First Week of the Finals

[Dutchy]

Reakon we saw the GF preview last night.

Great game, maybe the best of the year.

Loved it when Micky O gave it to the goobs behind the goals.

was a cracker

how good are the Swans as a "team" classic team footy....for list quality individually they would rank aroun 6th or 7th for talent however they play for each other and the jumper, you have to admire them...and they play better away from home than they do at home!

[Magpiespower]

was a cracker

how good are the Swans as a "team" classic team footy....for list quality individually they would rank aroun 6th or 7th for talent however they play for each other and the jumper, you have to admire them...and they play better away from home than they do at home!

Epitomise what a 'team' is all about.

But they do have some absolute guns - Hall, Goodes, Barry, Kirk, O'Loughlin.

Backed up by a host of unfashionable and underrated players - Bolton, Kennelly, Fosdike, Schneider, Matthews and so on.

Would love to see Nic Fosdike's ratio as to stats per minute...

[sydney-dog]

# Year Rd Team Score Versus Score Gnd Result Marg
1 2006 14 Adelaide 15.11 (101) vs Sydney 8.14 (62) SCG Crows were on fire, Swans were shocking at this time of year
2 2005 18 Adelaide 8.6 (54) vs Sydney 6.11 (47) AAMI 7 points at home, hardly convincing
3 2005 4 Adelaide 18.12 (120) vs Sydney 11.13 (79) SCG good win - early in the year but
4 2004 15 Adelaide 6.9 (45) vs Sydney 8.10 (58) SCG Loser

Dutchy, mate I was at the game earlier this year and you can not discredit the crows win by saying swans were shocking, Adel came out and gave them a footy lesson, last year in the swans premiership year we played them twice and at home again with two wins, in my mind that means we have a very good record against the swans.

On the eagels, I am not convinced we last night we seen the GF preview and I think people who think that are paying no respect to Adelaide.

Eagles, last night their skill level was poor, game plan ordinary and a memo to Eagles Coaching Staff, in this day and age of footy you can not leave your defenders one on one with players such as Hall and MickyO with so much space in the 50, you will get killed..... Poorly Coached Wosha

Eagles, we all know have some fantasic players, Judd, Cousin, Cox and Kerr will return but they rely too heavily on these players and their bottom 6 players are average at best, not to mention their forward line is very fractured, it lacks a quality CHF and a quality small forward, too reliant on midfielders kicking goals

So I would not get too carried away with the eagles, can they make it, the answer is yes, with they, I wont be backing them

[sydney-dog]

DUTCHY

Since the 2002 season the Crows have played Sydney 8 times, the scoreboard reads Adelaide 7 wins, Sydney 1 win, this is why Syd have a huge respect for the crows

[magpie in the 80's]

ROHAN SMITH TO PLAY 300.......BULLDOGS UP BY 45 POINTS 3/4 TIME

[sydney-dog]

Pies were soft, lazy and slow and they will never win a flag with Rocca and Tarrant in that side

Bullies will be dangerous against the eagles next week, it's smith 300th game, they have some momentum, they will attack the eagles and will kick a score, the eagles will need to get their forward structure right

[MW]

Pies were soft, lazy and slow and they will never win a flag with Rocca and Tarrant in that side

Bullies will be dangerous against the eagles next week, it's smith 300th game, they have some momentum, they will attack the eagles and will kick a score, the eagles will need to get their forward structure right

Also Scott West's 300th...plenty of motivation

[mal]

##############################################################

Eagles, last night their skill level was poor, game plan ordinary and a memo to Eagles Coaching Staff, in this day and age of footy you can not leave your defenders one on one with players such as Hall and MickyO with so much space in the 50, you will get killed..... Poorly Coached Woosha.

#############################################################

Great comment S/DOG, Woosha was asleep on this one
Badly outcoached, he should have had a loose man back there to assist,
Sydney had a 2/3 man forwad line too often.


Coach EADE was having similar problems with the Collingwood forward line
when 5 goals to 2 in front, and then dropped an extra defenderback[griffen i think]
The result, Collingwood hardly scored in the next hour.

Ironically EADE the percieved inventor of the flood in the Sydney days
is now one of the few who will not employ it these days.

[Dutchy]

Few comments on above

- Yes Eade is ahead of his time I think, he invented the flood but now everyone has cusght up with that he has gone a different tack with the running style of play, would love to know the stat on "bounces" for teams - bullies would have to be ahead on this one, they back themselves and their run and skill

- S/Dog, I only like going back 3-4 games not 8!! as the teams change so much so you can only take the last 24-36 months

- WCE, how Hansen cannot get a game in that side staggers me...like Skippy he needs to make a professional decision and seek opportunities elsewhere

- Dunno about Sydney, sure they have 2 stars in Goodes and Hall - the others simply get every inch of ability out of their bodies with great support of the coaching and medical team

- BTW I hope the crows make the GF, so I can sell my GF ticket for $$$$, as I did in 2004 to some Power Puff fan!

