Walls on why the Swans won

[liz]

According to Walls, Port didn't choke, they just "didn't get it"!

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/08/1062902001785.html

[bloodboy]

I LOVE that article...I think it sums up Pt Adelaide in a nutshell!

Too soft POWER, too soft!

[Reggi]

I think in thge wash up Port's players have got off easily. When you talk about 'cream' top level players they are very light on - IMO one of their problems is that they have an even side but not class to rise above the pack in finals - players like Goodes and Barry Hall.

Tredrea just doesn't cut it.

[TheHood]

When Wallsy spoke during On The Couch last night about his thoughts on it being our best win ever and one of the best finals wins he has ever scene.

I nearly broke down in tears because he spoke with genuine emotion and quite frankly, after the past 5 fruitless seasons, it was hard to believe I would ever hear such genuine awe-inspiring priase for our Swans from an All-Aussie selector!

Wallsy's article is easily the best written about the game since Sunday night!

[dawson]

It was a great win but for mind, I still think the 1996 Round 4 Richmond vs Sydney 1 point win at Waverly was just as massive.

We were playing a preliminary finalist at their ground and were 1-2. We won by 1 point with Scott Direen poleaxed and Derek Kickett having an absolute blinder. Who knows what would have happened had we lost that game? Sliding Doors anyone?

Obviously, this is far bigger than winning a game in round 4, but just going on my emotions and reaction after the game, I was pretty animated after that Tigers game.

You all will now think I'm an idiot but I just think that that was the day the team came of age. The Edelstein era was officially over and we were now a club again.

By the way, who was the coach of Richmond that day? Could it have been a certain R.Walls?

[NMWBloods]

I love this article as it is spot on. A number of people have recognised that the Swans won this game by playing "finals" footy rather than Port choking. Walls, Lyon and Smith have all recognised that in recent articles. I watched the game for the fifth time today and really played close attention to the first half.

Walls' comments here are very accurate:

Port didn't choke. It just didn't get it. In finals, the tempo rises. It's a more physical game. Port likes to play uncontested football. It takes more uncontested marks than any other side. It likes to go back and sideways in defence, then kick to Tredrea or Chad Cornes. It's precise, looks good and wins games, but not finals.

This is exactly it. The intensity of our guys was fantastic and Port just didn't step up and couldn't cope. Our guys were all over them, tackling, smothering, spoiling and making life difficult. As he notes, this was the hallmark of Brisbane and Collingwood in their finals efforts, and it's why Collingwood do so well in finals despite what looks like an ordinary list.

Now the guys get it, I hope they keep it!!

[sydnophile]

The Genius of Paul Roos

Robert Walls article confirmed my belief that Paul Roos will eventually be recognised as one of the elite group of coaches in the league, namely a successful "finals coach".

Finals football often finds top sides that are fairly even as far as the "cattle on the paddock" is concerned. The winning edge is far more dependent (than generally for the H & A) on who can out-coach the other coach, not just by using smart tactics during the match, but by how well the players have been prepared over the whole season.

Successful finals coaches show they have "something extra" that sets them apart.

Sadly for Port Adelaide (I say 'sadly' because the SANFL Magpies were my team as kid) they will someday have to admit to themselves that Mark Williams is NOT a finals coach - and that could be behind why Port always appear to choke at finals time. Walls outlined some mistakes that were not just "match-day" mistakes, but really go to the heart of the way Port have been prepared the whole season.

Also, I was thinking..
1) Elite finals coaches (Malthouse, Matthews, Pagan, Sheedy, and Blight (if he wanted to coach)) all have something else in common. They command DOUBLE what other coaches get.
2) Becoming a premiership coach increases earning capacity from $350K to $700K+
3) Paul Roos contract comes up at end of 2005.
4) He will have coached 1 - 2 premierships by then.
5) The Lions will be looking for a new coach about that time.
6) Even other sides could be waving fat chequebooks.

..Is this something the Swans should be budgeting for now?

[dawson]

Not sure about point 4........

[scurrilous]

Originally posted by dawson
Not sure about point 4........

dON'T LET bRON HEAR YOU SAY THAT

damn cat stood on my caps lock

Brpn get in here now. This thread is sounding negative