I'd given up on them in that 3rd Qtr, I think they were about 22 behind then but there's always that little spark of hope as they reminded me of the team they were a few years back when Paul Roos was coaching.
They weren't the biggest or fastest but they were trained for endurance more than any other team in AFL at the time.
They'd come out fast and a clock a few points then slacken off and let the other side wear themselves out catching up, and getting in front. The other team would get all excited about it, then get arrogant, and careless.
It was psychological warfare.
By the time they realised the Swans had gone up a couple of gears as the clock was running down they were too buggered to stop them.
They should have been called the Cardiac Kids cos their games usually came down to the last few minutes and they often won, or lost, by only a point or 2.
I remember the commentators at the time never wrote them off and i think it was Commetti who dubbed them the Comeback Kids .. or kings.
It seems 'Horse' Longmire has them trained the same way, that last quarter burst was like a blast from the past.
It was hard to believe that they were all different players from the old team of the 90's 00's. Same tactics and sizes.
Longmire did a good job in rejigging both the team and the 'play' to adjust for Buddy and Hannaberry being out.
Made my day.
Funny how we adopt 2nd teams, mine was the Lions for a while but mainly because of the Qld rels so we'd have something to talk about. But then it was Essendon Bombers, mainly for the coach, loved old Kevin Sheedy, what a character, and probably the smartest coach evva.
He left his mark on the GWS Giants. He started them from scratch and established their 'culture' and they're looking like making it to top any time now.
But I can't be a fan, just wouldn't seem right somehow. 'Local derby' and all that crap.