[mal]

How come SYDNEY never get injuries this time of the year?
Last year they were ordinary in the first half of the year,when
they did have players injured.
And for all the smarta...s out there I am not referring to a certain
ground in melbourne shared by 3 clubs in this discussion.

[Jimmy]

SUCKED IN COLLINGWOOD!!!!!!!! :D

[Peter Falconia]

Since the 2002 season the Crows have played Sydney 8 times, the scoreboard reads Adelaide 7 wins, Sydney 1 win, this is why Syd have a huge respect for the crows

History means nothing. Im sure the Swans are ready to take on all comers. I for one am still not convinced that Adelaide has that certain toughness to be able to win high pressure finals. Adelaide have to get past either the West Coast/Western Bulldogs first. Either of these two teams will be alot harder than the Dockers, who are pathetic in finals.

[Punk Rooster]

SUCKED IN COLLINGWOOD!!!!!!!! :D

Are you a WB supporter? If not, f**k off!

[Aerie]

I have been a bit critical of the style of AFL games this year, but some of the games on the weekend were some of the best footy I've seen.

Friday night's match set the scene. St Kilda looked good things in the first quarter, but Melbourne hung on and gradually wore them out. It was as tough and hard as you'll see.

The Adelaide vs Freo game was wrecked a bit by the wind and wasn't the greatest game to watch, but you knew Adelaide were up against it with the injuries they have copped and like Melbourne the night before, they hung on and eventually were too good for the Dockers.

Saturday night's game was easily the game of the season. Hall and O'Loughlin, despite carrying injuries, were the difference in the end. West Coast will be sore and sorry, but I expect them to recover in time for the Bulldogs and they should be too good for the Crows the week after.

I missed the Bulldogs play Collingwood, but heard the first few minutes on the radio and with Holland's bump, it sounded like another physical contest.

Anyone that wonders why finals footy is different to the regular season only had to watch the games on the weekend to see why. The games are 100% flat out, hard physical contests and the noise levels from the crowd are deafening. No inch is given by any player.

I reakon it will be another Sydney vs West Coast Grand Final. Sydney would have to be firm favourites for the premiership at this stage.

[Aerie]

How come SYDNEY never get injuries this time of the year?
Last year they were ordinary in the first half of the year,when
they did have players injured.
And for all the smarta...s out there I am not referring to a certain
ground in melbourne shared by 3 clubs in this discussion.

I reakon they have a few players carrying injuries. Hall and O'Loughlin definitely aren't 100%. The week off will do them good.

[Rik E Boy]

Syd. For someone who tells the Eagles, a side you haven't beaten this year not to get carried away, you sure are getting carried away. Granted, the Cows played really well against the Dockers but you are carrying on like the flag is already in the bag.

Yes, the Eagles are a good side aren't they? Your blokes found that out in Round 2 of last year, last year's Prelim and on the two occasions they have played the Blackbirds this year. You have pointed out that you have the wood on the Swannies but you've actually got to make the Grand Final (as do they of course) before you really have to worry about that and a team that your blokes have had real problems with (even at home) looms as a significant obstacle before you can think about the Swannies or the flag.

Don't count your chickens just yet Sydney.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

How come SYDNEY never get injuries this time of the year?
Last year they were ordinary in the first half of the year,when
they did have players injured.
And for all the smarta...s out there I am not referring to a certain
ground in melbourne shared by 3 clubs in this discussion.

Er..O'Loughlin, Hall, Jolly, Kirk. All nigglies rather than major injuries but every club has injuries at this time of year as it's a bloody long season. It's just that your blokes are even more cursed than us and that is saying something.

regards,

REB

[Peter Falconia]

How come SYDNEY never get injuries this time of the year?
Last year they were ordinary in the first half of the year,when
they did have players injured.
And for all the smarta...s out there I am not referring to a certain
ground in melbourne shared by 3 clubs in this discussion.

It's called having guts, strength, determination. Something the Swans have bucketloads of, where as St Kilda have none. Has there been a softer AFL team then St Kilda? The Western Bulldogs have been hit harder with injuries this year, but look what having team spirit does. And a decent coach.

[sydney-dog]

I agree history means jack shit whjen it comes to game day

my point is some of you say Crows have a poor record against the eagles but in the next breath dismiss sydneys record against Adel

I hope that Adel play Eagles in Prelim and Swans in GF, because if we are good enough to win the flag we would of won against all top 4 sides along the way, maybe them some of you might open both eyes and realise this is a pretty good football team

[Peter Falconia]

LOL

So when will the rest of the football public realise that Sydney are a great football side? They still don't get any credit. When Adelaide beat a "hot side", then they might get some street cred.