Qualifying Final vs Melbourne Demons @ MCG Match Thread

[Danzar]

I think many here are missing the most important outcome of tonight's game. And that is that we have an extra week off before having to deal with Ticketek.

[neilfws]

So good. Just watched the highlights. Laughed at the "look out here they come" from JB, on the basis of the Demons kicking 2 goals in a row. Footy commentary is so reactive and "in the now", like no one can see more than 30 seconds into the future.

There is something about this Swans team right now - they get "a look" about them, you can see it even through the TV and when they get that look you think, this is it, they are on and they are going to win this.

It's so good to see the players who came in a few months ago just keep getting better - Clarke, Fox and Stephens. That goal from Stephens really summed up his journey this year. That double defensive effort from Fox, so fast I think a few had difficulty processing what was happening.

So now a prelim and we're starting to think a Grand Final is a genuine possibility - and the stress, but also the excitement that will bring. Can't wait!

[Ludwig]

You're setting the bar needlessly high, as a rationale for tossing the baby out with the bathwater.
You don't need a dominant ruckman, you just need a competative ruckman.
Case in point. That's exactly what we got last night. Hickey wasn't dominant, Gawn may actually have shaded him slightly - but Hell's Bell's Tom Hickey was was absolutely vital to this win.
And more generally, Paul Roos' truism about rucks is as applicable today as it was in 2003, and will be going forward.

For someone who usually doesn't like ruckmen, I'm a big Tom Hickey fan (now, I wasn't too keen when we recruited him). He's more than a ruckman. He's a very good football player. Contributes all over the ground. Has good skills and can kick goals.

I like the Paddy Ryder model of a ruckman, who has a presence all over the ground, and is more than just a specialist ruckman. The dominant ruckman, Like Max Gawn and Dean Cox, can do it all and are critical to the success of their teams. I think Tom Hickey would be in this category if he had the size of those guys.

[bandwagon]

I’ve gone back on the replay to work out where he came from too. When there’s a stoppage in our f50, and Oliver clears the ball, McDonald is about. 20m out from our goals. To then get back there, just enormous.

I just keep watching that whole 'desperados' play. It is magnificent.
Pickett was actually goal-side of Fox at the start of the play. Fox, Rampe, McDonald and Blakey all bust a gut to get back.

[longmile]

Any word yet on the severity of Florents injury? He was one of our stars last night

[giant]

OMG what a win! I'm just so happy, what a team? Has already been such a special year, could get quite a bit more special. Just a dazzling team performance against a very good footy team that far from dogging it, in fact played very well. Just exceptional.

Only person I'm going to single out is Gary Lyon, whose celebration of the Swans' efforts and the fans' euphoria when we'd just beaten his beloved team was a screaming contrast to the horrendously biased barracking-cum-commentating of the Ch 7 team. True class.

[Danzar]

Our pressure was so good it prohibited us from winning free kicks - they had no prior opportunity. On the other hand, their pressure was a step behind which gave the umps a reason to pay holding the ball against us.

You could probably count the number of bounces in the game on one hand. It was either a quick disposal or an immediate contest, chaos ball, swarm.

[giant]

Any word yet on the severity of Florents injury? He was one of our stars last night

Was close to BOG in the first half - his move back has been one of the moves of the year. Apparently he's fine, was in the circle to sing the song and still had his boots on so sure he's OK.

[bandwagon]

Our pressure was so good it prohibited us from winning free kicks - they had no prior opportunity. On the other hand, their pressure was a step behind which gave the umps a reason to pay holding the ball against us.

This is a very charitable interpretation of some of the umpiring, it makes me feel a lot better!

[Aprilbr]

Was close to BOG in the first half - his move back has been one of the moves of the year. Apparently he's fine, was in the circle to sing the song and still had his boots on so sure he's OK.

I noticed Florent in the background while one of the players was being interviewed. He had a huge icepack wrapped around his ankle but was walking on it. I would think that if they were concerned that he had a break then he would have been on crutches. Given we now have two weeks, he should be able to recover in time. A lot of rehab work ahead of him though. If we were playing next week then he would be likely to miss.

[Hotpotato]

Ollie appeared to do it just running towards a boundary contest, maybe a big divot he didn’t notice .

[Markwebbos]

I have actually noticed the last month or so that Longmire can actually smile . I reckon it’s been a directive from the coaching group to engage more with the players and celebrate a little whilst keeping it in check , ride the wave a bit. A little bit like Melbourne and Bulldogs done last year . The younger group are such tight knit group and have every right to celebrate a bit . It’s not everyday you win your way to a prelim. Great to see , celebrate the moment for what it is . Then knuckle down for what lies ahead as it won’t get any easier.


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I’ve never had the impression that Longmire doesn’t smile, he can often barely contain himself.

Hickey said this about him last night:

“He’s just got so much passion. I’m sure you can probably hear him over 80,000 fans,” he laughed “He’s not going to have too much hair any longer … He’s a helluva coach.”

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