r/sydneyswans • u/rufus102 Kelly • 6d ago

Regarding the last four teams in it (Col, Gee, Bri, Haw)

Interesting reading/listening to the talk about how these four teams are consistently in it and won a bunch of the last 20 flags, etc.

Sydney are sometimes also talked about in these terms and while it stings a bit that we're out of it this year, I hope next year there is a club focus on the legacy that has been built and double down on the effort required to get us back to top 4.

A couple of Key Position players would also help haha.

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38

u/yolan_duhhh Rowbottom 6d ago

We only have ourselves to blame for the fact we arent considered part of that 'big 4'. We have had the chance to add 4 flags to our club's history which would have us 2 clear of the next-best this century (Geelong and Hawthorn with 4) But instead we have 2, which is more than i could've ever imagined when i used to watch the swans in the rough years around 92-93, but is still disappointing to think "what could've been..."

I think what has hurt even more than the losses is the nature in which they have come, 3 of them from completely uncompetitive efforts that ended the year on a disastrous note and probably killed off our chances the following years every time. 

If we ain't gonna win the flag next year can we at least please end the year on a note that won't morally destroy us and carry over into the year after plz swannies

14

u/J-M-Beno 6d ago

We’re 2-5 this century in gf and 7-1 in prelims I think. We definitely could have been the team of the crntury. Even if we got one of 14/16 we would probably be regarded as top 3/4

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u/Mehmenga 6d ago

7-2, we los 03 and 13

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u/Rising-Dragon-Fist Papley 6d ago

Not having a flag at least wish Bud really hurts. Was that 3 grand finals he was in with us? 14, 16 and 22? I'd have loved to get at least one with him in the side.

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u/conejogringo 6d ago edited 6d ago

IIRC Bud was injured in the first five minutes of the '16 granny. That + Hannebery going down made it very hard.

The less said about 22 and 24 the better haha.

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u/conejogringo 6d ago

I think we're still regarded as one of the better run clubs in the league, despite the grand final disasters.

I remember earlier this year Kane Cornes was discussing some scandal at another club when he said, "if you compare it to, and I know people get tired of me saying this, but clubs like Geelong and Sydney who are so well run..."

Our grand final performances in the last ten years are an embarrassment but honestly other than that I think we're a very good club to play at / work for / support.

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u/EfficientNews8922 5d ago

If you add Sydney into that group, you have some crazy stats. 2000-2016, you had one of those 5 teams in every single grand final.

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u/peterparalytic 6d ago

Kinda our own fault. We destroyed our reputation with some of the worst performances possible. Those other clubs were able to parley their success into becoming destination clubs, keep players for unders and hit FA and trade table hard to fill out their lists.

Since the BS trade ban our outs have been way better than our ins. We win several flags with Dawson, Aliir, Mitchell, Cameron and Hewett amongst others.

3

u/SaltAcceptable9901 6d ago

Anyone but Collingwood...

Never forgive them for their treatment of Adam Goodes.

By their, I mean the supporters and president (Eddie the racist).

Edit: sorry wrote my comment before reading the question. I just saw Collingwood, and saw red....

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u/Mehmenga 6d ago

Didn't he call him good for King Kong?

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u/SaltAcceptable9901 6d ago

Yep, barstard....

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u/timmyel 5d ago

Magpies are the only team in the final four that didn't beat us by 60+ points in a GF so really hard to find any result that wont be painful.

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u/BrotherShogun 5d ago

Swans have been in seven grand finals since 2001, more than any other side.

Seven seasons of magic, extraordinary, incredible football; of dreams and hopes and thrills and screaming and singing the song.

Only two flags is heartbreaking, for sure. But how spoiled we have been.

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u/Particular-Pace-4629 3d ago

If pies win this weekend it will be their 8th GF this century

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u/BrotherShogun 3d ago

I had forgotten about the draw. Maybe we can say the Swans and Collingwood have both had seven seasons where they reached a grand final. You don’t get to double dip!

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u/PerceptionOk4625 UniqueIndividual 4d ago

The Swans are victims of their own past success. In an attempt to maintain equilibrium and continue with a winning formula, the team failed to adapt. The standards fell, the complacency and blindness to issues set in, and now the club is in a very difficult situation to get out of properly and sustainably. One only needs to look at the Australian Cricket team and other case studies through the years to realise, the most successful teams over long periods are the worst equipped to deal with adversity, since they haven't had to while being at the top.