The Smoky - Sydney!

[lozza63]

Perhaps I have underestimated the Swannies for most of this year. Prior to the start of the finals they pulled off the biggest task in footy - a sensational victory over the previously unbeaten Cats at Kardinia Park (cant bring myself to calling it Skilled)! Following this against the odds, they quite convincingly toweled up a lack lustre Saints at Etihad - the supposed Saints fortress.

Given that they have moved into the semis they deserve more examination and certainly respect - how the hell did they get there?

Obviously Goodes, Mummy, ROK and Bolton have had massive input yet there must be more to them.

The key games this season so far:

Rd 2 - v Bombers - Looked cooked, nevertheless showed much ticker to prevail by less than a kick! Jude Bolton the hero with 3 goals.
Rd 3 - v Eagles - Again seemed beaten, when in the last quarter Goodes and Everitt rescued the Swans with last quarter heroics.
Rd 4 - v Cats - well beaten on this occasion at home.
Rd 6 - v Blues - Judd single handedly dragged the Blues over the line on a miserable wet night.
Rd 9 - v Hawks - well beaten that day at home by the Hawks (previously Hawthorn had struggled v Sydney).
Rd 13 - v Blues - big loss and perhaps the Swans lowest ebb of the season at this point.
Rd 14 - v Pies - registered their 10th straight loss here although did manage to give the Woods a big fright!
Rd 20 - v Bombers - what a nail biter had Goodsie kicked straighter?
Rd 22 - v Saints - Mumford and Goodes piloted them to a strong win.
Rd 23 - v Cats - stunned the footy fraternity with a gutsy win at Kardinia Park!

I think that the trademark of the Swans under Roos was its hardness at the contest and under Longmire things have not really changed. The lead the AFL in both contested ball and tackles!

Engine Room

ROK
Kennedy
Goodes
Hannebury
McVeigh
Bolton
Jack

These guys have averaged 20 touches or more for the season. The following are the leaders in contested possession - Kennedy, ROK, Goodes, Bolton and Hannebury. All have more than 200 with Kennedy at 338!

Tacklers:

Bolton - 145
ROK - 133
Kennedy - 132
McGlynn - 108
Bird - 108
Mattner - 102

Six blokes with more than 100 tackles = no mean feat.

Main Goal Kickers:

Goodes - 38
McGlynn - 30
S. Reid - 21
Bolton - 19
McVeigh - 18
ROK - 17

The Swans have done very well this season and should their stars be on song Friday night, Hawthorn could be in trouble - especially with Buddy under a cloud. Their defence is adequate, but they need to find a greater spread of goal kickers.

Out of defence R. Shaw has completed a strong season re-bounding off half back, along with Mattner and Grundy. Richards is solid - Smith a decent stopper and Johnston a regular.

The Swans keys are really Mummy, Goodes, ROK, Kennedy, Bolton and McGlynn. Up forward Jesse White needs to kick a few more goals, while Sam Reid looks a likely type. I must add that Matt Spangher and Gary Rohan have added a fair bit of size and versatility - Luke Parker is also a promising type. These guys have only burts onto the scene in Sydney the last 6 weeks or so, but have made a real difference really.

Not without a chance of knocking off the Hawks - thoughts re: Swans people?

 

[jonbe54]

Not totally without a chance of making the GF though everything will need to fall for them. Injuries to key Hawks players give them a solid shot at getting past them and neither Carlton or West Coast are without injury clouds hanging over them. If the Swans stay fit and strong and the cards fall their way injury wise elsewhere they could surprise.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

We'll have to play you in the prelim if we even manage to somehow beat hawthorn on friday night. We have no chance of even reaching the Grand Final!

 

[blaze036]

there the only team in the last 6 without a chance of winning the gf, carlton have a very small one.

 

[Swooper18]

Lozza, The Swans play on Friday night.

 

[lozza63]

Lozza, The Swans play on Friday night.

Ah silly me - cheers Swooper! Edited

 

[RUNVS]

I have already decided that if the Swans beat Hawthorn on Friday when it comes to when we play the pies it will be a close game all night with the Swans barely managing to stay in touch. With a few seconds before the final siren the Swans are down by 5 points when Rhyce Shaw marks the ball 40 metres out on the boardary. Then the siren goes and Rhyce lines up the goals and kicks it and for 90% of the kick it looks like it will miss and the last second it swings through the goals giving the Swans the upset win of the season and sending us into the Grand Final

Of course Sam Reid will also accidentally knock out his brother in the first quarter as well

 

[Ed D]

They'd need to smash the clearances, have guys like Mumford, Kennedy & Goodes dominate and us to have a poor night to get into the GF IMO. I know we have a good record against them but we've still had a lot of close contests, so it's not out of the question. However our finals record against the Swans is a lot more one sided.