Match thread: Swans v Dockers.

[Velour&Ruffles]

Magnificent stuff KSAS, BF and Sandridge - I loved hearing this. As a very young boy I recall being at the old Lakeside Oval for a game against Geelong, but I couldn't swear it was this one. It may have been a practice game - I recall the scores being incredibly high.

I do remember a game where we beat Carlton and everyone was beside themselves with excitement. Any thoughts about what that might have been? [Probably does belong on the Reminiscing thread now]

[Blood Fever]

Like you BF and KSAS, I don't remember the game itself, other than the fact that we had a comfortable lead in the last quarter so we could just lap up the fact that a horrendous run of losses was about to end.

Like you both, though, I clearly remember being on the ground after the game. I managed to get relatively close to Graeme John as he made his way from the coach's box on the bowling green side of the ground to the clubrooms on the opposite side. He was mobbed by South fans and his progress to the rooms was very, very slow!

I also remember seeing a man who, to 16 year old me, seemed quite old. (Looking back, he was probably only 40 or 50!) He was celebrating with the cheer squad, jumping up and down, belting out the club song and bawling his eyes out. I will never forget his face!

Hope he was still around in 2005!

[Sandridge]

Like you BF and KSAS, I don't remember the game itself, other than the fact that we had a comfortable lead in the last quarter so we could just lap up the fact that a horrendous run of losses was about to end.

Like you both, though, I clearly remember being on the ground after the game. I managed to get relatively close to Graeme John as he made his way from the coach's box on the bowling green side of the ground to the clubrooms on the opposite side. He was mobbed by South fans and his progress to the rooms was very, very slow!

I also remember seeing a man who, to 16 year old me, seemed quite old. (Looking back, he was probably only 40 or 50!) He was celebrating with the cheer squad, jumping up and down, belting out the club song and bawling his eyes out. I will never forget his face!

[Blood Fever]

Can't remember the details of the game. Remember being on the ground after the game with my brother.

[KSAS]

Was there. Graeme John coach?

Yep, he was.. My memory was the crowd storming onto the ground at the final siren (myself included) & players having difficulty getting to the rooms. What sticks in my mind is seeing Peter Bedford walking towards the race whilst dragging a young woman, who was hanging onto him in a tight embrace!

I don't have much recollection of the game itself, other than Gary Brice played like a gladiator to my young impressionable eyes.

Apologies for hijacking this thread, as it probably deserves to be in the reminiscent/history thread instead.

[Blood Fever]

So true, BF! Never thought I'd live to see one Premiership, let alone 2. All those losses we endured as South Melbourne supporters make us so grateful that our club is now in such a great position on and off the field.

One of the games I remember the most from those horror South Melbourne years was a game in 1973 when we beat Geelong at the Lake Oval to end a 29 game losing streak!! Was anyone else there that day, too?
With the crowd reaction after the game, you would've thought we'd won the Premiership!!

Was there. Graeme John coach?

[Sandridge]

I'm also old South fan in my early 60's and still marvel how good the club is now when compared to the many dark days at the Lakeside Oval when a win felt like a flag! It built resilience and fierce loyality for the love of my club. It has helped me slowly get over last year's GF debacle.

Yep! Those of us who are old enough to remember those days and stuck with the club can only marvel at where our beloved team is now!

[Sandridge]

As an old South fan like yourself ( a wee bit older), I still have mental scare tissue from all those losses. I still fear the worst and so get a huge kick out of each win we have. The 2 flags I have seen were like manna from heaven. Wouldn't mind seeing one more!

So true, BF! Never thought I'd live to see one Premiership, let alone 2. All those losses we endured as South Melbourne supporters make us so grateful that our club is now in such a great position on and off the field.

One of the games I remember the most from those horror South Melbourne years was a game in 1973 when we beat Geelong at the Lake Oval to end a 29 game losing streak!! Was anyone else there that day, too?
With the crowd reaction after the game, you would've thought we'd won the Premiership!!

[KSAS]

I'm also old South fan in my early 60's and still marvel how good the club is now when compared to the many dark days at the Lakeside Oval when a win felt like a flag! It built resilience and fierce loyality for the love of my club. It has helped me slowly get over last year's GF debacle.

[Blood Fever]

I reckon our Swan's backstories would be remarkably similar, stevo. I sense you're around the same age as me - late 60s - and, like me, you've followed South Melbourne/Sydney for many, many years. The positivity comes from experiencing loss after loss after loss in South Melbourne's years before the move to Sydney and simply loving what our club has now become on and off the field.

