Sydney... I didn't get it. (now including MCG home ground advantage for Victorian teams)

[crazywildhorse]

No troll, and a no 'puff up our tyres' thing.

Not once did I get the hype surround them this year. They were only marginally better than Hawthorn during the Home and Away (2%). Their much lauded midfield are really good, and apart from their games against Geelong and North, I personally never saw the 'unbelieveable' that I often heard as the adjective to describe them. Again their forward line is really good, but it was only really good by virtue of the fact that Buddy was playing back at his best. Tippett was at times very ordinary, Goodes was ok, McGlynn was great, but if I compare them to my side, I wouldn't say they were any better. Their back line is not amazing, and their bottom six, Rohans Jettas... would be bottom 6 at half clubs on this years efforts. Coming into the GF this year, I looked into their stats a fair bit, and there were a few standout stats (inside 50's was probably the best), but again, not a whole lot that was above and beyond the rest of the league. In the end, my only doubt about my side beating the swans in the GF was the fact that we looked like the difficult season had finally taken its toll in PF. If we had had an easier run into the GF, I wouldn't have doubted that we would have won. As the year progressed I could understand why fact they were favourites, but not red hot favourites. The same coming into the GF. So now the season is done and dusted, can some of you please enlighten me to what made this 2014 Swans side so unbelieveable?

 

[mottrain]

No troll, and a no 'puff up our tyres' thing.

Not once did I get the hype surround them this year. They were only marginally better than Hawthorn during the Home and Away (2%). Their much lauded midfield are really good, and apart from their games against Geelong and North, I personally never saw the 'unbelieveable' that I often heard as the adjective to describe them. Again their forward line is really good, but it was only really good by virtue of the fact that Buddy was playing back at his best. Tippett was at times very ordinary, Goodes was ok, McGlynn was great, but if I compare them to my side, I wouldn't say they were any better. Their back line is not amazing, and their bottom six, Rohans Jettas... would be bottom 6 at half clubs on this years efforts. Coming into the GF this year, I looked into their stats a fair bit, and there were a few standout stats (inside 50's was probably the best), but again, not a whole lot that was above and beyond the rest of the league. In the end, my only doubt about my side beating the swans in the GF was the fact that we looked like the difficult season had finally taken its toll in PF. If we had had an easier run into the GF, I wouldn't have doubted that we would have won. As the year progressed I could understand why fact they were favourites, but not red hot favourites. The same coming into the GF. So now the season is done and dusted, can some of you please enlighten me to what made this 2014 Swans side so unbelieveable?

The two that you refer to that were their big wins were also questionable. Both sides had a lot of issues contriubting to their bad games and actually resulted in their heavy loss.

 

[crazywildhorse]

The two that you refer to that were their big wins were also questionable. Both sides had a lot of issues contriubting to their bad games and actually resulted in their heavy loss.

It was those games

 

[mottrain]

It was those games

Yeah I get what you mean now. They really were overrated in some ways with even one of the older commentators on abc saying that he had to question whether Geelong had they not fallen the week before in a shocker would have been able to challenge Sydney on their experience factor. Think that this was accurate as a couple of their other results like Port Power and Fremantle were 'worthy wins' because they beat them by 4 to 5 goals or so and also against sides like these who were understrength.

 

[DardySingh360]

Tipped Hawthorn all week and was sure they would win, bloody pissed off I didn't have money on the result.

 

[mehow2g]

It's just media hype from the AFL and their agenda to destroy rugby.

Notice the amount of focus on buddy this year ?

 

[3MASON]

No troll, and a no 'puff up our tyres' thing.

