“Some of those free kick goals…”: Why former Swan finds it hard to move on from 2016 Grand Final loss
Former star Sydney midfielder Dan Hannebery admits it’s hard to move on from the 2016 Grand Final loss to the Western Bulldogs eight years on from the game.
Hannebery played 208 games for the Swans, winning a premiership in the red and white in 2012, before moving onto St Kilda in 2018.
While he retired as a premiership player, he came close to winning more after going down in the 2014 and 2016 deciders, and it’s the most recent Grand Final in which he played that hurts the most.
Hannebery looks back on several injury issues that could have cost the Swans the game as several key players were below their best on the biggest day of all.
“It's the 2016 one that's hard to move on from,” Hannebery told SEN’s This Is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers.
“We had probably, I'm going to say four or five guys were under an injury cloud going in.
“They still played okay, Buddy (Franklin) was injured during the game, (Luke) Parker had a bad knee and then obviously I hurt my knee late. Parker played with bloody half a PCL I think that whole game.
“We were okay, but we just didn't quite click and play well enough that day, I think it was still 66-apiece with not many minutes to go.
“I think maybe Buddy got tackled by Dale Morris and then (Tom) Boyd kicks the goal and sort of the dam will burst a bit.
“It's a bloody frustrating game.”
But perhaps the most frustrating aspect of that game for Hannebery was the umpiring.
The Swans lost the free kick count in that clash 20-8, and while that stat doesn’t tell the full story, Hannebery is certain that some of the goals that the Bulldogs received from direct free kicks wouldn’t be paid in the modern game.
The three-time All-Australian says he’s gone back and watched the game where he was shocked to see some key umpiring decisions go against his side which played a part in the eventual 67-89 loss.
“I've actually watched that game twice, which is unbelievable for me,” Hannebery said.
“I don't care which way you paint it, but some of the direct free kick goals were extraordinary.
“I've slowed it down, in this day and age, now the way the game is umpired - I'm going to say we almost win the game.
“(Late in the third quarter) Dane Rampe got tackled for one second, got a handball away, but he got holding the ball and it ended in a free kick goal. It was unbelievable.
“It’s not that I want to blame the umpires because the Bulldogs, in every final they were unbelievable and looking back, they probably were the best team that year given how well they played in the finals series, they beat the Giants who were red hot in the Prelim.
“So, take nothing away from them. But looking at the game in its entirety, some of those free kick goals, wow.”
Since 1997, no team has received less than 10 free kicks in an AFL Grand Final besides the Swans in 2016.
Listen to Hannebery’s full This Is Your Journey chat this Sunday at 10am (AEDT) via your radio or SEN app.
