- Nov 23, 2015
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- 17,512
- AFL Club
- GWS
- Moderator
- #1
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Land of the Giants preview:
We were very, very lucky to escape from that with four points.
The Swans had come to play, and there was much to like in the way they went about it. I sat there for large parts of the game thinking ‘Why aren’t we playing like that?”.
We ended up with a clear advantage in the hit-outs, clearances and stoppages, which was probably the difference between winning and losing. And as usual, we lost the free-kicks, something difficult to believe if you read some of the enraged posts on the Swans board. Apart from that it was a pretty even contest.
It was the experienced hands that got us over the line. But with so much top shelf talent sitting on the sidelines, losing Jeremy Cameron was almost the straw that broke the camel’s back.
A special mention to Nick Haynes, who must have gone close to being awarded the Brett Kirk Medal. I lost count of how many of those big-time marks he pulled down. That’s not to diminish the game played by Jacob Hopper, it was one his best. Zac Williams, Toby and Lachie Whitfield also played very well.
Something that definitely didn’t add up was the size of the crowd.
The Swans have 61,912 members, and we claim 30,108 - a combined total of 92,020. Yet on a perfect winter’s day in Sydney, only 16,116 bothered showing up for the local derby. That is pathetic, and you can bet people in high places will be asking some very pointed questions. But as predicted, we were the clear majority on the day. It doesn’t say much for the notorious reluctance of Swans supporters to travel west.
Now for Friday night. A strangely lack-lustre Hawthorn just about had their bubble burst by a fast-finishing North Melbourne, and if they lose to us their slim chance of finals is over. I doubt we’ll turn up mentally unprepared, especially after today’s close call. And memories of the shock loss to Fremantle earlier in the year won’t hurt either.
Josh Kelly and Aiden Corr might be available to come back in the mix, with Matt De Boer the following week. As to who they replace it will probably be out of Stein, Bonar, Hately and Idun. Unfortunately, Sam Taylor won’t be back until the finals. We really miss him.
Whoever lines up, the important thing is that the team is playing well again as a group, which has been just enough over the past fortnight to cover all the injuries.
As long as we keep winning, a top four finish is still possible, so let’s finish our season in Canberra on a high.
Go Giants!
* it's going to be cold. Go Giants.
Land of the Giants preview:
We were very, very lucky to escape from that with four points.
The Swans had come to play, and there was much to like in the way they went about it. I sat there for large parts of the game thinking ‘Why aren’t we playing like that?”.
We ended up with a clear advantage in the hit-outs, clearances and stoppages, which was probably the difference between winning and losing. And as usual, we lost the free-kicks, something difficult to believe if you read some of the enraged posts on the Swans board. Apart from that it was a pretty even contest.
It was the experienced hands that got us over the line. But with so much top shelf talent sitting on the sidelines, losing Jeremy Cameron was almost the straw that broke the camel’s back.
A special mention to Nick Haynes, who must have gone close to being awarded the Brett Kirk Medal. I lost count of how many of those big-time marks he pulled down. That’s not to diminish the game played by Jacob Hopper, it was one his best. Zac Williams, Toby and Lachie Whitfield also played very well.
Something that definitely didn’t add up was the size of the crowd.
The Swans have 61,912 members, and we claim 30,108 - a combined total of 92,020. Yet on a perfect winter’s day in Sydney, only 16,116 bothered showing up for the local derby. That is pathetic, and you can bet people in high places will be asking some very pointed questions. But as predicted, we were the clear majority on the day. It doesn’t say much for the notorious reluctance of Swans supporters to travel west.
Now for Friday night. A strangely lack-lustre Hawthorn just about had their bubble burst by a fast-finishing North Melbourne, and if they lose to us their slim chance of finals is over. I doubt we’ll turn up mentally unprepared, especially after today’s close call. And memories of the shock loss to Fremantle earlier in the year won’t hurt either.
Josh Kelly and Aiden Corr might be available to come back in the mix, with Matt De Boer the following week. As to who they replace it will probably be out of Stein, Bonar, Hately and Idun. Unfortunately, Sam Taylor won’t be back until the finals. We really miss him.
Whoever lines up, the important thing is that the team is playing well again as a group, which has been just enough over the past fortnight to cover all the injuries.
As long as we keep winning, a top four finish is still possible, so let’s finish our season in Canberra on a high.
Go Giants!
* it's going to be cold. Go Giants.
