Fantastic Win

[Dave]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Generally it was a fairly dull spectacle, rain not withstanding.

I disagree. Just because it's not close doesn't mean it's not good.
The Swans were playing great wet weather finals footy last night. I found it far from dull.

[red_avengers]

Originally posted by hammo
Even if Sydney win the flag there will be a conga line of Melbourne journalists ready to criticise.

When Roos were ask what he thought of the Swans being criticised he said "Yeah its killing me" that brings a smile to my face.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Dave
I disagree. Just because it's not close doesn't mean it's not good.
The Swans were playing great wet weather finals footy last night. I found it far from dull.

I don't want it to be close - I prefer to win comfortably.

I appreciated the close hard-fought game, as finals should be, and I appreciated the good wet weather football (for a change), however like many of our games this year, it wasn't a particularly attractive and appealing game as a spectacle, except for some isolated occasions.

I've found a lot of games like that this year (from most sides), and ours are probably the worst. When I rewatched the Adelaide and Melbourne wins, I turned the TV off at three qtr time as I couldn't be bothered watching it. Last night, when I watched the replay on Foxtel, I basically didn't bother with much of the last quarter.

Football is about kicking goals and taking big marks. Don't see as many of either these days.

[SXP]

Originally posted by NMWBloods

Football is about kicking goals and taking big marks. Don't see as many of either these days.

It looks to me that Roosy has traded last year's open fast flowing football for more conservative "win at any cost" sort of affair. In my opinion their loss to the Kangaroos in the last quarter was a wake up call. So from now on you can expect more of this untill our midfield starts winning more ball in the middle. Paul Williams was a perfect example how needs to be done.

[NMWBloods]

Definitely. Given the current makeup of our side I think Roos has adopted the best approach. The team can shut down the opposition with great defensive work, work the ball forward carefully to our excellent forward line, and occasionally unleash the run off half back and through the corridor.

BTW - I don't think last night's game had the dullness of earlier games (eg: last qtr Melbourne and Adelaide).

[Thunder Shaker]

The final was not dull, how could anyone say that?

It had a tension-packed first quarter where both sides applied maximum pressure. It had a second-quarter where the Swans got on top as the game transformed from dry to wet, played against a dramatic backdrop of a thunderstorm that actually threatened to halt the game. The third quarter featured good wet-weather football, and an Eagles fightback that was quelled by the home side. The last quarter had the Swans hold the Eagles goalless again as the Swans gave their all even though being seven goals up.

There was another aspect to the game that bodes well for the future. That was the Swans' biggest win in a final for 70 years. In all other Swans' finals wins that I have seen, the Swans had to fight out the game to the end, and the result was decided by only two goals or less. Too often, the Swans have played a "grand final" too early in a finals campaign. Swans vs Port (2003), Swans vs Essendon (1996), Swans vs St Kilda (1998) are three examples. Last night's final allowed the Swans to relax in the last quarter of a final, to the extent that Willo, Hall, Magic and Bally were all on the bench. "Junk time" in a final is gold - premiership gold. We may not win the flag this year, but we should go close.

A final note from the television broadcast. The channel 10 broadcast opened with the number 4, discussed the Collingwood sides of 1927 to 1930, and remarked how the Lions were on the threshold of repeating this feat. But there is another historic aspect of the number 4 that occurred to me at the time. No side has ever won the premiership by winning four finals in a row. What a Grand Final that would be - Brisbane attempting to be the second side to win four flags in a row, facing the Swans attempting to be the first side to win a premiership by winning four finals in a row and attempting to break a long premiership drought. If it happens, it has the makings of a great Grand Final.

[BigBadBustlin]

It was a great win from a side who plays good accountable football. Those scum from the Age wouldnt know football even if one hit them in the head.

Willo was great, along with Jude (who seemed to slip under the radar yesterday.) He made 8 tackles and always did the hard stuff......which isnt surprising because he shows that kind of committment every game. I thought Bazza worked hard along with Magic. Amon Buchanon is really starting to impress each and every week. And Craig Bolton was terrific, what a great pick up by the club.

