R18 Sydney Derby XXI - GWS V Swans @ Gold Coast 6:10pm

[Thunder Shaker]

Sorry to be a pedant, but rare for 11 wins to make it to finals. Generally requires 48 points and good percentage to sneak in. 13 or + wins to make it a certainty.

Eighth place since 2012 when GWS were admitted to bring the competition up to 18 teams:
2012: 14 wins (win percentage 63%)
2013: 11 wins (win percentage 50%). Essendon was excluded from finals. If this is ignored, 12 wins (win percentage 55%)
2014: 12 wins (win percentage 55%)
2015: 13 wins (win percentage 59%)
2016: 12 wins plus percentage (win percentage 55%)
2017: 12 wins plus percentage (win percentage 55%)
2018: 13 wins (win percentage 59%)
2019: 12 wins (win percentage 55%)
2020: 9½ wins (win percentage 56%)

11 wins (win percentage 50%) has not been good enough to make the finals except under exceptional circumstances.

[NeonBible]

Hi all,

Wasn't that a delight?! Talk about riding the highs and lows of footy!!! I had my head in my hands most of that 1st half! Even when we kicked a few late ones i still wasn't convinced as i suspected GWS just had a lull before the main break and would bounce back again afterwards... but NOPE! It turned out we were just that good!!

We dont deserve premiership favouritism but it does appear like more than any other team, when we put our foot down, NO ONE can go with us!! It's thrilling to watch

So many wonderful performances - McInerney! Robbie Fox! George!! Joey turning back the clock! Buddy inching closer to 1,000! The two Toms (Hicks & Paps) duking it out for GOTY nominations! Isaac with a brilliant game on the wing. Young Errol is a sublime decision maker! And the LIZARD - he heard my prayers and delivered again!! The best game of his still young career!!

But my man of the match had to be Luke Parker! I got chills witnessing him taking this game by the scruff of it's neck and willing us to be better! Shades of Paul Kelly and the great Diesel Williams in the way he led from the front! A career-defining night for our captain!

Another note - Total respect to Jimmy Rowbottom and young Dylan Stephens for their efforts tonight. TB will probably be right as they will likely be out of the team for the next game, but I applauded their contributions, as did JL.

Tough assignment next week - another finals contender. We might as well get used to it!!

CHEER CHEER

[Auntie.Gerald]

The class of Bud and Paps to make the shots at goal count was almost unbelievable 2nd half. 6 point pressure one after the other like an avalanche !

Enjoyable last two qtrs !

With only 5 or so games till the finals....nice to know we can start calling upon the below players as they become available again:

Warner
Mills
Harry
Reid

Melican
Campbell
McDonald


Great to see Stephens, Rowbottom get a run.

Do we think that are best 22 has Bell and Wicks in the team....... ?

[Ralph Dawg]

The class of Bud and Paps to make the shots at goal count was almost unbelievable 2nd half. 6 point pressure one after the other like an avalanche !

Enjoyable last two qtrs !

With only 5 or so games till the finals....nice to know we can start calling upon the below players as they become available again:

Warner
Mills
Harry
Reid

Melican
Campbell
McDonald


Great to see Stephens, Rowbottom get a run.

Do we think that are best 22 has Bell and Wicks in the team....... ?

From the pre-covid affected team, I can see Chad in for Bell, perhaps Reid for Amartey (Joel has been really good as a second ruck and providing good contest though). I'd like to see RB and McDonald in but just not sure who makes way. A very good problem to have!

Speaking of RB, light on touches (understandable given he played a full ressies game) but he had a couple of really nice kicks to Buddy. He could come in for Florent who I think is sloppy with his disposal.

[Captain]

Yes Blue Sun. CaJ23 & Captain. You came prematurely !

Came prematurely? I did post at quarter time that we will win.....

[Legs Akimbo]

I never read this blog when the game’s on. Afterwards some of the nonsense is amusing, but sometimes it’s just aggravating. Seriously, we got on top of them halfway through the second quarter and never looked back. Great effort at any time, even more meritorious considering the circumstances.

The quarter time score was 6.1 to 1.2 and we were being belted on every metric. I think it's ok to vent under such circumstances especially if it is analytical. That's what match threads are for.

Anyway, the win feels significant on many levels. You can sense their belief and squad mentality. They are playing as a team for each other. That's massive.

[Hotpotato]

When Paps gets the Sherrin , he bounds off with it like a 3 yr old running away from his mother, then remembers he’s got to do something with it and it’s often miraculous, continues running grinning his head off . Is more contagious than Covid .

