Changes for Rnd.17 V Hawthorn.

[Wardy]

I have bursts of nervousness and total calm - this is odd - I have picked that we will win by 15 - (I'd love buddy to kick 15 goals but we know that won't happen!!)

[Sandrevan]

I'm a bit surprised about Ben McGlynn coming back in. I tend to think his best work is done as the small crumbing forward but we have Papley in that role now. However, I am pleased for Aliir and Naismith who I thought were really good last week. What about Heeney - tendonitis is not an easy thing to manage?

We don't like Hawthorn because of their 'unsociable' football. There are only 3 main culprits.

Hodge - yes, he goes out of his way to hurt opposing players. Just ask Tom Harley about the 2008 gf
Psycho Sam - 'come anywhere near me and you'll cop a knee somewhere'
Jordan Lewis - 'if we get 2 or 3 goals behind i'll pick a fight with the best player on the other team'

Otherwise, I don't dislike the Hawthorn players. I dislike their fans overblown sense of entitlement, I dislike the silly commentary from the likes of McAvaney.

Would anyone like a Cyril Rioli screen saver for their PC? Please call B. McAvaney or M. Stevic on 1300 #freekickHawthorn#

[Vonsteinman]

Ah yes, but that was precisely it. I was at that game huddled under the old Doug Walters Stand. The weather and playing conditions were atrocious. Howling 90 km winds and torrential rain. This was the first time that the chant was heard. It was spontaneous and spine-tingling, and my take at the time was that the conditions were so terrible it resembled an EPL fixture. It was amazing to have been there, to see Simon Arnott burst out of a pack to kick the sealer. Not only had we won the game but the minor premiership as well. And is it not ironic, if what you say is correct (that traditional AFL fans were appalled by Sydney fans? lack of understanding of the game as a result of this chant), that now every team?s fans across the nation have adopted this chant? Collingwood even used it in a marketing campaign. I guess this could only mean that no one has a genuine understanding of the game and its traditions.

For what its worth, my recollection of the Victorian response to the soccer-like Sydney chant was entirely different. I remember only the most cynical of opposition supporters being critical. For the most part the chanting crowd in the rain, as well as the successful Swans season and the growth of crowd numbers was very well received.

[rojo]

The pressure to win this game is enormous - if we lose, we nose-dive down the ladder, unless there are a few upsets in other games.

What a test for both young and old. Thinking of the unmentionable game of a couple of years back, we may just be up for putting that forever in the psychological-scars bin, which would be so good heading into the finals. Go Benny, Rohan, Lloyd .... Hanners ....... Buddy .... McVeigh .... Jack .... The freshness and confidence of the kids who stood up against the Cats was impressive - can they go again under even more pressure? Can we keep the intensity of last week up? I'm getting nervous too!

[KTigers]

Yes, I've noticed other teams fans have appropriated "our" long chant too. In time the long chant will become an AFL tradition amongst supporters trying to will their team on, but we'll never get the credit for starting it of course...
BTW, Fox Footy showed the 2010 home-and-away game against Hawthorn very early this morning. I counted seven guys from that team still with us (Hanners, JPK, Benny, Grundy, Ted, K Jack & McVeigh). Commentators were talking up the then 19 year old Hanners big time, saying he was going to really something. Well, they got that one right. We won, comfortably.

Ah yes, but that was precisely it. I was at that game huddled under the old Doug Walters Stand. The weather and playing conditions were atrocious. Howling 90 km winds and torrential rain. This was the first time that the chant was heard. It was spontaneous and spine-tingling, and my take at the time was that the conditions were so terrible it resembled an EPL fixture. It was amazing to have been there, to see Simon Arnott burst out of a pack to kick the sealer. Not only had we won the game but the minor premiership as well. And is it not ironic, if what you say is correct (that traditional AFL fans were appalled by Sydney fans? lack of understanding of the game as a result of this chant), that now every team?s fans across the nation have adopted this chant? Collingwood even used it in a marketing campaign. I guess this could only mean that no one has a genuine understanding of the game and its traditions.

[barry]

Its more important that hawthorn lose than we win if that makes sense.

I want those pricks out of the top 4.