Round 5: Swans vs Suns

[dejavoodoo44]

Really solid performance today bar the bad kicking for goal. Really nullified Gold Coast's strengths and made them struggle for much continuity. JJ did a great job on Anderson, and Rowell got plenty of it but wasn't as damaging as he could be.

Massive game from Heeney - could he seriously challenge for the Brownlow this year. Did everything today. Grundy also superb, and McCartin was a rock down back.

And that goal from Rosas - what a beauty. He is never going to be a big possession winner, but he brings pressure and can make things happen.

Very happy with that - big 2 weeks coming up, if we can split them and be 5-2, we'd be very happy with where we are at. Win both and we'd be really well positioned.

Agree with all that.
Perhaps the thing that Cox would be most happy about is the 97 tackles. The Suns were really battered into submission, on a ground I thought would suit them more than us, as its narrowness stifles a lot of our spread. Last match we were constantly changing the point of attack and really cut the Eagles up. Today we had to go through a very tough side.

Slightly surprising for me, it was Heeney being the chief midfield grunt. In that, he's such a talented player, I can forget that he's also tough around the contests. But 10 clearances, 18 contested possessions and 11 tackles, make a convincing case that he lead the way.

I'll mention a few other players. Once he shook of his injury, I thought that Mills was really good. Had some tough defensive efforts, and he got a few rebounding chains going, with some really incisive handballs. I thought McInerney continued his very good start to the season. Occasionally he ran himself into trouble, but his willingness to attack at pace kept driving us forward. I'm also still liking how Wicks has added more rebounding flair to his game.

Actually, I could name most of the side, as I thought it was a really tough win. And if our key forwards get over their yips, I'm confident that we'll get to 6-1.

[Nico]

Our fitness is special.I reckon the only flat spot was the first 10 minutes of the last quarter where we made many mistakes, but we got it right in the end.

[imuninformedtwo]

What a great win. If we kick straight, we spank a premiership contender by 50 points. Smashed em at the contest and the tackling pressure all over the ground was off the charts. Something special.

Heeney is a total beast. That’s genuinely one of the great games a Swan has played in recent years. He gets the credits for all his spectacular stuff, but his hardness at the content is elite. He gets 3 votes (should get 30 really), Grundy 2 and McCartin 1.

For what it’s worth, Hamling was very good down back too. And reckon he helped give McCartin the freedom to go for marks. Our whole defence smashed em and good on Mills for playing such a good game after looking like he was done.

A few other lesser lights deserving praise. Roberts was excellent up and down his wing, Rosas will never have high possies but got busy, applied a ton of pressure and kicked a brilliant goal when we desperately needed it, Serong again, and of course JJ. Put Anderson over his knee and spanked him raw.

As for our forwards on the set shot, yikes.. Thought Charlie actually did a fair bit right otherwise and hit a lot of packs but seriously. As for Logan, hope the coaches show him his final quarter as to what he’s capable of and is expected. It was very good.

[Nico]

Brilliant win. It seemed a tough physical encounter. No passengers. On stats you would say Rowbottom had a quiet game , but he had 9 tackles. On tackles, we had 97. They gave Rowell very little space but boy the umps give him a lot of latitude when it comes to holding the ball. He just barges through, gets caught, ball up. One of Mill's best games. Our defence has been great this year and Hambling was solid. It appears that Cox uses Rosas in short bursts.

[mcs]

Is Millsy keeping up with the game plan?

Not sure you are watching the same game as me, if the natural extension of that comment is that you don't think he is playing well?

[Hotpotato]

Well done Swans.
There were a few times in the game when it
Seemed that the Suns could pinch it.

Is Millsy keeping up with the game plan?

[Sandridge]

Thrilled with that win!

GO BLOODS!!

[Thunder Shaker]

We are a much better team with Grundy on the field. Without him we have some problems...we need a good back up ruck

Or simply play two rucks. Part-time rucks don't cut it against good teams. Gold Coast scored three quick goals in the second quarter when Amartey was rucking against Andrew while Grundy was resting.

Really solid performance today bar the bad kicking for goal. Really nullified Gold Coast's strengths and made them struggle for much continuity. JJ did a great job on Anderson, and Rowell got plenty of it but wasn't as damaging as he could be.

Massive game from Heeney - could he seriously challenge for the Brownlow this year. Did everything today. Grundy also superb, and McCartin was a rock down back.

And that goal from Rosas - what a beauty. He is never going to be a big possession winner, but he brings pressure and can make things happen.

A solid performance. Sydney handled the conditions better than Gold Coast. Suns seem not to be a wet-weather team on a narrow ground.

Very happy with that - big 2 weeks coming up, if we can split them and be 5-2, we'd be very happy with where we are at. Win both and we'd be really well positioned.

Those games are Giants and Dogs. Should beat the Giants, though they always lift against the Swans.

Dogs are a decent team. Here's their form so far.

Round 0: beat the Lions at the Gabba by 5 points.
Round 1: Flogged the Giants by 81 points. Giants had several players out injured.
Round 2: Beat the Crows away by 6 points.
Round 4: Beat Essendon by 34 points, but Essendon won the second half.

The Dogs have some decent wins, but could easily have been 2-2 if they had lost their close games. Nevertheless, they are the team to beat.

[mcs]

Really solid performance today bar the bad kicking for goal. Really nullified Gold Coast's strengths and made them struggle for much continuity. JJ did a great job on Anderson, and Rowell got plenty of it but wasn't as damaging as he could be.

Massive game from Heeney - could he seriously challenge for the Brownlow this year. Did everything today. Grundy also superb, and McCartin was a rock down back.

And that goal from Rosas - what a beauty. He is never going to be a big possession winner, but he brings pressure and can make things happen.

Very happy with that - big 2 weeks coming up, if we can split them and be 5-2, we'd be very happy with where we are at. Win both and we'd be really well positioned.

[Foreign Legion]

Our backline was great today! Pity our key forwards didnt convert their chances.

Heeney and Grundy great again. Take that win and focus on better accuracy next week!

[Daisi]

We are a much better team with Grundy on the field. Without him we have some problems...we need a good back up ruck

[stellation]

Norwood Oval is only a few metres narrower than Kardinia Park.

Geelong must be salivating at the prospect of playing West Coast there tomorrow.

I didn’t realise, it may be the comically straight lines that make it seem more than that.

[Thunder Shaker]

First to 100 wins

[Thunder Shaker]

I really like Norwood Oval, it looks lovely- but with the last disposal rule between the arcs I’m surprised they’re playing games there (granted it hasn’t seemed to have popped up more than normal).

Norwood Oval is only a few metres narrower than Kardinia Park.

Geelong must be salivating at the prospect of playing West Coast there tomorrow.

[Industrial Fan]

In our forwards defence it’s difficult kicking the footy in clown shoes