Well, THAT was fun.

[desredandwhite]

No seriously, it WAS fun!! At least in the second half, after we moved behind the goals with what portion of the cheer squad showed up. JF, Diego, Gemma, Teal, Destructive Dan, etc - it degenerated into an all-singing all-screaming affair after we stopped caring about the result!!

Unfortunately there was not very much on-field to be cheerful about.. Some random thoughts:

1) Brisbane are frighteningly sharp 5 weeks before the season proper. They were on average taller, bigger, stronger, faster, smarter and better drilled than our guys tonight. No shame in losing to them.

2) Impressed by the following: Stevens, who was my BOG for us tonight. Did everything, everywhere. Goodes, though quiet in patches did the best he could. Maxfield, Cresswell, Williams - class, class, class.

3) Why did Mark Powell decide that a mullet would be the best look? He still looks 12, albeit a 12-year old with a mullet.

4) Michael Voss. Words fail me. Make us an offer, Brisbane. Any five of our players. No, make it ten.

5) White, errr.. orange maggots. Is there a VIP program you can join, Alastair, and how do we sign some players up? Why do they need 2 goal umpies at each end?

6) Nice touches from some young'uns.. .Ablett, Schneider, and of course Jarrad "Sideshow Bob" McVeigh's tap-on.

7) Why the Silly Socks? Why???

8) Schaubes did his best, but the Brisbane forwards are simply too strong and experienced. We will struggle against sides with big, dominant forwards.

9) Far from end of the world. This is a long way from out best side. Saddington + Barry in the back would take some pressure off Schauble.

10) to borrow an attitude from our friends at http://www.dockerland.com - We have cleverly avoided having to travel to Cairns and now have extra weeks to play games with proper rules. Go you good things.

[NMWBloods]

Re: Well, THAT was fun.

(4) Michael Voss. Words fail me. Make us an offer, Brisbane. Any five of our players. No, make it ten.

How good is he!! Just so composed and talented.

(7) Why the Silly Socks? Why???

Heresy - they are our traditional socks!! Nice to see them get a run.

8) Schaubes did his best, but the Brisbane forwards are simply too strong and experienced. We will struggle against sides with big, dominant forwards.

Yep, this is major worry I think.

9) Far from end of the world. This is a long way from out best side.

Although, frighteningly, they still have a number of players from their GF side to come back in.

We have cleverly avoided having to travel to Cairns and now have extra weeks to play games with proper rules. Go you good things.

The first is a good thing. Have to say though, I quite liked the new rules (for pre-season of course!).

[desredandwhite]

Re: Re: Well, THAT was fun.

Originally posted by NMWBloods

Heresy - they are our traditional socks!! Nice to see them get a run.

IMHO they are ok when paired with the white shorts and white back - just looks odd when paired up with the solid red.

The first is a good thing. Have to say though, I quite liked the new rules (for pre-season of course!).

I actually thought that the new rules made very little difference. I don't think very many more long shots at goal were attempted, and it all seemed pretty much business as usual. I reckon most coaches would have said something along the lines of "ok lads, go out there and play your natural games, but keep the new rules in the back of your minds."

[liz]

Re: Re: Re: Well, THAT was fun.

Originally posted by desredandwhite
I actually thought that the new rules made very little difference. I don't think very many more long shots at goal were attempted, and it all seemed pretty much business as usual. I reckon most coaches would have said something along the lines of "ok lads, go out there and play your natural games, but keep the new rules in the back of your minds."

I think the 9 pointer has made a bit of difference mentally. Not so much in tonight's game (apart from Schneider being desparate to nab one - but it didn't matter by then anyway) but in some others I've watched. I think some players are so conscious of trying to kick long ones, and making sure that they are doing it from outside the 50 that their kicks are going woefully astray. Ironically, for many of the ones that have gone nowhere close I reckon the player would probably have kicked them - and from well outside the 50 - if it hadn't been that they were so conscious of it.

I think Des' point that they now get to play practice games with normal rules is a valid one. Tonight showed they need to concentrate on getting the basics right and I reckon the rules could be some distraction. And they also have to work on integrating some of the newbies into the team so they are ready to rock'n'roll come season start. The way our injury list is looking I reckon there'll be at least a couple of debutants in round 1.

