WAFL Round 1, 2011

[swannies]

Finally the new season has come around and it’s great to be back. This week there are only 2 games, with the reigning premiers unfurling their premiership flag from last year at 2pm on Saturday. The 1961 Premiership Team will be present to unfurl the flag. The other game is a blockbuster between the Sharks and Tigers. Both games should attract big crowds, Swans are aiming at 10,000, with no AFL matches on.

Swans v Royals

The rematch of the prelim final, but with both fielding fairly differing teams.

Swans have gained Hansen and Notte permanently, Hunter, John Williams, Alex James. They have lost Krakouer (big loss), Twomey, Casserley and Spencer from last years premiership team. Pratt did a knee in last weeks scratchie and Blight broke an ankle and will miss 2 months. Have the Swans got the mindset of the hunted, rather than hunters’ this year?, that is the telling question for mine.

The Royals have gained Smith, Polak, Pettifer, Chartres and Moss (returns from Hawks). They have lost Webster, Pickering, Howlett, Wirrpanda and Roe (hardly playing the last 2, I know). They seem keen to go a step or 2 further this year and are very buoyant for the new season, especially thinking the “big” forward line will assist them. Should be a cracking match on Saturday.

Here are the teams:

Swans
B C Pearce L Miles T Ames
HB J Jacky J Williams G Jetta
C T Roach J Roberts A James
HF T Notte A Hunter M Riggio
FF T Geappen A Hansen S Coniglio
F L Spaanderman R Davis B Wolfenden
Int. A Howard, B Colreavy, B Robinson, S Parry, M Aitchison, J Simpson, W Lammie,

Royals
B D Stirling L Sampey H Shepheard
HB B Hancock D Chartres A Sweet
C C Wulff B Lee P Travers
HF K Pettifer J Smith M Swan
FF A Prior G Polak D Macaulay
F Z Beeck F Clutterbuck G Moss
Int. J Birrell, K Goodwin, N Blee, K Anderson, C Franklin, M Seal, N Kommer,

Sharks v Tigers

The completion of the top 4 from last year to kick off this round. Kerr makes a rare appearance for the Sharks, which should attract a few more people.

The Sharks have gained Howlett (EP), R O’Brien, B O’Brien (Peel), Dodd permanently, King and Hadley (Carlton). What seems odd to me, is a team that needs height (IMHO) goes out and recruits more runners? They have lost Fasolo, Cripps and a few others that escape me, but have a very good crop of youngsters that look exciting, like Chalwell, Hancock, Henson, Boyle.

Meanwhile, most are saying the Tigers lost very little but gained a couple more good players. They welcome back Handley, Gilligan (Rich), Bedford, Benjamin (NM), N Derrickx, McLernon (Perth) and Wilkes permanently. They lost T Derrickx (Rich), and ? Can’t think.

The teams are:

Sharks
B A Stephen L Weller J Brennan
HB J Bayliss S Dodd L Teakle
C S Horsburgh K Monteath T Houlihan
HF J Mcnamara K Mcrobb K Stevens
FF D Foster T Howlett D Kerr
F S Lee-Steere R Hadley R O'Brien
Int. R Young, A Monk, B Sheppard, D Chidlow, C Davidson, L Fasolo, ,

Tigers
B S Starling B Jones C Rudeforth
HB J Laurie T Handley L Stevenson
C T Swift L Blackwell A Foster
HF R Brabazon B Wilkes G Weedon
FF I Richardson D Crawford L Broome
F T Lee A Browne K Mitchell
Int. A Ruck, L Bedford, J Mcgovern, T Willett, A Hamp, P Mcginnity, A Gilligan​

 

[gytre]

Thanks heaps, swannies. Let's hope they get some good turn-outs.

 

[davo99]

the tigers look very strong this year no chad jones for us?

 

[Underdog]

the tigers look very strong this year no chad jones for us?

Still recovering from his torn hamstring from last year I believe. He should be back early season I think.

 

[gytre]

Still recovering from his torn hamstring from last year I believe. He should be back early season I think.

It said in today's paper he's expected to miss about a month. Must have been a bad hammy.

 

[Kram]

Great to have the proper footy back, finally something decent to watch on a lazy Saturday afternoon

 

[RickSanchez]

Swans have an awesome team, Krak was a massive loss but they got some really good players in.
Not having a go but their midfield isn't super strong but have a great forward line though with a good defence.

We still have a strong side, can't wait till the Chad is back though.

 

[swannies]

Swans have an awesome team, Krak was a massive loss but they got some really good players in.
Not having a go but their midfield isn't super strong but have a great forward line though with a good defence.

We still have a strong side, can't wait till the Chad is back though.

