Rarely does a grand final pass without someone repeating the adage that you have to lose one before you win one. Lucas Conlan kind of gets it now.
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Griffith's star forward - well, one of them - says the build-up to their decider against Wagga Tigers has a different feel to last year. A more enjoyable one.
"I'm feeling much better than last year," Conlan says.
"Everyone knows what's going on, how the day works and what we're expecting, with the pressure and the high intensity game. We're in the know this time."
Easing the stress, the Swans qualified first this year, knocking off Coolamon in the second semi-final to earn the week off.
Last year, it took a preliminary final comeback against Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong to get there, and the anticipation and excitement of the big one started to take hold as the days wore on.
"Just the build up of the week, everything was going through my head all the time. This year, it feels like a normal game," he says.
As for last year's performance, well, the Swans almost pulled off a miracle, kicking five goals to one in the last quarter to put a massive scare through Collingullie-Glenfield Park.
But they fell two points short, with 'Gullie's six goals in the third term giving them enough breathing space. Conlan says the Swans took too long to find their feet on the big stage.
"I reckon we just started too slow. We just weren't ready, mentally, because we'd never been there before," he says.
Jacob Conlan (four goals) was outstanding in helping them lift late last year, and the brothers loom as key figures this year.
In their last two games against Tigers, Lucas has kicked 10 goals - six in the Swans' 25-point qualifying final win and four in the final round of the home-and-away season, when Jacob starred with seven.
"Obviously they factor into our preparation a little bit," Tigers coach Troy Maiden said.
"I suppose Jacob got hold of us in the last game of the year and Lucas in the first final, so we have spoken about them, but we'll really focus on how we need to play."
Lucas reckons Jacob, 20, has taken his football to a new level this season.
The same could be said of the 18-year-old.
He maintains he was 'just lucky' against Tigers, getting on the end of some good midfield service, but Lucas has taken benefit from his experience with Greater Western Sydney representing their under 18 academy side as well as reserve grade in the North East Australian Football League.
"It's helped me. It's a higher level, more intensity,and that's what finals are like, so playing some of that footy earlier in the year has helped," he says.
Lucas is by no means the youngest in the Swans line-up, with Kahlan Spencer playing a first grade grand final aged just 15.
Conlan said they've got full confidence in the young gun.
"He's a pretty classy player. He's got a good footy brain and his skills are pretty good," Conlan says.
"He says he's a little bit nervous. But he's not as bad as I was last year."