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Pop goes the winning streak
By Jessica Halloran
Sydney
June 7, 2004
Saints and Swans players clash in-close, but it was the Swans who broke the deadlock to break St Kilda's winning streak.
Photo: Getty Images
SYDNEY 4.4 7.7 14.9 17.10 (112) defeated ST KILDA 1.1 4.5 8.7 11.10 (76)
Goals: Sydney: B Hall 5 M Nicks 4 J Bolton A Buchanan N Fosdike H James B Mathews J McVeigh M O'Loughlin P Williams. St Kilda: N Dal Santo 2 J Koschitzke 2 L Ball B Guerra A Hamill R Harvey M Maguire L Montagna N Riewoldt.
Best: Sydney: L Barry B Hall J Crouch M Nicks A Goodes P Williams. St Kilda: L Ball R Harvey S Powell N Dal Santo J Koschitzke S Baker.
Injuries: Sydney: J Ball (hamstring) L Barry (ankle) N Davis (ankle) replaced in the selected side by H James). St Kilda: X Clarke (thigh) replaced in the selected side by L Montagna.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: M Vozzo C Rowe M Nicholls.
Official crowd: 36,039 at SCG.
Maybe it was a lack of expectations. Maybe a "nothing-to-lose" attitude. Maybe it was because St Kilda went to the movies and ate popcorn instead of training during the week.
Whatever it was, the Swans played with confidence and class to defeat the Saints at the SCG yesterday, banding together to forge a courageous win, ending St Kilda's unbeaten streak.
This season, until now, has not been sweet for the Swans. Narrow losses, a demoralising four-game losing streak and injuries to key players Andrew Schauble, Adam Schneider and Jason Saddington have not helped. But yesterday they won with relentless pressure and a hard-running, exciting brand of football, comprehensively beating the Saints all over the field.
Defender Leo Barry was brilliant at full-back yesterday, prompting Barry Hall, who bagged five goals, to describe the defender's performance to limit Fraser Gehrig to two handballs as "unbelievable". "(I am) sort of proud of my effort, but all the guys had a huge shot today," Barry said. "We were outsized and outmanned, but the way we played today was really a credit to each individual."
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The Saints, averaging 16 goals a game, were yesterday restricted to 11. Craig Bolton held Nick Riewoldt to one goal, while Stephen Milne hardly touched the ball, thanks to Jared Crouch's efforts. Paul Bevan didn't let Brent Guerra (1.1) out of his sights, Tadhg Kennelly was tireless and Adam Goodes showed class and strength as a defender.
In the midfield, Brett Kirk hardly let Lenny Hayes near the ball, Paul Williams created some exciting run, while Jude Bolton and captain Stuart Maxfield were strong. Jason Ball was brilliant in the ruck for most of the day before he was felled by a hamstring injury in the third.
It was the relentless pressure and desperation for the ball that stood out in the Swans' game in the first quarter. While the defence and midfield were ruthless and brave, up forward, the Swans kept it together, Hall slotting two through, while Matthew Nicks and Heath James intercepted a Saints handball to goal Sydney's fourth of the quarter.
The Swans were stifled by the Saints' defence in the second quarter, as the Saints added three goals to close the lead to one point. But Sydney's defence responded, regaining their run off half-back, and after a smart handball from Mathews to Hall kickstarted the Swans, goals to McVeigh and Williams sealed a 20-point half-time lead.
O'Loughlin started the third quarter with a crunching tackle on Luke Ball, resulting in a goal, while Williams's delivery and the Swans' midfield's continued hard tackling and pressure turned the game Sydney's way.
Up forward, Matthew Nicks kicked three goals for the quarter, with Hall and Bolton adding majors to extend the lead to 38 points. Early fourth-quarter goals to Fosdike, Hall and Amon Buchanan ensured the game was beyond any late Saints heroics.
By Jessica Halloran
Sydney
June 7, 2004
Saints and Swans players clash in-close, but it was the Swans who broke the deadlock to break St Kilda's winning streak.
Photo: Getty Images
SYDNEY 4.4 7.7 14.9 17.10 (112) defeated ST KILDA 1.1 4.5 8.7 11.10 (76)
Goals: Sydney: B Hall 5 M Nicks 4 J Bolton A Buchanan N Fosdike H James B Mathews J McVeigh M O'Loughlin P Williams. St Kilda: N Dal Santo 2 J Koschitzke 2 L Ball B Guerra A Hamill R Harvey M Maguire L Montagna N Riewoldt.
Best: Sydney: L Barry B Hall J Crouch M Nicks A Goodes P Williams. St Kilda: L Ball R Harvey S Powell N Dal Santo J Koschitzke S Baker.
Injuries: Sydney: J Ball (hamstring) L Barry (ankle) N Davis (ankle) replaced in the selected side by H James). St Kilda: X Clarke (thigh) replaced in the selected side by L Montagna.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: M Vozzo C Rowe M Nicholls.
Official crowd: 36,039 at SCG.
Maybe it was a lack of expectations. Maybe a "nothing-to-lose" attitude. Maybe it was because St Kilda went to the movies and ate popcorn instead of training during the week.
Whatever it was, the Swans played with confidence and class to defeat the Saints at the SCG yesterday, banding together to forge a courageous win, ending St Kilda's unbeaten streak.
This season, until now, has not been sweet for the Swans. Narrow losses, a demoralising four-game losing streak and injuries to key players Andrew Schauble, Adam Schneider and Jason Saddington have not helped. But yesterday they won with relentless pressure and a hard-running, exciting brand of football, comprehensively beating the Saints all over the field.
Defender Leo Barry was brilliant at full-back yesterday, prompting Barry Hall, who bagged five goals, to describe the defender's performance to limit Fraser Gehrig to two handballs as "unbelievable". "(I am) sort of proud of my effort, but all the guys had a huge shot today," Barry said. "We were outsized and outmanned, but the way we played today was really a credit to each individual."
advertisement
advertisement
The Saints, averaging 16 goals a game, were yesterday restricted to 11. Craig Bolton held Nick Riewoldt to one goal, while Stephen Milne hardly touched the ball, thanks to Jared Crouch's efforts. Paul Bevan didn't let Brent Guerra (1.1) out of his sights, Tadhg Kennelly was tireless and Adam Goodes showed class and strength as a defender.
In the midfield, Brett Kirk hardly let Lenny Hayes near the ball, Paul Williams created some exciting run, while Jude Bolton and captain Stuart Maxfield were strong. Jason Ball was brilliant in the ruck for most of the day before he was felled by a hamstring injury in the third.
It was the relentless pressure and desperation for the ball that stood out in the Swans' game in the first quarter. While the defence and midfield were ruthless and brave, up forward, the Swans kept it together, Hall slotting two through, while Matthew Nicks and Heath James intercepted a Saints handball to goal Sydney's fourth of the quarter.
The Swans were stifled by the Saints' defence in the second quarter, as the Saints added three goals to close the lead to one point. But Sydney's defence responded, regaining their run off half-back, and after a smart handball from Mathews to Hall kickstarted the Swans, goals to McVeigh and Williams sealed a 20-point half-time lead.
O'Loughlin started the third quarter with a crunching tackle on Luke Ball, resulting in a goal, while Williams's delivery and the Swans' midfield's continued hard tackling and pressure turned the game Sydney's way.
Up forward, Matthew Nicks kicked three goals for the quarter, with Hall and Bolton adding majors to extend the lead to 38 points. Early fourth-quarter goals to Fosdike, Hall and Amon Buchanan ensured the game was beyond any late Saints heroics.
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