Swans coach John Longmire was lost for words by Sydney’s lack of competitiveness as they crashed to their biggest loss in his 289-game tenure against Geelong on Saturday night.
The grand final rematch against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium evoked memories of their nightmare thrashing against Geelong last year’s decider as they were thumped by 93 points.
“It’s hard to put into words, really,” he said.
“We needed to push back and compete harder than that. They were very good. They are a very good footy club. But normally we show a bit more than that, so it was disappointing.”
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Sydney was without superstar forward Lance Franklin, co-captain Dane Rampe, ruckman Tom Hickey and both Paddy and Tom McCartin against the reigning premiers.
In a defeat that saw the injury-ravaged Swans drop from the eight, Longmire was forced to start co-captain Callum Mills on Geelong champion Tom Hawkins, who kicked five goals.
But it was the manner of their defeat which bewildered the 2012 premiership coach, with the Swans managing to score just three behinds after half-time in a dispiriting display.
“It wasn’t at the standard that we normally play or the standard the game requires,” he said.
“We needed to even a few more contests than what we did. When it gets to that stage, it is pretty simple. You need to get yourself in the game by evening a few more contests.
“We just dropped away far too easily, which was a disappointing aspect.”
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When asked how Longmire may react to the defeat, Western Bulldogs games record-holder Brad Johnson said he expected the Swans coach to “keep it real” with the playing group.
That does not necessarily mean being too critical though given the team’s injury situation and the scintillating form of Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins.
“He’ll keep in real John, no question, he keeps it real with this group and he has the whole way along,” Johnson said post-game on Fox Footy.
“He celebrated the victory last week and it was a shock victory somewhat in his eyes in some ways because of the side they had on the park. Tonight they couldn’t recapture that [form from] last week, so it goes from the high of last week to a complete low.
“But he’ll find the middle ground with this because of the players they don’t have defensively at the moment and when you come up against a team that’s got two absolute beasts, it makes it difficult.
“But he will be disappointed in his midfield, in what Geelong were able to produce in that part of the ground.”
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Adding to the disappointment of course is the fact it came against the Cats, having suffered a heavy defeat in last year’s grand final.
Friday’s rematch offered an opportunity for redemption but instead the Swans were “embarrassed” again according to Geelong great Cameron Mooney.
“You could almost sit back and go, ‘It’s the embarrassment factor again’, we got embarrassed in the grand final and the last thing you want to do is go to that next game and get embarrassed again,” Mooney said on Fox Footy.
“They’ll be angry about that but they’ve let themselves down tonight, particularly through the midfield.”
Adelaide legend Eddie Betts, meanwhile, said it was the hope for a better result that would have hurt the Swans players the most given the scoreline.
“It’s the hoping factor,” he added on Fox Footy.
“Like you said it’s embarrassing, they’re going down to GMHBA Stadium thinking, ‘I hope we start well, I hope we’re going to win today’, and that hope can only get you so far.”
Adding to a horrible night for Sydney, promising Swan Matt Roberts injured his left knee when Geelong veteran Mitch Duncan fell across him in a contest.
“It was obviously bad enough to be subbed … so you would have to say he will be on the injured list next week,” Longmire said.
Longmire said there is no certainty the Swans will be bolstered by an influx of stars for next Saturday’s Battle of the Bridge against the Giants.
