NAB Challenge in Sydney (vs Port)

[The Boot]

what, no SUPER goals?

If we'd kicked straighter it'd've been a real shellacking.

Just switched off Blues v Hawks on TEN - the HTB rule is just getting ridiculouser & ridiculouser.

And must say I'm looking forward to HD-tv on TEN. It's going to make the FOX coverage look very very ordinary until they bite the bullet - which I believe is in the pipeline.

[TheMase]

Bird has to play round one, his vision and positioning is excellent!

Brennan was disappointing. Granted he did not have to defend too much as Port were poor, however I thought he was caught out of position a few times and his skills have not improved.

I was not impressed with Daniel O'Keefe. Did not work hard enough, positioning was not great. Good skills though, hopefully he will develop in time and gain confident (ie. Not go the way of Dempster)

Barlow looked above some of the juniors but did not make his mark on the game. Certainly a senior player.

Jack was very good. Good skills, good awareness and is quick. Should get gametime this year.

Jesse White was not too bad, looked a little slow at the ground. Positioned himself well, but needs work on body on body positioning when up forward. Ruckwork was pretty good for little experience.

Faulks need a lot of work but shows a lot of promise!

Thornton was looking VERY good before he went off injured. His injury did not look good, and his season may well be over. Hopefully he will be kept on the list.

Moore was quite good, excellent skills and positioning. Seems to need confidence...

Mattner was excellent whilst he was on. Will slot straight into the team. Very very good player.

Brabazon was okay in patches. Seems a bit lost at times.

Grundy was good down back and forward.

Nick Smith, O'Dwyer and Bruce ALL LOOK VERY GOOD. I believe they all have great potential and could probably ALL make it if they put in the hard yards.

[JohnnyBravo]

what, no SUPER goals?

If we'd kicked straighter it'd've been a real shellacking.

Just switched off Blues v Hawks on TEN - the HTB rule is just getting ridiculouser & ridiculouser.

And must say I'm looking forward to HD-tv on TEN. It's going to make the FOX coverage look very very ordinary until they bite the bullet - which I believe is in the pipeline.

.....until they bite the bullet...???
Didn't they agree to sign on last year for the next 5 years??

[Old Royboy]

Late getting home tonight ? Stood at Lidcombe and watched my mountains train sail through, then had to wait an hour for the next one.

My impression was that our blokes are way ahead of where they were this time last year. Difficult to assess things because Port were absolutely terrible.

Goodes just waltzed in and dominated, spent most of the night brushing Port defenders away like flies. His disposal, both in general play and for goal (1-4) was pretty terrible though.

BBBH looks like he can run and see again. Three of his goals came from intelligent kicks to the back of the pack to his advantage (two in quick succession from Nick Davis) It does appear that there is a more lenient interpretation of the HITB rule this year and if the green slime are consistent with this it will be to Barry?s favour. Twice I held my breath waiting for whistles that did not come.

Micky O presented well but was very rusty.

Kirk looked like he has not missed a beat, same old including having his head bandaged for most of the game.

McVeigh was much better, cut down on the blind kick in hopes and kicked two nice snap goals.

LRT looks fine, I was impressed by his clean hands and good decision making in traffic, not something I would normally associate him with.

Of the other regulars, nobody could have been said to play poorly ? all were serviceable.

Thornton was looking really good until he went down ? my take was that he tried to put the brakes on after taking a mark and the knee just buckled. Poor kid.

It is now official that we finally have a midfielder with the ability to read the tapouts of both ours and the opposition ruckmen. And take spectacular contested marks. Because of the return of Kirk and co, Dicky did not have quite the same opportunities as last week, but when given the main rover?s duty in the last quarter he really showed his talent. Bring it on!!!

Jack won a fair bit of ball and did some excellent work in the packs. Some of his disposals went wrong, but through not picking the correct option rather than poor execution.

Brennan looked impressive when playing back, then like a fish out of water when he went forward.

We did not see Mocca until after half time, and he really did not get into the game until the last quarter when he did a fair bit of the ruckwork. Did not disgrace himself, but didn?t do anything special.

I gave young Bruce a bake last week, but he did some very nice things. Looks like a terrific rookie pick-up.

DOK also had limited opportunity and was fairly quiet. Satchmo will be pleased to know that he has had a decent haircut and gotten rid of that horrible mullet

The overall impression I got from this game was that our intensity is getting back to where it should be. Port?s speed burners Burgoyne, Pearce Roden and co can kill any team, but we murdered them in close and they never got the chance. Early days, but really good vibes.

