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Pictures by Michael Shillito (except for the last one which I nicked from the "professional" media
Is it possible to write about this game without mentioning knees? Probably not, so I have, and I?ll leave it at that. For between the knobbly bookends, there was a game of footy played, albeit one that often resembled that game kids play in the gym where they see how many bodies they can pile on top of each other until the one at the bottom begins to yelp. Some see all Swans games like this, but Sunday?s was worse than most, not helped by a playing surface more suited to grazing cattle than to playing a game of elite level footy. Several players were still struggling at the end of the match to master the art of extracting the ball cleanly from the rough, while even the most adventurous seemed to spend the game doubting that their planting foot would hold strong as they went to kick. So lots of handballs, then, usually to team mates ill-placed to receive them. And consequently lots more stacks of bodies in a heap.
Some of the blame, or credit, must go to the Essendon team who, we?d been told, have no defensive side to their game. They did their best to live up to that reputation in the opening term, but after quarter time quite inexplicably discovered they could tackle after all. Maybe they were assisted by some Swans? minds wandering from the task at hand, and certainly the odd lucky bounce of the ball aided their cause, but predominantly it was genuine pressure that enabled them to claw their way back into the game. To be truthful, what Essendon presented was more of a scare than a true challenge ? with a one-pronged forward line patrolled by the stingy Bolton flanked by a pair still sporting training wheels, getting the score on the board was never going to be easy. But right up until the midway point of the third quarter, it looked as if the home team was going to be made to earn victory the hard way.
Sadly for Knights and his men, the pressure valve was switched off almost as quickly as it had been turned on an hour or so earlier, and for the rest of the game the Swans were allowed to do much as they pleased, or as much as the still difficult conditions would permit them to. Even though we know that our boys can score freely when things click, thirteen goals in barely more than a quarter is still something out of the box. When Mick is able to kick from 45m out, Teddy nails one from 50m out on the boundary line, and even Henry?s floaters find their mark, you know that the goal gods are smiling on your team. Of course, the standard has been set now, the standard for actually kicking goals, not points. Can they continue this unusual feat on in the ensuing weeks, preferably while matches are still up for grabs?
The late avalanche of goals was made possible by the bull-dozing work of the Sydney midfield, which they were able to maintain right up until the end. There was little subtlety on display and yes, this was men playing against boys, but even the Swans? boys showed they are already able to play like men. Bird was convincing in his ability to find space as he broke through tackles, while Moore was outstanding all afternoon. They were following the lead of Ablett, in particular, whose barging and crashing was particularly effective. Jolly, too, deserves a mention for he had completely the better of an agitated Hille and only some mediocre conversion blotted his copy book. He finished with three goals but really should have had at least five.
The old blokes did their bit too. On a day when medical miracles were the talk of the day (whoosh, almost mentioned the ?k? word again), it was the performance of Magic O?Loughlin that provided memories to savour. Creaky leg joints and dubious hamstrings had us pensioning him off 5 or 6 years ago and it?s easy to forget that he?s still just 31 years young. If Sunday?s game is anything to go by, the ice-baths and whatever else still keeps him on the ground are doing the trick, and only the most pessimistic Bloods fan would still be doubting his capacity to play at least 300 games.
Like Mick, Leo shows no signs of slowing down after an impressive game bounding up and down the ground, while Brett ?Peter Pan? Kirk was, in my eyes, best-on-ground, and currently looks like he could play until he?s 40. Several of the younger squad members still hanging onto their spots may have gone home on Sunday a tad depressed. A couple of retirements at the end of the year look inevitable but the mass departures may be at least another year away.
Despite the relatively lacklustre display, both coaches would have come away moderately happy. Roos got the four points and a healthy percentage boost, plus the knowledge that Playfair might straighten up his forward line while he awaits the return of Hall. Knights, while disappointed with the final margin, should be encouraged that he has something to work with in his midfield in his quest to ? eventually ? craft them into a defensively competitive outfit. Hislop, in particular, was highly impressive in this respect, while Reimers showed plenty of dash and no small measure of skill.
