Night and day

[liz]

I was just looking at the fixture list and noticed something interesting - well I think it is, anyway.

Five losses this year - Wiggles, Crows, Saints, Bumbers, Roos. All night games.

Five wins this year - Dogs, Tigers, Power, Lions, Dees. All were day games except the Dees game, and we were essentially playing half the Sandringham team that day.

Is this a coincidence? I doubt it. For years we have bemoaned the Swans' ordinary skills in the wet and while it has rained in any of those, the ground has got very dewey as the game has progressed. And the skill gap between the wins and losses is stark.

My understanding is that when they have a night game coming up, they train during the evening that week. But I think they start at around 5 or 6pm, not 7 -8pm. In the very early evening, the ground will be nothing like as damp as an hour or two later when the dew really sets in. Also they may be more alert than a bit later in the evening.

Wonder if they've thought about training at the actual game time, rather than an hour or two earlier.

[ROK Lobster]

I was just looking at the fixture list and noticed something interesting - well I think it is, anyway ... Wonder if they've thought about training at the actual game time, rather than an hour or two earlier.

Footy at night is generally not as good as during the day IMO. The greasy conditions certainly do not suit the Swans. Training at night may help but I think that skills need to improve generally anyway.

Regardless of how well the Swans are travelling, I hope they never schedule a night GF.

[Margie]

Very interesting you should mention this, Liz. Last night we were discussing our win-loss ration in night and day games. I have thought for a while that we play better in day games but this year's stats seem to bear that out. Except for, as mentioned, the Melbourne game.

Damp, dewy conditions don't suit and for players like Barry Hall, vision seems better during the day.

Also, did anyone else think that the lights didn't seem as bright last night?

[ScottH]

Actually my Mrs said that last week against the Dogs. "See they can only play in the day time". Now you have proved her right.

[Go Swannies]

A keen rugby mate of mine has signed up as a Swans member this year and he was saying the same thing - AFL games at night are nowhere near the skill spectacular that day games are.

He went on further and suggested that global warming should be taken into account - not just TV audiences - and using huge light stacks may soon be seen as environmentally unsound.

Just as the AFL think of going for evening/night Grand Finals.

[NMWBloods]

I don't like night football - it's not as good a spectacle as day football.

[Nico]

No doubt we play worse in dewy conditions.

But the Roos and Aints games were under the dome so that doesn't come into it. I dont think we play the Dome very well.

On September, the dew is no where near as bad at that time of the year when conditions are generally more windy and the real cold has gone from the air. Just the same I think footy skills are usually much better in the day.

Watched Hawthorn today and if we dont come to play we will be in big strife.

[giant]

Footy at night is generally not as good as during the day IMO. The greasy conditions certainly do not suit the Swans. Training at night may help but I think that skills need to improve generally anyway.

Regardless of how well the Swans are travelling, I hope they never schedule a night GF.

Agreed. Never see the attraction of night football for AFL, which is a game that depends so much as a spectacle on good ball handling skills.

BTW, did anyone else think the SCG looked in crap nick? Much of the wings and pockets looked bare and greasy.

[Eala ?ireann]

Not a fan of night footy, although admittedly it can be handy for me coming down from Newy.

Night Grand Finals are only good if you want two thirds of the supporters to arrive inebriated, which I venture to guess, you don't.

[Doctor]

Day footy is far better, especially at the SCG, which always seems to be wet even after a dry week with north-westerly winds. Do they water the pitch too much or is it just dew? I didn't notice much dew on the ground outside. It doesn't seem to be that wet at Homebush either.

Almost every outdoor sport is a better spectacle during the day, but it's TV ratings & revenue v quality of play I guess.

And yes the SCG turf looked shocking. No reason for it either as the weather has been great.

[Jeffers1984]

BTW, did anyone else think the SCG looked in crap nick? Much of the wings and pockets looked bare and greasy.

Yep i definitely noticed from my viewpoint in Brewongle. Lots of bare patches on the half forward flanks. Looked alot different from usual.

[goswannie14]

Mt tip is that within 5 - 10 years there will be no night footy. Nothing to do with spectacles or TV ratings, it has to happen given the amount of greenhouse gases it produces.

[giant]

Yep i definitely noticed from my viewpoint in Brewongle. Lots of bare patches on the half forward flanks. Looked alot different from usual.

Perhaps given the construction work, ground staff aren;t getting the chance to work on it? whatever the reason, it was the worst I've seen it for a long time.

[Wardy]

perhaps that is petition that can be started to thwart the AFL's attempt to stage a night GF - But agree with all of you - they are awful at night - and for some reason we just have butter fingers where as other teams handle the conditions well. I also think that some of our boys have limited night vision too - it happens.

And who ever said that a fair wack of the crowd would turn up half cut to a night GF - bang on the money.

Has anyone else noticed that O'Keefe is really out of sorts? Could it be because he and the finace are busy organising a wedding that his mind isnt on the job because he isnt playing a patch on how he was last year. Also take into account all the product some of the lads (and their partners) use on their hair and that has to contribute to global warming.