Not once did I get the hype surround them this year. They were only marginally better than Hawthorn during the Home and Away (2%). Their much lauded midfield are really good, and apart from their games against Geelong and North, I personally never saw the 'unbelieveable' that I often heard as the adjective to describe them. Again their forward line is really good, but it was only really good by virtue of the fact that Buddy was playing back at his best. Tippett was at times very ordinary, Goodes was ok, McGlynn was great, but if I compare them to my side, I wouldn't say they were any better. Their back line is not amazing, and their bottom six, Rohans Jettas... would be bottom 6 at half clubs on this years efforts. Coming into the GF this year, I looked into their stats a fair bit, and there were a few standout stats (inside 50's was probably the best), but again, not a whole lot that was above and beyond the rest of the league. In the end, my only doubt about my side beating the swans in the GF was the fact that we looked like the difficult season had finally taken its toll in PF. If we had had an easier run into the GF, I wouldn't have doubted that we would have won. As the year progressed I could understand why fact they were favourites, but not red hot favourites. The same coming into the GF. So now the season is done and dusted, can some of you please enlighten me to what made this 2014 Swans side so unbelieveable?

Probably because we rose from such shocking form at the beginning of the season. Round 1 loss to GWS, 1-3 after 4 rounds and facing Fremantle in round 5. We were written off. But a win vs Fremantle and a massive turn around in the form of a 10 game + undefeated streak had us talked up just as quickly as we were written off. Then our comprehensive win in the prelim + Buddy's form dumped a swimming pool full of fuel onto that red hot favourite fire.

If we had spread our losses rather than have them distributed at the front (and back end in the GF) of the season, the odds/favouritism may have been considerably different. Perhaps the Hawks, despite their adversities, would have walked into the GF as favourites for overcoming them. But who knows. Odds mean nothing, as you and I have learnt in 2012 and this season respectively. Bring on 2015.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

the other side of the coin was that hawthorn were hit with injury early on and looked pretty ordinary for a patch while the swans were on a hot streak.

hawthorn came good once they got their stars back and hit top form going into the finals.

so it was a bit of sydney being overrated and hawthorn being underrated + the buddy factor.

the scoreline did not reflect the difference in quality of the sides, it reflected the fact that sydney didn't turn up on the day and the rest is.history

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It's because they won the flag then added Tippett and Buddy.

However less attention has been paid to those who have been let go.

 

[pantskyle]

Someone mentioned to me yesterday at work at how much of a surprise it was that the Hawks won because Sydney were excellent during the year. I had to point out to them that not only were they not far apart but the Hawks had already beaten them once this year. I think the overall scoreline is very surprising but the fact the Hawks won isn't. I thought they would have to play in absolute top gear to win and they did.

 

[Hawk Dork]

The soft draw makes them look better than they actually are,it gives them a few games in the bank and that makes all the difference on the ladder.
I think there is the blue print on how to beat Sydney and you only need to do it when you need to, not during the H&A.
Freos dismantling of Sydney last year was put down to Freo playing at their best on the day and Sydney being spent because of injuries.
This years dismantling is explained as Hawthorn played at their best and the Swans didnt turn up.
The true question that the media never asked is what makes them not turn up.
Is it a change in game plan from the rugby maul to kick blindly forward and hope the billionaires do something.
I imagine the guys putting their head over the ball, getting whacked on minimum wage, must be glad they have all those Bondi Billionaires waiting to take their share of the salary cap and the glory.
No mention of this by the media, but what do you expect they're just not very bright, shaved gorillas in suits, spruiking for the entertainment industry.

 

[juss]

Sydney were awesome up until GF day, they deserved praise for their season to that point.

 

[Despair]

Decent pay day.

Hawks @ $2.50

Breust to kick 2+ & Hawks Win @ $4.50

Gunston to kick 2+ & Hawks Win @ $4.20

Money for old rope.

 

[eaglespremiers]

I think each team had really poor patches to their year.
Each one of Hawthorn, Sydney, Geelong, Fremantle and Port played poor games where they either lost or just beat mediocre sides.
Sydney struggled like everyone else at times and played probably their worst game in the GF since the first four rounds this year.
Hawks were cohesive and brutal GF day, so they will be remembered as the best team for 2014. But truth be told they were fairly average at times this year (regardless of "excuses").

