You had to feel sorry for Western Bulldogs' forward Robert Murphy during his team's qualifying final massacre at the hands of Hawthorn.
Murphy had waited the longest of any current AFL player to make his finals debut with his first appearance in September not coming until the 149th game of his career.
And it was hardly worth the near decade long wait for the 26-year-old, who began his career way back in 2000 but was overlooked for the Dogs' elimination final loss of that season and then missed the club's next finals appearance in 2006 after wrecking his knee in round nine of that season.
So it is hardly surprising that the popular Murphy has hardly given his 150-game milestone a thought this week as he focuses instead on trying to make amends for last week's painful experience against the Hawks as the Dogs look to bounce back in Friday night's knockout semi-final against Sydney at the MCG.
"It was really disappointing, I had waited so long (to play in a final) but luckily we get another chance," he said.
"And it's great that chance comes just seven days later, considering sometimes it could be a year to wait (to make amends for a finals defeat)."
Murphy said the Dogs spent last weekend 'licking their wounds' following the 51-point mauling from the Hawks before quickly turning their attentions to bouncing back against the Swans this week.
And he is surprised to see so many people writing off the Dogs' chances after last week's loss in a season in which the club finished third on the ladder and won 15 games - its best result since 1992.
"We have earned another crack at it but come Friday night - it's do or die," he said.
"Whenever you get belted like that in a final, it's only natural people are going to question us but when we are playing the way we want to, we can mix it with anyone but we didn't do it on Friday night."
Murphy said he has not even considered the prospect of the Dogs going out in straight sets - something only two top four sides have done since the current finals system began in 2000.
"There is not enough time to ponder those sorts of things - all our energy has gone into this Friday night and trying to make amends."