Swans games of the past

[Auntie.Gerald]

Bow and arrow archer

Not Glenn

[Bloods05]

Bow and arrow archer

Not Glenn

Ah.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Highlights: Richmond v Sydney

4mins 28 seconds in ......... good luck on your non preferred foot .........stay classy Issac !

Still one of my fav games last year because we believed by beating last years champs

[liz]

Also wanna single out the game at Geelong v Geelong in 2011. It was the week McVeigh’s daughter had died. The Cats were at their peak and hadn’t lost at home in three or four years.

I had the good fortune to be at that game, one of only two trips I have ever made to KP. (The other was in 2006, I think, and one we were expected to win [or I expected us to win], and we lost. Ablett played a blinder and Goodes had one of his less impressive games. I was taken as a 'guest' by some Geelong members, and I remain ashamed to this day that I wasn't more gracious in my disappointment.)

My enjoyment of the 2011 game was somewhat constrained by the fact that, when I arrived, I realised the ticket I'd bought was bang in the middle of a stand filled almost entirely by Geelong diehards. I guess it was a seat a member had relinquished for the match. Before the match even started I was the target of dirty looks and grumbles from a row of grey ladies sitting in front. As a lone, middle-age woman, I hadn't expected to cause them so much affront.

And then the game started...This gang of ladies spent most of the match grumbling about how boring a style of football the Swans played, which didn't quite equate to what was happening before their eyes. I suspect any opponent whose main aim wasn't to let Geelong score at will would have been labelled as boring.

I had a family (mother, father, pre-teen daughter) sitting immediately to my right, again all Geelong supporters (but more friendly). About halfway through the final quarter the girl expressed some concern that time was running out, and asked her mother when the Cats were going to take the lead. When her mother said out loud what was obvious to anyone over ten, an aggressive hush fell over the crowd around.

The best part of the experience was the train ride back to Melbourne. The Cats supporters had swarmed out of the ground quickly, leaving a higher concentration of Bloods lingering at the station for the later trains. There was a lot of singing and back patting - and head shaking - for the whole trip back.

[KSAS]

Some good games mentioned in here.

Also wanna single out the game at Geelong v Geelong in 2011. It was the week McVeigh’s daughter had died. The Cats were at their peak and hadn’t lost at home in three or four years.

I recall in the lead up to that game the Geelong Advertiser had already layed out a special front page Monday edition of the paper, to commerate the 100th consecutive home win by the Cats which was surely expected by all the faithful.

We definitely spoilt their party and extenuated the grumpy/shock mood of the home crowd Liz experienced above.

The home crowds by this stage would've expected winning a mere formality having their home games primarily scheduled against initimated non Vic teams with poor away records or bottom Melb clubs.

I was also happy when Freo knocked them off in final at KP, which Andy D farcically granted the club.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Thanks for the post Liz. Lovely story.

However low his performance in 2006 was, my memory of the 2011 match was he had a game for the ages.

[liz]

I just found highlights (just goals) of the game on YouTube. Not great quality video, but good enough to observe some of the luminaries of the club who took the field that day for the Swans, such as Matt Spangher and Brett Meredith. Gary Rohan played one of his few really good games, and a youthful looking, peroxide-haired Luke Parker kicked a couple of final quarter goals.

[sharp9]

AFL 2011 Round 23 Highlights: Geelong V Sydney - YouTube

[neilfws]

I recall in the lead up to that game the Geelong Advertiser had already layed out a special front page Monday edition of the paper, to commerate the 100th consecutive home win by the Cats which was surely expected by all the faithful.

I was thinking of that too. It was to celebrate 30 wins at home: here's a link to the image via Google search.

I think the story is online, but not free to read.

[KSAS]

Thanks Neilfws for clarifying it was to celebrate 30 home wins & not 100 which I'd incorrectly stated. I remember on the Footy Show the Thursday night before this game, Billy Brownless pointing out the Geelong Advertiser celebration edition and Gary Lyon/James Brayshaw cautioning Billy it's a bad omen going early!

[mcs]

What a shame Rohan hasn't been able to consistently do what he did with that running goal in that game - could of been a superstar.

Loved the bleached blonde hair look of Parker too - that was a good day, and must of been amazing to be there at the ground!

[Meg]

Watching the highlights video of the 2011 Geelong match reminded me that as well as the Swans players, the Geelong players wore black armbands in support of Jarrad McVeigh following the death of his baby daughter. I found that quite moving.