The former Swans coach is credited for bringing the club back to life in 1993, a time when losses were in the millions, game attendance was flailing and the club would take the wooden spoon three years in a row. But more than 20 years on, as the Swans glide into the grand final as one of the strongest teams in the competition, Barassi attributes their success to one thing.

"I learnt my lesson in football way back, when I was 17 or 18," said Barassi, "that if a club is well administrated you have a much greater chance. I think that's where they've won in the past 10 or 15 years."

When the club faced its darkest times in 1992 it was decided that unless it was restructured it could not continue, and so began a plan for survival. Barassi was crucial to that plan and instrumental in saving the club from extinction, breaking a 26-game losing streak in his seventh match as coach.

Before the Swans, Barassi's coaching career included stints at Carlton, North Melbourne and Melbourne. He had been in retirement since 1985 when he took on the job at the Swans in 1993, but he still maintains that there was no other team for which he would have rejoined the game.

"I've always been one of the people who wanted Australian football, rather than just Victorian or southern Australian football," he said. "If anyone else had asked me I wouldn't have done it. I'd always spoken about it, the idea, and here was a chance to help."

Barassi said the club administration during his time was so supportive because of his goal as a Victorian for a Sydney team to succeed. Of club administrations today Barassi said he wouldn't name names, but there are "a few that could be doing more".

While his heart may be hoping for a Swans victory in Saturday's grand final, Barassi has only good things to say about the opposition. "I've got a tremendous amount of admiration for Hawthorn. They were a club that used to be well down the bottom in most endeavours and they've soared to the top. They may well be the best team this year," he said.

For Barassi the real winner has always been Australia, with the spread of the game across the country. "Even if I hadn't been coach for the Swans it would make no difference. A passion for furthering the game is still valid for any person thinking of the sport as a whole," he said.

"We are one of the few sports in the world where we're taking on the world. We're doing a very brave thing and that's why I've always been interested in Sydney."

The veteran was tightlipped on his predictions for the weekend but laughed that there was no doubt he was conflicted. "Let's just say I'm tossing a coin."