Best 5 Swans wins from the modern era

[Doctor J.]

I was there too! I was quite young and Dad took me to the games but it was our first at Victoria Park and not knowing any better we stood on the infamous hill. I did wonder why I was the only one wearing red and white and I think it was only my young age that enabled us both to make it out alive after Stevie got us over the line!

That 1970 Collingwood game was at the Lake Oval. Magical in all respects. There are 2 wins, no actually 3 wins that stand out for me in that year. Round 5 or 6 smashing Carlton by 77 pts, the said 1pt win against Collingwood, and the "apple core" game against Geelong at Kardinia Park. For those not old enough, Geelong's full forward Doug Wade was lining up for goal and as he kicked the ball someone threw an apple, which hit the ball causing it to miss the goals and only register a point. Swans would go on to win by 7 pts and by doing so qualify for their first finals appearance in 25 years.

Ah memories!!!

But on to modern times as the thread is intended.

Most of them have already been mentioned.

Special mention to the following games:
A Vic Park game where we got up by 5pts or 1 pt. I can't remember the year, but I do remember Barry Mitchell slotting home the winner after getting a free kick. The locals went berserk.

Final round 1996. Kicking against the wind on a freezing night. The "Syyyyyydddddnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeyy" chant was born.

1999 Game against Kangas Down by about 6 goals at half time, and Kelly played a blinder to get us home.

Can't forget the Plugger 1300 game. Although I wasn't there and the dribble coming from commentators Dunstall & McAvaney killed a lot of the enjoyment.

One last one that sits in my memory bank for no other reason that it pissed off multiple Collingwood supporters. 2001 Rd 10 against Collingwood. We were out on our feet leading by about 20pts going into the last quarter, Dunks had been smashed and was on one leg. Heath James did another hammy and was out of the game, I forget what Cressa did but he was also a bench sitter, and a few others Luffy and Kirky were also carrying some injury. In the last qtr Rocket simply throws everyone back and the players responded with one of the best ever quarters of defence I can remember, then deep in the last we are down to under a two goal lead, and Willo sprints from defence and takes a long shot from well outside 50. Bang!!! We are home, high 5's all round, make mine a large one and enjoy the train trip home on the Epping line Pies fans. Glorious victory.

[Markus26]

I was in awe watching the Swans kick 10 goals in the final term against the Dees in 2003. I thought they were sure to lose, but after seeing that, you never say never when the Swans are playing. Swans' final burst pays off - realfooty.com.au

[neilfws]

Best Swans win I have seen was beating Melbourne at the SCG to break a 26 game losing streak. I can't remember dates etc.....

That would be this game, June 27 1993. Would like to have seen it!

Good wins are often those where teams come from behind at the end of Q3 to win, which is something I looked at a while ago (just scroll down to the tables near the end if the geeky stuff is not your thing). I see last years round 1 game v the Bombers is now at number 4 in the "best turnarounds", but I don't know that was such a great game. My favourite in that table is the Anzac day game v Melbourne in 2003, with the storming 10 goal final quarter. Also happens to be the first game I attended, good memories.

[Cheer_Cheer]

One of my faves was against the Roos at the SCG in 2002. The crowd had gone quiet as the Kangas were in front (only by a few points) and the final siren was imminent. Then Cressa steps in and milks a free kick by pushing a young Roo around. The young Roo retaliated a little too hard with Cressa ending up on the turf. Cressa puts it through after the siren. I have never seen a crowd erupt in so much jubilation. That was an emotional roller coaster ride.

[707]

Guest programmer month on Fox Footy, Barry Hall and Gerard Healy have some classic Swans games back as far as the 1996 Prelim. The 2003 QF against the odds against Port Adelaide was on just now - epic stuff!

[Sandridge]

That 1970 Collingwood game was at the Lake Oval. Magical in all respects. There are 2 wins, no actually 3 wins that stand out for me in that year. Round 5 or 6 smashing Carlton by 77 pts, the said 1pt win against Collingwood, and the "apple core" game against Geelong at Kardinia Park. For those not old enough, Geelong's full forward Doug Wade was lining up for goal and as he kicked the ball someone threw an apple, which hit the ball causing it to miss the goals and only register a point. Swans would go on to win by 7 pts and by doing so qualify for their first finals appearance in 25 years.

Ah memories!!!

So wonderful to know that there are a few RWOers old enough to remember that wonderful 1970 season!

That Carlton game was the game where people realised that we were genuine contenders and the Geelong game was a thriller that helped cement our place in the four. If I remember rightly, our win against Fitzroy at the Lake Oval a week later meant that we couldn't be dislodged from the four, even though there was still one round to go. (Maybe wrong on that!)

After a 25 year drought, we had made the finals!! Who'd have thought then that it would be another 26 years before we would actually win a final?

[Bloods05]

So wonderful to know that there are a few RWOers old enough to remember that wonderful 1970 season!

That Carlton game was the game where people realised that we were genuine contenders and the Geelong game was a thriller that helped cement our place in the four. If I remember rightly, our win against Fitzroy at the Lake Oval a week later meant that we couldn't be dislodged from the four, even though there was still one round to go. (Maybe wrong on that!)

After a 25 year drought, we had made the finals!! Who'd have thought then that it would be another 26 years before we would actually win a final?

No, you are absolutely right about the Fitzroy win. I remember hanging on every possession in that last quarter, and it was a close-run thing, four points as I recall. Another vivid memory I have is of reading Alf Brown's report of the Carlton game in the Melbourne Herald, where he said he hadn't seen a Swans team play like that since 1933. Brown had an acerbic turn of phrase and had never rated the Swans very highly, so it was a real thrill to read that.

