Home final disadvantage

[DST]

If you put all the cards out on the table at the begining of the year and they said:

* We would win a PF at the "G"
* Have little or no injuries to our best 22 coming into the GF
* Would get to a play an interstate side with doubts over their ability to win away from their home state

I would have said there and then that this is just about the best chance we have had to the win the bloody thing in the last 72 years.

And I still feel that way right now, we are about to run out on Saturday in the GF with nothing but ourselves standing in the way of a premiership.

DST

[dimelb]

Originally posted by timbo
The best time to win a final at the mcg is

... on the last Saturday in September!
GO BLOODS!

[Reggi]

Originally posted by DST
* Have little or no injuries to our best 22 coming into the GF

Then I would have expected Maxfield, Saddington, Doyle and Schauble to be available.

Others would have nominated Nicks.

Our injury list has been as long as anyone's, we have just maintained reasonable continuity of the run on side.

Not so sure it is our best possible side

[Thunder Shaker]

Originally posted by Dave
I wouldn't call it lack of enthusiasm, more a quiet confidence.

You don't wan't to get too far ahead of yourself and look like a total goose, a la the Saints fans, should the unthinkable happen.
And you also don't want to have the feral arrogance of a typical wet toast supporter.

Yes we have a great chance to win but the cup's not here yet.
I do think that it will be more a home final vibe for us though.

Totally agree here. 72 years without a flag does tend to build a lot of character, knowing that just around every corner lurks Murphy and his damn law book. It's been so long that we had already been waiting 15 years when Murphy (who was a real person) first commented on things going wrong.

As Swans fans, we have more realistic expectations. If we were Bombers fans, or fans of any of several clubs, we would already be planning the premiership celebrations. In a way, keeping it low key is better. By staying low, there's not so far to fall down if things go wrong, but so far to go up if we do - dare I say this? - WIN THE PREMIERSHIP.

[liz]

Lack of enthusiam? Hardly.

For me it still hasn't quite sunk in. 1996 was a bit of a fairy tale and I was just so so excited to have the chance to go to a grand final.

This time around just getting there isn't enough. There will be no finer opportunity within the forseeable future to finally break the drought and cement the credibility of the club we all love so passionately, both within the AFL comp and in the city of Sydney.

I want them to win so badly it hurts.

But I am not so stupid as to think it is in the bag. We're playing a team capable of blowing us off the ground in the first half if our boys are anything below the top of their game.

If people here aren't bubbling over and celebrating prematurely its because they are holding their breath waiting, and hoping.

[EMJ]

You could be right re playing away from Subi for a few weeks - may hurt West Coast - certainly hope so. Hope it hurts them bad so we win.