Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Michael Gleeson
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but every quote it verified points left, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 5461: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-06
The Swans did, if not the impossible, then the highly unlikely.
asserted
Swans → do → ?
In some ways, winning the game was their least surprising achievement.
asserted
winning → win → game
Somehow, they made themselves likeable.
asserted
themselves → make → ?
That outcome seemed more implausible for the past three weeks than the prospect of them winning a final against the reigning premiers.
asserted
them → seem → premiers
The shamed club reshaped an image of themselves in two hours on the SCG.
asserted
club → sham → SCG
Even long-term fans had spoken of finding it hard to support the club, or to reconcile what they felt for them, after the embarrassment of the Pullman Hotel saga.
asserted
they → speak → saga
After three weeks of ignominy and opprobrium that tainted the club and undermined what it had represented they performed in such a manner on the field, doing the thing they exist for, that it moved you to want them to win.
asserted
them → taint → you
You found yourself barracking for them.
asserted
yourself → find → them
Maybe that is just the enjoyment of watching an underdog win.
asserted
underdog → watch → ?
Maybe it is the simple sympathy for the players and coaches who were collateral damage from what happened at the Pullman that left the whole club gasping for air.
asserted
that → happen → air
This is not a comment that implies winning excuses behaviour or is a salve for any hurt.
asserted
winning → imply → hurt
It is a recognition that those not suspended responded in a way to repay or reclaim fans and members.
asserted
those → suspend → fans
It is recognition that the club said when they punished their players that they were prepared for the fact the players’ behaviour which prompted the suspensions might have torpedoed the season.
uncertain
which → say → season
And yet, the players and coaches left to play out the year said ‘no it hasn’t, we’re better than that and we will show you’.
asserted
we → leave → you
So the Swans, five players down, three of them bona fide elites of the competition, lose their captain early in the game and still thoroughly outplay the best side of the last two years.
asserted
three → lose → years
The Swans will hope that the two hours on the SCG were as influential to mould the idea of what Sydney stands for as the early morning hours in the Pullman.
asserted
Sydney → hope → Pullman
That’s the point.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
But that element alone didn’t make it great.
asserted
it → make → ?
It was great because of the narrative in which it occurred, because of the cast of heroes on the field and villains barred from being there.
asserted
it → occur → field
It was great because the captain was injured early and it didn’t stop them.
asserted
it → injure → them
It was great because it included one of the great goals of the year.
asserted
it → include → year
It was great because it was played in conditions that fluctuated from winter storm to light spring – all in a quarter.
asserted
that → play → quarter
It was great because the stars they had left all shone and played like they understood the burden of extra performance they now carried, and they wore it lightly.
asserted
they → leave → it
The pantomime provocateur Tom Papley kicked five goals and had one more nicked from him on the goal line by the shaggy-haired adonis Charlie Curnow, who dismissed doubts about his own ability to perform in finals.
asserted
who → kick → finals
Logan McDonald decided now was the time to play his best-ever game, indeed his best ever three games in a row.
asserted
time → decide → row
James Rowbottom offered a singlemindedness and aggression that compensated for any missing midfielder.
asserted
that → offer → midfielder
The man whose name sounds like a London law firm, he played with a speed and class superior to anyone on the field.
asserted
he → sound → field
The Swans’ midfield might now be called Errol Gulden and associates.
uncertain
midfield → call → ?
It was a great final because Brisbane got back to three goals down and could have and should have had the greater depth of class to prevail, and didn’t.
uncertain
Brisbane → get → class
Chris Fagan could not resist thinking his players, like the rest of us, had agreed with Andrew Pridham that the Swans had torpedoed their season.
uncertain
Swans → resist → season
“Somewhere back in the deep recesses of their mind, I just wonder whether they really thought it was going to be as hard as what it was,” Fagan said.
asserted
Fagan → wonder → mind
“Did you really think that Sydney were going to be that good, or did you think it was going to be maybe a walk in the park?
asserted
it → think → park
Because that’s how it had been painted by all and sundry that’s following football.
asserted
that → ’ → football
Jack’s oopsy
Jack Ginnivan after Thursday night’s win delighted in the fact Hawthorn were now on the “right side of the (finals) draw”.
asserted
Hawthorn → delight → draw
That is, they had either Adelaide, the Bulldogs or Sydney.
asserted
they → have → Adelaide
And when he said it, it felt like he was dead right.
asserted
he → say → it
Everyone had discounted the idea of Sydney winning, or being any form of threat in the finals.
asserted
Sydney → discount → finals
Oh, Errol … goal of the year contender
Errol Gulden can’t win goal of the year.
asserted
Gulden → win → year
He kicked it on Saturday afternoon.
asserted
He → kick → afternoon
Izak Rankine offered up a similarly disallowed challenger hours later, but Gulden’s was still better.
asserted
Gulden → offer → challenger
…and 20 more, not listed.
