Is this swans team the most fun team to watch since 1996?

[bloodsbigot]

I was reading a comment on bigfooty somewhere about this swans team having more cult heroes than usual.

It occured to me that I'm genuinely giddy and excited to watch this team as much as the late 1990s swans team when I was only 12 years old (I was thoroughly entertained during the Lockett era, with players like Lewis, Luff, Kelly and Roos). Could it be due to an unusual amount of unique players we have in our lineup? Of course we won the Grand Finals with 2005 and 2012, and I love our players from this era, but for some reason I just seem to be enjoying watching our team more than usual. We had so many middle of the road players/workhorses, like Brad Crouch, Ben Matthews, Nic Fosdike, Marty Mattner etc. But I'm just... excited... by players like Mills, Heeney, Papley, Rampe, Allir, Parker, Hannebery, Buddy, Tippett, etc. Particularly the younger, up and coming players.

The crowds and membership are certainly up.

Are we on the verge of another golden era?

Or is it just me?

Sorry for the rant, just on a high after watching Port replay. Wanted to share some happiness.

[Maltopia]

The unexpected progress and success this year have been marvelous.

Many of use had concerns about what was to happen with 100-300+ gamers leaving us after many years service in Malcieski, Shaw, Goodes, Pike, and now Ted. Then to have all these younger players who look like future 100, 150, 200+ game players and a genuine squad of around 30 players that are elite to being good enough to be in the bottom six of any other club in the competition except GWS gives us such great hopes and expectations for this and the next five years!

And then we have the excitement machines and superb athletes in Buddy, Heeney, Parker, Rohan, Mills and even Rampe.

I think the only thing that would make our team even more exciting is a Darcy Moore/Joe Daniher type player who can take several a huge mark over the top of their opponent or over a big pack on a regular basis up forward. Heeney and Parker do that now and then, but not 3-5 times every few matches like a Moore or Daniher (forget his kicking accuracy for now hehe) who bring the house down with those huge grabs before they even take that shot at goal.

However, our team is pretty amazing as it is and we are unlikely to get a Moore/Daniher type with our lower draft and salary cap position so I'm just dreaming for an unlikely cherry on top of an already very sweet pie

[Beerman]

I think footy generally is as good to watch as it has been for a while. The game has opened up a bit and teams (including the swans) are scoring more.

I'm certainly enjoying football at the moment.

[KTigers]

I think a lot of it comes to hair. Dane, Tippo, Heeney, Rohan, JPK, all doing great things on field, all not knowing what a comb is.
Going forward perhaps our draft strategy and trading could be based on a players lack of familiarity with a barber. It's been working pretty well
for GWS. Could be a uniquely Sydney thing.

[goswannies]

We had so many middle of the road players/workhorses, like Brad Crouch, Ben Matthews, Nic Fosdike, Marty Mattner etc. But I'm just... excited... by players like Mills, Heeney, Papley, Rampe, Allir, Parker, Hannebery, Buddy, Tippett, etc. Particularly the younger, up and coming players.

Brad plays for the Crows. Jared Crouch is ours

[vleung1208]

It's been a joy to watch this year. They've competed in every game and when you think of the 5 losses - 4 of them were winnable. The three close games decided by 1 kick V Richmond, Dogs and Hawks. The game V Crows there was a final goal in the dying minute. The only biggish loss was against GWS by 32 points. To see how far the young guys have come has been awesome!

[bloodsbigot]

Brad plays for the Crows. Jared Crouch is ours

Such a dull/workhorse player didn't even remember his first name.

[Beerman]

I think a lot of it comes to hair. Dane, Tippo, Heeney, Rohan, JPK, all doing great things on field, all not knowing what a comb is.
Going forward perhaps our draft strategy and trading could be based on a players lack of familiarity with a barber. It's been working pretty well
for GWS. Could be a uniquely Sydney thing.

Earlier this season Ben McGlynn was in career best form in this regard, although with a very different approach.

[aardvark]

I think a lot of it comes to hair. Dane, Tippo, Heeney, Rohan, JPK, all doing great things on field, all not knowing what a comb is.
Going forward perhaps our draft strategy and trading could be based on a players lack of familiarity with a barber. It's been working pretty well
for GWS. Could be a uniquely Sydney thing.

Although Sammy N has improved out of sight since his haircut!

[Plugger46]

I liked the 2014 side. Buddy was flying. It's just a shame most of them didn't front on the big day.

[O'Reilly Boy]

Such a dull/workhorse player didn't even remember his first name.

A bit harsh. Jared was one of my favourites back in the day. His clashes with Acker were fantastic. Total team player who sacrificed his game to play tight and hard. A good kick for goal when he got his chances, and always one of the first picked, I'm sure.

[dejavoodoo44]

A bit harsh. Jared was one of my favourites back in the day. His clashes with Acker were fantastic. Total team player who sacrificed his game to play tight and hard. A good kick for goal when he got his chances, and always one of the first picked, I'm sure.

Yes, I used to imagine his tagging roles on Akermamis starting a couple of days beforehand: following him to the dinner table, knocking the cutlery out of his hands.

[mcs]

Such a dull/workhorse player didn't even remember his first name.

That is an incredibly harsh judgement on Jared Crouch in my opinion. He was purely representative of what made that team of the mid 'noughties' such a wonderful team in its own way. As hard as nails, and one of the best taggers going around - I'm sure Aker still wakes up with a cold sweat from time to time after dreaming about the nightmares that Crouch gave him on the football field over the years. It was on the basis of players like him - who maximised the returns on their footy talent (much in the same way as LRT) that made those teams so wonderful.

[Go Swannies]

Such a dull/workhorse player didn't even remember his first name.

Don't forget that Jared was the fastest runner in the AFL at the time. Watching him sprint away with the ball was just as rewarding as watching Aker lose his cool when he was completely tagged out of the game.

[longmile]

Such a dull/workhorse player didn't even remember his first name.

Fair enough with Matthews, maybe Kirk, Bolton and Fosdike but Crouch was a genuinely exciting player with ball in hand. He'd often dash off with the ball.