[Jimmy C]

The 9 pt score bugs me for the reason that Lizz has mentioned. However, the notion of giving away 3 pts for rushed behinds is a good one (no time for oppositions to re-group when they know they're under the hammer). A dis-incentive. Another Leigh Matthews brain-storm that he was touting years ago.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

A very silly night of football!

What a silly silly night of football! One of the silliest I have
experienced in years.

I arranged to meet two German guys I met at the Northern Spirit "Fussball"
match the night before. After meeting Des, and Jemma "Did you know there
was a trivia night?" Houston at the Brewery, a small red and white
gathering slowly developed. It was weird actually being in the minority
before a game at Stade de Oz, as most people were turpsing up before the
Rolling Stones concert next door at the Superdome. No kicking of the footy;
I mean, come on hitting people on the head with a stray banana kick is now
par for the course at the Brewery these days!

I was more a tour guide than football barracker for the first half, which
was just as well, as were getting pumped. I was busily explaining in German
the rules of this "strange yet fun game" (so said the Germans). Did you
know that the translation of "push in the back" in infact "R?ckendr?cken"?
Even the Poms behind us were confused when the ground staff put our first
goal up at a 9pointer, even when it was from 10 metres out. They had to
turn the whole thing off to fix the problem! Classic stuff!

I just didn't feel right. Alex from the CS and me tried to get a chant
going, people stared at us. Still, as Lynch continued to shove elbow and
body-slam his way over Schaubs or anyone else in his way, WITHOUT THE UMPS
PINGING HIM ONCE!!!!, the real me started to come out, much to the shock of
the Germans, desperately trying to understand why I was screaming blue
murder at the er um orange maggots!

At half time at the advise of Johnny-Jay (one of the Swans Blondes from the
Cheer Squad) ,I opted to go around to my normal spot to join the very small
CS contingent. From then on the game turned into a cult occasion. Being the
champions that they are the Swans came out and blitzed em when the game was
already over. We spent the rest of the match poking fun at Jude Bolton
(what a kick in the last quarter!), laughing ruefully at every kick to
nobody or a Lions player, as well as singing songs and taunting the
ridiculous double goal umps, red flags and all. Sure it is a converted
Northern Spirit song but here is what we came up with,

We hate Carlton and Richmond,
We hate Collingwood too
They're ****!
We hate scumbag North Melbourne
But Sydney we love you.

We love you Sydney, we do...."

Seriously, with a full team it was frightning to see the difference in
nearly every aspect between our players and the Brions. Whilst Voss and
Lynch tore us up, several Swans players were noticably ordinary. Tadgh was
by far the worst, and could be seen noticeably backing away from the play
at times. It looked like he simply didn't want to be there. BBBB was very
very sloppy. Stevens looked ok when moved to defence. But why was he moved
to defence. No wonder the guy has no confidence. McVeigh looks a tad
scrawny, but he is young.

Positives for the night. Well, I got in on my concession ticket. And it
took until after the match during our cult kick to kick session out the
front of the ground to start raining.

Now we can start looking forward to the real stuff, with the only person
waving red flags being me. *GIGGLES*

Diego, it was good to meet you mate. You are a fun bloke, and a bloody good
kick too!

See you all at Trivia night, or at a practice match in the near future.

JF (who was actually thankful I didn't have my flag tonight)
Red and white(and gold) greetings from Sydney Australia-home of the Sydney
Swans and Northern Spirit.

[vagary]

Why the Silly Socks? Why???

I'd like to ask that too. in the H/A when sydney is playing brisbane in away game they wear those socks but wouldn't this be counted as a home game since it was played in sydney. WHEN DOES BRISBANE GET TO WEAR SILLY SOCKS????


PS two goal umps, immediate play on after behinds, red flags?? sounds like were going to be playing international rules to me. whats next? nets?

[Diego]

I started watching the game 2 rows in front of you JF..so I heard you explain every single aspect of the game much to the delight of the Lions supporters sitting in front of you! :P

The 1st half was frustrating....the amount of clangers and the delivery (when we could) to the forward line was crap and it didn't help much that Baz couldn't mark anything. As des said I think we will suffer at the hands of taller and stronger opposition. I was impressed with some our youngsters but they need a lengthy period in the gym.