That's exactly what I think Swans weakness is as well freofan. We seemed to go after talls and not too many runners. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[Jackfrost]

That's exactly what I think Swans weakness is as well freofan. We seemed to go after talls and not too many runners. Time will tell, I guess.

Coniglio is our midfield, the rest are just there to block and feed him

 

[swannies]

Coniglio is our midfield, the rest are just there to block and feed him

Too true!

 

[RickSanchez]

Going to swans v royals today with a few mates as they are big swans fans and i wouldn't mind tagging along to check out Coniglio and of course two of the biggest threats to Claremont

 

[pacemaker]

Swan districts would be the best bet of the day currently at $1.56. They have the forward power of two broken key forwards who should still be good enough, great midfield, Pearce and Jacky in defence should be good enough today.

I still think Claremont should beat East Fremantle. I am currently thinking who is going to kick goals for the Sharks. They got a great midfield today but Claremont can match that today the only difference is I can not see the Sharks kicking goals other wise I would have thought the 28.5+ points for the sharks would have been a great line for $1.85. But I think at home the Sharks should still put up enough fight for them not to be beaten by more than 28 points.

 

[RickSanchez]

Good win by East Perth, thought it was a good game. Have to say from a neutral perspective the umpiring was quite terrible. Nevertheless a good game and good win.

Great win by Claremont as well

 

[gytre]

Good win by East Perth, thought it was a good game. Have to say from a neutral perspective the umpiring was quite terrible. Nevertheless a good game and good win.

Great win by Claremont as well

Great that Claremont won. And Swans lost.

 

[pablo668]

Yeah I went down to East Fremantle oval and watched the game.

Good solid win by Claremont, I was suprised we beat them by so much in the end. There were a few examples of bad disposals and silly decisions which turned the ball over and some lair-ising that went wrong as well.
Alot of this was under some good pressure applied by the Old Easts as they tried to get back into the game.
But it's early in the season and I can't complain too much about Claremonts form.

Broome kicked a bag for us and was quite spectacular, he was applauded off by the team for his effort. It would be nice to have him there when Jones gets back, but if his for continues I guess the Eagles will take him back and give him a run.

 

[RickSanchez]

Great that Claremont won. And Swans lost.

Always good when Swans lose . Got them next week.

Yeah I went down to East Fremantle oval and watched the game.

Good solid win by Claremont, I was suprised we beat them by so much in the end. There were a few examples of bad disposals and silly decisions which turned the ball over and some lair-ising that went wrong as well.
Alot of this was under some good pressure applied by the Old Easts as they tried to get back into the game.
But it's early in the season and I can't complain too much about Claremonts form.

Broome kicked a bag for us and was quite spectacular, he was applauded off by the team for his effort. It would be nice to have him there when Jones gets back, but if his for continues I guess the Eagles will take him back and give him a run.

Broome is a rookie isn't he? I was shocked to see him get 5 goals, good effort from the kid. Swans didn't look too convincing today, Notte has improved heaps though but if we can play badly and win by 80, can't complain. Will go down to Claremont oval next week.

How did Blackwell go, I saw he got like 35 possies? Also whats this about Kerr apparently punching one of our players.

 

[pablo668]

Always good when Swans lose . Got them next week.





Broome is a rookie isn't he? I was shocked to see him get 5 goals, good effort from the kid. Swans didn't look too convincing today, Notte has improved heaps though but if we can play badly and win by 80, can't complain. Will go down to Claremont oval next week.

How did Blackwell go, I saw he got like 35 possies? Also whats this about Kerr apparently punching one of our players.

I did not see that.......

One of our players got smacked on the back of the head late in a marking contest, but there wasn't much in it.
Not sure on Broomes status actually.

Yeah, ok I whinge a lot, I can't say we played badly it's just when I watch the games....maybe I get fixated on all the errors, rather than the fact that we won by 80 or whatever.

 

[Righteo]

5 goals also to Polak on debut for the Royals, Pettifer and Josh Smith were good as well, they are gonna have a gun fowardline this year.

 

[GordonGecko]

Kerr dropped an Elbow into Blackwell's face, completely uncalled for and dumb. Will be cited and will put his preparation for a return behind for a few weeks.

What an idiot.

Other than that Claremont look like a shoe in for a GF birth again.

Sharks got out of the gates early with the wind at their backs and jumped out to a 2 goal lead at quarter time on the back of some slick work in the middle by Kerr and Stevens. Teakle finishing off well in the forward line proved a handful for Brett Jones who got better the longer the game went on.

After that it was all one way traffic. Claremont took control in the middle with Swift, Brabazon and Blackwell all showing their class, Kane Mitchell was also a class act across the half back line, reading the play well and then delivering well to the half forward line.

