Regardless of the result on Friday Night ...

[NMWBloods]

We are on a slide.... that defies gravity.

Slides don't always have to go straight down. Visit a fun park or local playground!

[AnnieH]

I was screaming during the third quarter that I didn't care if we lost to the bulldogs next week, just as long as we beat the bushrats tonight.

Got a giggle from the bench!!

[connolly]

Second, must find another avenue through half forward other than O'Keefe. The Dogs have far more armory to shut him down than the 'roos. i.e Would love to see them mix it up with Hall playing up the ground every so often and Goodes and ROK playing back.

Is that you Blighty?

[Darren Thomson]

Pick, pick, pick, we won, you bewdy. Good thread, personally I would love to see us have a go at hammering the Cats physically. The Dogs play a different style of footy and we can beat them. Cats? I think we might be the closest thing to them, their midfield just brushes Hawks aside and provides too much forward 50 entry. Our experience in finals might come to the fore here, we know how to win them, Dogs really haven't racked up a whole lot of finals wins between them, barring Acker of course. Laidley, be quiet next time.

[cruiser]

If we get through this week, I think I'll head to Melbourne with some misguided confidence that we could roll Geelong. I agree that they would prefer to play the Dogs to us.

The odds are we'll get flogged by 50, but in the chance that we do get over the top - I dont want to miss it.

LOL. At the moment I'm telling friends that this will be my last footy trip to Melb this year but really, I know what I'm like and if we win this weekend I'll be logging onto the first computer I can find aftre the game on friday night to book a flight back down to Melb the following Saturday; cruiser = football tragic

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

I'm approaching the rest of the finals with a 'nothing to lose' attitude. 2 weeks ago I didn't even want us to be there. Now I'm EXPECTING us to make another prelim final.

There was just something I saw in the second half last weekend that made me think "Our boys have got the hunger back again". I don't know where they got it all from. But when they got their confidence back the passes started to stick, they started to dispossess & hassle the footy off the Roos. The mental strength appeared to return, with the younger guys feeding off the leadership of the seasoned campaigners.

We need not lose perspective though. This year is STILL a rebuilding year. The fact that a team can have SO MANY deficiencies yet still be in the hunt to compete for finals glory is testament to the professionalism shown by the footy department these days. We aren't going to be there forever & need to realise that. So lets enjoy this September surprise.

The way I feel about things if we beat the Dogs I'm actually excited about playing Geelong. We more than likely will not win. But if we have a red hot crack & hold our own, I can live with that.

Still, we have to beat the Doggies first. I WILL still be disappointed if we don't beat them. They are as beatable as they have been all season. And it was only a crap 2nd quarter with an understrength team & bad kicking in the 3rd from us that let them get the win in Canberra a few weeks ago.

If we win I'll be the proudest person in Yarraville!

JF

[bennyfrou]

the manner in which we won was the main thing that warms the heart. We didnt just struggle away and won, there seem to be a wash of something just go over the players and they clicked

Beautifully put. [spine shiver].

[mcs]

If we get through this week, I think I'll head to Melbourne with some misguided confidence that we could roll Geelong. I agree that they would prefer to play the Dogs to us.

The odds are we'll get flogged by 50, but in the chance that we do get over the top - I dont want to miss it.

I still think there is probably scars from that famous final a few years ago. Knowing the beast that is Geelong these days, they would aim to rid themselves of those by smashing us, but perhaps you just never know.

Lets knock the Dogs off first before we worry about that

[Bloody Hell]

... I'm so, so glad that we didn't go out in the first round.

Last years capitulation to the Pies was just devastating.

I'm so proud of the effort the Swans were able to produce last night after there mediocre form coming into the finals.

A great team effort.

I think it's more about winning finals you're supposed to win.

We're the underdog from here on in...and don't the Swannies looooove that tag!

[ShockOfHair]

It's rare for top four sides go out in straight sets, and the Dogs have an extra day's break, so it will be tough. But finally the Swans are in form.

As others have said, it's great we didn't capitulate in the first final like last year.

If we get through to the PF, we can stretch Geelong.

[goswannie14]

It's rare for top four sides go out in straight sets

I know it's rare, but didn't we do it in the Hafey years?

[Plugger46]

I know it's rare, but didn't we do it in the Hafey years?

We would've done in '05 too, if it wasn't for a certain individual's heroics!

[RogueSwan]

You can bet Geelong would not relish a PF against Sydney. Even if they did win the game, they would be pretty sore and sorry afterwards.

Far easier for them to dish out the physical stuff on the Dogs leading into a grand final than to take on the battle hardened Swans.

I don?t know about that. I would think the Cats are looking for challenges and an inform, finals hardened team like the Swans could provide that challenge.

[Lohengrin]

I doubt if the Cats are too fussed about facing the Swans. Two weeks ago the Swans were struggling and Roos had said the era was over. Since then they've beaten just Brisbane and North, and the latter only by playing well in half a game. It's a stretch to say that the Swans have 'found form' but we're still a good chance to win this week as the 'Dogs are lacking real form too.

[dimelb]

I doubt if the Cats are too fussed about facing the Swans. Two weeks ago the Swans were struggling and Roos had said the era was over. Since then they've beaten just Brisbane and North, and the latter only by playing well in half a game. It's a stretch to say that the Swans have 'found form' but we're still a good chance to win this week as the 'Dogs are lacking real form too.

In fact I don't think we played so badly in the first half. The first two goals to North were a donation, while our lead-up work was good enough but our finishing was horrid. Take out the donations and add a couple of very gettable conversions and we would be describing the first half in very different terms.
Having said all that, I think the Cats would go in against us with a lot of confidence.