Round 18 Gameday Thread vs. St. Kilda

[Xie Shan]

After the Cats lost to the Saints they have looked very wobbly. I wonder if the near-loss tonight may have the same result with the Saints?

But that's the thing -- both the Cats and the Saints have looked wobbly recently! The other coaches will be encouraged, no doubt, but one of the characteristics of the Swans teams of 2005/06 was that we rarely blew teams away, and sides always felt that they had a chance against us, but this certainly didn't mean that we weren't a solid unit back then. And I think we do match up against the Saints particularly well because of the Roos/Lyon factor. B2 has always covered Riewoldt, for instance.

It'll be an interesting finals series for sure, because the two top teams haven't been as dominant as their win-loss records suggests.

[Big Al]

Swans v Port Adelaide, 2002 anyone? (The Jared Poulton game)

Wholly crap... I was thinking of that exact game while I was walking out.

Hopefully lightening strikes twice and we can finish the year just as strong as we did that year.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

The result was deflating but I thoroughly enjoyed the game.

What was up with LRT rucking in the final quarter? Was Pyke injured? It was hard to tell at the game.

Jolly was injured. Was off having his hamstrings decorubbed.

At the taps Pyke is actually pretty good. His game around the field is coming along ever so slowly as well. A good long kick forward that Micky O marked in the last quarter.

I was absolutely gutted but am quite chirpy now. We could have fallen in a heap several times in both the 3rd and 4th quarters, but didn't. In the end I'd rather my team play gallantly & lose unluckily by a point than play a half of football & fall away like we did against Carlton or Adelaide.

JF

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

I thought the opposite. We played very well tonight but if they can barely scrape a win against the Swans kids playing hard footy the Saints are not going to make it through to the finals to be premiers. There will be 14 coaches watching that game tonight and thinking "Hmm the Saints are vulnerable. Very vulnerable." After the Cats lost to the Saints they have looked very wobbly. I wonder if the near-loss tonight may have the same result with the Saints?

Saw you on the telecast tonight mate. Nearly put my off my pizza!

As much as Nicky being Riewoldting & Milne one of the ugliest little maggots in the game (along with Didak) makes me NOT want the Saints to win the flag, I'd rather they win than bloody Collingwood. The Pies beat a good Brisbane side easily tonight.

Think of the children. Collingwood must NOT be allowed to win the flag.

JF

[Primmy]

I can't sleep, need more time to wind down.

Kids can play under pressure. Hanners will take no backward step and backed up Goodsey when he was being pushed about (physically) by a sainter. He is a solid team man and can handle himself under pressure. He is still at school for crying out loud.

Proud of Cheese. He has obviously taken notice of us sidewalk coaches and worked towards being a proper player.

LRT has become such a solid defender with a great mark (a la Dunks...).

My friend has been pummeling me re Reg. OK OK OK I give up. He is a better player than he was before, much better.

The best thing is that the boys know they can play under pressure and don't have to look to the older guys all the time. They can take this game on their own terms.

We still need a proper crumbing forward.

Jesse will be fine, eventually. Mike will be fine, eventually, its still only his eighth month in Australia.

Bring on 2010!!!!

[Big Al]

As much as Nicky being Riewoldting & Milne one of the ugliest little maggots in the game (along with Didak) makes me NOT want the Saints to win the flag, I'd rather they win than bloody Collingwood. The Pies beat a good Brisbane side easily tonight.

Think of the children. Collingwood must NOT be allowed to win the flag.

JF

GO THE CATS!!!

[Matt79]

As so many have already said tonight....

I am so bloody proud of the team tonight and one of the most enjoyable games to watch in many years.

I have also rarely felt so dissapointed to lose by a point after hitting the front and battling bravely to the end.

There are so many ifs and buts, however, I know we can all be one eyed at times but some of the umpiring decisions were simply baffling and downright discraceful.

Hannenbury is going to be a gun and was so pleased to see Grundy take a step up.

As we rebuild, all we can ask win, lose or draw is that they play with the heart, soul, passion and pride like they did tonight.

Well done Swannies!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

I've been on Barlow's back more than anyone - softness etc., but he was really good tonight.

He is also A THUMPING KICK. I love it when he gives is a massive roost into the forward line or drills a footpass like a tracer bullet.

They need to get PLugger to spend a few sessions with White. If he can get his kicking sorted, he'll kick regular bags.

This is the problem by using athletes with constructed skills. Sometimes they work (Jim Stynes, Sean Wight, Tagdh, Marty Clarke). Sometimes especially under pressure they prove faulty. For those two set shots to be so feeble AND going in the same place to me is indicative of a technical fault in not only his approach but his kicking style. Alastair Lynch noted it straight away on the commentary.

Jesse White has so much potential in terms of his upper body strength leading & marking ability. I just hope he gets his goalkicking from set shots rock. Because when he was kicking 11 in the 2nds a couple of weeks he obviously was high on confidence & was kicking them from everywhere.

Does anyone know when he is contracted until? You'd think the Gold Coast @@@@@s would want to at least try to bring him home.

JF

[Midfield]

Just got back from the game. The umpires had nothing to do with the loss. There were probably 10 free kicks that could have been given to either team in the last 5 minutes, its the ones they pay that?s the problem, not the ones they don?t. In any event, tonight our football team got back to bloods football and again showed that all that matters is how much you want it. I attribute the way they play to Paul Roos and hope this game has refreshed the memory of those naysayers. This team is enormous.

[Go Swannies]

Saw you on the telecast tonight mate. Nearly put my off my pizza!

As much as Nicky being Riewoldting & Milne one of the ugliest little maggots in the game (along with Didak) makes me NOT want the Saints to win the flag, I'd rather they win than bloody Collingwood. The Pies beat a good Brisbane side easily tonight.

Think of the children. Collingwood must NOT be allowed to win the flag.

JF

Didn't the texts come through on that. Glad they didn't have me on when Montagna kicked the point. Sorry, I'd prefer the Pies over the Saints as premiers. Victorians want the flag so much let them enjoy a year of Magpie Magic.

[alison.z]

As everyone has already said ... was a devestating feeling not to win but i just cannot be disappointed ...

it was an amazing game and i just cannot be prouder of the effort that EVERYONE put in tonight ... it's the happiest i've ever been after a loss!!!!

[Bloody Hell]

Swans v Port Adelaide, 2002 anyone? (The Jared Poulton game)

I'm pretty sure we won that game!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

GO THE CATS!!!

No, I don't want them winning either. One reason is Cam Mooney. Enough said there. Another is the fact their supporters became so arrogant last season that everyone was going for Hawthorn in the Grannie. You'd drive into Geelong and be confronted with this "We are Geelong" street sign which was as if to say "We are now so better than you because we finally won a premiership.".

This year for some reason Cat fans are nowhere near as cocky. I wonder why that is.

JF

[liz]

I'm pretty sure we won that game!

Except we didn't.

[goswannies]

If it was not for injuries and some bewlidering umpring, we would have won.

Ummm.... they had some injuries too