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SYDNEY co-captain Kieren Jack says the Swans year hasn't been wasted because of their gut-wrenching Grand Final loss.
The Swans arrived back in Sydney to minimal fuss, less than 24 hours after the 63-point mauling, the biggest ever Grand Final loss for a minor premier.
Just one flag-wielding fan turned up at the airport to meet the players.
Jack was adamant the unexpected flogging hadn't wiped out the good things the Swans achieved throughout their campaign.
"A minor premiership, you wouldn't call it a wasted year," Jack said at Sydney Airport.
"I think we've got a really strong group. We've seen some young players come in and really perform and step up.
"I think Luke Parker has had a tremendous year. Gary Rohan, to come back from the broken leg and play the way he has ... there's still plenty of positives there.
"We've got some older players still playing some really good football too."
He insisted Sydney hadn't been affected by the mantle of favouritism and high internal and external expectations.
"We had a good preparation, we felt like we had the game plan to really match it and beat Hawthorn, we just didn't execute it at all," Jack said.
"We've missed a huge opportunity. The disappointing thing is we just didn't give our best, and individually there are a lot of players that are probably looking at their own performances, myself included."
He said the players hadn't spent much time discussing the loss as a group since the game.
"We'll spend some time together over the next couple of days and probably speak about those sort of things," he said.
"On the bus before we went to the Grand Final dinner we just spoke about keeping solid together and we'll take it on as a group."
Of the 22 Swans that took to the MCG on Saturday, 16 participated in their 2012 premiership win and only Adam Goodes, Ted Richards, Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Malceski played in the 2006 Grand Final loss to West Coast.
"To experience that side of it is new, it's raw, it's gut-wrenching," Jack said.
"If you can draw anything from it, it's the opportunity to bounce back and use it in your favour.
"It's got to be the fuel to burn the fire," added Jack, who has no ambition to watch a replay of Saturday's game.
Jack said he hadn't spoken to Goodes about whether he intended to saddle up for a 17th senior season next year.
"He's probably nursing a bit of a sore head at the moment, so we'll let him stew on it for a couple of days," he said.
