Proud to be in the Finals

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  • top40
    Regular in the Side
    • May 2007
    • 933

    Proud to be in the Finals

    On Saturday night after the Collingwood loss, I was feeling not so much down, but just uninterested in AFL.

    All slightly changed at about 7.30pm Sunday night, when I found out that last placed Richmond had upset Essendon at the MCG. That win meant that come what may, the Swans are in the Final 8 in season 2007.

    Let's face it, they have been very unlucky this year. Injuries to key players like Barry Hall, Tadhg Kennelly Lewis Roberts-Thompson and Leo Barry. There were the desperately unlucky one point losses against West Coast in round one; and Essendon in round ten, (remember that boundary umpiring decision). Further, there was a bad drawn game against Brisbane in round 20, where Jonathon Brown kicked a freak goal from 55 metres out to draw the game seconds from the final siren. Conversely, unlike in our premiership year of 2005, we have had no close and lucky wins this year. Slightly better goal kicking in Round 4 against the Crows in Adelaide would have seen yet another win. Finally, how unlucky was it that we HAD to be the "other team", (and the visiting one at that), when Ben Cousins (West Coast) and Nathan Buckley (Collingwood) made their highly emotional home game comebacks in round 16 and 21 respectively.

    But I am looking towards the positive here. This 2007 finals appearance record represents the Swans' 10th appearance in 12 seasons. Remarkably, it is also represents the 13 straight season where their percentage as been over 100.

    Any one who followed the Swans over the many decades post World War 11, would know very well about the club's poor history. There were no finals appearances at all from 1946 to 1969, (24 straight seasons). And there were only four finals appearances in 50 straight seasons between 1946 and 1995, whereupon the Swans' finals games' record stood in those many lean years at zero wins, and six losses.

    So, I am proud to see us still in the mix. We can?t win the flag every season. And if their luck changes in September.....you never know.
  • BurgandiLove
    Suspended by the MRP
    • Aug 2007
    • 86

    #2
    Whats the point? We won't get far and if we do would be the biggest fluke since Adelaide won it in 97.

    I would rather us not play in the finals.

    Comment

    • NMWBloods
      Taking Refuge!!
      • Jan 2003
      • 15819

      #3
      'Unlucky'...???
      Captain Logic is not steering this tugboat.

      "[T]here are things that matter more and he's reading and thinking about them: heaven, reincarnation. Life and death are the only things that are truly a matter of life and death. Not football."

      Comment

      • top40
        Regular in the Side
        • May 2007
        • 933

        #4
        Originally posted by NMWBloods
        'Unlucky'...???
        When in 2007 can you point out when we have we had any GOOD luck?!

        Even Adam Goodes avoiding suspension was not that much of a blessing, considering at that time of the year he was playing below average, and a week off might have actually done him some good.

        Comment

        • Sanecow
          Suspended by the MRP
          • Mar 2003
          • 6917

          #5
          The only thing that would make me prouder would be if Collingwood had beaten us by a single point. Those gutsy losses are very stirring.

          Comment

          • hammo
            Veterans List
            • Jul 2003
            • 5554

            #6
            Originally posted by top40
            When in 2007 can you point out when we have we had any GOOD luck?!
            You make your own luck. I don't think in either of the one point losses we deserved to win and in the draw we squandered our chances to win by kicking so many behinds.
            "As everyone knows our style of football is defensive and unattractive, and as such I have completely forgotten how to mark or kick over the years" - Brett Kirk

            Comment

            • Glenn
              ROLLLLLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!
              • Mar 2003
              • 2443

              #7
              Not to mention playing negative football in that draw.

              Well Sydney are in the finals, may not reach the heights of the previous two years but hopefully a good sign that even a "bad" year, and we still see Sydney in finals action.
              Premiers 09,18,33,05

              "You Irish Twit", Quote attributed to a RWO member who shall remain nameless.

              Comment

              • Plugger46
                Senior Player
                • Apr 2003
                • 3674

                #8
                Originally posted by BurgandiLove
                Whats the point? We won't get far and if we do would be the biggest fluke since Adelaide won it in 97.

