Finals

[Peace]

Sooooo you wan't the AFL to stop expanding, by making less off of Finals ticket sales and memberships (teams will surely loose members if their team is one of 13/14 other teams not playing finals) just because the swans aren't top 4 at the moment?

You don't seem to be able to grasp the bigger picture here....

[aardvark]

Realistically, we aren't a premiership chance this year. But making finals and experiencing that style of play is a must. You bang on about, "we play finals type footy almost every week!". Breaking news, sir, finals-type footy IS NOT finals footy! Getting our younger boys to play in front of 60,000+ fans (something we rarely do) is huge for their progression and development as finals footballers.

You talk about 2005, so I suppose you fancy yourself as a football historian? Take a look back at the past 15 premiers. Each and every one played in 1-2 finals campaigns before winning the flag. It's a necessary part of any football teams progression from finals participant to finals competitor to premiership-winning team. That's not just in football. Looks at the NBA, NHL and the NFL as well and you'll see championship-winning teams DON'T just go from worst-to-first. You need to understand that.

We aren't going to go from also-rans to premiers without finals experience. We made it to the Semi-finals last year. This year, the boys are hoping to go one better at least. Will we? Probably not. There are at least 4 teams ahead of us development-wise, but playing one of those sides in the finals, seeing how they go about it and the intensity they play with will be invaluable to our boys.

Guys like Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack, Ben McGlynn, Sam Reid, Alex Johnson, Lewis Jetta, Gary Rohan, Craig Bird, Jed Lamb (if he gets fit), these guys are our future and have played in 12 collective finals games. This isn't a Disney movie where development occurs in a montage scene. Development comes from finals football, competing against the best in search of the ultimate prize, and the heartbreak when that final siren goes and your season comes to an end.

As a Sydney Swans supporter, jumping on a forum and having a hissy fit about making the finals but getting knocked out in the first week is poor form. We aren't going to win it all this year. Does that mean we shouldn't support our side? Does that mean that, if we finish 5th-8th, make it through week one and have to take on a powerhouse top 4 side that is desperate to make amends, we shouldn't go an support our boys, who have realistically had a very good year and exceeded expectations yet again?

Some fan you are. I bet you'd be the first clown parading around in a red and white jersey if we happened to win the flag. From now on, do all the true fans a favour and only post when you have something constructive to say, rather than run your mouth about things that, obviously, are too hard for you to comprehend.

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An excellent reply from RLC. I agree with him completely. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[RoosysLoveChild]

I would rather us play finals and be top 4. That way i know we are the full deal and not some fodder for the better teams.

Top 8 is a joke and an exercise in gate takings, a real finals system would be top 4.

So you won't support a side in the finals unless they are top 4? Well, that's dedication!!! Big round of applause for Sydney's biggest fan here, folks! My question for you is who did you follow back in 2009? You certainly don't seem the type of fan that sticks with his team through thick and thin.

[Sauce]

Realistically, we aren't a premiership chance this year. But making finals and experiencing that style of play is a must. You bang on about, "we play finals type footy almost every week!". Breaking news, sir, finals-type footy IS NOT finals footy! Getting our younger boys to play in front of 60,000+ fans (something we rarely do) is huge for their progression and development as finals footballers.

This is a fallacy perpurtrated by the AFL media to justify having a final 8.

You talk about 2005, so I suppose you fancy yourself as a football historian? Take a look back at the past 15 premiers. Each and every one played in 1-2 finals campaigns before winning the flag. It's a necessary part of any football teams progression from finals participant to finals competitor to premiership-winning team. That's not just in football. Looks at the NBA, NHL and the NFL as well and you'll see championship-winning teams DON'T just go from worst-to-first. You need to understand that.

We play finals football almost every year!

We aren't going to go from also-rans to premiers without finals experience. We made it to the Semi-finals last year. This year, the boys are hoping to go one better at least. Will we? Probably not. There are at least 4 teams ahead of us development-wise, but playing one of those sides in the finals, seeing how they go about it and the intensity they play with will be invaluable to our boys.

Refer to post above this one.

Guys like Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack, Ben McGlynn, Sam Reid, Alex Johnson, Lewis Jetta, Gary Rohan, Craig Bird, Jed Lamb (if he gets fit), these guys are our future and have played in 12 collective finals games. This isn't a Disney movie where development occurs in a montage scene. Development comes from finals football, competing against the best in search of the ultimate prize, and the heartbreak when that final siren goes and your season comes to an end.

