Aus: Sydney Swans win AFL Grand Final (first since 1933!)

They have ended the 72 year drought. :bowdown:

The SYDNEY SWANS have won the Australian Football League Grand Final in front of just under 92,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Swans beat the West Coast Eagles by 4 points in the closest Grand Final since the North Melbourne & Collingwood draw in 1977.

Though I am an Essendon supporter, I take my hate off to the side that showed courage and hung in for a thrilling victory to end the drought. :hatsoff:

With 10 seconds remaining in the match, The Eagles made one last attack in an attempt to steal the match, with a booming long kick to the top of the square.

BUT in front of a pack of 6 players, The Swans' "Leaping" Leo Barry leaped across the front of the pack and held the mark. As he went back to take his kick to clear from defence, The siren went to the relief of all "Red & White" supporters.

For those not in the know, The Red & White Sydney Swan have been around before the VFL/AFL started in 1897. The were from South Melbourne and played at the Lakeside Oval. They had nicknames from "The BloodStained Angels" to "The Bloods" and the Current "Swans".

With the club just about broke in 1981, the made the controversial move to Sydney and the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1982 (The begining of the Victorian Football League becoming a national league and now AFL).

The Swans were an on and off-field basket-case for many years in Sydney, with some finals appearances in the mid 80s, mid 90s and the last 2 years.

Sydney has normally been a Rugby League town, with the "Melbourne Game" of Aussie Rules trying for ages to get a foot-hold in that town, this Grand Final win might finally win over the hearts of thos fickle Sydneysiders.

The Herald-Sun newspaper sumed up the game the best...
"B Grade Game, A Grade Contest" - It was ugly football how it was played, but thank god we finally got a close one! :nanner:


BrekkyDJ (Reporting for the Freeones Talk Forum, from the Sporting Captial of the world... Melbourne, Australia) :thumbsup:
 
Once again the Flag goes to an "out of town" Team!!!

Good thing the name was from "Victorian Football Rules" to "Australian Football rules"!!!

By the way, now that we have got that silly game of Areial Pingpong out of the way, we can get down to watching the Final of the National Football Legue between West Tigers and Townsville Cowboys!!! ;)
 
Aussie rules footy kicks ass!
I envy you for being able to watch & hopefully attend the games.
I used to watch them on my "big" dish years ago but now i'm unable to get any games :(
Heres to the toughest sport in the world :glugglug:
 
CanyonsCans said:
Aussie rules footy kicks ass!
I envy you for being able to watch & hopefully attend the games.
I used to watch them on my "big" dish years ago but now i'm unable to get any games :(
Heres to the toughest sport in the world :glugglug:

nah bro i love afl but even as a melbournian league is the toughest game around, followed by nfl
 
As a Victorian I would say Aussie Rules is Tough, BUT not as tough as Rugby Union, then followed by Rugby League with NFL a clear last.

After all those NFL guys wear padding for god sake. At least in Aussies Rules the only thing protecting you is a mouth guard and that's it.

Pitty the AFL/Aussie Rules has gone soft to what I use to watch in the 80s.
Remember Yates cleaning up Bereton at the start of the 89 Grand Final?
Classic Stuff (In the same game Dipper played with a punctured lung)

Ooooh, and what about this year with the "CoatHanger" Barry Hall laid on that Eagles Defender... nearly ripped his bloody head off! - LOVED IT!!!!!

BrekkyDJ (ahhh, only to be at the MCG on that last Saturday in September)
 
Top