Round 8, Sydney v Hawthorn

[Matimbo]

Wow. Our defensive pressure was the best I've seen in ages. Lots of smothers, big tackle count, very hard at the ball in the rucks, plenty of forced turnovers. We also hit a lot more targets thru the half back and midfield than in previous games. We would have troubled any team, including a full strength Hawks IMO.

Room for improvement: we overdid the handballs leading to some costly turnovers; the only stat we lost was hit outs which was to be expected with Pyke out; goal-kicking was just one of those nights, I'm sure it will be an aberration

Bring on the Bombers!

[Matt80]

Worst I've seen all year. No rhyme or reason - so many missed and inconsistent calls. Probably didn't advantage either side in the end, but painful to watch.

I was more nervous watching this game than I have been in years. Way worse than 2012 grand final. Great game.

I think the umpiring group missed the experience and interpersonal skills of Ray Chamberlin!

[Matimbo]

I think the umpiring group missed the experience and interpersonal skills of Ray Chamberlin!

Or perhaps they missed his intertextual skills? Sorry for being interthreadual.

[Beerman]

The game had a nice narrative arc.

I think that's due to Buddy. He has a natural arc, apparently.

[hot potato]

Forget Wagner, last night at the footy on a balmy night in Sydney was magnificent theatre, a young inexperienced ruckman performing beyond expectations, the incredibly upright Mr Tippett coming onto the stage again after a sustained absence and contesting marks like we remembered.
Of course Buddy was going to have all those dramatic misses to delight the Hawks faithful until much closer to the final curtain ..
"If he nails this one from 48 , it lifts the whole joint and we win the game", one of the kids states . He slots it.
Hanners covering ground like a blue healer chasing the rabbit down every hole , Sam Reid taking grabs but apparently just a couple of milliseconds too short to be called.
The brilliant Hawks threatening all the time with their smokin slice it up dances through the corridor when you think that's it, they will get The Fat Lady off the canvas now.
But The Swans had their mindset in alignment, The Australian of The Year was barracking from his grassy bench like one of us, good on him, while Clarko was going Berko in his box.
After the siren there were hugs and conversations all over the ground, notably Buddy and Kennedy and McGlynn with old teammates from the Hawks.

Our red and white half time macaroons tasted sweet as last night.
Well done team Swans.

[DamY]

If I annoyed anyone in the bar, I apologise! But the victory was sweet!

[ernie koala]

Buddies relief, to have that game over with, was palpable.

I get the feeling, knee permitting, he'll have a really big game or 2 over the coming weeks.

[O'Reilly Boy]

When Goodes was subbed off, by my reckoning it was the first time we had a 21 with no 2005 premiership player on the field.
And I'm still exhausted from the excitement of last night's game. Bo Derycks was gutsy as hell, and I was just amazed at Buddy's effort on what was obviously a difficult night for him. Roll on Bloods.

[aardvark]

I think Sam Reids game last night may have spelled the end of LRTs swingman days. If Sammy stays fit and we don't lose any key backs it may be curtains for the big viking.

[dimelb]

I don't think a team with Goodes, Tippet, Franklin, McVeigh et al. Can be called Volkswagens. More like old Jaguars - prestige and quality, but prone to breakdowns and often doesn't work quite as well as it should.

You're right - I was thinking of our sponsors.

[aardvark]

Or perhaps they missed his intertextual skills? Sorry for being interthreadual.

See Liz that's what happens when you use big words on RWO!

[Jimitron5000]

Great effort last night for a very good win. If we keep that sort of intensity for the rest of the season (big ask that one!) then we should be thereabouts come the end of September.
One thing we do need to improve is a skills - missed too many targets that gave Hawthorn a chance to rebound.