Here is the final year in our countdown to the biggest event in the Club’s history - the 25 year Anniversary Dinner, 2006.

The reigning Premiers appointed three co-captains for 2006, as Stuart Maxfield had retired at the end of the previous year.

Barry Hall – who had captained the team on Grand Final Day – Brett Kirk and Leo Barry all had turns at captaincy during the second half of the 2005 season, and were permanently appointed to lead the Club in 2006.

The Sydney Swans’ Premiership defence began at Telstra Dome against Essendon. It was a disappointing start to the season, as the Bombers – with eight goals to Matthew Lloyd – beat the Swans by 27 points.

Round 2 at the SCG brought the moment Sydney fans had been awaiting – the wonderful football tradition of the unfurling of the Premiership Flag. The Flag ceremony was a special moment in the history of the Sydney Swans, but unfortunately it was the highlight of the day, as Port Adelaide spoiled the celebration, defeating Sydney by 26 points.

A solid win over struggling Carlton followed, but it was to be the only victory for the first month of the season, as Melbourne retained the Barassi Cup by defeating the Swans in the Anzac Day round of matches.

However, the Swans found their form going into round five, and put together a series of six consecutive victories. At the halfway point of the season, the Swans sat in a very respectable fourth position on the ladder. By season’s end, the position had not changed at all, as despite the midseason retirement of Premiership player and dual Club Champion Paul Williams, the team maintained its winning form, and won seven of the last eleven matches.

So it was that the Swans had once again set up a meeting with the West Coast Eagles in the first week of the finals, again to be played at Subiaco. Continuing the tradition of close games between the two teams, but reversing the result of the corresponding match the previous year, the Swans came away from Perth victorious.

There had only been a point in it, but the Swans had earned a week off, and then a Preliminary Final to be played in Sydney.

The Preliminary Final, against Fremantle, was easier for anxious Swans fans to watch, as the team managed a 19.13 (127) to 14.8 (92) victory to claim a place in their second successive Grand Final.

In practically a carbon copy of the year before, the Swans’ Grand Final opponent was decided the following day when West Coast took on Adelaide. It was West Coast by ten points, and once again the Swans and the Eagles would take their rivalry to the last Saturday in September.

Monday of Grand Final week, and once again the Sydney Swans were celebrating, as those gathered at the Brownlow Medal function in Sydney had the honour of being present when the AFL’s highest individual honour was awarded once again to Adam Goodes.

It came down to the last round of voting, but Goodes ultimately polled 26 votes to win the Medal by three points from the Western Bulldogs’ Scott West.

Adam Goodes was not the only Sydney Swans player to earn accolades in the 2006 season, as he, along with Ryan O’Keefe, Barry Hall and Craig Bolton had been named in the All-Australian team the previous week.

Grand Final Day 2006 did not bring the jubilation that the previous year had.

Losing Luke Ablett to a severe hamstring injury early in the game did nothing to help the Swans’ chances, but they battled gallantly until the final siren signalled a one-point victory to the West Coast Eagles.

The fairytale ending we had so desperately hoped for did not eventuate, but the Sydney Swans were dignified in their heartbreaking defeat, and once again, everyone associated with the Club could feel immense pride in their team.