You're so right to point out that, with an injury list as long as your arm, our form this year has been ok. Sure, we're not currently performing as well as we'd like and we're nowhere near the scintillating form we showed in many games last year. I don't feel, however, that we pinched Sunday's game against Freo. There's plenty of room for improvement on that performance but we DID outscore the Dockers in 3 of the 4 quarters.

As an old South fan like yourself ( a wee bit older), I still have mental scare tissue from all those losses. I still fear the worst and so get a huge kick out of each win we have. The 2 flags I have seen were like manna from heaven. Wouldn't mind seeing one more!

[Sandridge]

It has to be remembered we are nowhere near full strength and maybe some are expecting too much from the team as it currently stands. As Deja and Foreign Legion said, the bye may be coming just at the right time and I think the fight we showed today will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season.

I'm forever the optimist, I don't suffer pessimists and I love Sandridges never ending positivity. Truly a Swan fan from my heart.

I reckon our Swan's backstories would be remarkably similar, stevo. I sense you're around the same age as me - late 60s - and, like me, you've followed South Melbourne/Sydney for many, many years. The positivity comes from experiencing loss after loss after loss in South Melbourne's years before the move to Sydney and simply loving what our club has now become on and off the field.

You're so right to point out that, with an injury list as long as your arm, our form this year has been ok. Sure, we're not currently performing as well as we'd like and we're nowhere near the scintillating form we showed in many games last year. I don't feel, however, that we pinched Sunday's game against Freo. There's plenty of room for improvement on that performance but we DID outscore the Dockers in 3 of the 4 quarters.

[Thunder Shaker]

The injury list is out, link. It looks better than it did at the start of the season, with 11 players listed instead of 14. The week off for everyone will help a lot.

[Hotpotato]

Geez, Long time until they are back for a home game, even then its Easter Sunday and a lot of us vanish somewhere else.

[crackedactor 01]

Ladhams has to play to help out in the ruck. Isaac had an off day- maybe needs to go forward when Mills comes back to regain some confidence as he fumbled quite a bit which is unusual for him. I expect Logan to have a run in the ressies before coming back and then use him as a swing man. Do we bring Cleary in against Norf? I think so, as his game against the Pies would suggest.

Proud of the lads as they kept fighting even though Freo outplayed us for big parts of the game. Chad was immense- loved his game! Corey tried hard and keeps improving and Paps is finding some form. Overall a very gutsy win, with solid contributions from all…

I think Cleary is a much better option then Hanily and Shedlrick.To get 37 disposals with 89% kicking efficiency is very impressive. Hanily is promising but needs more time and its getting tiresome to watch Shelrick kick the ball to the opposition.

[Roadrunner]

That was a tough win. Yes, finally we win the clearances and indeed we shared the centre clearances 10/10.

Chad Warner's last quarter was special but so was that of Peter Ladhams. His centre clearance ruckwork was very good. He got his hands on the footy and won taps to advantage. While Grundy is very one dimensional at centre bounces PL has far more tricks and is much more unpredictable to opposing rucks. We just looked so much better with PL in there and all of a sudden our mids got first hands on the footy.

The inclusion of Hayden McLean added some much needed grunt. He is a must in our best 23.
Someone mentioned Hanily not having much of game. He is 19yo and that was his 3rd game. What I like about him is he finds space on his own and he has a red hot go. He looks to be a smart thinker and reads the game well.
On Matt Roberts: He racks up the possessions but he panicked a couple of times. You would think he would learn from last week when he did that short pass shocker. I think his best value is kicking it long.
Can someone tell me the role of W.Hayward? Do we really need him in the side. Yesterday he had 6 kicks, 3 effective. He refuses to chase (doesn't have a tank) and doesn't get close enough to the footy to get any bruises. Has anyone talked to him about 2nd efforts. "But he kicked 40 goals last season". Mostly against the weaker sides and he misses deadset sitters inside 50 directly in front. And we signed him for another 5 years. Lazy footballer.

In the 2nd half of the season we will have Mills, McDonald and Gulden back. Heeney doesn't need to play onball and adds another headache to other sides up forward. Heeney and Hayward, very similar height, so why do we need Hayward in the side? Will Cox have the intestinal fortitude to drop him if he keeps up this abysmal form? He has played 167 games and hasn't had a breakout game yet. I don't give a continental if he is a good bloke and great clubman. What does he give us regards team structure. Nothing.

Agreed re Wilbur- he had some very good games last year but so far he hasn’t done much. I’d give him 1 more chance and if he doesn’t perform then to the ressies. We can’t have passengers! Yes, move Isaac to the forward line, with the occasional run on the ball once Mills is back, which I hope will be very soon!