We win again

[Reggi]

Good effort by many but today showed that we lack some depth.

O'Keefe & Nicks went OK - they barely went really - but were OK.

We badly missed Mathews - not having a strong runner at Stoppages in their 50 cost us some goals. Sampi and Kerr would not have pushed past him so easily

Fosdike and Crouch need to lift.

Hopefully we will get Mathews and Saddington back next week. We will need a full side to have an impact on the fianls though - including Fixter and probably Doyle.

[SWANSBEST]

Swans simply win again
3:51:58 PM Sun 6 July, 2003
David Wiseman
afl.com.au
The Sydney Swans have recorded an eight-point victory over the West Coast Eagles in front of a strong crowd at the SCG to consolidate their position in the top eight.

After a slow start by West Coast, the Eagles finished strongly but the Swans had enough resolve to secure their ninth win of the year - 13.14 (92) to 12.12 (84).

The Eagles? day began poorly when they lost the competition?s leading ruckman in Michael Gardiner on the morning of the match and matters weren?t helped when Swan Michael O?Loughlin kicked the game?s opening goal after just 46 seconds.



The Swans continued brightly and peppered away only for the Eagles to reply via Chris Judd, but the Swans had the better of the rest of the quarter kicking three more goals to go to the first change with a 22-point lead and O?Loughlin had three goals to his name.

The second quarter saw more of the same but the Swans still had the whip hand on the game. Perhaps it was the grueling encounter in the wet the Eagles had the week before but the Eagles were sluggish and slow to get into the game.

Brett Kirk was doing a sensational job on Ben Cousins, Jared Crouch was wearing Ashley Sampi like a glove, Jude Bolton was on top of Chad Fletcher and Paul Williams was curtailing the dangerous Judd.

The absence of Gardiner, who was averaging a league-leading 31 hit outs per game, gave Ball and his on-ballers a free reign. At one boundary throw up, he even competed uncontested.

With John Worsfold making a multitude of changes the Eagles responded and kicked the last three goals of the third quarter to go to the final quarter with just a 20-point deficit.

The Eagles? momentum was not helped with Glen Jakovich going off the ground with a knee injury and having no further part to play halfway through the third quarter.

Sampi kicked a goal with just 10 seconds left in the third quarter and then kicked one in the opening minute of the fourth to bring the Eagles within 14 points but Ryan O?Keefe replied with a settling goal for the Swans to bring the lead back to 20 points.

The rest of the final quarter went goal for goal. Kerr kicked his fourth only for O?Loughlin to respond with his sixth

The Eagles were digging deep in search of the win and it was acts of desperation by the Swans and in particular O?Keefe and Adam Goodes which were keeping the Eagles at bay.

David Haynes kicked a late goal to bring it within 15 and then another one with just under three minutes left on the clock to reduce the lead to single figures and with the way the Eagles came home, if it had not been for their slow start they may have even pinched it.

For the Swans, Williams impressed with a game-high 26 possessions and O?Loughlin with six goals is back to his All-Australian form. It was Kerr and the livewire leading the charge for the Eagles.

The Eagles now host Carlton at Subiaco on Saturday night with the Swans playing St Kilda at the SCG at the same time.


SYDNEY: 4.6 8.9 11.12 13.14 (92)
WEST COAST: 1.2 4.4 8.10 12.12 (84)

GOALS: Sydney: O?Loughlin 6, Hall, Schneider, Ball, Cresswell, Kirk, J. Bolton, O?Keefe.
West Coast: Kerr 4, Judd 2, Sampi 2, Haynes 2, Embley, Adkins.
BEST: Sydney: O?Loughlin, Ball, Williams,O?Keefe, J.Bolton.
West Coast: Sampi, Kerr, Judd, Embley, Braun.
INJURIES: West Coast: Chick (shoulder), Jakovich (knee).
CHANGES: West Coast: Gardiner (ankle) replaced by Cox.
REPORTS: nil
UMPIRES: McBurney, Kennedy, Wenn
CROWD: 31,121 at Sydney Cricket Ground

[NMWBloods]

Re: We win again

O'Keefe & Nicks went OK - they barely went really - but were OK.