Can’t wait to read The Mongrel Punt (and there were a few that went through) .

[Bangalore Swans]

The class of Bud and Paps to make the shots at goal count was almost unbelievable 2nd half. 6 point pressure one after the other like an avalanche !

Enjoyable last two qtrs !

With only 5 or so games till the finals....nice to know we can start calling upon the below players as they become available again:

Warner
Mills
Harry
Reid

Melican
Campbell
McDonald


Great to see Stephens, Rowbottom get a run.

Do we think that are best 22 has Bell and Wicks in the team....... ?

I would go for a fit and in form Melican over Fox. More height and strength.

I would go for Reid over Amartey in two weeks. If Reid breaks down then at least Amartey has had a break and will be ready to come back.

I think Bell will drift out. Wicks is that sales guy in every organisation who does just enough to keep his job without setting the world on fire. When he looks like he’s going to lose his job a deal come along (that tackle in front of goal). Wicks could go out if you want a taller forward line with Logan as 3rd tall. In that instance you could move Heeney to a wing and have Florent as your small forward.

Chad, Mills and Harry are automatic ins.

Rowbottom is the 23rd man.

[longmile]

Hate to be overly negative about a Swans player but I just dont see what others see in Bell. Only had 5 disposals on the weekend. Has only really played one good game this year - the WCE game where everyone was on fire. Why do they persist in playing him? Am I missing something? I'd have a list of players to get a game in front of him.

Don't get me wrong, he seems like a great guy - I watched the episode of Yoyaki footy about him and he seemed like a genuine good bloke - but come finals I dont think we can carry someone like him in our team. I dunno, I'm just confused as to why we are persisting with him when he has offered so little this year? I thought he looked much more aggressive and capable last year.

[TheBloods]

Hate to be overly negative about a Swans player but I just dont see what others see in Bell. Only had 5 disposals on the weekend. Has only really played one good game this year - the WCE game where everyone was on fire. Why do they persist in playing him? Am I missing something? I'd have a list of players to get a game in front of him.

Don't get me wrong, he seems like a great guy - I watched the episode of Yoyaki footy about him and he seemed like a genuine good bloke - but come finals I dont think we can carry someone like him in our team. I dunno, I'm just confused as to why we are persisting with him when he has offered so little this year? I thought he looked much more aggressive and capable last year.

Yes he was not good enough and will be one of the first ones out when the cavalry return

[Blue Sun]

Yes Blue Sun. CaJ23 & Captain. You came prematurely !

Guilty as charged. After the tripe served up in the first quarter I thought we were no chance. I figured the covid chaos that occurred pre-game had thoroughly thrown the boys off their game, which would have been disappointing but understandable.

Very happy to be proven wrong!

[KSAS]

From the pre-covid affected team, I can see Chad in for Bell, perhaps Reid for Amartey (Joel has been really good as a second ruck and providing good contest though). I'd like to see RB and McDonald in but just not sure who makes way. A very good problem to have!

Speaking of RB, light on touches (understandable given he played a full ressies game) but he had a couple of really nice kicks to Buddy. He could come in for Florent who I think is sloppy with his disposal.

Logan McDonald may get a run if MC deems Buddy needs a rest or wait till Reid is 100% match ready before considering resting Bud. Either way, they won't want to upset the current team balance with Amartey proving great support as 2nd tall Foward/Ruck. Not sure if they'll be keen to go with 3 tall forward setup at this stage.

[TheBloods]

From the pre-covid affected team, I can see Chad in for Bell, perhaps Reid for Amartey (Joel has been really good as a second ruck and providing good contest though). I'd like to see RB and McDonald in but just not sure who makes way. A very good problem to have!

Speaking of RB, light on touches (understandable given he played a full ressies game) but he had a couple of really nice kicks to Buddy. He could come in for Florent who I think is sloppy with his disposal.

Florent wont get dropped nor should he

RB had some nice touches though and a great tackle on Ward

[i'm-uninformed2]

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You mean aerobic fitness or regular injuries? He should just play wing.

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From what I understand, the two go together with Heeney. With his knocks and first knee troubles and now ankle injury, the understanding is he does mixed amounts of training from week to week. Hard to build the tank to play full time midfield with that.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a knock on him from me. More of a lament that as terrific as he is, I think he'd be a top 10 player in the comp if he was a permanent mid - and yes, I think the old inside-out wing is his best position.

[Markwebbos]

After a very slow start I thought RBs ball use was excellent. And that tackle on Ward a thing of beauty. Not someone easy to tackle.