                I would rather us not play in the finals.
                Always prefer to be there.
                Bloods

                "Lockett is the best of all time" - Robert Harvey, Darrel Baldock, Nathan Burke, Kevin Bartlett, Bob Skilton

                Comment

                • annew
                  Senior Player
                  • Mar 2006
                  • 2164

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Plugger46
                  Always prefer to be there.
                  An would love to beat Collingwood to throw them out of finals.

                  Comment

                  • ScottH
                    It's Goodes to cheer!!
                    • Sep 2003
                    • 23665

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Sanecow
                    The only thing that would make me prouder would be if Collingwood had beaten us by a single point. Those gutsy losses are very stirring.
                    The 1st loss to Collingwood against their reserves to was inspiring.

                    Comment

                    • cruiser
                      What the frack!
                      • Jul 2004
                      • 6114

                      #11
                      Originally posted by BurgandiLove
                      I would rather us not play in the finals.
                      I dont understand that attitude. At least for as long as you are playing in the finals you have some chance, no matter how remote. Finishing in the top 8 is also more successful than not finishing in the top 8. Surely a team should strive to be as successful as it possibly can.
                      Last edited by cruiser; 27 August 2007, 02:07 PM.
                      Occupational hazards:
                      I don't eat animals since discovering this ability. I used to. But one day the lamb I was eating came through to me and ever since then I haven't been able to eat meat.
                      - animal psychic Amanda de Warren

                      Comment

                      • barry
                        Veterans List
                        • Jan 2003
                        • 8499

                        #12
                        Listen, just making the finals is not enough. Thats South-Melbourne thinking, and that means 72 years between drinks.

                        But this year should be fun. We wont win the flag, but we will teach some of these young pups a thing or two about finals. Each final we'll go in as underdog with few expecting us to win, but knowing deep down inside that if out 05/06 game clicks we can cause the upset.

                        Comment

                        • top40
                          Regular in the Side
                          • May 2007
                          • 933

                          #13
                          Originally posted by BurgandiLove
                          Whats the point? We won't get far and if we do would be the biggest fluke since Adelaide won it in 97.

                          I would rather us not play in the finals.
                          With that approach, what's the point of it all? With just 4 flags and 13 GFs in 110 seasons, there must be an alternative way to enjoy your leisure time rather than following the Swans. You only get ultimate joy on average every quarter of a century!

                          Comment

                          • NMWBloods
                            Taking Refuge!!
                            • Jan 2003
                            • 15819

                            #14
                            Originally posted by top40
                            When in 2007 can you point out when we have we had any GOOD luck?!
                            What bad luck have we had?

                            Everyone on RWO was saying our lack of injuries in previous was not due to good luck, but good management.

                            In any event, injuries are a part of the sport and all teams have them, and a number worse than us, but still cope.

                            The 1 point losses and the draw and the poor kicking against Adelaide were our own fault for playing poorly.

                            Good luck would be playing Port during their low ebb.
                            Captain Logic is not steering this tugboat.

                            "[T]here are things that matter more and he's reading and thinking about them: heaven, reincarnation. Life and death are the only things that are truly a matter of life and death. Not football."

                            Comment

                            • NMWBloods
                              Taking Refuge!!
                              • Jan 2003
                              • 15819

                              #15
                              Originally posted by barry
                              Listen, just making the finals is not enough. Thats South-Melbourne thinking, and that means 72 years between drinks.

                              But this year should be fun. We wont win the flag, but we will teach some of these young pups a thing or two about finals. Each final we'll go in as underdog with few expecting us to win, but knowing deep down inside that if out 05/06 game clicks we can cause the upset.
                              Yeah - a bit like 2003!
                              Captain Logic is not steering this tugboat.

                              "[T]here are things that matter more and he's reading and thinking about them: heaven, reincarnation. Life and death are the only things that are truly a matter of life and death. Not football."

                              Comment

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