Official Game Day thread - Semi Final Vs Bulldogs

[hot potato]

Dogs moved quickly and instintively all night, made the Swans look a bit antique, somewhat slow witted.

Very clever game by the Dogs but they wont get even close to The Cats.
Couldn't stand Acker winning another Granny.

[SwanJoel]

Fast very very fast the Western Bulldogs. It's all good winning the contested ball, but you need pace to clear the congestion and their counter from halfback was one to envy. They also spread the ball very well and playing on quickly allows them to do this. Obviously the Swans will have to have a hard look at bringing some dash into the line up for 2009 because we need some. Thought our first half was very competitive, but once the Bulldogs starting running and using the ball like we haven't seen since the first 15 weeks then they were going to impossible to stop in the 2nd half.

[swansrule100]

nick davis would of kicked 6 tonight if fit

[573v30]

Season Over

Western Bulldogs 16.10 106
Sydney 9.15 69

A disappointing end to the season with the Swans faltering in the 3rd quarter to give the Dogs another easy win over us this year. The Swans exceeded many people's expectations by making it to the 2nd week of the finals but were not good enough, but I suppose it beats getting flogged by Geelong by 75+ points in a preliminary final.

The Swans were beaten in the clearances, possession count, tackles, forward and back line by a Doggies outfit that would've been the laughing stock of the AFL if they bowed out in straight sets.

There weren't too many good/great players but the likes of Kirk, McVeigh and Buchanan were solid contributors in the midfield, Mattner and Kennelly got a fair bit in the backline, Hall was much better than Lake kicking 4 goals, taking 16 disposals and 10 marks, Bevan got 18 disposals and a goal but his opponent Murphy had 16 disposals, 11 marks and 3 goals. The ruck work was 50-50 but the Hudson/Minson combination fared better than Jolly/Everitt.

There were quite a few players who were well down including Barry, B1, Goodes, Malceski, Moore, ROK, Richards, LRT and Vespa. It was great to see the youngsters get finals experience and the Swans make the 2nd week of the finals. I wouldn't be surprised if the Swans don't make the finals next year.

[hot potato]

Davis would NOT have had enough clear space to get a kick.

[ROK Lobster]

I suppose it beats getting flogged by Geelong by 75+ points in a preliminary final.

Dennis was good tonight. Said something at the start along the lines of "both teams on the road to elimination tonight. For the loser the season is over, the winner faces Geelong next week."

[573v30]

Dennis was good tonight. Said something at the start along the lines of "both teams on the road to elimination tonight. For the loser the season is over, the winner faces Geelong next week."

I had no idea Bruce was that Clevvvvvaaaaaaaar!!!

[Bob Neil]

Another day would have given Swans a better chance. Out of oooommph.

Good games by, and the future in;
Jack
Moore
Jack
Moore
Jack

Oldies but goodies;
Buchanan (maybe not old but good last two games)
Crouch (two more good years, despite RWO)
Tadgh (moved fast, just operate now)

Needed Magic as a spark.

Where has C. Bolton been lately?
Goodes post 1/2 time??

Wanted Jude to go on like 3-4 weeks ago but was stiffled.

Please come good, Eski.

McVeigh stiffled also.

Spida = slow giraffe at ground level - not efficient enough, like Jolly. Need all-rounders these days.

Doggies have won their GF tonight, like we did last week. Will lay down next week.
Rocket weird post game - defensive - not confident. Slagged supporters.

A few tweeks and I reckon Swans are OK in 2009.

Well done Roos, I'm not embarrassed like last year, V Pies.

[mcs]

shattered by the result but I always am when the season ends!

Ves and Jack were definitely overawed, but I thought Jack was very good in terms of getting plenty of ball. Disposal wasnt the best, but noone in our team had good disposal tonight.

Overall though, cant say it wasnt a bad season. I would of snapped your hands off for a 2nd week finals appearance going into Rd 1. Sad way to go out when we were well and truly in it up till half time. But I guess looking back from 1/2 through the 2nd quarter the writing was on the wall.

Last week I'd say took a hell of a lot more out of us then I thought it would- we really looked slow and tired after half time. They just had too much run for us.

Fair dinkum though, thank goodness that Leigh Matthews was in that commentary box. I cant stand dipsh**t watson and Schwarz and Buckley talks sense one sentence then absolutely rubbish the next. I loved how they kept going on and on about putting Goodes on the ball- and then suddenly late in the game it clicked when someone said 'how sad it is to see Goodes restricted by injury'. FFS boys. They are a bunch of clueless twits imo.

[SwanJoel]

Certainly as much as good as the Dogs were tonight against Sydney, the Cats will probably implement a similar gameplan to that of Hawthorn's last week and completely smother them in the back half from the Cats fowards pressure. Certainly if we'd won tonight i'd have given us a chance, but going the journey with Geelong is just about impossible at the moment.

[hammo]

Lethal was a great commentator before he went to the Lions and great to hear him again. Let's hope he takes Walls' spot On The Couch as well!

[hot potato]

Goodesy looked barely fit enough to pass the medical staff tonite.
Needs immediate rehab.
Quite a few players wont have a farewell game.

[gossipcom]

Lethal was a great commentator before he went to the Lions and great to hear him again. Let's hope he takes Walls' spot On The Couch as well!

Word to that.

At least Leigh's comments were neutral, not like Watson.

[Margie]

I disagree that Jack looked overawed and thought he played well. Vespa will only get better and had Bird been fit, he probably would have played instead.

Mattner always looks a bit unco to me. We were very flat-footed throughout much of that game, but a 6 day turnaround and having to travel interstate must have knocked the stuffing out of them. Barry Hall played well again.

Overall, not a bad season at all.

And regarding the commentary, Bruce seemed to be egging the Bulldogs on. Thank goodness Lethal was in the box tonight.

[SwanJoel]

No surprise in Peter Everitt announcing his retirement. Certainly a great career, but by the end had no use left to the club apart from part time ruck work.