John Longmire has found an unlikely ally in GWS coach Adam Kingsley after the Swans coach endured the ultimate insult following his team’s grand final capitulation.
It comes as speculation emerged that the veteran coach’s future will be discussed by Swans officials in coming weeks.
The former North Melbourne forward has been one of the most consistent coaches of the modern era with the Swans defying the salary cap and national draft to regularly challenge for the premiership.
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Under Longmire, beginning in 2011, Sydney have been minor premiers three times and missed the finals only twice.
However, after a 60-point belting at the hands of Brisbane at the MCG, the Swans have now lost their past four grand finals by a combined total of 226 points.
If that wasn’t enough for Longmire to have to swallow, it was rudely thrown in his face during his icy post-match press conference where he was forced to endure the sounds of celebrating Lions players while fielding questions.
While Longmire is occasionally seen losing his cool in the coach’s box or with his players, he is typically very measured when addressing the media.
However, you can only assume the 53-year-old was at breaking point when members of the press arrived late for his press conference with noise of yahooing Lions players booming into the press conference room every time the door was open and shut by late arrivals.
Kingsley on Sunday morning called for the AFL to make changes after seeing Longmire endure the scene.
“That’s the first time I’ve seen that. That shouldn’t happen is my view,” Kingsley said on ABC Offsiders.
“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 face said it all as the answer to his first question was interrupted by the noise coming from the Lions rooms.
“Are there any more coming?” the increasingly bewildered coach said as journalists shuffled in.
“Any more? Do you want us to wait? Are there any more coming in?”
After the conference had ended, Fox Sports presenter Sam Squiers said: “Yes it was a downcast, disappointed and somewhat damaged John Longmire after that 60-point defeat.
“Yet another heavy defeat in a grand final for the Swans.
“You can’t underestimate just how difficult that was for him with, in the background, he could keep hearing the Lions celebrating.
“He was quite tense at the start, he looked a little bit peeved when people kept opening the door and coming in because he could just hear those celebrations getting louder and louder.
“Not too many answers there that Swans fans can hold on to.”
Meanwhile, Longmire’s coaching future is sensationally being questioned despite the veteran falling just one win short from him being considered one of the greatest coaches of the modern era.
Leading footy journalist Damian Barrett said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show the Swans will “debrief” and hold conversations about Longmire after yesterday’s defeat compounded the 81-point loss to Geelong in the 2022 Grand Final.
“This can’t be walked past,” Barrett said.
“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.”
Barrett cited the example of footy icon Malcolm Blight being forced to step down as coach of Geelong in 1994 despite the club reaching the grand final before losing to West Coast.
Under Blight, the Cats lost three grand finals in 1989, 1992 and 1994.
After Blight’s resignation, his replacement Gary Ayres led the Cats to another grand final defeat in 1995.
Longmire’s contract with the Swans expires at the end of 2025.