I walked away from tonight's game confident that the Lions will win a third flag. They are so even right around the ground and Voss is just the best and classiest player in the league. To think of the players the Lions had missing is a worrying thought for the other 15 clubs.


Second half was spent with the small CS..far different from the SCG version and soooo much fun. Singing at the football is a far better experience that your usual Syd-ney clap clap clap.

FACT: We became Richmond supporters in the second half and started turning on our own! :P But was a lot of fun though.

Good to meet you all and looking forward to the game and trivia night on the 22nd!

Thanks for the kick after the game JF!

[Diego]

Originally posted by vagary
I'd like to ask that too. in the H/A when sydney is playing brisbane in away game they wear those socks but wouldn't this be counted as a home game since it was played in sydney. WHEN DOES BRISBANE GET TO WEAR SILLY SOCKS????


PS two goal umps, immediate play on after behinds, red flags?? sounds like were going to be playing international rules to me. whats next? nets?

I am confused about the home/away rule. If Sydney is the "Home" team, then why did we have to wear the candy stripes? Same happens when we play Melbounre at the SCG.

[robbieando]

You'll find that last night we were the away side, even though the game was played in Sydney.

[Ajn]

It was a bit like a local suburban match, skills wise. Good thing there is still six weeks to practice

[swansrock4eva]

hehe i haven't had so much fun in AGES! Altho it will be nice to see Tadhg STOP having brain explosions that involve standing around a pack flapping like a damn bird just waiting for some1 to give him the ball! And benny mathews! *insert nasty words* and Jude "Bachelor" bolton... not his best performance, but scarily improved on some of the ones of 02...

Nice to see Paul Williams, Scotty Stevens and Paul Kelly have secured their places in the first H&A match of the year!

I have the idea for the CS tho - we all need to sit closer together and make as much noise as humanly possibly ALL the time so that we actually have something fun and somewhat noisy as opposed to grumpy ppl whinging cos we make no noise!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Singing in the Cheer Squad

Originally posted by Diego
I started watching the game 2 rows in front of you JF..so I heard you explain every single aspect of the game much to the delight of the Lions supporters sitting in front of you! :P

[/i] Yes, to their credit they didn't say anything back. They whinged a bit when I was abusing the umps about two 'clear-cut' frees not paid though. )


Second half was spent with the small CS..far different from the SCG version and soooo much fun. Singing at the football is a far better experience that your usual Syd-ney clap clap clap.

[/i] I agree. The night reminded me of the cult afternoon in Brisbane where about 8-10 displaced Cheer squad types spent the afternoon singing all day, must to the delight of several Poms in the crowd, who started singing back at us. [/B]

FACT: We became Richmond supporters in the second half and started turning on our own! :P But was a lot of fun though.

[/i] Great fun. I think being able to laugh at your side helps you get through the bad times. Sometimes you have to make you own fun. Sure if an opposition fan starts having a go, you defend em for life or death. But when Jude is pinpointing passes to nowhere, or we are missing shots from 25 metres out, you may as well just laugh at how sad it all is.[/B]

Good to meet you all and looking forward to the game and trivia night on the 22nd!

Thanks for the kick after the game JF! [/B]

[/i]No worries. The synthetic Sherrins is perfect for Stade de Oz matches. I was just starting to worry though when the rain started falling. I was just waiting for my knee to give away.

Seriously though, you can make of the Cheer Squad what you will. Diego, you found out that we can have fun. We just need more like-minded people to get involved with us, great a flag, sing silly songs, and help make things fun. The way it was last night; the way it should be every time. Had there not been RWO, we probably would never had gotten people like Des, yourself, AnniSwan, Cher etc etc to get involved with the clubs respective Cheer Squads.

I WILL get more serious during the real stuff though. Last night was kick and giggle as far as I was concerned. I mean, how can you take a game seriously when the advertising boards around the ground are saying "Swans choose Duck tape".

JF

[Richo]

Point the 'Strange game yet fun' Germans at www.aflg.de

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Richo
Point the 'Strange game yet fun' Germans at www.aflg.de

Das tue ich auf jeden Fall.

Schw?nen vor, noch ein Tor! (Come on Swans, another goal!)

JF