John Longmire’s final game as Sydney Swans head coach has taken an unexpected twist, with reports emerging that the audio recorded from his coach’s box on 2024 AFL Grand Final day was never returned to league officials.
The now executive director at Sydney was mic’d up throughout the decider as part of AFL Media’s Sound The Alarm documentary, a series intended to capture the raw emotions and instructions from coaches during the biggest game of the year.
But according to Channel 7’s Agenda Setters, Longmire removed the SD card from the device before handing it back, and the AFL has never seen it since.
‘More on the buried side of things’
“Last year’s grand final, John Longmire was mic’d up on the day, had the pre-game address, the half-time address, the in-box — everything that came with it,” Mitch Cleary reported.
“But post-game, when he handed back the equipment to the AFL, he took the SD card and, to this day, the AFL don’t have the SD card — he never gave it back.”
MORE: Bulldogs star's injury prognosis after 'significant concern'
Cleary said Longmire had attempted to access the recording with his son after the game but never returned it. When asked whether it was lost or deliberately withheld, Cleary replied, “More on the buried side of things.”
The Lions thrashed Sydney by 60 points in what became Longmire’s fourth grand final loss. Caroline Wilson noted reports of panic setting in within the Swans’ coaches box early in the match, while Nick Riewoldt speculated the audio could carry “reputational or brand damage”.
Longmire’s grand final record closed at one win from five attempts, with the 2024 decider serving as a difficult end to a 14-year tenure that included 333 games and a 2012 premiership.