Phew!!!

[taurus]

Very tight match, indeed!

It was very good atmosphere all around the stadium. One sensed that Swans would just win, even when we were behind in Q4.

Credit to Pies for never giving up. Buckley played very well.

[Diego]

Top game and atmosphere at the ground. Bloody good to see Fixter back and Kennellys goal in the last qrt was awesome. I knew it go through as soon as he ran towards the goal.

[liz]

Originally posted by taurus
Very tight match, indeed!

It was very good atmosphere all around the stadium. One sensed that Swans would just win, even when we were behind in Q4.

Credit to Pies for never giving up. Buckley played very well.

Not sure that I ever sensed the Swans would win - at least not until Benny M managed to take up at least a minute kicking that point!

Was also very concerned that Tiger was going to get pinged for running too far. I think the umpires must have been caught up in the tension of the whole night.

While our hearts might have wished for an "easier" victory, it is great to see them hold on for a tight one. Shows they are developing a stronger mental streak all the time.

Great to see Fixter back and contributing. Also agree on comments on Thewlis. Our midfield has pace in abundance but has lacked a tallish, strong player and he could become that. But it was pleasing that almost every player made a contribution.

And that WE WON!!!

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by lizz
While our hearts might have wished for an "easier" victory, it is great to see them hold on for a tight one. Shows they are developing a stronger mental streak all the time.

We've played the most games this year that have ended with 1 kick or less in it and have a 3-1 record.

Lost to Brisbane by 2 points
Beat Geelong by 6 points
Beat Hawthorn by 1 point
Beat Collingwood by 6 points

West Coast and Brisbane have both played 3 games ending with a kick or less in it and are both 1-2 in those games.

Yes it would be nice to just win convincingly, but our record in close ones this year has been good!

[Diego]

Originally posted by lizz

While our hearts might have wished for an "easier" victory, it is great to see them hold on for a tight one. Shows they are developing a stronger mental streak all the time.

I agree. The Pies came out to play tonight so it was good they could hold on to such a tight game the way they did.

Also might get rid of some of the stage fright they suffered in the last years clash in front of a national adudience.

I really liked seeing Fixter out there.

[liz]

Originally posted by Mike_B
We've played the most games this year that have ended with 1 kick or less in it and have a 3-1 record.

Lost to Brisbane by 2 points
Beat Geelong by 6 points
Beat Hawthorn by 1 point
Beat Collingwood by 6 points

West Coast and Brisbane have both played 3 games ending with a kick or less in it and are both 1-2 in those games.

Yes it would be nice to just win convincingly, but our record in close ones this year has been good!

You're right, of course, Mike. But my memory is eternally scarred from 2001/2002 when we couldn't win a close one to save our lives.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by robbieando
Ditto, looks the goods

Ain't a fast bloke, but has a red hot go and goes in and gets the hard ball. Not a bad kick by the look of things too.

Bennie Fixter was great in my opinion. Really through himself in. Had a red hot go. He will give is that extra little man that we have missed in Schneider's absence.

Spoke to Schauble in the bowels of the Stadium after the match. He said he should be right for the Crows game. I started laughing which brought a wry chuckle from him. He remembered me asking him after the Richmond game, I'm sure.

Willo was on crutches and hopped onto a golf cart thing after he came out of the dressing sheds. Anyone know what is the go with him?

But the Pies kicking for goal was woeful. But of course we have certain celebrity cult figure sitting on Centre Wing to thank for that. From reports he was in FINE form tonight.

JF

[monopoly19]

Ryan O'Keefe presented very well tonight, and regained my faith after a few weeks of me wondering what he had been doing. Mick O'Loughlin - what a star. That last goal he kicked looked for all money like it was coming across the goals to our side of the field, and then it just swerved Magic-ly back through the tallest posts! Kirk and B1 both had very good games, and it's been mentioned before, but it was awesome to see Fixter back, and Thewlis had a red-hot go for his first game. He certainly looks pretty big for a debutant. Awesome effort all round!

The atmosphere was great (although it was bloody freezing) and though our area seemed pretty free of feral Pies, we did get our fair share of simply annoying ones. If I ever hear "Go Cam!", "Go Daks!" (high pitched squealing) again, I think I'm going to puke. Was very glad to rub it in their faces at the end.

I don't think I've ever not heard the siren before, but the crowd was going so nuts for Bazza and his (non) goal that I didn't even realise until a few moments later when all the players seemed to have stopped. What a fantastic feeling!

And just randomly, what did the sign in the CS say that started with "Raise" (I think???) and was kind of funkily hand drawn???
And BAM_BAM - The 'Pebbles you R'OK' sign went down very well with my group (and I reckon he played so well 'cause he saw it too )

[Dave]

One thing I was a lot happier with was our goal kicking.
It saved us.

[floppinab]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG


Willo was on crutches and hopped onto a golf cart thing after he came out of the dressing sheds. Anyone know what is the go with him?

JF

Williams left the ground very early during the warmup and I was half expecting him to be a late omission. I'd say that hip his really giving him some trouble and don't be surprised to see him miss next week

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by monopoly19
I don't think I've ever not heard the siren before, but the crowd was going so nuts for Bazza and his (non) goal that I didn't even realise until a few moments later when all the players seemed to have stopped. What a fantastic feeling!

Except that Bazza actually missed that shot!!!

[simone]

Originally posted by Mike_B
thought Kirk and Bolton did a great job in the centre - specific moments coming to mind were Kirk's contested possession that led to Ben Mathews goal in the 3rd and Bolton's clearance that led to Kennelly streaking away and kicking his goal.

Crowd was a little disappointing.

The crowd's atmosphere definately felt more than 50,000. I was hoping for more but it was always going to be tough to match the size of the crowd last year.
Brett Kirk is always fantastic, always there and always giving 100%. Did you see how excited he was when they won? Very animated!

[Margie]

Like Taurus, despite the closeness of the match, I always felt we would get over the line. At no stage did it feel as if one team might run away with it and both played their hearts out. It was freezing out in the cavernous concrete jungle that is TS - its saving grace is the quick exit from the carpark.

Magic still has the ability to turn a game, even if he was a little quiet in the first half. Bevan continues to impress and Thewlis had a credible debut. (Or as the girls behind us kept calling him, "The Lewis"). Barry Hall, Crouchy, Leo, Jude, Kirk, Maxfield, were all great contributors.

Tige's goal might instil confidence and the win generally could be the morale booster needed. A full team on the park is also vital to give us a good chance in the lead up to the finals.

Have yet to catch up on tapes of matches played while I was away, but was told last night that the St Kilda match shows us at our absolute best.

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by Mike_B
Except that Bazza actually missed that shot!!!

Never let the truth ruin a good story!

[Nico]

Originally posted by midaro
Quartermain: "Tarrant was the difference in the game".

W@nker.

But correct.