NAB game on Sat Night

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I can't help but think that if you're a member of GWS and the Swans you're supporting the enemy. That's like a Carlton fan buying a Collingwood membership.

Each to their own, but I'm a Swans member and a Swans member only.

[Primmy]

Oh and the caps! They listened to us!! Its all red with seams of white piping only. We will look amazing on mass this season.

Yes, I did get one, I also got there really early, the parking is available, but access is awful at Blacktown.

[Jewels]

And one more thing - I was stinging to pick up my cap - in fact all four of us were - not only just because we wanted our 2011 cap but because we knew we'd be standing in the Sun for the next hour or so. To be told at 6.15?pm that they had run out of Caps and that they had not expected so many people to redeem them was a little ridiculous if you ask me. Bring on Round 1 proper!

Weird, I picked up my cap at about 6.05 and there were plenty left!

Must have been a rush on then cause I went to get mine not long after and was told the same thing as Nich.

No angst Annie. I'm politely asking as a friend and a life long GWS resident to stop. It's an incorrect stereotype now anyway.

Spot on Al.

I think the result of the GWS v GC game was the best explaination of the result in the SS v GC.
GC only beating GWS by 25 was clearly from playing the two consecutive games in that extreme humidity.

[supersall]

No hat for me either

Re the game, it looked our boys ran out of legs in the heat and our midfield dissolved.Iit felt like it got even hotter as the night wore on (and damn I missed my ocean breeze!). Umpiring not that impressive either, had to keep in mind that they're limbering up also.
That out of bound rule has to go immediately, tactically very difficult to play congested footy anywhere near the boundary line with it in place. Also thought boundary umps were able to give a free for high tackle etc, they missed a couple of howlers right in front of us (for both/all three teams)

[ScottH]

Wonder if GC are selling interstate memberships.

Do you want their email address?

Btw: Nice Avatar

Thanks. Found it on flickr by some random!!

[ScottH]

Why do the bogans have their names on the backs of their guernseys?

It was to help their fans, and the media recognise the players.

[Legs Akimbo]

Just watched the replays.

No point commenting on the GWS game as was not really a game as such.

Re the GWS game, we could of should of won but McVeigh's brain fart and some other stupid errors cost it. Also obvious that the temperature took a massive toll on our ability to run and carry against fresh opposition.

I note that before Roos launched into Bevan from the commentary box for not cleanly taking possession, Everett tried to take a one handed mark under minimal pressure, which was really the instigation of the Matera goal. I wonder if Roos has it in for Bevan after Bevan took a gigantic sook for being dropped after kicking 3 goals in the Carlton game.

Notably underwhelming were Shaw, Mattner and Bolton. Agree with others that Sumner looks talented. Johnston looked okay but needs to lead harder because too often he was trying to take speccies in packs.

Biggest positive for the night was Birdie. He is a gun and if he can hold his body together this year will prove some doubters here to have no idea what they are talking about.

[top40]

I can't help but think that if you're a member of GWS and the Swans you're supporting the enemy. That's like a Carlton fan buying a Collingwood membership.

Each to their own, but I'm a Swans member and a Swans member only.

My view is for the sake of the code developing in NSW/ACT it is important for both clubs to do well. Treating GWS as the enemy rather than just a team to beat is not going to help such important dual developments.

It is way way too early to treat GWS like a bitter rival. It's akin to when in 1992 one of the American Dream Team Olympic Basketball players stated that he was looking forward to smashing Angola in the USA's first game at the Bacelona Oympics. Not a good look.

[Go Swannies]

It was worth going to the game just to see Goodes effortlessly bump Hunt off the ball, take the mark and kick the goal.

I don't think we were meant to be playing finals next week. the new captain did his best but who would have expected GWS to roll over so convincingly to give us that ridiculous percentage.

And we were lathered in sweat just lifting the beers to our mouths (and walking back to the carpark). I can't imagine what playing in that sauna must have been like.

Teddy, Bird and Byron stood out for me - it will be hard to not give each of them a start for R1. A few of ours (Goodes, Jack) were clearly staying in second gear throughout.

[Go Swannies]

Oh, and that was a very anti-Swans crowd. Now I have an inkling of what it's like to be a Collingwood supporter - following the big bad bullies. Low on knowledge (though one said Goodes looked lazy and had a fat a**se so they knew who he was) but full of enthusiasm. It's good first signs. As others pointed out it was definitely ABS (anyone but Swans) as they went off when the Suns kicked the winning goal.

