Match thread. THE GRAND FINAL!!! Swans v Cats.

[stevoswan]

Today was disappointing obviously but we have come second in 2022....not too bad. Next year we will come first. Believe.

Not the time to sook like children, point fingers (like post event faux experts) and jump ship. My toys are staying in the cot and I'm sure Horse's, Don's and everyone else's at the Swans are too.

Our boys will grow from this....time for some on here to grow up.

[Maltopia]

To those attacking our player and coaches, you don’t think they are devastated?

We were simply beaten by a much better team on the day. Their roster is stacked with All Australians past and present. How they can fit all those great players under the salary cap is a mystery.

I am vey proud of our team for making the GF. So we lost by a massive margin. We still had a great season and have a chance to make it deep into the finals for years to come.

[aardvark]

Grand final losses are littered with failed experiments playing injured players. When will they learn it doesn't work?

[stevoswan]

I agree. Disgraceful effort that will scare us for years to come. I think we will struggle next year and be in the bottom eight. Our Best player was Robbie Fox who was delisted at one stage early in the year. Geelong were the older side but we could not outrun them out jump them out tackle them. We looked like a bunch of old men out there.

[Foreign Legion]

I will probably retire from the board for a few months...

But from what I heard on radio and looking at the stats Robbie Fox or Warner were our best.

Kudos to Fox for lifting himself up into the game on one of the best players in the League.

[greeng]

The Swans have had a great year, exceeding everyone's expectations. We finished the season with a flurry and have given the fans a lot of pleasure and so much to look forward to in the future. I don't see any reason to get down on the players or the coaches.

The best team won today, and they were the best team by a long way. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be? We are a young team and we will just have to improve if we want to win premierships.
At least we go into next season not having to worry about a premiership hangover!

With that attitude we never have to worry about about a premiership hangover.

[MattW]

One things for sure Logan McDonald wont be hanging around for long.

*mute*

[Merdo5555]

Wonderful to see some people accept embarrassment and humiliation so well, lets give them a merit badge for participating!

Loyalty. Try it some time.

Has anyone who has been critical said they wont be supporting the team next year?

Loyalty is being willing to stand up and speak up when you need. The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. The standard today was unacceptable and must be called out.

Changes need to be made otherwise what we just saw was acceptable it wasnt!

Losing is fine, playing like that isnt.

[stevoswan]

Wonderful to see some people accept embarrassment and humiliation so well, lets give them a merit badge for participating!

You sir, should just run along and stop your pathetic faux tough bleating. It's tiresome and disloyal to everyone who got us into a Grand Final.

Bye bye.

[dejavoodoo44]

That was one of the best football performances I've ever seen from a team. Geelong have been fantastic in every aspect of the game. It's a shame that it wasn't much of a show for the spectators. And also a shame it was at our expense. Geelong were so much better than us, I couldn't even say if we played poorly. I can only say that Geelong were far, far superior. I just marvel how good they are.

Yes, that's a better way of looking at it, than some of the petulant whining that's going on. I don't think Geelong could have played better, while we never really got back into it, after a nervous start.

Going into the game, I was wary of Geelong's strength and size, but I thought we could nullify that with outside run and skilful ball movement. What surprised me, was that they seemed to have a big advantage in explosive pace. That is, for the first five metres or so, when going for a loose ball or trying to pressure an opponent, they were consistently faster than us. Consequently, more clean contested possessions for them, more scrappy disposals for us.

Hopefully, that sort of thrashing won't leave too many mental scars, since we obviously have such a wealth of young talent, that will improve with another year in the gym. Who perhaps will be able to match it with Geelong next season, when we develop some more explosive power and they lose a few players to age.

[stevoswan]

One things for sure Logan McDonald wont be hanging around for long.

Is this actually a serious comment? Wow!

[Merdo5555]

Wonderful to see some people accept embarrassment and humiliation so well, lets give them a merit badge for participating!

To those attacking our player and coaches, you don’t think they are devastated?

We were simply beaten by a much better team on the day. Their roster is stacked with All Australians past and present. How they can fit all those great players under the salary cap is a mystery.

I am vey proud of our team for making the GF. So we lost by a massive margin. We still had a great season and have a chance to make it deep into the finals for years to come.

Are they an 81 point better team?

[dejavoodoo44]

Has anyone who has been critical said they wont be supporting the team next year?

Loyalty is being willing to stand up and speak up when you need. The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. The standard today was unacceptable and must be called out.

Changes need to be made otherwise what we just saw was acceptable it wasnt!

Losing is fine, playing like that isnt.

You've had your fifteen minutes of attention, now @@@@ off.

[Merdo5555]

Wonderful to see some people accept embarrassment and humiliation so well, lets give them a merit badge for participating!

You've had your fifteen minutes of attention, now @@@@ off.

When you have nothing constructive to say resort to abuse. Very mature of you!

[U.S. Swan]

With that attitude we never have to worry about about a premiership hangover.

My friend, there is a huge difference between a veteran team (ie 2014) blowing it and a young inexperienced team getting slapped silly. This team will learn. In 1995, the Detroit Red Wings finally made the final show after 30+ years of missing it. Got swept 4-0 in a 7 games series by the Devils...ANNIHILATED...and then came back to be a powerhouse for almost 10 more years and won 3 cups. The Cats did what a lot of teams designed to be stacked with veterans do...defer payments, take less, etc. But they are older and when it goes it goes quick. I am not "drinking the coolaid" here...I can be just as critical. This team really does have a strong future. Mills, Heeney, Blakey (who I believe will be a monster once he settles down), etc. As long as Parker and Rampe hold up (I believe they are the key cogs to victory), this team will be in the finals, and competitive in the finals, for quite some time.