Gut wrenching losses

[sharp9]

If, like me, you seem to have had that empty feeling an awful lot recently - there is an explanation. Since we won our last premiership nearly three years ago, we have won just one, that's ONE, of the TEN close games we have played.

2006 - Melb (SCG) LOSS 5 Points
WC (Subi) LOSS 2 Points
St.K (SCG) LOSS 2 Points
WC (Subi) WIN 1 Point
WC (MCG) LOSS 1 Point

2007 - WC (ANZ) LOSS 1 Point
Ess (SCG) LOSS 1 Point
Bris (Gab) DRAW

2008 - St.K (SCG) LOSS 2 Points
Nth (TSD) DRAW

In contrast, the 2 years when we "punched above our weight" we won 8 close games to 5 (2004 and 2005).

And that, folks, is the difference between a good team and a premiership team.

We all know what happened last week after I extolled our "brilliant" conversion rate from 1st quarter leads to wins...so maybe I can similarly do the commentator's curse on our pathetic work in the clutches.

BTW...just from memory...against, North, St. K (2008) Essendon and Melbourne we had the last significant kick at goal and MISSED. We lack belief and killer instinct under pressure. Geelong players (or Eagles 05-07) would not have missed those shots (Kirk, Moore, Buchanan, Malceski). I can't recall the specifics of the other games (except 06 GF, when, perversely, I feel that if we could have got a shot away in those last frantic forays we would have won) but we probably choked on some of those as well.

The one we did win was a lucky defender's punch leading to a kick from 2 metres.

We even choked in the 2005 GF and tried to hand victory to the Eagles with 6 kickable goals missed in the final quarter.

Would be nice to see us come home like Geelong for once. Last time we did that (to win) was against Melbourne in 2003, I reckon.

Go swans!!!!

[TheGrimReaper]

Agreed!

If we had beated, the Eagles, Bombers and the Lions we would have finished in the top 4 last year, that was the difference between us making the top 4 and not making it.

[ScottH]

Goal after the siren to Poulter (PA). Not sure what year.

Losing to Carlton during the early 90's(??). We'd led for most of the day, the Leon Higgins went off with an injury, and that was game over for us.
That was the day I swore I'd give up on the swans!! I just can't keep promises I guess.

[NMWBloods]

Goal after the siren to Poulter (PA). Not sure what year.

Poulton - 2002 - Roos' third game as coach.

[ScottH]

Poulton - 2002 - Roos' third game as coach.

See, I remember him well!!

[TheGrimReaper]

See, I remember him well!!

I wonder where he is at the moment. Does bugga all throughout his career except against us.

[NMWBloods]

See, I remember him well!!

Better than me - I just remembered the year - I had to look up the details.

[Big Al]

Better than me - I just remembered the year - I had to look up the details.

Same game as the Hall eye gouge wasn't it?

[Jeffers1984]

Steven @@@@ing Allessio every close game against the Bombers in the late 90s.

[Big Al]

1994 when Plugger tore us a new one in the last qtr to get up by a point.

[swansrock4eva]

Ah I remember that one well Al - the day Caven got a new face and Lockett was abused soundly all day for it, to the point where he then backed up and made fools of us. I think it was also the day Barrassi came out with "this is the only team I know of that can steal defeat from the jaws of victory." Ah those were the days...

[Big Al]

Ah I remember that one well Al - the day Caven got a new face and Lockett was abused soundly all day for it, to the point where he then backed up and made fools of us. I think it was also the day Barrassi came out with "this is the only team I know of that can steal defeat from the jaws of victory." Ah those were the days...

I remember Lockett warning the Swans in 93 after the Pig incident that he would make us pay. Well he sure did. Although I think he repaid us in kind a few years later.

[ScottH]

Steven @@@@ing Allessio every close game against the Bombers in the late 90s.

Took a yank to his first game. He was enjoying it, as we all were up to that point. Or should I say goal.

[Swannette]

I remember that Essendon game, oh it was awful. Was at the house of a friend of a friend and spent the last part of the last quarter sitting on the floor with arms wrapped around my legs rocking backwards and forwards, probably groaning, certainly shaking, and if a psyche nurse was in the room I would have been admitted!! And then Allessio marked the ball in the goal square......oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Thunder Shaker]

Essendon game c.2001 where we were up by 5 goals and lost it.

Kangaroos game 2004 when we were up by 7 goals at 3/4 time and looking at a good percentage boost, then it turned into not so good percentage, then can we hang on, and then we managed to lose it. Umpiring in the last quarter was against us as well.

Honourable mention - 2006 Grand Final, mainly because it was a Grand Final and we lost by one point. However, we trailed by six goals halfway through the match and did well to come back.

Several games in the 2000 and 2002 seasons, which was the reason we didn't make the finals but had percentages over 100