One game doesn't amount to much in the overall scheme of things. Sydney should still play finals this year, while the Giants will miss.
The Giants will be good though, when the plan all comes together. I was at the NAB Cup game between the two sides and thought the result very much flattered the Swans that night. The Giants lacked the poise and confidence when it mattered, and I expected that would also be their undoing yesterday.
The bigger concern for Sydney is that it can only get worse from here (thinking in terms of years, not specifically this year), while the Giants can only get better. Not to worry, that assumes a normal trajectory, for normal football clubs, that are accountable, and rise and fall on their own sweat and decisions.
The Swans are the oldest side in the competition, have an overrated midfield, some erstwhile stars who are past their best both in terms of physical condition and match capability, and still have a defence that is totally dependent on weakly mega-flooding opponents. They can still do damage this season, but given the lack of depth they have, can't afford any more hits to personnel (but more hits seem likely, given the age and history of some of their key figures).
Fret not Swannies, as the AFL will find another creative way to save your bacon, as they always do.
It won't be long before we're all loathing GWS for the same reasons we loathe Sydney. It was good to see them win yesterday though, as at least they were trying to play genuine, watchable football, and not that hideous, little league style, everyone around the ball tripe that the Swans routinely serve up.
Franklin will have better days, as he used to have his similar games to that at the Hawks also. Phil Davis was given pretty much carte blanche on him yesterday, but it was amusing to hear Swans fans whining about it afterward, given the nonsense the Swans defence has gotten away with against him (and pretty much everyone else) over the years.