Finals

[Ratna]

I am sure sauce is right. Horse should cancel training and get the boys to have a game of marbles in the carpark and if that doesn't work move on to pocket billiards . Sure to win a flag that way.

What a ridiculous thought that being in the finals may assist in winning a flag

[Wardy]

99.99% of us love to see the boys in the finals, thats what they play for - and what we hope and pray for. If you dont strive with the intention to play finals, particularly at the senior level, then whats the point in playing at all?

[Jewels]

ask supports of clubs like richmond and melbourne. They would kill to play in any final let alone win won and advance to week 2. I love finals time...there is something special and i hope we as a footy club always strive to play finals footy.

^^^this^^^

[Kirkari]

...I am just saying that its useless for most of us thinking we will be a force in the finals....

It's true that I have seen some posters on here say that whatever we think has no impact on the team's performance. I personally believe any slackening of enthusiasm or creeping doubt on my part can give away telling marks and cost us goals. I know some others here feel the same way. You go ahead and think what you like. I will continue to believe, uselessly or otherwise, that we can win on any given day.

So you would rather us play finals, against 8th, win by 5 goals and then get comprehensibly beaten in week 2?

Good for teams experiencing their first finals with a new young list..but useless for us! And a complete waste of time!

Yes, to the first part, if that's my only option for week 2. As per my comment above though, I would like us to play finals, win by 5 goals, play week 2, win by 5 goals, play week 3, etc..

On the second part, whose time is it wasting? If you can find a Swans player who would rather head off on their holidays, I would like to have a stern word with him. If it's mine, then calm yourself. I have nothing else planned for September and lots of frequent flyer points saved up to get to the game(s). If it's the other posters on here, have you SEEN the threads in the offseason? If it's your own time you're worried about, you should feel free to book in whatever it is you'd rather be doing than watching the boys play.

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.....

Hmmm, must be collective hallucination. And I thought I was AT that game too! I guess it was just a really vivid dream. I dreamt Kirky was really bummed about wasting his time playing his last gutsy game for the Swans when he could have started his retirement a week earlier.

[Sauce]

I dreamt Kirky was really bummed about wasting his time playing his last gutsy game for the Swans when he could have started his retirement a week earlier.

haha context - he just played his last game and it was a final..emotional much.

I think back at 1999 and how it was a keystone towards our march in 2005.

btw i was talking about this year in the op.

[laughingnome]

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.

Repost. I endorse these statements.

To rederict attention to the Finals Structure:
No team has ever won the Grand Final in the VFL/AFL from 6th, 7th or 8th: True. However, they have the CHANCE to; no matter how small. Someone is going to be the first to do it, and you wouldn't want it to be us this year? Wishful thinking, maybe. But possible.

[Big Al]

Repost. I endorse these statements.

To rederict attention to the Finals Structure:
No team has ever won the Grand Final in the VFL/AFL from 6th, 7th or 8th: True. However, they have the CHANCE to; no matter how small. SOmeone is going to be the first to do it, and you wouldn't want it to be us this year? Wishful thinking, maybe. But possible.

Someone said on the 360 program (Maclure I think) that you wouldn't want to play Sydney in a final because they've been playing finals type footy for 22 rounds.

You just never know...

[Xie Shan]

Someone said on the 360 program (Maclure I think) that you wouldn't want to play Sydney in a final because they've been playing finals type footy for 22 rounds.

I think it was Malthouse that first said it about us a few years ago...

[Red]

Sauce. I'm assuming your rant is genuine and you're not just indulging in a bit of cage-rattling. But it's a slow night, so here's my 'reply and contribution to the thread'.

For what it's worth I understand your frustration with the current final-8 system. It does seem like a cynical marketing exercise intended to drag out a profitable finals series by mixing some cannon fodder in with the contenders. Eight place means you're only a half-decent team. And no-one has ever won from lower than fifth (unverified).

But the system is what it is, and at the end of the day there's some very compelling reasons for making the finals:

1. Sponsors like it
   Greater exposure for their brand in the high-rating Finals Series means they're happy and the club has more to bargain with during (re)negotiations.
2. Fans and supporters like it
   Well, most of them do anyway If an honourable exit from Finals doesn't get more fans and members the next season, not making the Finals at all will ensure a drop in numbers.
3. The club is more attractive to targeted players / coaches / staff
   Players are motivated primarily by two things: money and the chance at a flag (which you get by playing Finals). Same goes for support staff, managers, medicos, everyone.
4. It's more money for the club
   Literally -- the higher you finish, the more prize money you get.
5. Anything can happen
   It's unlikely that a team outside of the four will win the flag, but not impossible. Upsets do happen, even in finals. Think Swans v Port in 2003. It almost happened last Sat night. By all means expect the worst, but temper it by hoping for the best.
6. There's only two real prizes anyway
   The flag, and the #1 draft pick (maybe the first few). Everything else from second down to near-bottom get nothing. So if you're not in that group, you may as well finish as high as you can -- for the reasons above and for others posted in this thread.

[msb]

Ask supporters of clubs like Richmond and Melbourne. They would kill to play in ANY final let alone win won and advance to week 2. I love finals time...there is something special and I hope we as a footy club always strive to play finals footy.

Well said, I am thinking the same....what does this sauce character want us to do?? Rollover and give up for the year??

[Hartijon]

Well said, I am thinking the same....what does this sauce character want us to do?? Rollover and give up for the year??

The problem with this thread is that its based on a concept that simply doesn't exist in competitive sport. Competitive sport is always competitive simple as that.The Finals are even more competitive as each team tries to finish higher than the rest but only one can succeed.Not to compete in this ultimate competition with the highest possible reward because you are not likely to win it is a non concept. Competing is an honour!
It is hard to write this post as what I am saying is so obvious it goes whithout saying.Can we move on to some meaningful discussion?

[dimelb]

Well said, I am thinking the same....what does this sauce character want us to do?? Rollover and give up for the year??

Keep replying.

[Dosser]

Wow, this thread is fascinating! I bet Sauce is chuckling away reading all of the posts he has generated.
Yes, there is a valid point that is made about the final 8 system, however if you ask players then they will all tell you that they play the season in order to play finals - even if it means you end up 8th!
I also have to admit that, after the first few rounds I thought that maybe there was a little more hype than substance from Reid as he had only taken a few contested marks at that stage. However, now I am beginning to see that he is something special and PROVIDED he improves at his current rate, then we are going to have an absolute gun - but he is not a gun yet.
And before anybody says that I may be a johnny-come-lately to the Swans, I can have a peeing contest and say that I became a member in time for the vote to bring them up to Sydney (I was in Sydney at the time).
Anyway, it's been a fun thread, but surely its now time to turn to football?

[magic.merkin]

Me thinks Sauce lives under a bridge, and jumps out to charge a crossing toll

[Jewels]

The problem with this thread is that its based on a concept that simply doesn't exist in competitive sport. Competitive sport is always competitive simple as that.The Finals are even more competitive as each team tries to finish higher than the rest but only one can succeed.Not to compete in this ultimate competition with the highest possible reward because you are not likely to win it is a non concept. Competing is an honour!
It is hard to write this post as what I am saying is so obvious it goes whithout saying.Can we move on to some meaningful discussion?

I think that sentance says it all!