Club History 2005 10 years on.

[The King!]

Given they had their 10 year reunion, * that went quick, and how average the team was while they watched, thought it may be good to remember positives.

This broke the drought of 72 bloody years, think most neutrals wanted us to win that day, things have changed hey.

So what are peoples main memories and reflections.

I remember thinking for years it was just not even possible for Sydney to play finals, then in 96 onwards under Eade it was ok but seemed we were just ebbing and flowing, occasionally but ok, but just got used to other fans seeing flags and us being competitive, such as 2004, that semi final loss to the saints was yuck.

My main memories of 2005 are thinking that we were no chance early, think we had a great comeback win v the lions, but our captain was cooked and finished. it felt like outside the best 22 was questionable depth (some things never change) and we played some placid slow ugly footy. I expected to make finals but maybe week 2 at best.

We seemed to have a few average players getting regular games, LRT,bevan, schuable went down

We lost 3 of the first 5 and looked shite Then the loss at subi to the eagles i remember was god awful, yeah we punched out some wins, but then again awful loss to the saints

I think a close win v carlton started a bit of a run and we did lose to the tigers by like a point, but when we beat the eagles at the scg was when i thought the swans were a sneaky chance, which included an awesome last round win v the hawks


I remember being robbed against the eagles and thinking it was all over at 3/4 time v the cats, i was watching at home and said if we win from here ill bloody go to the prelim next week (i was finishing uni and not working yet so only just had enuff cash) sure enough nick davis was a hero and we won so i went.

I guess unlike others here who saw the big dance. My live highlight was the prelim v the saints. It was only my second swans game ever and it ebbed and flowed but that last quarter sitting next to the swans cheer squad was magical as we romped home, saints fans were going oh you wont have barry next week and i didnt care they were the flogs leaving early.

Then the moments that stand out next week, getting the lead in the first quarter, holding up to judds play, LRTs unlikely dominance, fosdike My smoky norm smith bet racking it up, abletts bloody kick, halls go, magics yips, leos mark

Everyone seemed to do something

Ive never felt so bloody stunned and happy, even though i was there in 2012 i think reflecting on this that 2005 felt better as a fan. Just never imagined it would happen


For the fans who waited 72 years to see south melbourne/sydney swans win the premiership here it is.... Still sends shivers down my spine even now


What are your thoughts and memories

 

[scaryness]

Nick Davis will always stick out for me. Unbelievable effort to kick 4 goals in a quarter when the team had kicked 3 total at 3 quarter time. 3 of them were bloody difficult too. The only one that was easy was the set shot but he still took the mark in a 1-on-2 contest.

 

[The King!]

Nick Davis will always stick out for me. Unbelievable effort to kick 4 goals in a quarter when the team had kicked 3 total at 3 quarter time. 3 of them were bloody difficult too. The only one that was easy was the set shot but he still took the mark in a 1-on-2 contest.

He was good all night really but that was such a magical last quarter

That snap from almost 50 out was awesome

 

[Punts]

Put on a good show for them Friday night , shame

 

[The King!]

Put on a good show for them Friday night , shame

Yeah it was pretty putrid

What do you remember from 2005 though mate

 

[vonn]

I remember Jared Crouch's tap forward that led to a goal in the third.


Or maybe it was Ablett.

 

[Punts]

Yeah it was pretty putrid

What do you remember from 2005 though mate

Yeah it was pretty putrid

What do you remember from 2005 though mate

ROK sealer against the Saints a the G , left pocket

 

[Punts]

Yeah it was pretty putrid

What do you remember from 2005 though mate

Halls fist pump when he kicked from just outside of 50 was pretty cool

 

[grimlock]

I remember

smashing Hawthorn in the first round and the last round.
losing to Richmond by 1 point then barely dropping a game after that.
idiot McInerney penalising Leo for shepherding on the mark.
Jolly's mark of the year effort against Port.
Demetriou's 'praise'
Monty wasting time at the end v Collingwood, pissing Mick off

 

[Punts]

HERE IT IS

 

[Ticky009]

St Kilda game was holy smokes don't tell me we're coming back from the death again. Pebbles goal had me up & jumping and thinking Christ I hope the GF isn't going to be close like these last two games I couldn't stand it and why the hell did I plan a freaking holiday in Hobart of all places for the GF

Drinking copious amounts of ouzo & coke at a pub in Hobart and fleeing outside in the last quarter for 5 minutes because I couldn't stand the tension.

