2018 NEAFL Grand Final

[ugg]

According to the Courier Mail journo, the Swans agreed not to reset the score

Kyle Pollard on Twitter: "NEAFL treating the Southport extra man as an interchange break rather than an extra player situation. Apparently used discretionary power to ask the Swans what they wanted and the Swans agreed not to wipe Southport's score."

[liz]

Also, if the Sharks’ score till then had been scrubbed what would the final scores have been?

I think the Sharks scored two goals and a handful of behinds in the final quarter (after the count). The Swans were 2.4 at the time (I think - not that it really matters what their score was before and after). They kicked three goals after the incident (one directly as a result of it, plus Dawson's third and Rose's from the boundary line).

[liz]

According to the Courier Mail journo, the Swans agreed not to reset the score

Kyle Pollard on Twitter: "NEAFL treating the Southport extra man as an interchange break rather than an extra player situation. Apparently used discretionary power to ask the Swans what they wanted and the Swans agreed not to wipe Southport's score."

If so, the right call by the Swans. And the only one I can imagine them making in those circumstances.

[ugg]

Also, if the Sharks’ score till then had been scrubbed what would the final scores have been?

They were on 76 when the infringement happened, so we would have won 35-14.

[mcs]

According to the Courier Mail journo, the Swans agreed not to reset the score

Kyle Pollard on Twitter: "NEAFL treating the Southport extra man as an interchange break rather than an extra player situation. Apparently used discretionary power to ask the Swans what they wanted and the Swans agreed not to wipe Southport's score."

That makes more sense - but would of been good for NEAFL to make that clear upfront, so that we as a club could be given the credit deserved for making the reasonable decision (as you would hope we would). Certainly the telecast suggested it was some 'bylaw', not a clear decision by the Swans.

[rb4x]

I rewound the replay and have watched it a few times. The recount was called at 33 seconds into the fourth quarter and took about three minutes. Both teams were lined up and counted. Southport had 19 on the field and it seemed pretty obvious that was the case from the start of the quarter. O'Riordan was given a free kick about 40 meters out and goaled. Was COR the captain or Rose or were they co-captains? The umpires spoke to O'Riordan after the count but Rose joined the conversation. Would have been cruel but Southport in my opinion and I think in the Southport commentators opinion should have had their score wiped at that time which would have given the Swans an undeserved win. Amateur hour at Southport or did someone give Gill a call.

[goswannies]

I rewound the replay and have watched it a few times. The recount was called at 33 seconds into the fourth quarter and took about three minutes. Both teams were lined up and counted. Southport had 19 on the field and it seemed pretty obvious that was the case from the start of the quarter. O'Riordan was given a free kick about 40 meters out and goaled. Was COR the captain or Rose or were they co-captains? The umpires spoke to O'Riordan after the count but Rose joined the conversation. Would have been cruel but Southport in my opinion and I think in the Southport commentators opinion should have had their score wiped at that time which would have given the Swans an undeserved win. Amateur hour at Southport or did someone give Gill a call.

CO’R skipper

[ugg]

COR was skipper according to the prematch press but at the coin toss both COR and Cameron were present.

[Ralph Dawg]

I've watched most NEAFL matches this year. On paper, that was the weakest side we have put on the park and they certainly played like that. We were smashed in all the one on one contests around the park by the bigger Southport players. Shows what happens when boys play men! There have been a few academy boys who have looked impressive this year such as Stewert and Wicks but after watching the game, it makes me wonder if there is any point in drafting them this year. Neither made any real impact on the game even though it was their time to shine. And Stoddart needs to be put on some bulking up program - he's about as skinny as my 10 year old daughter!

[mcs]

Just to focus on the game, rather than the controversy, I don't think the Swans played as poorly as the score would suggest. In the midfield the young Swans matched Southport pretty well in the first half, and still weren't awful in the second half. The big difference was that the Swans had no forward line to speak of (oh for a Amartey, McCartin or even a Pink - all players who we might have expected to feature prominently up forward in the NEAFL side this year. Maybe even a Sinclair or a Tippett). And the Southport defence played extremely well.

