Why This Grand Final Win Feels Different

[Swansinger]

Well , for starters , I heard the siren this time !

The victories en route to the GF this year , were a bit more convincing , both in terms of the scores and the strength of the opponents.
And we did not lose a game.
We beat teams in 1st,2nd and 4th place on the ladder.

In 2005 , we beat 2nd , 4th and 6th.
Our H&A percentage was not as good as this year.

Furthermore , I felt , long before we had secured our spot in the eight , that the premiers for 2012 would be truly deserving , because it had been arguably the most competitive season ever - a vintage season , in fact.
There were plenty of outstanding games , apart from our performances.

To win the P in 2005 was a magnificent feat . Same as this year , I was privileged to be at the MCG that day and overjoyed at our victory.

The win it in 2012 was magnificent , too , of course.

Ultimately , though , I felt 2012 was somewhat better , because there can be no doubt among fair-minded neutrals that we were convincing , worthy champions.
It was, for me, that little bit more "legitimate".

Maybe , though , Melbourne media will not agree until we win the McClelland , then three finals by 60+ .

It'd be nice to get Brisbane/Geelong-like respect . But I don't really care - the big , shiny , silver Cup with our name on it in 2012 , will do for me.

You know , several clubs could not have such a debate . How blessed , how fortunate we are to support the Swans !

[Jewels]

Ultimately , though , I felt 2012 was somewhat better , because there can be no doubt among fair-minded neutrals that we were convincing , worthy champions.
It was, for me, that little bit more "legitimate".

This, for me.

[Sandridge]

2005 - Raw, unbridled emotion!

2012 - Complete elation and satisfaction!

Both of them - absolutely priceless!!

[Mel]

2005 was amazing. Total elation. Didn't know what to do or how to react.

2012 I'm more practiced . I also knew from round one what we were capable of and have been telling people all year that we were going to win the premiership, so I was ready. Still bloody brilliant, but with the shock and uncharterted territory in 2005, there was just a little something missing this year.

[hot potato]

Had an Adelaide client with me yesterday who is a mad as hell Crows supporter .he was at the recent Swans V Crows game and fully believed from then on that Sydney would go all the way.
He couldn't believe Hawks went in as favourites.

[Allymay]

2005 - wow we just won the grand final. What do we do now?? Some tears of joy, just a feeling of "Unbelieveable." Very surreal. I thought it would never happen.

2012 - jumping up and down, screaming with pure excitement and elation. All year Eagles supporters were telling me how they were going to be in the grand final, (some even bought GF travel packages in May!), putting on facebook these posters with West Coast Eagles Premiers 2012. I just stayed quiet all year, not saying anything until last Saturday. Then my page was a sea of red and white. Lots of photos, memes and posters!!

[liz]

2005 was amazing. Total elation. Didn't know what to do or how to react.

2012 I'm more practiced . I also knew from round one what we were capable of and have been telling people all year that we were going to win the premiership, so I was ready. Still bloody brilliant, but with the shock and uncharterted territory in 2005, there was just a little something missing this year.

I agree. This year has been fantastic but I have not experienced the undescribeable feelings of joy and elation that I did in 2005. There was just something ultra wonderful about that triumph, probably a combination of the roller coaster ride that we experienced during the finals campaign, plus the momentous breaking of the 72 year drought.

One thing that has been quite lovely this week is the number of people who have congratulated me this week. (Though I find the congratulations bit a tad strange. I know it is just a turn of phrase but I feel obliged to point out that I just sat in the stand and watched, but that I am thinking of changing my name by deed poll to Nick Malceski). Yesterday I received an email from a business associate I was working with back in 2005 who I have only kept in infrequent contact with and is a big Crows fan himself. I had another email from our audit director (himself a Blues fan) and I bumped into our ANZ banking relationship manager (a Kiwi who doesn't care for many teams apart from the All Blacks) who was effusive in his delight at the result. I had a lovely voicemail message for me left by one of our Melbourne people, who is a Pies man (he used to play for them, albeit he never played a senior game) - he and I have been baiting each other for the last two years every time we lost yet another game to the Pies but he was wonderfully gracious two weeks ago. And I have received more muted, but still gracious, congratulations from the two avid Hawks fans in the company.

