A club of amazing character!

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Matt79
I have also read on here how Roos and the club had lost the plot and would fall to pieces and when we sacked Nick Davis for ill team discipline. I have also read on here that Roos does not know what he is doing.

Really? Can we have a link? (and wasn't Davis sacked for 'form and fitness'?)

This year has been a good one. I think that there were few fans that thought last year a fluke. You have reason enough to be proud - if you are the sort to take pride in the accomplishments of a couple of dozen men that you don't really know. I guess, however, that I am not one for hyperbole. There have been plenty of clubs achieve great things against the odds, the Swans included. This is one of those things - though the odds were not that great. The WC have a few key players out with injury. We are arguably the best team in the comp - we certainly were last year. We had nearly won on out last two trips to Perth, and were probably unlucky not to on both occasions. Had we won those two we would have been expected to win again I imagine. I am not sure that I am quite ready to get as excited as you at the moment.

This is a great time for the club, probably the most succesful over the last 4 season. It is a golden era - a time with a coach who, as I have said before, he probably had more influence over the development of the game than any other individual in my time following the game, a football department that is probably amongst the best going around, conditioning and medical staff that seem to have some thing worked out that others do not, and a very strong, even and disciplined list. We should be winning against the odds, because like others before us our time at the top will pass and within 5 years we will nether hunter nor hunted be.

I have been critical of Roos in the past, and will continue to be. My main gripe is that he struggles to adapt, and that he is so set in certain ways that potentially better ways of doing things may be missed. That said, doing it his way brought the club a premiership and may well do so again this year. Thta does not mean that he is above criticism. Sheedy became above criticism and look who they have at the top. An increasingly senile old man who cannot be moved. Criticism is healthy.

There is nothing wrong in enjoying success but here on RWO we seem to want the best of both worlds. We want to be the best team in the comp, respected by all, not though of as lucky, or rugby-like destroyers of the beautiful game of AFL. At the same time we want to be the underdogs, the team of scrappers, doing it against the odds every week, in brave and stirring victories. We can't be both. Saturday night's win was fantastic, and it was an exciting and as tense a game as I would want to see. I thought it was a great effort. But surely not unexpected. Surely not that much better to the Dogs win on Sunday in all reality.

[Matt79]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster

There is nothing wrong in enjoying success but here on RWO we seem to want the best of both worlds. We want to be the best team in the comp, respected by all, not though of as lucky, or rugby-like destroyers of the beautiful game of AFL. At the same time we want to be the underdogs, the team of scrappers, doing it against the odds every week, in brave and stirring victories. We can't be both. Saturday night's win was fantastic, and it was an exciting and as tense a game as I would want to see. I thought it was a great effort. But surely not unexpected. Surely not that much better to the Dogs win on Sunday in all reality.

Hey ROK,

Interesting thoughts you provided and I understand your sentiments. I guess footy and the Swans mean things to different people and that is fine.

For me, I paid my money to go over and watch them play and yes I got great enjoyment for witnessing the win...I loved every minute but footy and the Swans have always meant alot to me.

One thing though, the Swans win was much bigger than the dogs...
* We were well and truely the away team, the Bullies played on a neutral venue.
* The Eagles are a step above the Pies in class and current form.
* We still won despite getting behind a couple of times in the last quarter.

But that is my opinion and to me it was an incredible win and I am still deriving a sense of enjoyment from it as silly as that may be to some but hey, footy is my passion and hobby.

[DST]

And to think that a fellow red and white supporter on Bigfooty had said during the year that the Swans had returned to their mediocre ways.

3 preliminary finals in the last 4 years says to me that as a club we are from being medicore.

DST

[giant]

A great win for the Bloods and those who have bagged the culture should be feeling very humble indeed.

[Piobaireachd]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Geez you people crap on sometimes.

I thought that about the kirk on 3aw thread too so I have to agree with you there

[Xie Shan]

I'm torn on this one. ROK has a point, as usual, but I agree with Matt79 that the win on Saturday did show great character. Prior to Saturday night, West Coast had only lost one final at Subiaco (to Hawthorn in 1991) in nearly 20 years, so a finals win there by any away team is something special IMO.

That said, I would still like to see this thread bumped in three years' time after we've won two more flags and lost a grand final.