So while our boys were soundly beaten, it was by experience, skill and size, rather than by effort. Can't fault the way the academy boys kept putting their bodies on the line.

Rose was clearly very good, our best by far. O'Riordan and Maibaum were pretty good offensively, but the defence did look a bit disorganised at times and as leaders in that part of the ground, some of that must fall on them.

Dawson and Cameron have played more dominant games but both had their moments. Clearly Southport had identified Cameron as the number one player to contain and, credit to them, they did it very well. He still battled hard, but I think it illustrates how big the gap is between him dominating at NEAFL level and stepping up to contribute at AFL level.

Brown was a bit quieter than he has been in recent weeks up to the point he exited the game. Bell seemed to struggle to get into the game, or certainly to get the ball running or bouncing his way. On the other hand, I thought it was one of the better games I've seen from him in terms of work rate without the ball, especially in the second half. He chased and tackled pretty well, and kept trying to get into the game the other way.

Stoddart had some moments but looked tired in the second half, and didn't always stick his tackles. He still has a way to go physically (obviously). And Styles was fairly anonymous through the game.

Of the academy players, I liked Ellem, particularly considering he's still an U17 and conditioning wise, has some way to go. A couple of the other U17 guys (I think there were at least 4 of them out there today) also showed some promising signs. Reinhart was good, especially early, while Stern and Stewart didn't let themselves down either. I wonder if Stern, in particular, has the scope to become a small defender. He has the pace and tenacity.

Good summary Liz of the more important factor of how the guys played.

Stoddart also seems to struggle with his decision making - its something he can improve on no doubt, but I feel he looks a long way from being a consistent player anywhere near AFL level. Not really sure what to think of Styles - was very anonymous today, and only on a couple of occasions this season in the handful of NEAFL games I've seen did he really do much.

We just seemed to have one of those days (yet again in a big match) where a lot didn't really go our way, and we never looked likely all game long. The locals certainly handled the tough windy conditions a whole lot better then we did. In particular in the first quarter we were awful tactically - continually kicking to the camera side of the ground and kicking it out on the full multiple times, instead of using the other side of the ground as Southport did expertly in the second quarter.

- - - Updated - - -

I rewound the replay and have watched it a few times. The recount was called at 33 seconds into the fourth quarter and took about three minutes. Both teams were lined up and counted. Southport had 19 on the field and it seemed pretty obvious that was the case from the start of the quarter. O'Riordan was given a free kick about 40 meters out and goaled. Was COR the captain or Rose or were they co-captains? The umpires spoke to O'Riordan after the count but Rose joined the conversation. Would have been cruel but Southport in my opinion and I think in the Southport commentators opinion should have had their score wiped at that time which would have given the Swans an undeserved win. Amateur hour at Southport or did someone give Gill a call.

Seems hard to see how it can be judged as an interchange infringement then - I thought it was 3 or 4 minutes in (But hadn't watched the replay) - surely 33 seconds in it must have meant they had 19 on the park from the start of the quarter, as you wouldn't think one would make an interchange in the first 30 seconds of the quarter.

[dejavoodoo44]

According to the Courier Mail journo, the Swans agreed not to reset the score

Kyle Pollard on Twitter: "NEAFL treating the Southport extra man as an interchange break rather than an extra player situation. Apparently used discretionary power to ask the Swans what they wanted and the Swans agreed not to wipe Southport's score."

Yes, it was probably a reasonable decision, if true. But I would like to hear it from a more reliable source, than a Courier-Mail journalist. And in the final quarter, the Swans players seemed to be acting like they thought they were in front. The way that Rose's goal was celebrated, probably wouldn't have occurred, if they thought they were sixty points down.

[ugg]

They had 19 to start the quarter. Then when they realised this and one of them sprinted off, it was duly noted. You can see the Swans players pointing to their interchange bench.