Sydney Swans take action after John Longmire subjected to brutal moment after AFL grand final

The Sydney Swans and AFL coaches' association have expressed their disappointment to league officials after John Longmire had to conduct his press conference while the Brisbane Lions were singing their team song after the grand final. Longmire was a shattered man after the Lions thumped the Swans 120-60 at the MCG, and has now lost four grand finals.

But he suffered even more indignity when only two journalists attended his post-match press conference, which was conducted while the Lions were audibly celebrating nearby. Longmire struggled to hear questions because the Lions were singing so loud, and a number of journalists were in the Brisbane rooms rather than at Longmire's presser.

There's no suggestion the Lions did anything wrong, but the Swans and coaches' association want the AFL to re-think the process around the losing coach and the timing of their press conference. Coaches’ association CEO Alastair Nicholson contacted the league to discuss the situation on Sunday, while the Swans have stated they want to work with officials to make it better in the future.

Swans spokesperson Tom Chadwick said: "It was extremely disappointing. The head coach shouldn't have to put up with that, let alone after a grand final defeat. We stuck to times from the AFL and there were just two journalists in the room. It's not good enough for something so simple. We will work with the AFL to ensure coaches are looked after post-grand final losses."

Adam Kingsley calls for change after John Longmire moment

Discussing the situation on ABC program 'Offsiders' on Sunday, GWS coach Adam Kingsley also expressed disappointment at what Longmire had to go through. "That shouldn’t happen in my view,” Kingsley said.

“Whether the press conference should be held in another room that’s further away from the winning change rooms? I don’t think John Longmire should have to sit through that while being asked questions about the game in an incredibly emotional state. That would be very difficult to sit through and it looked like he dealt with it with great calm and composure, but that’d be incredibly hard.”

Longmire's responses during the press conference were very short. He was understandably devastated, but it was also evident that he was distracted by what was happening in the Lions rooms nearby.

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John Longmire's future as Swans coach thrown into doubt

Longmire has now lost four of the five grand finals he's taken the Swans to during his time in charge. His record is brilliant, but there are questions about his future at the club given the manner in which his team were thrashed in the last two deciders - by Geelong in 2022 and Brisbane in 2024.

“This can’t be walked past,” leading reporter Damien Barrett said on the Sunday Footy Show. “John Longmire we know has been wrestling with his own future beyond next year, he is contracted, but to be smashed now twice inside three seasons to add the 2016 grand final and the 2014 grand final to the losses he has had as the coach of this footy club, I expect this club to fully debrief this one and I think some big conversations will be had.”