→
When Dale Lewis recalls being at the Sydney Swans in the 1990s, it certainly was not all about big games and big crowds.
asserted
it → recall → games
"We're training, doing preseason out of the showgrounds next door [to the SCG] and one of the days, the Big Day Out was on at these showgrounds.
asserted
Out → train → showgrounds
We had to walk the oval, arms linked like we're in a search party checking for needles and shit in the grass before we trained," he says.
asserted
he → have → grass
We were having crowds of 5,000 people.
asserted
We → have → people
I jumped the fence one day to get the footy for a boundary umpire.
asserted
I → jump → umpire
"I've got a great mate …
asserted
I → get → mate
his brother used to come, and he used to love it because he could sit anywhere, and he cracked the shits when we started getting good because he had to go buy a ticket and couldn't get a decent seat and sit where he wanted to."
uncertain
he → use → seat
It all changed in the mid 1990s, when the Swans went from the basement to the penthouse.
asserted
Swans → change → penthouse
With three straight wooden spoons between 1992 and 1994, they went from winning one game in 1993 to four wins in 1994 and eight wins in 1995, then a surge to 16 wins and top of the ladder in '96.
asserted
they → go → 96
A finals win over Hawthorn put them in a home preliminary final against Essendon at a heaving SCG, 30 years ago today.
asserted
win → put → SCG
Swans utility Troy Luff had gotten his opportunity that season.
asserted
Luff → get → opportunity
Originally from Traralgon in Victoria, he grew up attached to a footy like most kids, then he and his family moved to Nelson Bay near Newcastle.
asserted
he → grow → Newcastle
He was spotted while kicking goals for fun in the Hunter, but struggled to make a mark with the Swans under Ron Barassi.
asserted
He → spot → Barassi
Then new coach Rodney Eade changed everything as Luff became a permanent fixture in the side.
asserted
Luff → change → side
"It was more excitement rather than pressure," Luff says.
asserted
Luff → say → ?
"If we lose, we lose.
asserted
we → lose → ?
We got this far, but everyone just went out there and enjoyed themselves, and the results came our way."
Lewis agrees.
asserted
Lewis → get → themselves
"None of us saw it coming, but by Christ it was addictive once you started to win, especially at home," he says.
"Because I think that was the year we started.
asserted
we → see → home
We ended up winning 22 or three in a row at the SCG as the run got going.
asserted
run → end → SCG
You started to get a feeling about it.
asserted
You → start → it
"And once we'd beaten Hawthorn in that first qualifying [final], the expectation was why not?"
asserted
expectation → beat → final
In 1992-93, the Swans lost 26 games in a row.
asserted
Swans → lose → row
Lewis, who was drafted against his preferences in 1990 by Sydney, was out the week they broke the run against Melbourne, and ended up playing in 33 consecutive losses.
asserted
they → draft → losses
He had tried to get out of Sydney in 1994, but ended up staying.
asserted
He → try → 1994
The former St Kilda superstar Lockett had won his third Coleman Medal (and first in Sydney) in 1996, booting 114 goals in the home-and-away season.
asserted
Lockett → win → season
Former Fitzroy key position player Roos brought skill, leadership and experience.
asserted
Roos → bring → skill
Not a heap of composure was shown, with lots of scrubby kicks under pressure, aiming for territory, not accuracy.
asserted
heap → show → territory
Early in the game, Essendon was looking for James Hird, who - along with Michael Voss of the Brisbane Bears - would win the Brownlow Medal two days later.
asserted
who → look → Medal
Hird kicked long from 60, and Steven Alessio marked before converting from 20 out.
asserted
Alessio → kick → 20
Soon after, Lewis marked, then tripped over Hird and was crunched in a tackle.
asserted
Lewis → mark → tackle
Hird grabbed the ball and scored.
asserted
Hird → grab → ball
Swans fans were livid, but Essendon led by two goals.
asserted
Essendon → lead → goals
The Swans tried kicking to Lockett, but Essendon cleared – their movement was better, and Hird earned a free on 50.
asserted
Hird → try → 50
He went long, Justin Blumfield came down with it and ran around to kick Essendon's third.
asserted
Blumfield → go → third
Sydney could not take a trick.
uncertain
Sydney → take → trick
Lewis grabbed the ball in the centre square and quickly went long again in Lockett's direction; in the end, Jason Mooney kicked a point to make it 3.1 to 0.1.
asserted
it → grab → 0.1
Hird came off the ground with blood streaming from his left cheek after he and Andrew Dunkley contested a ball, the Swans defender roughing the Bombers star as he lay on the ground with Dunkley on top of him.
asserted
he → come → him
A Barry Young point extended the lead, then Gary O'Donnell took possession and went long to Che Cockatoo-Collins, who marked and drilled it from inside 50.
asserted
who → extend → 50
Seven minutes left, Bombers by 25.
asserted
minutes → leave → 25
The Bombers were dominating clearances, and Damien Hardwick set up Mick Symons for a contested mark, but his kicking radar was off.
asserted
radar → dominate → mark
…and 186 more, not listed.
The Aporia
