Round 23: the other games. Is it that time already?

[Bloods05]

Swans fans criticising the Giants Academy Zone and vice versa are in danger of becoming a proxy warriors for the VFL. It's what they want and
part of the divide & conquer strategy from the South. As mid 19th century on-baller Thomas Jefferson once said, "eternal vigilance is the price
of liberty". I know a few GWS supporters. They would like their club to be like the Swans one day. They hate the Bulldogs at least as much as
we do.

OK then, explain to me why basing the GWS academy zone in the Riverina is not a travesty, given that academies are supposed to develop kids who would otherwise not be playing footy.

[Buzz13]

We (or rather the players of the team we support) have it in their control which half of the draw they land up in. Win on Friday week and we're on "the other side".

Yeah very true I guess Liz. Beat the dee's and chances are we play Collingwood or Freo at SCG for a spot in the GRAND final ???? Makes next week ultra important. Go Swans

[liz]

Footy certainly is a game of inches. Had the siren blown 20 seconds earlier blues v dee's game we would be playing Fremantle at the SCG for a home preliminary final. Now I would say we are in the hardest part of the draw with Dee's, Lions and Tigers. Would rather be in the other half against Cats, Pies and Fremantle. What are others thoughts?

We (or rather the players of the team we support) have it in their control which half of the draw they land up in. Win on Friday week and we're on "the other side".

[Buzz13]

Footy certainly is a game of inches. Had the siren blown 20 seconds earlier blues v dee's game we would be playing Fremantle at the SCG for a home preliminary final. Now I would say we are in the hardest part of the draw with Dee's, Lions and Tigers. Would rather be in the other half against Cats, Pies and Fremantle. What are others thoughts?

[stevoswan]

mmm.... "the rivalry".... actually at the game against GWS recently I heard them utter the classic "Battle Of The Bridge" phrase over the PA.
I thought we'd put that one behind us. The other thing is they never explained which bridge they were talking about. Anzac, Gladesville,
Sydney Harbour, Tom Uglys bridge, the bridge over the creek at the course? Anyway, the "rivalry" thing has always been totally lost on me.
I meant aren't all the other teams our rivals in the comp. The rivalry thing was out in force yesterday arvo at the MCG I noticed. Poor old
Carlton. Hard to wish that debacle on anyone. That was rough. Besides it let the Dogs in with their measly 12-and-10 record.

I tend to agree with this. My 'hatred' for GWS has cooled over the past few seasons as I see them as just as much a victim of the AFL's Vic-centricity as us. Just look at the 2016 Preliminary Final, where they were crucified by Fairypup love just as much as we were a week later.....and have been since on a number of occasions. They also are affected by the removal of COLA, possibly more than us with their plethora of young talent being lured back to Victoria year after year. They are a NSW club being shafted by the same forces that shaft us. I find myself barracking for them much more these days.

[KTigers]

I had always assumed the GW$ tag was in reference to the financial support provided to them by the AFL not a reference to the sponsorship dollars they attract.

I guess if they got money from Qatar Airlines they wouldn't have to get so much from the AFL. They could be like us.

[KTigers]

Yes, ALL the other teams are our rivals - including the Giants. The "local derby" thing has always struck me as a silly notion, confected by the AFL and the media. But what I don't understand is the sympathy from Swans supporters for a team created by the AFL marketing team and handed the Riverina as its academy zone. I have never detected any sympathy for the Swans from the Giants, either their supporters or the club administration.

Swans fans criticising the Giants Academy Zone and vice versa are in danger of becoming a proxy warriors for the VFL. It's what they want and
part of the divide & conquer strategy from the South. As mid 19th century on-baller Thomas Jefferson once said, "eternal vigilance is the price
of liberty". I know a few GWS supporters. They would like their club to be like the Swans one day. They hate the Bulldogs at least as much as
we do.

[Doctor J.]

Yes, is a sad indictment on our otherwise great city if it can't support two teams properly. I don't get the GWS hatred
at all. It sounds remarkably like the rants of the VFL lovers down south. The GW$ tag is pretty lame. Our club has a
bigger revenue each year, and a chunk of it flowed in from Qatar Airlines and the crypto mob. Maybe we should be
called the $wans. Might be time to climb down from the high horse. It's a little unbecoming.

I had always assumed the GW$ tag was in reference to the financial support provided to them by the AFL not a reference to the sponsorship dollars they attract.

[Doctor J.]

7 News said Carlton was last to do it previously, in 1977.

Yes Carlton in 1977, and we were the beneficiaries of it. Had to beat North who were 3rd on the ladder (eventual premiers) and hope that the Bulldogs would beat Carlton. In those days all games were played simultaneously, what a wild concept. At 3 qtr time the dogs were doing their bit, leading Carlton by nearly 6 goals the trouble was we were nearly 4 goals down. Came home with the wind behind us. I have memories of Mark Browning kicking a long goal to put us in front. Finals for only the second time in my life, what a great day to be at the footy.

[Bloods05]

Anyway, the "rivalry" thing has always been totally lost on me.
I meant aren't all the other teams our rivals in the comp.

Yes, ALL the other teams are our rivals - including the Giants. The "local derby" thing has always struck me as a silly notion, confected by the AFL and the media. But what I don't understand is the sympathy from Swans supporters for a team created by the AFL marketing team and handed the Riverina as its academy zone. I have never detected any sympathy for the Swans from the Giants, either their supporters or the club administration.

[KTigers]

They were set up to create a rivalry. Artificially, yes, but it doesn't seem to have worked for some people.

mmm.... "the rivalry".... actually at the game against GWS recently I heard them utter the classic "Battle Of The Bridge" phrase over the PA.
I thought we'd put that one behind us. The other thing is they never explained which bridge they were talking about. Anzac, Gladesville,
Sydney Harbour, Tom Uglys bridge, the bridge over the creek at the course? Anyway, the "rivalry" thing has always been totally lost on me.
I meant aren't all the other teams our rivals in the comp. The rivalry thing was out in force yesterday arvo at the MCG I noticed. Poor old
Carlton. Hard to wish that debacle on anyone. That was rough. Besides it let the Dogs in with their measly 12-and-10 record.

[Bloods05]

Yes, is a sad indictment on our otherwise great city if it can't support two teams properly. I don't get the GWS hatred
at all. It sounds remarkably like the rants of the VFL lovers down south. The GW$ tag is pretty lame. Our club has a
bigger revenue each year, and a chunk of it flowed in from Qatar Airlines and the crypto mob. Maybe we should be
called the $wans. Might be time to climb down from the high horse. It's a little unbecoming.

They were set up to create a rivalry. Artificially, yes, but it doesn't seem to have worked for some people.

[KTigers]

Well that’s two of us that don’t share the hatred , how many teams in Bleak City ….?

Surely we can grow a second strong team here in a similar sized city .

Yes, is a sad indictment on our otherwise great city if it can't support two teams properly. I don't get the GWS hatred
at all. It sounds remarkably like the rants of the VFL lovers down south. The GW$ tag is pretty lame. Our club has a
bigger revenue each year, and a chunk of it flowed in from Qatar Airlines and the crypto mob. Maybe we should be
called the $wans. Might be time to climb down from the high horse. It's a little unbecoming.

[chalbilto]

I think that they missed the experience of George Hewett.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Just to put my fave theory into perspective that it is not always the coach, Carlton gained Cerra, Hewett, and Young, and got Curnow, Cripps and Docherty back to full fitness, and . . . won just four extra games, to still miss the finals.

Not great.