[DST]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
I have been critical of Roos in the past, and will continue to be. My main gripe is that he struggles to adapt, and that he is so set in certain ways that potentially better ways of doing things may be missed. That said, doing it his way brought the club a premiership and may well do so again this year. Thta does not mean that he is above criticism. Sheedy became above criticism and look who they have at the top. An increasingly senile old man who cannot be moved. Criticism is healthy.

At this stage why does he need to adapt?

He currently has a team playing a brand of football that stands up at the most critical time, under intense finals pressure.

It is up to Worsfold, Craig and Thomas to come up with a way to beat us at present.

In a couple of years time with a different playing list and a game that has probably changed again, then you can be critical of Roos if he has failed to adapt his game plan to a new era.

Up until then, you are being critical for the sake of being critical.

DST

[anniswan]

DST, he doesn't want to hear reason, he is purely here to be a stirrer.

I can't understand what we have done wrong this year, a QF in Perth is good.
We won FFs, now we have a week off.

Roos, you are crap, bring back Eade who brought the BD's to 8th without a premiership last year.

On second thought, I wish we had Pagan, he has done wonders with the Blues.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by DST
And to think that a fellow red and white supporter on Bigfooty had said during the year that the Swans had returned to their mediocre ways.

3 preliminary finals in the last 4 years says to me that as a club we are from being medicore.

DST

What do you expect from BF, that place is more full of crap than Werribee (sewerage treatment plant - for you non-Victorians).

[graystar]

And for what it is worth, even if we don't go back to back this year, I reckon our premiership defence year has been something to be proud of and has proven that 2005 was no fluke. [/B]

I agree. We have shown all the doubters that it was no fluke. Shows good character considering our start to season as well.......

[ScottH]

Originally posted by DST
It is up to Worsfold, Craig and Thomas to come up with a way to beat us at present.

I think one of them doesn't have to worry for another 6 months.

And only one of the other 2 may have to.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by anniswan
DST, he doesn't want to hear reason, he is purely here to be a stirrer.

I can't understand what we have done wrong this year, a QF in Perth is good.
We won FFs, now we have a week off.

Roos, you are crap, bring back Eade who brought the BD's to 8th without a premiership last year.

On second thought, I wish we had Pagan, he has done wonders with the Blues.

Do you read what I say and then just ignore it, or are you incapable of basic comprehension?

As for your conmments DST, it has been noted here by posters other than me that a couple of times this season we have been beaten when Roos has been clearly beaten in matchups and tactics and failed to make a move. People here are happy to dump it on Worsfold and his refusal to change his gameplan on Sat night and leave the Sydney forward line open. How different is that to what Roos is wont to do. There was no reason to be critical of Worsfold prior to Saturday night.

[Captain]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
I am not sure that I am quite ready to get as excited as you at the moment.

Maybe if you got off the internet once in a while, stepped outside and hey even go to a game then you would share some of this excitement.

If you actually went to Perth and experienced first hand the win, you would realise that it was one of our great victories of all time. Watching on TV is fine, but there is nothing like being at the actual game to soak up the atmosphere, hear the crowd and fully appreciate what a nightmare of a place Subi is for visiting teams.

[hammo]

I am as happy as anyone that we won in Perth - it ranks as one of the best Swans victories I have witnessed and Roos deserves plenty of credit for it.

However he should not be above criticism and there were plenty of losses or sub par performances in the early to middle part of the season (also the Geelong loss) where his match ups and loyalty to certain players could have cost us a top 4 spot. We could easily have been playing in Perth this week in an elimination semi final, not enjoying the week off.

I have no doubt that Roos knows more about the game than me, but personally I find the scrapping, stoppage-based no stars football tough to take on a cold July evening when the Swans have far more talent and ability than the opposition and than what Roos seems to give them credit for. The Port Adelaide game springs to mind - one of the most boring games you could hope to watch.

If it's all designed to win the games that count in September (which I suspect I am about to get told by many on RWO) then so be it - I'll take a premiership anytime. But how many of you can seriously argue that you would not enjoy watching a bit more adventurous football from time to time.

[giant]

Which is Tim Lane's point in this article....

http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/remarkable-roos-the-main-man/2006/09/11/1157826876863.html

Lane has been quick to hop into the Swans when we're not travelling well so at least he's honest enough to acknowledge that while also acknowledging the achievement.

Absolutely I'd love to see more games like Saturday night's (altho perhaps not quite as close...) rather than games like the Port one. But when you play to a game plan then there is a price you pay - a price I'm willing to accept if it means B2B flags!