[Scottee]

That 1970 Collingwood game was at the Lake Oval. Magical in all respects. There are 2 wins, no actually 3 wins that stand out for me in that year. Round 5 or 6 smashing Carlton by 77 pts, the said 1pt win against Collingwood, and the "apple core" game against Geelong at Kardinia Park. For those not old enough, Geelong's full forward Doug Wade was lining up for goal and as he kicked the ball someone threw an apple, which hit the ball causing it to miss the goals and only register a point. Swans would go on to win by 7 pts and by doing so qualify for their first finals appearance in 25 years.

Ah memories!!!

But on to modern times as the thread is intended.

Most of them have already been mentioned.

Special mention to the following games:
A Vic Park game where we got up by 5pts or 1 pt. I can't remember the year, but I do remember Barry Mitchell slotting home the winner after getting a free kick. The locals went berserk.

Final round 1996. Kicking against the wind on a freezing night. The "Syyyyyydddddnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeyy" chant was born.

1999 Game against Kangas Down by about 6 goals at half time, and Kelly played a blinder to get us home.

Can't forget the Plugger 1300 game. Although I wasn't there and the dribble coming from commentators Dunstall & McAvaney killed a lot of the enjoyment.

One last one that sits in my memory bank for no other reason that it pissed off multiple Collingwood supporters. 2001 Rd 10 against Collingwood. We were out on our feet leading by about 20pts going into the last quarter, Dunks had been smashed and was on one leg. Heath James did another hammy and was out of the game, I forget what Cressa did but he was also a bench sitter, and a few others Luffy and Kirky were also carrying some injury. In the last qtr Rocket simply throws everyone back and the players responded with one of the best ever quarters of defence I can remember, then deep in the last we are down to under a two goal lead, and Willo sprints from defence and takes a long shot from well outside 50. Bang!!! We are home, high 5's all round, make mine a large one and enjoy the train trip home on the Epping line Pies fans. Glorious victory.

Mate, if I can remember it then its modern. OK?

[Sandridge]

With all this discussion of the wonderful 1970 season, I'm disappointed in myself for only just remembering another great game from the 70s - Round 14, 1973. We beat Geelong at the Lake Oval and it ended a drought of 29 games without a win. It's an old clich? I know but it really was just like winning a Grand Final. Our coach, Graeme John, was mobbed after the game and I will never forget the sight of an old man who, along with everyone else, jumped the fence after the final siren. He was singing the theme song with the cheer squad, tears streaming down his face.
Anyone else remember that game?

[i'm-uninformed2]

Still on hols so got home from golf today and watched the 03 Port game and final vs WC in 06. It's easy to forget at his best (05 GF anyone) what a player Fosdike was. Ran and ran and ran like Hanners.

[YvonneH]

My observations from 03 Qual Final vs Port:
- What an accurate kick Barry Hall was.
- Just how phenominal Adam Goodes was in years pas.t
- Anthony Hudson's call "I see it but I don't believe it" was used in this game before the 05 Final.
- THAT hit on Brett Kirk by Byron Pickett deserves a mention, also the fact that Brett bounced straight back up.

[chuckie]

I have said many times that the 1970 game against Collingwood was my favourite game, people didn't just sit inside the boundary line in those last minutes when we hit the front people just ran onto to the ground celebrating even though the siren still hadn't rang.

[aardvark]

I have said many times that the 1970 game against Collingwood was my favourite game, people didn't just sit inside the boundary line in those last minutes when we hit the front people just ran onto to the ground celebrating even though the siren still hadn't rang.

I was also there. It was the last game I saw with my father before he died so is very special to me for a number of reasons. Being 13 at the time I remember standing on the old steel beercans to see the game and the horrified look on the pies supporters faces as we left the ground. Fond memories.

Also Xmas greetings and a Happy New Year to all on RWO. I'm on a sojourn in Sth America so havent been on much.

[Scottee]

I was also there. It was the last game I saw with my father before he died so is very special to me for a number of reasons. Being 13 at the time I remember standing on the old steel beercans to see the game and the horrified look on the pies supporters faces as we left the ground. Fond memories.

Also Xmas greetings and a Happy New Year to all on RWO. I'm on a sojourn in Sth America so havent been on much.

I must say that one of the things that stands out in my memories is the image of the smirks on the Collingwood player's faces when there was about 4 minutes to go and they were 21 points up. OK guys, it's ours! Doh!

Have you met any of your namesakes in Sth America?

[Meg]

I am loving these old South Melbourne stories which pre-date my time as a Swans' supporter. However they do bring back nostalgic memories of what it used to be like packed in a crowd standing on the mounds, often in the rain, cheering madly when all I could see was the back of the head of the person in front of me (in Adelaide)!

That 1970 Doug Wade 'apple' story is just wonderful. Imagine the apoplexy that would happen on all the footy shows, articles and social media if something like that happened now. I found this very funny description of the incident on the net.

"A South Melbourne supporter, frustrated that Wade had taken the mark, had thrown an apple at the Geelong full-forward as he was about to kick for goal. His accurate throw did enough to move the football from its intended path ? the middle of Wade?s boot ? to merely brush the instep of the Geelong champ?s foot."

"Wade complained to the umpire and said ?Hey, give me another kick!?
The umpire apparently said, ?There?s nothing in the rule book about apples?."