 

[MF]

I guess unlike others here who saw the big dance. My live highlight was the prelim v the saints.

Being at the grand final was an amazing experience and something I'll never forget but I was just so full of nervous tension i never enjoyed the game.

But that prelim vs the saints was amazing. Never enjoyed a game of footy more in my life. We went in as underdogs, both sets of fans were absolutely giving it to each other all game and then we came out and absolutely belted them off the park in the last quarter. When Mickey O kicked that goal from a saints mistake I knew we were going to the big dance.

The next week was amazing, I took a couple of days off work and just savoured every moment of the lead up.

 

[The King!]

Yeah i loved that week

I remember leaving the mcg on the friday night and couldnt work out how to get back to the city... Loser

 

[RW]

Anyone remember the Round 7 game against the Bombers at Telstra Stadium (as it was then known)?

See-sawing encounter, we were around 3 goals down at the last change and staring down the barrel of a 2-5 start to the season. Found something extra at three-quarter time and overran them in the last quarter to win by a goal. I just remember the final few minutes being tense as we had dominated possession but hadn't buried them (sound familiar?) and had to hang on grimly until the final siren. Gutsy win. I mention it because if we had lost that game there would have been no premiership that season as it would have been a bridge too far to make top four from there.

It was amazing to think that we actually won the flag, we did it the hard way in every sense of the word. To come back from a heartbreaking defeat in the first final at Subiaco showed the character of the group.

 

[scaryness]

That 50m penalty against Barry in the QF is still ridiculous

 

[The King!]

There was that real low scoring loss v the crows that sort of solidified in my mind we were good, that crows side were good at aami

3 times now sydney and adelaide played in opposite prelims and never met in the grannie

 

[Weasely]

My lasting memories are the Saints game mid-season at the G, watching live with my old man. Honestly the worst game I've ever been to, we played so awfully badly. Possibly could've been the game that inspired the Demetriou comment, and if so, I could see where he was coming from at the time.

Then finals time, the heartbreaking loss to the Weagles, then the Nick Davis game (still watch that last qtr on YouTube a few times each year - wow!!). I remember in the 3rd qtr I think, Davis' opponent running off him from def and kicking a goal, and thinking "you owe us one", then hearing in an interview that Kirky or Jude perhaps had told Davis that exact thing. Talk about standing up!!

Funnily enough, went to the prelim with a saints member, and ended up sitting surrounded by other saints members. As has been mentioned, awesome match, phenomenal last qtr, ROK outstanding.

Then during the week, taking a sickie so I could be home to ring up for a standing room seat for the Granny. Standing all day, nervous as anything, then hugging strangers and walking out in a daze, which didn't subside for days...

Then the moments that stand out next week, getting the lead in the first quarter, holding up to judds play, LRTs unlikely dominance, fosdike My smoky norm smith bet racking it up, abletts bloody kick, halls go, magics yips, leos mark

05 GF summed up perfectly for me right there, particularly Fos being super unlucky not to get a second medal; Ablett doing a Rampe; and LRT standing tall!!

ROK sealer against the Saints a the G , left pocket

ROK was my fav player at the time, and I've always remembered this game as being the beginning for him being widely recognised outside the club.

Yeah i loved that week

I remember leaving the mcg on the friday night and couldnt work out how to get back to the city... Loser

Mate, I was like that after the GF, couldn't remember how to get back to Springvale (where I'd left my car at a mate's place) then had to stop multiple times on the drive to Bendigo so I could get out and jump up and down and scream...other drivers must've thought I was a bit odd...magic week that one.

