Sydney leader Dane Rampe wouldn't change a thing about his club's AFL grand final preparation despite losing by 60 points to Brisbane.
Falling short of the premiership in their second grand final appearance in three years, Rampe says he is "at peace" with how the Swans prepared for Saturday's MCG decider against the Lions.
Brisbane notably altered their grand-final week preparations after finishing last year's runner-ups to Collingwood, with the Lions arriving in Melbourne on Wednesday a day earlier than when the Swans arrived.
Sydney's star midfielder Isaac Heeney and key forward Logan McDonald pushed through injuries to play in the grand final, while captain Callum Mills was ruled out earlier with a hamstring injury.
McDonald was subbed out at halftime after re-injuring his rolled ankle before Heeney was taken out of the game in the third term after further aggravating a stress fracture in his ankle he had been carrying through the finals series.
But stand-in skipper Rampe, drawing from his past three grand final losses (2014, 2016, 2022), said he couldn't find a fault in how the minor premiers went about their preparations.
"The emotions are still pretty raw," Rampe said.
"We're at peace knowing our preparation was as good as it's been.
"Unfortunately, I've been in this position a few times but I'm completely at peace with our prep.
"I guess (that) is what makes it so hollow, is that we don't know where we went wrong apart from what we did today ... the fact that I don't think we change anything."
Sydney trailed at every change despite taking the first two goals, with Ollie Florent leading the under-siege Swans with 24 disposals.
Inefficiency inside forward 50 proved costly for John Longmire's men, who kicked just nine majors from 49 inside-50 entries.
In comparison, the Lions kicked 18 goals from 51 inside-50 entries.
Brisbane built a game-high 73-point lead in the third quarter before veteran Luke Parker slotted three consolation goals.
"We genuinely believed. We felt like we had a sniff early in that third quarter," Rampe said.
"They just counter-punched, probably about five to 10 minutes into that third quarter, and it felt like that was probably the game.
"Great sides just turn it up when they need to and we couldn't do that.
"It hurts but that's just the way it is.
"What I know about this group and this club is that we'll fight like buggery to get back there and that's what we intend on doing.
"We've got to do some searching, figure out what it is, and get ourselves going again."
