It was a tough day for the Ottawa Swans Australian Football Club at Humber College South in Toronto. Facing the first place Toronto Rebels, the Swans were unable to match their speed and skill, and fell 83-22.
The Rebels were the better side from the first bounce, kicking two goals within the first 5 minutes. Jordan Harcombe got the Swans on the board after earning a free kick, and though the Rebels had most of the ball, the score was close after the first quarter.
However, the Rebels controlled play the entire day, and came into half time up by 5 goals. The Swans pressed hard in the third but could not close the gap, and the Rebels collapsed everyone behind the ball in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Despite the loss, the defensive line of Luke Coady, Mike Beall, and Trevor Jamieson repelled consistent pressure and held the Rebels back as much as possible, making multiple goal saving tackles and clearing the ball out to the midfield.
“It’s tough,” said head coach Rod Frank. “This will sting for a while, but we will get to the point where we can look back at this season with pride. We’ve accomplished a lot."
“We can either feel bad for ourselves, or use this experience to drive us next year,” he continued. “We have a lot of returning players and we will be back to win it.”
This was the first ever Grand Final for the Ottawa Swans men's team, who were founded in 2007 and joined the league in 2008. Over the course of 9 years, the Swans improved from being winless to being a repeated force in the league. Making the Grand Final was an historic accomplishment.
This season’s 10-2 regular season record was the best season in Swans history, and the league was forced to take notice after they dominated games both at home and on the road. With 8 rookies this season and most players expected to return, the future looks bright for the team.
The Swans would like to thank the Manotick Polo Club for being exceptional hosts all year, as well as all of the volunteers, coaches, sponsors, supporters and past players who made this season possible. Cheer, cheer the red and the white.
Last Modified on 30/09/2016 00:39