Flat crowd

[swan_song]

Anyone else feel that yesterday's crowd was flat as a pancake...we seem to occasionally get very flat, disinterested crowds; even the cheering seemed half-hearted. But as my wife said, it seemed like many of the 23,000 people there were wishing they were somewhere else...somewhere warm and dry...

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Yeah, wasn't it ever.

Yes, the weather was inclement. But it was a darn sight better than it was in Melbourne the week before.

There was a bit of chanting from various pasrt of the ground at vert times, but yes, the crowd gave the impression of not wanting to be there.

No wonder we fizzled out in the 2nd half the way we did. A home crowd behind you like the ones we had in 1997 DO make a HUGE difference.

Sadly most of the 2nd half was played out in near silence, the Cheer Squad very much included.

JF

[anne]

Why cheer when there is nothing to cheer about.

[desredandwhite]

I cheer as much as I can, given my position high up in a stand. The problem is one of motivation - when you are witnessing a gutless effort on the field, you are naturally a bit quieter...

[pillowtalk]

The crowd certainly was very flat and the weather didn't help. It was cold enough that I was contemplating staying at home to watch it on tv !

True about nothing to cheer about in a lack lustre performance. After a few encouraging 'C'mon Swans' that was soon replaced with 'What the hell is he doing/did that for ?'

The other thing with the Syyyyyyddddnnneeeeeeeeeeeeyy chants would be great if the whole ground could do it all at once ! It started off in about 4 seperate sections and ended up just sounding muffled.

I'm still suprised that we got 23,000 taking in it was mothers day and we were playing Richmond (who would have thought a loss ...)

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
I cheer as much as I can, given my position high up in a stand. The problem is one of motivation - when you are witnessing a gutless effort on the field, you are naturally a bit quieter...

The atmosphere at the SCG is very much driven by what comes out of the O'Reilly Stand. When they chant, everyone chants. As the sound just resonates out from under the room. Hence it is important from an atmosphere perspective to have them cheering;even more important that either me and my crew behind the southern goals, Peter on the concourse on the western wing or the grannies behind the Noble Goals.

I can only hark back to 1997 when the SCG was a veritable cauldron. One match in particular against Essendon where we came from the dead is proof to me that a vociferous crowd CAN and WILL make a difference.

I know it is hard to enthuse oneself to cheer for the team, and even start up a chant, when the proceedings on the field are so frustrating. But it is when we are playing crap that the team need the support the most. Port played awfully in the final against us last year. Yet even at 3/4 there were people up trying to start "Powww-aaah" chants in an attempt to lift their side.

What concerns me about the Sydney crowd is that when the Swans are playing badly and need people behind them, they simply don't get it. Then when we suddenly get a goal, everyone starts livening up. What I'm say is that we still; have to learn how to be a pro-active crowd rather than a reactive one that only gives our team support when we are playing well.

Maybe just maybe if we we all chant as one when we are down, the team WILL feed off that energy. As said before, the Swans are a highly erratic team highly reliant on confidence to get things going.

Everything helps.

JF

[swans_premiers]

What I remember most a bout the Melbourne game last year was the crowd was SOOOO loud chanting SYYYYDDNNEEEEYYYYY for half of the last quarter.

[Bron]

I totally agree with you Julian that the crowd can lift the team. The chant can energise them. Unfortunately I was a lone voice in the Brewongle for much of the afternoon.

My friend was overseas, so I couldn't do the syyydnneeey chant ... I'm tone deaf and it just doesn't work unless I get someone to give me a lead !

[Ajn]

Totally agree, it hurts when we see that from Melbourne, that we are squandering our vocal advantage. Anyone see the Essendon game and how a crowd can influence the umps.

We have ten times the voice from Melbourne with only 10,000 of us.

LIFT YOUR GAME GUYS.

[Barry Schneider]

Countless ball ups sent everyone around me to sleep.Was that a competition record?
With the Sydney crowd it seems we need something on the field to get us going rather than inspiring the players to do something special.Cheer squad excepted.

[AussieAnge]

I don't think we should just be cheering when we have something to cheer about. As JF has said it is about inspiring the players.
It has also always bugged me how the "[insert team name here], clap clap clap" chant is used in short bursts, usually just after a goal and before the ump bounces the ball. It means that the crowd is being most vocal during the adverts and quietens down when the play restarts. it certainly makes us appear dispassionate, when watching the game on tv. I always try to extend the chant after the ump has bounced the ball (even though, as a lot of you know, it is not my favourite chant), but it is an uphill struggle.
I know the Peter on the concourse below the Brewongle gees up the crowd and rightly sits down once the play has restarted (1. as he wants to watch the game and 2. because people can't see through him). Surely we can continue the chant once play has restarted without Peter's conducting.
The players aren't the only ones to lift their game, we do too

[Benevolent Ert]

The whole crowd was as flat as a pancake?
Did the Good Year blimp fall on them or something???

Sorry - it's late, I should be in bed - instead I'm picturing a stadium full of squashed people - I promise I'll never do it again

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by Barry Schneider
Countless ball ups sent everyone around me to sleep.Was that a competition record?

I've been thinking this since late last season. Swans games seem to have more failed clearances from ball ups (does anyone else keep wanting to write "ball ups" with reversed plural?) than most teams.

Sometimes the ball comes out - normally in the wrong hands - but it's getting to the stage of thinking "oh there's going to be a bounce - there will be five following so I've got time to go buy a beer."

[Ryan Bomford]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
I've been thinking this since late last season. Swans games seem to have more failed clearances from ball ups (does anyone else keep wanting to write "ball ups" with reversed plural?) than most teams.

Sometimes the ball comes out - normally in the wrong hands - but it's getting to the stage of thinking "oh there's going to be a bounce - there will be five following so I've got time to go buy a beer."

IMO, this is where we miss the quick hands and quick mind of a Cressa at the bottom of the pack to get the ball to a player in a bit more space. The present MFs either fumble the ball or try to barge their way out of the tackle on their own.