We have a culture that plays finals, we are not like richmond who needs their younger players to play finals because there are many in that environment who have played finals let alone know what finals footy is all about!

As a Sydney Swans supporter, jumping on a forum and having a hissy fit about making the finals but getting knocked out in the first week is poor form.

I support my club however i want. Again at least i don't participate in calling my own teams players name. That is beyond pathetic.

Some fan you are. I bet you'd be the first clown parading around in a red and white jersey if we happened to win the flag. From now on, do all the true fans a favour and only post when you have something constructive to say, rather than run your mouth about things that, obviously, are too hard for you to comprehend.

And maybe i do? Why are you allowing your blood pressure to rise?

[Big Al]

Sauce, if you truly believe some of the stuff your coming up with then I do feel for you. If you are doing it to get the reaction that you are currently getting then please take it somewhere else.

[RoosysLoveChild]

My apologies Big Al, but I just simply can't stand stupidity from sports fans. I know what I said won't get through to him, but I may as well try.

[Sauce]

An excellent reply from RLC. I agree with him completely. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Of course you will agree with that load of BS. You don't even know me, you think i am a troll because i dared criticised the swans and so your POV has been compromised.

Again if you don't like what i have to say - ignore function.

I haven't abused anyone - all i dared to do is make some observations which a few of you are taking a bit too personal for my liking!

[Sauce]

Sauce, if you truly believe some of the stuff your coming up with then I do feel for you. If you are doing it to get the reaction that you are currently getting then please take it somewhere else.

Again Al either participate or don't reply. Surely you do understand the concept of someone else on the interweb having differing POV from yours?

[Dooloo]

What is the problem? If you can't debate what i said do not post.

I really don't understand the problem?

Maybe i should derail a thread with idle clique chatter?

Well that would be certainly better than listening to your constant dribble

[CJK]

Finals also mean more games, this is good.

[aardvark]

Of course you will agree with that load of BS. !

As you infer, its all about respect for other peoples opinions, isn't it ?

[Sauce]

Finals also mean more games, this is good.

I used to think this. Now i think waste of time if we are not even going to be a threat.

[Dooloo]

My memory must be fading.... but if I remember correctly, didn't we come within a kick of a Prelim Final last year. i don't know about you other posters, but that was enough to fill me with anticipation for this year. And I'm encouraged with what I have seen so far. I mean in a fantasy world, we would play and win every Grand Final every year. If only.....

[RoosysLoveChild]

*perpetrated I think you mean. But that is hogwash. Playing in front of a crowd that big after averaging 25,000-30,000 is very daunting. Did you happen to catch the game against Carlton a fortnight ago? Even some of the older guys like Marty and Tadhg seemed somewhat overawed by the 45,000+ fans that were there. Tadhg is a premiership player, but I'm sure you were a fan in 2005, when they were premiers .

We do play finals football almost every year, but the future of our club hasn't got a great deal of experience in it. The older guys do, I know that, but it's the younger brigade that will carry is back to a flag. We have had a fairly large turnover of players from 2008 until now, so we are again on the journey of finals experience to premiers, so don't go spouting that, "we play finals every year!" tripe. We still need to develop some of the younger brigade in terms of finals football.

Having a finals culture STILL isn't playing finals is it, good sir. There are a lot of Swans who have that experience, but some very important players that don't. You can't seem to grasp the difference between 'finals-like games' and a 'culture that plays finals' and actual finals football.

If that's how you support your team, that's pretty poor form. You can look back through my history, I have never called one of our players any sort of derogatory name. So there's a hole in that argument.

Finally, my blood pressure is not rising, friend. I was simply giving you a few reasons why finals football is necessary, even if a fair-weather bandwagoner like yourself only supports top 4 teams that have a better chance of showering you in glory.

[Sauce]

My memory must be fading.... but if I remember correctly, didn't we come within a kick of a Prelim Final last year. i don't know about you other posters, but that was enough to fill me with anticipation for this year. And I'm encouraged with what I have seen so far. I mean in a fantasy world, we would play and win every Grand Final every year. If only.....

To a below par bulldogs!

And yes who wasn't optimistic this year? new coach, a few young guns from last year expected to step up, maybe a new game plan that will see us win the flag, we almost got close to the pies in the mickey mouse cup!