 

[clogged]

People also forgot that in the game Hawthorn lost to them earlier this year, they were missing Lake, Hodge, and Mitchell, and still only lost by 19 points.

 

[FRUMPY]

You dont get what? They finished top of the ladder, won 2 finals rather easily but played a shocker on grand final day and beaten by a better hawthorn side. They had a bloody good year but fell short when it mattered. No-one could explain the odds for the game as it was a 50-50 game going into it. Everyone expected a close game.

If hawks & swan played the grand final 10 times, they would win at least 4 of the 10 id reckon. They had a really off day and hawthorn played some brilliant footy. it happens (look at grand finals in the 90's, it happened every year)

And you have to love threads after the game saying this was a certainty for hawks.

 

[Bloods]

Brave stuff posting after the event.

Hawthorn were brilliant on the day. They're a very good side.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

They finished top of the ladder and carved their way through the qualifying and prelim finals. I certainly got it.

 

[Hawker55]

People also forgot that in the game Hawthorn lost to them earlier this year, they were missing Lake, Hodge, and Mitchell, and still only lost by 19 points.

To be fair, if Buddy had kicked straight that day we would have lost by 50+. We were hanging on for grim death most of that game.

 

[Donakebab]

Why didn't you post this a week ago? Might not be a troll but definitely a hindsight hero.

 

[clogged]

To be fair, if Buddy had kicked straight that day we would have lost by 50+. We were hanging on for grim death most of that game.

The fact you could hold on with such high quality outs was a credit to you.

 

[clivenator26]

Should've posted this pre game...

Sydney will be up there again next year, they had a horrid game.

Hawthorn were a little underrated in the lead up but plenty still backed them. Some of the hawks fans carry on like no one thought they could win. Yes the odds should've been closer but it is what it is and I'm sure plenty backed hawthorn and made some cash (I know I did).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[clogged]

Why didn't you post this a week ago? Might not be a troll but definitely a hindsight hero.

The question was raised before the game:

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/why-are-the-swans-favourites.1078157/

This is true. It's why Hawthorn were so vulnerable in 2012 having Hale and Roughead as their ruckmen against Mumford and Pyke.

In the meantime, Hawthorn's ruck division has strengthened while Sydney's has weakened. This may prove the decisive edge.

What I don't understand is this assumption that Sydney have some kind of amazing strike power that Hawthorn will be unable to contain. Hawthorn have seven players who have kicked over 20 goals for the season. Three players have kicked over 40 goals.

Sydney have five players who have kicked over 20 goals for the season. One player has kicked over 40 goals - and this bloke is notoriously inaccurate.

Sydney's forward line is far easier to contain than Hawthorn's.

Hawthorn had a clear edge on many parts of the ground. Ruck dominance and better forwardline. Others like midfield and defence may have been 50/50. But anyone going into the match thinking that both sides were evenly matched was nuts.

 

[MF]

The win against North made the media overrate us.

I said at the start of the finals series that Geelong weren't top 4 material and Port were. Having those 2 teams out of plays skewed the finals games which resulted in North Melbourne, who really had no right being in a prelim, getting belted off the park.

I have no idea why the bookies had it so wrong though. That was strange.

 

[master bate]

I can't help but look at the combined return on grand final day from guys who are meant to be A graders in Parker, Jack, McGlynn, Hannebery, McVeigh and think some of those guys were just really poor. Kennedy was their only top line midfielder who stood up. Not really a surprise that Jetta, Lloyd and Cunningham struggled so much when the big name ball winners couldn't do their jobs.

If you let Hawthorn win the contested ball and control the flow of the game you will get destroyed. Only Geelong can get close playing an open style against them as they've had so much practice.

In hindsight you can probably look at certain results and the players and say the Hawks were the better side this year. But there's not much between them. Hawthorn played one of the great grand finals of all time and Sydney laid an egg. Play the grand final 100 times over and Hawthorn probably win at least 75 of them, but there's no way Sydney aren't closer in pretty much of all the loses I'd say.