[satchmopugdog]

Gotta love living in a football loving state and home of "The Doc"...(best player I have seen)..didn't need to go into work on Monday(if I did work) the people at the gym this morning gave me heaps. Gotta love Tiger supporters..anything to boost their morale.

[liz]

Notably underwhelming were Shaw, Mattner and Bolton. Agree with others that Sumner looks talented. Johnston looked okay but needs to lead harder because too often he was trying to take speccies in packs.

Biggest positive for the night was Birdie. He is a gun and if he can hold his body together this year will prove some doubters here to have no idea what they are talking about.

Can't agree on Mattner. I thought he was a little ordinary in the first game, but he basically kept us in the Suns game early on when our midfield was being dominated.

Sumner has claims on being our best player over the two games and that was encouraging. I hope they keep him in the side over the next couple of weeks to give him a chance to maintain that level of form. He played some scintinalliting footy in the reserves last year but very inconsistently. He'd be great one week and then almost unsighted for the next couple.

I am curiuos about what Johnston's instructions were. In the absence of a Bradshaw and White, was he asked to play deep as a marking target, I wonder? He's going to be more valuable for us playing further out once we get some big bodies down there, but playing quite deep, and with the congestion created by the Suns in our forward line, there wasn't much space to lead into.

Agree that Bird looked good. He and Meredith may well be competing for one available spot in the team, since they play similar roles. On last night's showing, you'd have to give Bird the nod. Fingers crossed that he has a better injury run this year.

For me, the most underwhelming player was probably McGlynn but it is early days yet. (He was also pretty out of sorts in the practice game a week ago.) He was super important for us last year, when he wasn't injured, so here's hoping he's not going to mimic the pattern of Mattner and Shaw of having a super first year with the club and then dropping back to being just reasonable. Certainly yesterday's evidence suggests that's not going to happen to JPK.

[Legs Akimbo]

Can't agree on Mattner. I thought he was a little ordinary in the first game, but he basically kept us in the Suns game early on when our midfield was being dominated.

Sumner has claims on being our best player over the two games and that was encouraging. I hope they keep him in the side over the next couple of weeks to give him a chance to maintain that level of form. He played some scintinalliting footy in the reserves last year but very inconsistently. He'd be great one week and then almost unsighted for the next couple.

I am curiuos about what Johnston's instructions were. In the absence of a Bradshaw and White, was he asked to play deep as a marking target, I wonder? He's going to be more valuable for us playing further out once we get some big bodies down there, but playing quite deep, and with the congestion created by the Suns in our forward line, there wasn't much space to lead into.

Agree that Bird looked good. He and Meredith may well be competing for one available spot in the team, since they play similar roles. On last night's showing, you'd have to give Bird the nod. Fingers crossed that he has a better injury run this year.

For me, the most underwhelming player was probably McGlynn but it is early days yet. (He was also pretty out of sorts in the practice game a week ago.) He was super important for us last year, when he wasn't injured, so here's hoping he's not going to mimic the pattern of Mattner and Shaw of having a super first year with the club and then dropping back to being just reasonable. Certainly yesterday's evidence suggests that's not going to happen to JPK.

I reckon it was Richards who kept us in it. Maybe being a bit harsh on Mattner but my recollection is of his usual exaggerated (and hence slow) ball to foot movement and being latched on to by Dixon who kicked a goal. Then at the other end he did his usual head down blind run into a back resulting in turnover. I've never really warmed to Mattner and I think it is because he looks fast but he isn't really fast. When he's good is good, but when he screws up, it really costs us by nature of the way he plays.

JPK was excellent. A notable aspect of his game is his ability to go forward and kick goals. He is able to do this because he's not far shy of being KPP height and is KPP build. I was thinking that given a choice, I'd take him over Mitchell and I think the Hawks made a big error in letting him go.

McGlynn looked rusty for sure.

[robamiee]

its only the nab cup..so i owuldn't be 2 concerned considergin GC was pretty much their full strength bar ablett and bock. it looked like the heat was affecting and dont forget GC would have been fresh after swans had played....
Def seemed on TV a very much anti Swans crowd..but tregardless if you think GWS will do well or not it is important they get a following and even if you just like watching the footy it would be good to have AFL playede every weekend in Sydney...not too concerned about the swans effort yet will wait till mid year for that

[Matt79]

Not too concerned about a pre season result. Overall...no serious injuries = a successful pre season match.