Lastly, the most pleasing thing was to see Goodesy regain some touch and confidence

[dread and might]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I don't want it to be close - I prefer to win comfortably.


Football is about kicking goals and taking big marks. Don't see as many of either these days.

geez you are hard to please

i know what you are saying, but, 1. we did win comfortably
2. barry hall's one hander in the conditions is about as big a mark as you can expect in that sort of game and weather.
ROK took a pretty good one as well.

[Bron]

We took some fabulous marks in conditions that would have had to make marking difficult.

Nicks was just terrific. He was up, under, over and around Matera. I am so pleased to see him back on song.

Willo was a real star. Love to see him playing like that.

Amon was excellent. A great goal, some terrific assists and he seemed to be in there all the time.

Baz was solid and his one hander was terrific. A fab goal too when he soccered it to his own advantage and then scored.

Crouchy was constantly in there.

Jude was terrific. What I really was impressed with was that he took three tough contested marks under pressure. He looked strong and confident. As always, he was in the packs. The last few weeks he's getting the ball out more.

B2 was all over the field too. Loved his goals!

Schaubs looked strong. Leo looked disciplined. Bevo is a tough little nut - he gave a number of tough knocks to the opposition.

I could go on. The most impressive thing, I think, was that it was so clear that the team was gelling together. This was mentioned by the commentators too. Like in the Port final last year, there was confidence and belief by each player in himself and also in his teammates.

Stewie, Bevo at the end were very very tough and committed.

They really seemed focused, committed and ready to take all comers on. Go Swans.

[Foreign Legion]

Originally posted by Nico
Fair to say that Nick Davis was the only one that didn't get into the game.

Our hardness was something to behold, typified by Stewie's desparate lunge with a second to go.

You're right about Stewie's effort - that said a lot about the way we played.

I thought J Bolton was hard at it all night too.

[Foreign Legion]

Originally posted by SXP
Some jurnos in Melbourne (The Age) didn't like the game at all saying they expected more from both teams.
It is very difficult to make everybody happy, isn't it?

They probably expected more free grog if they were journos - they can dismiss us at they're peril.

[Foreign Legion]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I don't want it to be close - I prefer to win comfortably.

I appreciated the close hard-fought game, as finals should be, and I appreciated the good wet weather football (for a change), however like many of our games this year, it wasn't a particularly attractive and appealing game as a spectacle, except for some isolated occasions.

I've found a lot of games like that this year (from most sides), and ours are probably the worst. When I rewatched the Adelaide and Melbourne wins, I turned the TV off at three qtr time as I couldn't be bothered watching it. Last night, when I watched the replay on Foxtel, I basically didn't bother with much of the last quarter.

Football is about kicking goals and taking big marks. Don't see as many of either these days.

I think the narrowness of the ground doesn't help - there were a lot of boundary throw ins. Would it be the narrowest ground in the league?

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by dread and might
geez you are hard to please

i know what you are saying, but, 1. we did win comfortably
2. barry hall's one hander in the conditions is about as big a mark as you can expect in that sort of game and weather.
ROK took a pretty good one as well.

Yep - I thought there was some good highlights from the game last night. I was a bit harsh, but as I said I didn't think the game was so bad given the conditions and finals pressure, but it's more a case that most of our games this year have not been particularly entertaining from a spectacle point of view.

Having said that, of course my aim is for us to win!!

My view of the best players were:

Williams
Nicks
C Bolton
O'Loughlin

[sharpie]

No one will care how we play if we win...


...THREEEEEEE MORE!!!

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Yep - I thought there was some good highlights from the game last night. I was a bit harsh, but as I said I didn't think the game was so bad given the conditions and finals pressure, but it's more a case that most of our games this year have not been particularly entertaining from a spectacle point of view.

From this and other posts (both here and BF) you have convinced me that you are an adrenalin junkie

You remind me of kids who cant sit still when its not exciting, but I must admit I will watch a game of footy and accept that (more often than not) it will have dull or flat patches.

You dont watch Test cricket do you? Any cricket at all?