[Jewels]

I came away from this same game last year, not worried exactly, but certainly not happy with what I saw. I have the complete opposite feeling after that game last night. I know Port were extremely ordinary, but I just loved to see the enthusiasm I saw from our boys. The run and ball movement was so much better then last year and I noticed that we seem to be playing on so much more this season. All we have to hope for now is that it keeps up for the season proper.

[Jeffers1984]

Decent outing but Thornton's injury was the real downer. I had him in for Malceski's role. He was coming on in leaps and bounds this pre-season. He was superb before he went down. Has alot of poise and his kicking is exceptional. Should be kept on at the end of the year.

On the others:

Goodes: is an absolute truck this year. He is massive but still has the engine. Big hope for him to get off on the right track.

Hall: Solid as ever and i thought was a bit lucky not to get any of the marks taken away with HITB. Destroyed Thurstons.

Bird: Genuine gun. This guy will win a truckload of clearences for us. However, a terrible terrible set shot for goal.

Mattner: This guy is the goods. Exceptional value and suits our style to a tee. Runs like the wind and can hit a target on the chest from 50 metres out. Wait till he is unleashed on the SCG. Will be the pick up of the year (if Judd doesn't fire).

DOK: Needs alot of work. Terribly disappointing this pre-season. Skills are there though.

Cheese: Much better effort this time round. Consistency seems to be his problem though.

Grundy: Looks like he is starting to really find his feet now. Expect him to be a swingman from defence to the forward line. I really believe he will make it.

[eggbeater]

highlight of the game for me?

seeing DOK without his ridiculous mullet

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

highlight of the game for me?

seeing DOK without his ridiculous mullet

It is BAD isn't it!

Straight out of Westpoint or Penrith Plaza!

JF

[thejones,s]

Well, well.
It's good to see live footy again, although at $7.40 a scotch ....

Goodsey ... will get the brownlow again.
Ablett ... still kicking it to me.
Jude Bolton ... dyed his hair brown, but still can't kick to save himself.
Blind Barry ... took a great mark - four on one. Bazza could be back to his old self.
McVeigh ... surprised me.
Tricky Nicky ... did he play?
Micky O ... expect big things.

The youngin's did really good.

$7.40 for a scotch....another twenty you cuda bought a bottle lol

[bennyfrou]

highlight of the game for me?

seeing DOK without his ridiculous mullet

It is BAD isn't it!

Straight out of Westpoint or Penrith Plaza!

JF

Must admit I think all the people there last night were pleased with DOK's new haircut LOL.

Monty looks much meaner with a #1 all over and - I think we should call him 'muscle nugget' from now.

[The Boot]

.....until they bite the bullet...???
Didn't they agree to sign on last year for the next 5 years??

Sorry jB .. I meant FOXTEL plonking down the dollars - or throwing the switch (or whatever it is that they do) to stream high definition. Not that 3:4 format pixellated nonsense that we get from them now.

[sharp9]

not according to the swans website


Players - Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans

match report - thornton's season over

Swans beat Port Adelaide by 69 points - Real Footy - Breaking News

official web iste is wrong

You'll note it lists Vezpremi and Meredith as rookies. Those three were our 3 picks in the real draft.

[undy]

I didn't see last week's game, was watching Mattner with red and white glasses for the first time last night - he is very, very good. Having seen people post about his counter-attacking abilities (which were oustanding), it was good to see that his defensive work is solid.

White's ruck-work was good, execpt for the restart where neither he nor Goodes contested the bounce.

I'm not normally a fan of Telstra/ANZ/Name as applicable Stadium, but with a crowd of less than 3000, and nothing else on it really works well. That was fun.

[Norris Lurker]

A bit of blatant spam - I took some pics at the game, which are up here.

A good hit-out for the Swans, although the way Port caved in during the second term must have been alarming for Mark Williams; bearing in mind how the same thing happened in last year's grand final.
Mattner looks like a good signing, and should slot straight into the senior team. Kieran Jack played a couple of senior games last year and should play some more this year, likewise Grundy. Bird looks like a quality pick - good to see a NSW Scholarship player a big chance to make it into senior ranks so soon.

[Blood]

Besides Hall, i thought Barlow and McVeigh were excellent in the first half. LRT looked impressive and young Kieren Jack confirmed that he definitely has potential. Goodes started rusty but got better as the game wore on. Bird looked very good. Don't agree with most who say Mattner was a standout, i thought he was OK, nothing more. Heath Grundy was very good in the second half.

The only negatives for me were Jude Bolton (at one stage ran backwards 15m from right centre wing prior to passing it back into our back 50), Ben Matthews and Darren Jolly (if a ruckman can't time his leap at a bounce then he shouldn't be a @@@@@@@ ruckman).

Overall a very good performance although it has to be said that Port were diabolical.