Game day thread - Syd V Carl - Eski out - Grundy In (may contain spoilers)

[NMWBloods]

He didn't start once in the centre or a wing.

Granted he drifted into the midfield during play but he was never played as a starting midfielder at any point during the day.

He started in the centre or on the wing on a number of occasions in the first half. Ran though the midfield for most of the first half too.

[smasher]

Thought Bird had some important touches too. Early in the season he wasn't quite weighting his passes correctly but he's markedly improved in this department as the season's gone on. His kick over the top to McVeigh was perfect. And I like his second effort instinct too. After he had his kick smothered in the forward line, he was back in the contest before you could blink.

I'd also add Richards to the list of best players. I thought he took some sensational marks, provided rebound from defense and held the backline pretty much together.

I thought Bird didn't contribute as he has in recent weeks.Four kicks and four handpasses is not a lot for a midfielder.This kid has talent and he will,like any other young player,have good and not so good days.I'd like to see him scrap a bit more but it looks like he has the job to scout the packs.

Young MOD found the pace a bit of a shock but once he settled in he did some nice things.Very impressed with his tackling.

[tasswan]

Went to the game yday, some of my observations

ROK covered soo much ground and kept us in the game.
Our disposal in the first quarter was terrible and really improved after 1/4 time.
We gave away some really blatant free kicks especially in the first half.

Players whom I thought played better than i expected

ROK ( he is a machine)
Jolly
McVeigh
Henry (did some important things)
Grundy I think should definately keep his spot, his kicking was very good.
Jude
Bevan awsome in the F50

thought our younger guys really stepped up when the game was in the balance, moore jackand bird all had really imoprtant touches late in the game.
Really liked C Boltons game but he is going to have to be more careful, he could have given away many free kicks inside Carltons F50 for holding the man, the umps seemed to look the other way, unlike Leo who gets pinged even when hes not.


Spoke to ROK, Kirky, Teddy and Kennelly. ROK said hell be fine for next week but looked really sore at the airport.

cheers

Tasswan

[AnnieH]

Lucky.
Very, very, very lucky.

Not so lucky ...

INJURIES
Carlton:Walker (shoulder), Fevola (corked thigh)
Sydney: Malceski (calf) replaced in selected side by Grundy, Barry (hamstring), O'Loughlin (ankle), O'Keefe (ankle), Goodes (groin)

[SimonH]

After being on the 'we're only playing Bird for experience, he's got enough of that for 2008, drop him and give someone else a go' team for most of the year, I'd have to say that yesterday I was convinced for the first time that he's earning his spot as being in our best 22. Even though stats may not have been huge, he now just looks like a very assured part of the Swans lineup. A pretty fine achievement in his first season.

O'Dwyer was great when the game needed to be won. Give him another go.

Grundy has the versatility of being able to play at either end. At least on a smallish ground. I still would hesitate to put him in an important role on the MCG or at Homebush (although it appears he has improved aerobically); but he just about fits the billing of a SCG specialist. Whether BBBH comes back in or not he should definitely be given a chance to take grabs up forward in the absence of MOL. He's a good kick, which is of course more than we can say about the other guy in our forward-line of similar build to MOL.

Carlton looked like a young side when the game was on the line-- hesitant, scared of screwing up, feeling implied pressure all the time. But everyone, especially the hard-running young guys, helped create that. Despite the barnstorming and terrifying finish, the final-quarter scoreline flattered Carlton.

How rarely does Sydney lose when ROK has a blinder? Pretty rarely, I'd say. The barometer of the side-- I'd say the 2nd-most-important player to the gameplan after Kirk, but Kirk isn't a barometer as he's always great whether we're smashing or getting smashed.

[Primmy]

Had a look at the Seven version of the game (sheesh, they have GOT to be kidding) and noted that Goodsey's face looked like wet clay. He did not look well.

However he finally got his act together and dug in, like the champion he is most of the time.

[ScottH]

How rarely does Sydney lose when ROK has a blinder?

See a couple of Adelaide in Adelaide games recently.

[swansrule100]

He started in the centre or on the wing on a number of occasions in the first half. Ran though the midfield for most of the first half too.

exactly

i dont think the so called injury was an excuse for his lack of effort, it is not the first time we have seen it from him.

[Xie Shan]

Just got back from Melbourne for the first time since that day in September 2005, that was actually a really good game of football! We were pretty ordinary for one and a half quarters, with only Bevo's brilliance (I'm serious!!) and the Blues' missed opportunities keeping us in it, but managed to turn the game on its head in a 20-minute period either side of half-time. From there it became an arm-wrestle with our experience prevailing.

From my vantage point on Level 3 of the Dome:

- Gibbs absolutely gave Goodes a bath, but MO'L going off injured worked out pretty well for us when Goodes was moved forward to provide a target. Took a couple of strong marks and kicked a couple of goals, which were invaluable in the context of the game.

- Bevo is playing the best footy of his career. As is McVeigh.

- Umpiring was biased towards Carlton in the first half, but to be fair a lot of the holding the ball frees came about due to Swans players being too slow and Carlton being quite switched on. I think Tadhg gave away a couple of shockers like this early on but improved in the second half (as did most of the team).

- O'Keefe was sensational. According to the stats he had 29 disposals (including 24 kicks) with 86% efficiency. Now I certainly don't claim remember every disposal during a match but I can't remember too many poor possessions from him. He seemed to be everywhere.

I'd rate this as a very good win considering we were 2 men down. Hopefully the past two weeks were just a mini-slump, and if so we're actually quite well-placed, though a fair way off the top 3.

[dimelb]

I think Tadhg gave away a couple of shockers like this early on but improved in the second half (as did most of the team).

Tadhg needs to save his Irish Jig (or whatever it was) until he's on the premiership dais again.