What could have been

[j s]

Re: What could have been

Originally posted by barry
I dont think its going out on too much of a limb here to say that the Swans could easily have beaten the rocca-less pies today if we had made it.

If only we had hit the front against Brisbane before 3/4 time, and came out switched on in the last quarter.

A few big If's there, but it really shows how close we were.

IF it had happened it would probably also be the first time the two CURRENT Brownlow medallists had played in a GF (as opposed to the record that WAS set - one current and four past winners)

[Bron]

Originally posted by j s
Looks strangely like a bench to me Bron?

Hmm yep it does, I guess I missed it ... I thought they went to a different side of the ground for their photo and when the Lions had there's the bench was whipped away quickly.

[omnipotent]

Doubt if we would have beaten either team. Every game is different. Remember when we lost Ball it affected our ruck, Lions had two ruckmen. I have it on good authority that they weren't as doped for our match, went all out for the big one. I really believe they would have blown us away, they are head and shoulders above other teams when they play at their top. And collingwood was intimidated by them but probably wouldn't be by us. All games are different, let's not try to think of it as a flag which got away otherwise we torture ourselves.

[Go Swannies]

I was at the game on Saturday and have to agree with Omnipotent. Collingwood tried to out muscle the Lions and the Lions had the heart and muscle to play all four quarters as they played us for the last quarter. We lost; Collingwood folded.

The Pies would not have been daunted by us so I doubt that they would have let our lighter, faster team play the way we wanted. Also, there's always the chance that we would have frozen in the GF spotlight as they partially appeared to do.

So we may have beaten the Pies but I think probably not - and losing may have set us back in mental stakes for next year.

In the realm of completely hypothetical. I think we certainly would have put up a better contest against the Lions than the Pies did. But the Lions are a very mentally tough team (as we discovered a week earlier than the rest of the league) and I think they would have prevailed.

If you want a genuine gripe, consider this. How come we were told that the Swannies went pretty soft in the PF and when they should have run home over the injured and tired Lions in the final quarter they fell by the wayside? On the other hand, the media now tells us that the choking Pies could only be beaten by "the best team of the modern era". Big change in a week! Swan bashing is only on hold as Magpies present an easier target this week.

In my opinion, just about any team in the eight would have put a better battle than the Pies on Saturday. (Hmm, maybe exclude West Coast and the Power from that.) But I suspect you could pick any of the 7 (or 15) and the Lions would still be premiers right now. They wanted it more and were prepared to play for it - they played as we did against Port in the QF: with desperation, skill and luck.

[liz]

Originally posted by omnipotent
And collingwood was intimidated by them but probably wouldn't be by us.

Were they intimidated or did they just believe they just had to turn up to win?

All games are different, let's not try to think of it as a flag which got away otherwise we torture ourselves.

Agree - it's done and dusted now and we just need to look forward to next year to see how much the Swans have learned from this one.