“Sooner or later one of us must know.”

Bob Dylan sung those words back in 1966 about loss and...well who knows. Good old Bob is a specialist in cryptic meanings and has an unparalleled grip on imagery and phrasing.

But if Bob was a Swans supporter even he would struggle to find the words to sum up last night’s hideous loss. The album that line comes from, “Blonde on Blonde”, has a title of weird and racy connotations that are much better than say “No-one on anyone” or “Vacant goal square revisited." No, Bob would reject those options as too direct and try to come at the matter from an oblique angle. And failed because you need applied effort and heart to make a successful song and there were none on that freezing Saturday night.

Dear God you know you’re in trouble as a writer when you’re lead off with someone else’s words. But the Footy Almanac is screeching for words of wisdom and fans on the end of a season-high thrashing are not spared the deadlines. So with that in mind that particular lyric pretty much sums up what we were looking at by three quarter time. Longmire and the playing group were over on the far side of ANZ Stadium so I couldn’t see what was going on. But I had this vivid image of thirty people staring at the turf with the occasional furtive and fearful sidelong glances at each other. Because by then it was clear that no-one had a solitary clue on how to stop The Enemy juggernaut and turn the game around.

Being on the end of a 55-point thrashing in nine degree weather is not exactly what we had signed on for. Indeed many supporters had shambled out before the bounce in the forth, eager to catch trains east to Central or west to Lidcombe; back to the warmth and elements they could control. More might have walked out earlier but Buddy’s three goals in as many minutes in the second quarter had sparked some kind of hope in our ranks. The two guys behind me were sure of it and who was I to doubt their rowdy optimism?

Up until then it had been ghastly. Lloyd and Jack had blown point blank chances to put us ahead early in the first and The Enemy’s five goal haul had sapped everyone’s enthusiasm. I was so down I couldn’t even move off my seat. That first quarter was all weak kicks, fumbles and missed opportunities. In contrast The Enemy created space and with their six unanswered goals equalled the sort of accuracy Keith Deller showed in 1983.

We were on the back foot then. Buddy’s 700’th goal was an overshadowed milestone but at least the effort was there in the second. The Swans took control. Goodes was back to his dominant best with run and strong tackles. McVeigh was leading. Tippett was leaping; too early perhaps but it was most mobile I’ve seen him in weeks. If we hadn’t of let The Enemy score two quick goals at the end it was the start of some sort of comeback. Suddenly being behind wasn’t the downer it had seemed thirty minutes ago. We’d been here before and the game wasn’t beyond redemption.

Then again we weren’t expecting the same unhinged lack of game plan that lost us the first quarter to resurface. Parker and Kierens Jack’s goals were highlights in what was otherwise a horrendously one-sided affair. The Enemy were simply too fast and we lacked the ability to get the ball safely out of the backline to stop the onslaught. Hopeless; it’s the one word I have written in my notes after the siren. When a team has over one hundred points and you are more than halfway behind there is nothing else to be said.

Those of us who stayed for the final quarter showed the sort of resilience that perhaps might earn us a spot on the team. The rain started and so did The Enemy’s goals. Straight out of the centre or from tight angles they couldn’t miss. Flashes upstairs to the coaches boxes said it all. Their postures were similar but the difference explicit; one contemplative, the other dumbstruck. It was so quiet in the stands you could hear the players directing each other. The Swans looked glued in place and, no offence, but when Shaw is your only forward option you know things have gone off the rails.

The siren went and I have never exited a game so quickly. Behind me the stadium seemed to echo with loud booing. The train ride home was mercifully quick and quiet. Even The Enemy fans seemed somewhat in shock about the win. Sleep could not come quick enough.

And even now after a long fine Sunday afternoon at the Woolwich Pier Hotel the spectre that we’ve croaked too early still looms. The even stats say one thing but timing and execution in this game are everything. Have the Swans blown not just a season defining game but maybe the season itself?

Next Sunday we face yet another top-four contender. The Eagles are flying with the Hawks and we have tough encounter over in the west.

After that everyone will know.

Head to www.footyalmanac.com for more Sydney Swans' Almanac stories from other fans.