“Fair to say it was the opposite of what we had hoped.”

That was how coach John Longmire summed up Saturday night’s disappointing performance against the Dockers.

I know how he feels. I have similar sentiments regarding life in general in 2020.  

But in footy, as in life, we must put the week that was behind us and set our sights to the next. 

For the Swans, that means packing the team bus and hitting the road to Adelaide to take on the Power. Figuratively of course, as I’m sure there will be a plane involved in their transfer.

But were it actually a team road trip across the Nullabor, from Perth to Adelaide, one assumes coach Horse would be behind the wheel of the Swans bus, complete with a couple of scarves flailing from the roof like a scene from Pricilla.

Along the way he would bellow constructive criticisms to fellow drivers from behind his hand. The disappointment of a truck driver ahead failing to indicate would be loudly relayed to Dean Cox.

Luke Parker and Josh Kennedy would be riding shotgun close by with the road map, ensuring the bus took the appropriate right at Coolgardie, and the appropriate left at Norseman.

Expert traveller Colin O’Riordan would be reminding all those complaining, that the 2500km journey from Perth to Adelaide is a breeze compared to the 4000km trip from Darwin to Sydney he was forced to endure in 2016, when injury sustained in a NEAFL game compelled him to travel home by road.

Buddy Franklin, wrapped in cotton wool, would be pointing out some of the local scenery, with travel through his Indigenous Noongar country a significant part of the journey.

Tom Papley would be in the back row. Kicking the seat in the front and incessantly asking: “Are we there yet?”.

On entry to the Nullabor National Park, Jordan Dawson, Dylan Stephens, Will Gould and Will Hayward, would be each handed a pie floater and a Farmers Union ice coffee from local border authorities as a welcome home.   

Adelaide will be home for a just a short time. From there, the show hits the road again to Cairns, where the club will hub out the remainder of the home and away season. Talk about things being the opposite of what you had thought.

In 2020, I wanted to see the Swans at the MCG; I wanted to see Buddy kick his 1000^th goal and I wanted to watch the emergence of Sam Naismith as one of the game’s elite ruckman. 

But fair to say, 2020 has been the opposite of what I had hoped.

Here’s hoping for a strong finish to the season. No opposites.