QF 1: Sydney Swans v GWS Match Thread

[Swanstubbs]

Brilliant montage of Saturday afternoon's game at the SCG.

[Blue Sun]

AMAZING footage from the ground!

[imuninformedtwo]

HOW FREAKING GOOD IS THIS!!!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-y6dvi_umcI

[dejavoodoo44]

Not sure why the link says, ERROR, but it sends you to the right place.

[dejavoodoo44]

There is an excellent article by Tim Miller on The Roar (AFL tab) highlighting the critical bits of play in the last quarter.

“ Finals Fix: The magic moments, unsung heroes and Giants blunders that stole Swans a September classic”

I still haven’t worked out how ro post URLs (I’ve tried what seems to be the obvious tools). Can someone help, please?

When on the page that you want, just tap the icon with three circles and two joining lines. Then tap 'copy'. That then gives you a link that you can past in here. (Well, that's the process on an Android phone).

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/09/07/finals-fix-the-magic-moments-unsung-heroes-and-giants-blunders-that-stole-swans-a-september-classic/

Good article, but I feel like I should point out, that they mistakenly said it was Hayward on the end of the Jordon pass, not Campbell. Also, the main reason why Heeney got a bit of space on Whitfield, was that he threw his arm back and pushed off: in much the same manner as he did when he copped that idiot suspension. And finally, a major reason why Taylor overran the ball in the final goal, was that Amartey shepherded him away.

[Meg]

There is an excellent article by Tim Miller on The Roar (AFL tab) highlighting the critical bits of play in the last quarter.

“ Finals Fix: The magic moments, unsung heroes and Giants blunders that stole Swans a September classic”

I still haven’t worked out how ro post URLs (I’ve tried what seems to be the obvious tools). Can someone help, please?

[KTigers]

Only two of these four can make it to the Grand Final, but Zorko and Newcombe may get extra votes from playing one extra game each over Heeney and Holmes.

Seems silly that the award can go to a player because they played one extra final (eg if we win the GF vs Brisbane, Zorko would have played four finals, to Heeney's three).

Yes, they'll have a better chance to win the award by not playing well enough to help their team get a double chance.

[Maltopia]

In news that will surprise no one, Heeney got the maximum coaches votes for the game.

10 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
5 Tom Green (GWS)
5 Jake Lloyd (SYD)
4 Josh Kelly (GWS)
4 Jack Buckley (GWS)
2 Tom Papley (SYD)

Newcombe, Zorko and Holmes also got 10 votes, so it's a four way tie at the top of the Ayres medal.

Gary Ayres Award: Swans star among four perfect 10s - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1217300

Only two of these four can make it to the Grand Final, but Zorko and Newcombe may get extra votes from playing one extra game each over Heeney and Holmes.

Seems silly that the award can go to a player because they played one extra final (eg if we win the GF vs Brisbane, Zorko would have played four finals, to Heeney's three).

[sharp9]

Whether intentional or not, I believe Buckley saved Heens from a possible nasty injury on landing. I thank him for that.

Did you hear Isaac in that video saying “I thought I was gonna die…” to someone? (Will??)

[Thunder Shaker]

I actually think Buckley did that intentionally. An instinctive act. Shows excellent character. Heeney credited him when speaking to Fox after the game.

There's been a fair bit of discussion on Reddit about Buckley's actions during that marking contest, full of praise for how he helped Heeney avoid injury.

Here's a Reddit post where Heeney's mum was posting on Facebook thanking Buckley for "Isaac not landing on his head". Jack Buckley with catch of the year? Isaac's mum approves

[dejavoodoo44]

Ratings from the Mongrel Punt. I don't agree with all of them, but some interesting thoughts.

https://themongrelpunt.com/afl-seaso...lifying-final/

Yes, there's a few strange rankings in there. To me, the strangest was giving Tom Green 5/10, when he had 19 contested possessions and 10 clearances. That he got 5 coaches votes, suggests that the guy from Mongrel Punt didn't quite get it right.

[dejavoodoo44]

In news that will surprise no one, Heeney got the maximum coaches votes for the game.

10 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
5 Tom Green (GWS)
5 Jake Lloyd (SYD)
4 Josh Kelly (GWS)
4 Jack Buckley (GWS)
2 Tom Papley (SYD)

Newcombe, Zorko and Holmes also got 10 votes, so it's a four way tie at the top of the Ayres medal.

Gary Ayres Award: Swans star among four perfect 10s - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1217300

[KTigers]

I dont have any high level animosity towards the Giants.
The two sides put on a showcase performance for the code especially in Emerald City.
In the Brewongle, sitting in a rare group of Giants supporters at the final siren, some applauded the Swans comeback.
In the pub before the game I asked some of them why they support the Giants.
“Oh, we have moved here from Perth and we are West Coast supporters, so we hate you guys, thats why.”

Made sense to me.
Hope they make the Granny with the Swans.

Yes, just goes to show footy fans reasons for "hating" other teams is all over the shop and just as unravelled regardless of where they
are from, who they support and who they "hate". To their credit GWS fans don't shoosh other GWS fans for "being too loud" and "talking
too much" the way some so-called Swans "fans" regularly do to real Swans fans in the section of the Brewongle we've been sitting in
for the last 30 years.

[dejavoodoo44]

After the game on Saturday, it entered my head that we might be at the start of a period of intense rivalry with the Giants, that's much like the series of epic battles between us and West Coast back in 2005/6? I mean, both sides are genuine premiership contenders, they don't seem to like each other and with an abundance of young talent, neither side is likely to rapidly drop away.

[mcs]

Yes, and there was another occasion when he kicked the ball to Heeney from the half back flank, and when Heeney booted it into the forward line, he was there to lay a tackle.

Although my impression of Campbell's position, was that he was given the "Yeah, Errol, you just do whatever you want" role. In that, he seemed to have a licence to run anywhere that he thought was handy. Which seemed a good idea, since Errol wasn't playing as well as he usually does.

Assuming that he starts next match, it'll be interesting to see if he's given that amount of freedom, or will he be more constrained by defensive structures?

It was interesting to hear Campbell speak after the game - it sounds like he was given that 'go where you need to go' instruction, and to run hard, run hard and run hard, and to use his pace to break open the game. As he did on multiple occasions - and for that critical goal. His work rate was enormous.

Can he do it for a whole game in a similar fashion - not sure as such. Would I give him a chance in the prelim to do so - absolutely. He deserves the chance on what he showed on Saturday. He needs to take the game on all the time like he did on Saturday night - which probably means he shouldn't be tied down in the defensive side of it. It wasn't dash off the half back flank that he provided us on Saturday night - but dash across the park, desperation, and hitting contests hard. He had been doing that well in the previous few weeks too, where his form had really improved.

I dont have any high level animosity towards the Giants.
The two sides put on a showcase performance for the code especially in Emerald City.

While I don't like how they were created, or the excessive amount of support they were provided in the draft (which they are still, long down the track benefitting from), and I hate some of the nonsense from some in their fan base around 'created not relocated etc', I don't have much animosity towards them either. Still love to beat them, especially in big games that matter, but equally want them to be strong - both to build a proper rivalry in Sydney, and for the health of the code in NSW.