SYDNEY coach John Longmire is confident his young team can bounce back from their embarrassing display in the AFL grand final which they lost by 81 points to the Cats in the 2023 AFL season.
The history of teams which have been thrashed in Grand Finals in the following year suggests the Swans will struggle but Longmore doesn’t believe that will occur.
It was pointed out this week that no team had won a final this century the following year after it had been beaten by 48 points or more in a Grand Final.
Adelaide spiralled down the ladder after it was beaten by 48 points in the 2017 Grand Final by Richmond.
GWS dropped down to tenth the following season after it was humiliated on Grand Final day by the Tigers in 2019 by 89 points.
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Longmire scoffed at the notion there was a curse hanging over the teams which lost grand Finals.
Longmire suggested to Fairfax this week that the difference with his team is that was full of young players.
“I’m not sure I subscribe to many of those theories that you have absolutely no control over it,” Longmire said.
“The word [hoodoo] in itself describes you have no control over anything, it just doesn’t make sense.”
As for last year’s Grand Final, Longmore said that was now in the past.
“It happens, no one wants it to happen, we need to learn from it, but it’s happened before, and teams learn and get moving again.”