 

[brad cooper]

At 3 quarter time of prelim I put the kids to bed and asked my wife to grab another beer so I could start celebrating, she said your still 2 goals down, I remember saying to her we're playing st kilda we're home.

 

[The King!]

At 3 quarter time of prelim I put the kids to bed and asked my wife to grab another beer so I could start celebrating, she said your still 2 goals down, I remember saying to her we're playing st kilda we're home.

Should of tried that at half time on Friday

 

[Number37]

The prelim v Saints. 1st quarter the boys came out like they were possessed. Gehrig had to go back just to stop the massacre. Saints came back in the 2nd and 3rd then the 4th quarter was a repeat of the 1st. Kirky & Bolts were just maniacal at the contest.
Just felt like destiny that we would go on to win it, all but confirmed when Hally got off.

 

[Jack2Jack]

Amon Buchanan was massive that flag window,2005 especially, very good finals series that year. Some big moments in that last quarter of the GF, the goal and the off balance tackle on Nickoski really stood out. Some really nice clearances and passes into the 50 are memorable as well. Seemed to use the ball *reasonably well back then, was never really the same player after twisting the knee against Adelaide in 07, foot-skills in particular completely disappeared. Such a shame.

There were quite a few players from those WCE & Sydney teams who looked really good within 03-07 period but just fell away badly for one reason or another.

*Hell of a lot better than some of our current midfield crop anyway!

 

[robbieando]

My memories of 2005

Remember going over to Adelaide late in the season to watch us play the Crows, only for us to be beaten at the height of our jinx against them over there but the fight we put up was second to none that night and was a sign of what was to come in the finals. Remember fuming after losing the Qualifying Final against West Coast due to the worst umpiring decision I can still recall but coming away thinking that if we met them again we would beat them....

The Geelong game was like a funeral for 3 and half quarters, even had a few people I knew say at 3 quarter time "well at least we don't have to spend anymore money to fly and watch them play this season". Then bang, Bang, BANG and it was 3 points the difference with who knew how long to go, but the SCG was rocking like I've never known it to before. Then we kept keeping the ball alive and going forward before it ended up at the top of our goal square and throw up, tap down and DAVIS!!!!! He never took control of the ball and I still to this day believe if he did he would of either missed or been tackled. As it was kick I knew it was a goal and jumped on top of those around me and in the ensuring throng crowd surfed 3 rows down from where I was sitting. What a night.

That led into St Kilda and we were given no hope - St Kilda were the flag favourites in Melbourne as the last Victorian team and their supporters even started talking about what jumper they should wear in the GF, which players should play so they could get medals and that missing the Prelim to queue for tickets was smart thinking. That's how bad it was down here. We turned up to play that night and it spooked them and they used up all their energy on getting to their 3 quarter time lead and then it was a 7 goal burst and we were in the GF. The second put us in front, the 3rd killed them off and the rest was icing on the cake. Enjoyed giving the Saints a send off before relaxing and soaking up the fact we were back in the GF after 9 years.

The Grand Final itself is now a blur, can't remember much in the way of the match but was behind the goals at the city end as time ticked down with the slim lead I just didn't want a pack mark to the Eagles as I thought "that would be after the siren". When Tadhg guided a behind though from a spill from a pack I though "we have this" only for the chip to Leo who went long to Jolly who was worked under it by Cox. Then with the ball coming in and the pack forming I could see Leo coming in from the side - MARK - phew "hey why is Tadhg jumping on Leo's back like that?"

Finally then I knew a Premiership was ours and I could die happy. Soaked in everything, celebrated with my mates who were there saw the Cup lifted and headed to Punt Road to meet up with my Father who set me on this course with the Swans, that hug is special to this day as is the photo taken of us together that night. But off to South Melbourne to party and booze was flowing that night in many places and when we couldn't find a place still open we head for Crown. That left us going until it was time to head back to Albert Park to see the players again.

All I expected and more