saying what as in 2 years Is nothing. They are contending most years like Geelong, sometimes they have a year where they don't play finals like the Cats last year but it's very rare.

 

[MF]

So yeah they shit the bed again.

They should be rightfully called out on an inability to close the deal.

Warning signs were there all year.

Good. I hope the media are absolutely brutal in their reviews of us. The club has it too easy in that regard.

 

[Giant YoYo]

There won't be much spoken about the Swans.

The news media in Sydney has completely changed and there will be much spoken about the Swans.

Footy news is pretty much daily here now and gets spoken about outside of the sports segments.

It's amazing that there are thoughts of view that still adhere to outdated views and think change isn't possible. Well, it is.

 

[LoungeLizard]

Hindsight Harry and all that.....but I noticed that in the lead-up, the Lions players looked so much more relaxed and easy-going whereas Sydney were more po-faced and serious.

I did wonder if the Swans were going to get overwhelmed by a 'this is serious business' mentality, a bit like Adelaide in 2017.

I also noticed while the players were warming up in the rooms, Longmire was pacing up and down around them.
I don't know if he does this every game, but you don't normally see coaches doing this.
Looked like tension to me.

 

[Gibbke]

Does anyone remember squiggle with the tracker that tracks a clubs overall defence and offence .
I remember looking at squiggle once and noticed that clubs that have historically been stronger defensively than offensively namely Sydney, Collingwood and Saint Kilda have lost twice as many grand finals as they have won more or less.
That's just an observation I thought was interesting. In 1991 Hawthorn beat the more favoured Eagles in a grand final because Hawthorn had a more stacked forward line and the Eagles coach put to much emphasis on defence against the Hawthorn forwards rather than just fighting fire with fire imo.

The Hawks were favourites in that GF. They were thrashed at Princes Park, but treated the return game in Perth as a recon mission which completely set them up for what really was an upset, their win in the QF again in Perth. By this point, it was the same old premiership minded Hawks, and once they narrowly got past the Cats they were going to beat whoever they fronted up against. WC were the dominant team for five of the six months of that season, but that loss to Fitzroy has since been revealed by insiders as indicative of one or two problems the team was facing in September 1991...

Freo in 2013 is a perfect example of what you're talking about, though. Hawks were favourites, heaviest scoring team in the comp, but there was a huge swell for Freo because their defence was almost legendary. But you win games by scoring, and those of us watching as Hawk fans felt no great worry even when Freo got themselves a goal down late...we knew we had the guns and it would happen, and sure enough. No surprises when Freo's first trade targets after that were forwards...they were desperate enough to make Colin Sylvia their focus...

 

[Gavin Excell]

I also noticed while the players were warming up in the rooms, Longmire was pacing up and down around them.
I don't know if he does this every game, but you don't normally see coaches doing this.
Looked like tension to me.

And yet they cane out flat as a biscuit and to be frank, looked timid

 

[mike ross]

They were never getting past Harris Andrews

31

Harris Andrews

Age

28

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.8

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.6

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

151.7

2star

D

17.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.0

3star

D

9.8

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

94.0

2star

. A great game by him. Pressure is the key. Be relentless and the best will crack at some point.

On another note, that call of Sydney being equal to or better than Essendon of 2000. Haha

 

[Blackhawk42]

They really know how to kill a vibe for neutrals. For the love of God, to whoever may face them in the prelim next year just make sure they don't make it so everyone can enjoy the day next time.

I actually really enjoyed the entire game yesterday because I kept thinking 'my goodness, it could have been Geelong doing this!'

 

[Jackie_Moon]

I also noticed while the players were warming up in the rooms, Longmire was pacing up and down around them.
I don't know if he does this every game, but you don't normally see coaches doing this.
Looked like tension to me.

I thought Longmire looked calm in the box but maybe he just shit himself too, it must've been infuriating for their supporters.

 

[Defabs]

I put the blame on Longmire as ultimately he is the one responsible, especially since he refuses to correct the errors he is making in completely dismissing the need to make us a strong team at the clearances.

Adams wouldn’t have made the difference but itwould have signalled that the swans were going to embrace a more contested footy game style

 

[Syd]

Outperformed by Katy Perry on the big stage.

 

[Gibbke]

Nah...not seeing a trend. The team in 1996, 2006, 2016, and now 2022-24 changed each time, different eras...it's just coincidence...

What happened this season though - Sydney racked up the numbers to get to 11-1, and then they started getting blunted. They were quite insipid at times afterwards, culminating in that game against Port. Good wins later as a better team, and the PF was against a team we've all queried about their mentality over time a week after they had to make a statement and showed they can't keep that up for two weeks in a row...a gift wrapped road to the GF...

The Lions though...screwed up in the last rounds to go to the elimination finals when they should have got the double chance, and then went through the griller grinning all the way...fist pumping comebacks tend to help with that...this was the 2016 Dogs all over again...

2022 - young team against a team of perfect age and experience on a huge winning streak.
2016 - lost an arm wrestle against a side having a purple patch.
2014 - a monstering from the Hawks. Hannebery's ears are still ringing.
2012 - they won. Clarkson learned from this game, bringing in the favourites for the flag and possibly thinking it was a straight shoot out and losing, and became a far more adaptable coach...two years later, a year on from a clever game plan in 2013 where he used Freo's defensive style against them, he similarly got smart v the Swans who brought a high but predictable quality side, like the Hawks did in 2012. Has Longmire spent the last four GF's simply swanning in and thinking it'll all come together while his opponents burn the midnight oil trying to stay ahead of him?
2005-06 - should have been back to back Swans, but neither side knew how to score, which is why all of their games for two years were close. Coin toss, but the Swans were all over them in the second half of 2006...chance went begging...
1996 - GF virgins who were never going to win...

 

[Hungdaddy]

I did say I thought there was some hubris coming out of Sydney over the decision to not play Mills. In reality I'm sure the media just wanted a human interest story to write about but maybe, just maybe, the Swans thought it was already won before the game.

 

[MightyHawks]

Good. I hope the media are absolutely brutal in their reviews of us. The club has it too easy in that regard.

I don’t they are allowed to be.

 

[PhatBoy]

The Giants choking in the QF hijacked this finals series with us falling short against Port a close second. Port have comically inflated the perception of the two teams that did beat them.

Dunno.

hawthorn could have come within 9 goals of us a few months back and made a statement on that.

 

[rapidfire7]

Is it just me, or does Bloods culture seem a little overrated after another smashing on GF day from the Lions yesterday?

That’s now 19 Grand Finals in their history, for only 5 wins, including losing their last 4, and losing 6 out of their last 8 since 1996.

I think they need to stop talking so much about Bloods culture and start to toughen up a bit.

 

[PhatBoy]

Sydney is a lot like Geelong in some ways

Over perform every year to a huge home ground advantage which puts them higher on the ladder than they deserve

Have poor final records as a result

Hey mate , are you enjoying having the same record at your home ground during your golden period as we do at yours long after ours finished?

Learned how to type or spell the word ‘statistics’ yet?

 

[Obeanie1]

Is it just me, or does Bloods culture seem a little overrated after another smashing on GF day from the Lions yesterday?

That’s now 19 Grand Finals in their history, for only 5 wins, including losing their last 4, and losing 6 out of their last 8 since 1996.

I think they need to stop talking so much about Bloods culture and start to toughen up a bit.

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AFL House cant kick the goals for them on the day can they?

Maybe they need a priority pick or the reinstatement of cola to help them get to where AFL House would like them to be.

Then again the club with the most academy kids and father sons should win. Just unfortunate for the Swans they played the Lions.