NEAFL skipper Brandon Jack says the demons of Grand Final losses gone by won’t haunt his side when Sydney battles Brisbane for the 2017 Premiership at the SCG on Saturday.
The NEAFL Swans have reached three of the past four Grand Finals, falling short in each of those contests by a combined 14 points.
Prior to that, when the league was split into northern and eastern conferences from 2011-2012, the Swans suffered back-to-back losses in the eastern conference grand finals against Ainslie and Queanbeyan.
Jack, who’s been on the end of two heartbreaking defeats (2014 and 2016), said history is history and believed his side is in a much stronger position to finally claim that elusive flag this time around.
“Every year I’ve felt confident with the team we’ve had,” Jack said.
“We’ve had a bit of bad luck sometimes with guys getting pulled out on game day, or not being able to play everyone we’ve wanted to.
“This year, regardless of what happens, we’ve got the strength and the depth to be able to win.
“I’m as confident as I’ve ever been going into a Grand Final.”
It is for good reason the skipper feels confident, having finished on top of the ladder and coming off a big win over Gold Coast in last weekend’s Preliminary Final.
The NEAFL Swans burst out of the blocks, piling on 14 goals to two in the opening half to establish a 78-point lead by half-time.
Despite being out-scored in the second half, the damage was already done.
This time the NEAFL Swans will face an opposition which inflicted their only losses of 2017.
In the clubs’ three meetings this season, Brisbane holds sway with two wins including the three-goal triumph in Round 19 which broke the minor premier’s run of 14 consecutive wins.
But the NEAFL Swans will take plenty away from their Round 6 encounter, in which the home side overcame a slow start to pile on the pressure and defeat the Lions by 37 points at the SCG.
With a strong desire to write a few wrongs, Jack believes his side is ready for Saturday night’s challenge.
“We’re aware that they’re the only the team to have beaten us this season,” Jack added.
“We were pretty disappointed after the last time, they played pretty well but, to be honest, we had a few things we could have fixed up.”
Squads for Saturday’s Grand Final will be announced on Thursday evening, following the AFL team announcement.
CLICK HERE for full details of how to attend Saturday night's match including free entry through Gate A from 7.15pm.