I thought O'Keefe was reasonably good today, particularly in the last qtr.

We badly missed Mathews - not having a strong runner at Stoppages in their 50 cost us some goals. Sampi and Kerr would not have pushed past him so easily

Yep - I think we noticed the absence of Mathews.

Fosdike and Crouch need to lift.

Crouch was on Sampi, which is a pretty tough assignment. Probably had his colours lowered but not a shocker and hasn't had a run of them. Fosdike was not particularly good today.

[midaro]

Warfe didn't much again, but we're sick of saying that aren't we?

[Reggi]

I was pretty happy with the time he spent on the bench

[redunderthebed]

the 'afl site' didn't pick adam goodes in our best!!!!
what druds does this guy use.....Goodes had a blinder.

[midaro]

Originally posted by Reggi
I was pretty happy with the time he spent on the bench

Yes, three quarters on the bench for only one splinter in the arse. His best time/clanger ratio of the year!

[Dpw]

Great WIN, but now Iam sleeping on the couch there really is truth to the saying you can "still lose even when you win".

Great games Goodes, Mickey, Boltons and some great cameo's by O'Keefe in the last, Ball and Schauble

[Roscoe]

Reggi, you are so right in saying how much we missed Matthews
today in his sweeping up role accross half back

Today we had to " rob peter to pay paul" by playing Maxi
deeper than normal in the role that Ben usually plays

But of course we will have people like Plugger46 who has no
Fuc*ing idea as to what Matthews does.

How did your love god Warfe play today Plugger. ?????

Saddo back in next week and Warfe to NEVER play again in the top grade

[Sid]

Reasonable performance today for sure. Great effort by magic but Hall just seemed so easy to spoil all the time. But the spread of goals is definitely a good sign.

Nicks is an improvement for sure but still not too flash. I think crouchy could have tagged Kerr better, seemed to lose him whenever the ball was near.

What can i say about warfe, he sleeps on the bench and sleeps on field, just glad he slept on the bench more.

Powell and O'keefe were the good young performers today.

[liz]

Agree that Fosdike has more to give, but he gets involved in packs more than people give him credit for. Some of his disposals were a bit ordinary though, especially his kick in front of goal in the second quarter that he really should have put through for a goal with his eyes shut. Fortunately Magic was good enough to score it for him.

Love the second efforts of Powell and Schneider - these two gonna become regulars for many years to come.

Didn't think Warfe was too bad - can't remember a clanger. But then we wouldn't have missed him too much had he not been there. He does seem to be an obvious choice to make way for Saddo. Nicks didn't contribute much either but will probably keep his spot, it would be nice to see either Thewlis or Malceski given a go at that "spare goal kicking option off the bench" role that Nicks seems to be occupying at the moment.

Great job by Schaubs on Wilson today, especially early on. And Bolton on Embley was an important "win" for us today.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Sid
I think crouchy could have tagged Kerr better, seemed to lose him whenever the ball was near.

I think Crouch actually had Sampi, or he did later in the game at least.

[NMWBloods]

And Bolton on Embley was an important "win" for us today.

I thought Craig Bolton was very good today, and made some excellent plays, particularly one in the last qtr when Embley was leading him to the ball and was open, but Bolton forced it out of bounds (I think).

[ugg]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I think Crouch actually had Sampi, or he did later in the game at least.

Yes, Crouch on Sampi, who was very very good today. I think J.Bolton was on Kerr.

[Reggi]

Very solid player Mathews - not a star but dependable - never been able to understand the criticism he cops here - very severely missed.

We should have put them away earlier.

Agreed Lizz that Powell and LRT look like players for the future - interesting to see how long they hold their spots - worth keeping in for the moment.

Though I guess they will bothe be dropped before Warfe.