Is it possible to write about this game without mentioning knees? Probably not, so I have, and I?ll leave it at that. For between the knobbly bookends, there was a game of footy played, albeit one that often resembled that game kids play in the gym where they see how many bodies they can pile on top of each other until the one at the bottom begins to yelp. Some see all Swans games like this, but Sunday?s was worse than most, not helped by a playing surface more suited to grazing cattle than to playing a game of elite level footy. Several players were still struggling at the end of the match to master the art of extracting the ball cleanly from the rough, while even the most adventurous seemed to spend the game doubting that their planting foot would hold strong as they went to kick. So lots of handballs, then, usually to team mates ill-placed to receive them. And consequently lots more stacks of bodies in a heap.Some of the blame, or credit, must go to the Essendon team who, we?d been told, have no defensive side to their game. They did their best to live up to that reputation in the opening term, but after quarter time quite inexplicably discovered they could tackle after all. Maybe they were assisted by some Swans? minds wandering from the task at hand, and certainly the odd lucky bounce of the ball aided their cause, but predominantly it was genuine pressure that enabled them to claw their way back into the game. To be truthful, what Essendon presented was more of a scare than a true challenge ? with a one-pronged forward line patrolled by the stingy Bolton flanked by a pair still sporting training wheels, getting the score on the board was never going to be easy. But right up until the midway point of the third quarter, it looked as if the home team was going to be made to earn victory the hard way.
Sadly for Knights and his men, the pressure valve was switched off almost as quickly as it had been turned on an hour or so earlier, and for the rest of the game the Swans were allowed to do much as they pleased, or as much as the still difficult conditions would permit them to. Even though we know that our boys can score freely when things click, thirteen goals in barely more than a quarter is still something out of the box. When Mick is able to kick from 45m out, Teddy nails one from 50m out on the boundary line, and even Henry?s floaters find their mark, you know that the goal gods are smiling on your team. Of course, the standard has been set now, the standard for actually kicking goals, not points. Can they continue this unusual feat on in the ensuing weeks, preferably while matches are still up for grabs?The late avalanche of goals was made possible by the bull-dozing work of the Sydney midfield, which they were able to maintain right up until the end. There was little subtlety on display and yes, this was men playing against boys, but even the Swans? boys showed they are already able to play like men. Bird was convincing in his ability to find space as he broke through tackles, while Moore was outstanding all afternoon. They were following the lead of Ablett, in particular, whose barging and crashing was particularly effective. Jolly, too, deserves a mention for he had completely the better of an agitated Hille and only some mediocre conversion blotted his copy book. He finished with three goals but really should have had at least five.
The old blokes did their bit too. On a day when medical miracles were the talk of the day (whoosh, almost mentioned the ?k? word again), it was the performance of Magic O?Loughlin that provided memories to savour. Creaky leg joints and dubious hamstrings had us pensioning him off 5 or 6 years ago and it?s easy to forget that he?s still just 31 years young. If Sunday?s game is anything to go by, the ice-baths and whatever else still keeps him on the ground are doing the trick, and only the most pessimistic Bloods fan would still be doubting his capacity to play at least 300 games. Like Mick, Leo shows no signs of slowing down after an impressive game bounding up and down the ground, while Brett ?Peter Pan? Kirk was, in my eyes, best-on-ground, and currently looks like he could play until he?s 40. Several of the younger squad members still hanging onto their spots may have gone home on Sunday a tad depressed. A couple of retirements at the end of the year look inevitable but the mass departures may be at least another year away.
Despite the relatively lacklustre display, both coaches would have come away moderately happy. Roos got the four points and a healthy percentage boost, plus the knowledge that Playfair might straighten up his forward line while he awaits the return of Hall. Knights, while disappointed with the final margin, should be encouraged that he has something to work with in his midfield in his quest to ? eventually ? craft them into a defensively competitive outfit. Hislop, in particular, was highly impressive in this respect, while Reimers showed plenty of dash and no small measure of skill.
| TACKLE OF THE DAY The most perfectly executed tackle, from a techique point of view, probably came from Bird, in the Bombers' forward pocket - a beautiful crunching roll. But the one that we - and Monfries - will remember best is better said by picture than by words.  |
| Goals: Sydney: O'Loughlin 6 Playfair 3 Jolly 3 O'Keefe 2 Moore 2 Kirk Barry Jack Richards Buchanan Essendon: Hille 2 Welsh 2 Lloyd Neagle Jetta . Best: Sydney: Kirk O'Loughlin Moore Jolly Barry Playfair Goodes Hawthorn: Hislop Reimers Welsh Stanton Injuries: Sydney: T Kennelly(various bits and pieces) Bird (clipped wing) Reports: None Umpires: Armstrong, Avon, McBurney Crowd: 34,904 at ANZ Stadium |
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