[Rod_]

05 - didn't hear the siren. Watched the replay and couldn't hear the siren. Wondered what was tiger doing... got the idea eventually.. guess I was a rabbit in the headlights.
12 - Heard the siren and cheer cheered away... practice does make perfect!

Rod_

PS
06 gutted after another tight game! Then played the game of what if!

[SwansFan1972]

2005 was just such relief - finally the generations would stop passing by without seeing the Swans as premiers! And now we have two flags within a decade of each other.

We are very spoilt - for the record, this is the quickest 'backing up' of a flag with another one in our history. How good is that!?!?! And hopefully the next one will be closer still!

[ash3]

2005 was just utter belief, speechless and in tears, the press (in Melbourne) where somewhat behind us in the finals and the small lead up too so it was great

2012 was unbridled and loud shouting on the siren, I kept quiet all year as Hawthorn and West Coast supporters claimed the premiership as theirs as well as the Melbourne media pretty much all the way to the final siren. I think I listed every person and every media outlet who wrote us off and shouted that they can shove that up there..... well, you know! :-)

[Jewels]

Had an Adelaide client with me yesterday who is a mad as hell Crows supporter .he was at the recent Swans V Crows game and fully believed from then on that Sydney would go all the way.
He couldn't believe Hawks went in as favourites.

This week I have re-watched all the footy shows from last week (kind of reliving the whole wonderful thing) and it's funny to see who tipped us and who didn't. Players mostly tipped us (except for our 05 premiership captain), media the Hawks.
One thing I did notice though, was that every Crows player and every Pie that was on any show tipped us!

[dawson]

2005 - the first one after such a long drought was always going to be just relief, pure and utter relief. Also for a large hunk of the 70 years forget about not winning a final in that time, we weren't even in the finals. We were the worst team in the comp. Were transplanted to another city. The Edelstein era was fun while it lasted but in the long run may have caused more harm than good. 1992/93 the team was basically dead. Carlton were going to move up and thanks to Collingwood this didn't happen. We went 26 games without winning a game. Ron Barassi came on board. Started from square one. We got Plugga. Won that last game of 95 against Collingwood and I knew something special was brewing. Kelly won the Brownlow. Rocket came on board. Lost first two games of 96, beat Pies and then that win against Richmond in Round 4 was the modern rebirth of the Sydney Swans
1996 we didn't have the respect of the league or Sydney but it gave a base to build on and we did.

So 2005 encapsulated all of that.

Interesting to think what 2006 would have felt like given all this. To me, it would have felt like one long blur of domination to which we would have had 2 cups. It would have felt weird that after 70+ years we won 2 in a row.

2012: Doing something once is good, being able to duplicate it is the key. The irony of 2012 is how closely it resembles what Hawthorn did in 2008. That second one after 2005 was always going to be critical. How long would it take? That it only took 7 years is incredible. We are now firmly established in Sydney and the pieces are in place for us to be one of the most competitive teams in the league.

[swanspant12]

I think their was so many better stories to come out of us winning it then if hawthorn won it. Pykey, Morton, Macca, Goodesy and Jude coming to the end it was just so fitting. Me and my old man have watched the replay about 25 times no joke hahah just so wonderful and im so proud of the boys!

[R-1]

We really are the Good Guys of the AFL. Story producing machines.

[Bloody Hell]

The thing about this one is we were always a chance, where with 2005 I didn't feel it was the case.

For some reason 2006 seemed a two horse race.

We beat Adelaide, Collingwood and Hawthorn on the way the the finish...teams 1, 2 and 4, with the Swans finishing 3rd. Well earned in the end.