Gerrick Weedon really stood out, his attack on the man and the ball was refreshing, no corralling with this kid. Full on attack.

His pressure was a standout and he is very strong through the core. Little work to do on his kicking but he'll be in the AFL before long.

Foster and Richo were running riot with clean supply through the middle.

Richardson is simply too good to be in the WAFL, he turned the game around in the first half, keeping the Tigs in touch when the Sharks had the run of play early, then turning the tide with two beautiful set shots early in the second.

Foster is also a cut above the WAFL, moves well and is deadly in front of the big sticks.

Broome is fun to watch, picked up 5 goals, 4 coming in the second half, but he is capable of generating something from nothing.

His third and fifth goal were classic crumbers goals.

It is worrying when he gets tackled. He came off in the second after trying to put a tackle on Koby Stevens clutching his ribs.

Also spent some time off after a crunching tackle from Brennan in the third.

He's too small to play AFL. Would get killed. Non existant game in the air, but deadly on the ground. Something to work with.

Pat Mcginnity is what Stephen Dodd was to Freo.

A hack who thinks trash talking and biff hides the fact that he cant play, routinely misses his targets under little to no pressure and gives away some of the dumbest free kicks you will ever see.

And his haircut is shit. Has the gait of a bulldog and the footskills to match. Brock Obrien with half a tank still kicked 5 on you.

If he plays at all this year for West Coast they will not be out of the bottom two.

Anyway, Claremont look very polished early and will be hard to go past for the flag IMO.

Good to be back at the footy.

 

[RickSanchez]

Nah Pablo wasn't having a go at you or saying you were whinging, i'd probably do the same (as i tend to do with freo at times) looking at the glaring negatives than the positives sometimes, but yeah glad we won convincingly and get the cobwebs out of the way for the big game next week.

Cheers for the write up GG. Agree with Richardson, great player.
Saw that Ninyette was in the reserves as well.

 

[Saila]

Gerrick Weedon really stood out, his attack on the man and the ball was refreshing, no corralling with this kid. Full on attack.

His pressure was a standout and he is very strong through the core. Little work to do on his kicking but he'll be in the AFL before long.

Would you agree that Weedon could be a very good midfielder in a couple of years time Pav? From what I've seen he's excellent in traffic, creative and seems to have that extra second to dispose of the ball. Also has physicality to his game, naturally wants to win the ball. Very impressed

 

[GordonGecko]

Weedon as a colts player was a very polished midfielder, just didnt have a tank to match.

Weedon has all the attributes to be a handy midfielder, as I said a very strong core which gives him an extra second in the tackle, though I still think he is most damaging forward of the play.

I thought Broome and Weedon ran to the same spots today which is a positive because they were the right spots, today it was Broomes day.

Weedon will be snaring bags soon enough.

 

[pablo668]

Nah Pablo wasn't having a go at you or saying you were whinging, i'd probably do the same (as i tend to do with freo at times) looking at the glaring negatives than the positives sometimes, but yeah glad we won convincingly and get the cobwebs out of the way for the big game next week.

Cheers for the write up GG. Agree with Richardson, great player.
Saw that Ninyette was in the reserves as well.

Ha ha yeah I know, I didn't think you were actually. Just disturbs me how I seem to nitpick a lot even after big wins.

Yeah I saw Kerrs effort on the news......what a numpty. And why do that in a WAFL game? He's not playing for a cattle station or anything, just trying to get match fitness and form so he can get back into the big league.

 

[swannies]

Great write up G G, thanks.

I thought Smith, Lee (BOG?), Wulff (is always sensational with his attack on the ball), Prior were really good for the Royals. Better players from Swans were Spaanders, Pearce, Jetta, Notte.

The Royals simply attacked the contests that little bit harder than Swans, which is why I commented earlier in the week, do Swans have the mindset to be the hunted? Time will tell, but some of the senior and premiership players were awful. The Royals ran in numbers, supported each other really well and hit their forward targets better, great result for them.

 

[RickSanchez]

Great write up G G, thanks.

I thought Smith, Lee (BOG?), Wulff (is always sensational with his attack on the ball), Prior were really good for the Royals. Better players from Swans were Spaanders, Pearce, Jetta, Notte.

The Royals simply attacked the contests that little bit harder than Swans, which is why I commented earlier in the week, do Swans have the mindset to be the hunted? Time will tell, but some of the senior and premiership players were awful. The Royals ran in numbers, supported each other really well and hit their forward targets better, great result for them.

Their forward 50 delivery was magnificent East Perth. Swans pressure in the 3rd was great but they started to stop a bit and umpiring was terrible.
Notte looked really good, the pressure of AFL/expectations of him now gone - has that helped him improve?