« Team Selections for Prelim Final | Main | Magoo's Finish Their Undeated Business »
September 17, 2005
"We 'jis Got to Keep it Goin' "
Stary, stary night.
Yet another last quarter charge has seen the Swans move within one win of the long awaited promised land. Nine years since our last chance the Sydney Swans are finally, finally back on football's biggest stage and we couldn't go in any more pumped than we already are. Sure it was a good win tonight and one that would of shocked most of the football world, but I won't get ahead of myself like I did in 96. I'm just happy to finally have another shot at football's biggest prize and a prize that hasn't been in Red and White hands since 1933.
I tell you one thing however unlike last week where I felt sorry for the Geelong supporters, I couldn't give a stuff to the cocky St Kilda supporters who already were discussing things such as "what jumper the team should wear in the GF" and "who should play the GF to win a premiership medal". These fools deadset thought they would just have to show up tonight and next week and the premiership would be their's. Well you have to wait longer now.
Still enough of my bitter (if you could call them that after winning) rantings and onto the match itself. The threat of rain held over the city of Melbourne all week and most of today, yet my gametime only a small amount had fallen and clearly not enough to effect the match like it did in last years semi final against St Kilda. From the outset the Swans didn't take any backward steps and attacked the Saints more than anyone expected and got 5 first quarter goals thanks to 2 goals each to Willo, Hall and a single from O'Keefe and jumped out to an 12 point lead at the first change.
The only down point of the first term was the off-the-ball incident Barry Hall had with St Kilda defender Matt Maguire and as a result Hall now faces a nervous wait ahead of the grand final. The incident was captured by the television cameras and showed Hall appearing to make contact with Maguire in the stomach with the Saints defender doubling over in pain, much to the fury of the Saints crowd. I think its soft, but it certainly could go either way.
In the second quarter it was mainly end to end stuff with packs forming offen, as a result the Swans only managed the one goal to Davis and allowed St Kilda to get 2 of their own to cut the lead 4 points at half time. In the third term it was more of the same from the Swans, but St Kilda put it all on the line as they charged to a 15 point lead going into time-on despite an earlier Amon Buchanan goal. Things were looking dire and the Swans badly needed a late goal if they were to stand a chance in the last quarter.
Just when we needed Barry Hall the captain to stand up, he did it by not only kicking the much needed goal which got us within 7 points at three quarter time, but at going over to the umpires upon the siren to give them a blast over their performance (which I predicted) which had at one point in the third term seen the Saint on the receiving end of an 8-1 free kick count. If only we could be that lucky.
While the Swans for the second week running started the last quarter behind on the scoreboard, they had the legs and thanks to a last second pep talk from Brett Kirk (who played most of the match with a nasty cut to the head) to the will to take the Saints on and win themselves a play in the Grand Final.
Our hero of the last quarter onslaught was Adam Schneider who kicked three goals after having a poor match up to that point with three kicks to his name. His run and belief of 2003 was back as the Swans made their move. Schneider kicked the first two goals of the final term to help the Swans regain the lead by the seven minute mark this was followed by a goal from O'Loughlin with a great snap at the eight minute mark. This was followed by 3 goals from Hall, O'Keefe and O'Loughlin which sent Swans fans crazy and dashing off to get Grand Final tickets.
By the time Schneider kicked his third on the run at the 18-minute mark, the Swans were 27 points up and celebrating their first finals victory at the MCG since the 1936 Preliminary Final and first in Melbourne since 1945.
While the forwards always get the credit one must not forget the efforts from the defence and again the underrated Craig Bolton was magnificent at centre-half-back thrashing a disappointing St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt who yet again proved that his abilty on the big stage is questionable at best. Jared Crouch barely allowed Saints' goalsneak Stephen Milne near the ball and set up much of the Swans drive across half back as he did last week. And Leo Barry never stopped trying to give the Swans run out of defence even though Fraser Gehrig kicked four goals.
So the Swans have made the Grand Final and after the bagging Paul Roos copped early in the season (including from myself I will admit), he has earnt the chance to have a final say in who is right and shut up those who bag the club's style of play. The following quote I feel sums up the season and the clubs turn around.
"It was a phenomenal effort by the guys. We were 2-4 early in the season, and copping it from everywhere. All credit to the players and the assistant coaches for remaining steadfast."
Anyway the Prelim Final is past us and now its onwards to the Grand Final and a chance at the clubs fourth ever premiership and as Manny always says:
"we 'jis got to keep it goin'"
SYDNEY: 15.6 (96)
ST KILDA: 9.11 (65)
Goals: Hall 4 Schneider 3 Williams, O'Loughlin, O'Keefe 2 Davis, Buchanan 1.
Best Swan On Ground: Ryan O'Keefe for the attack and Jared Crouch for the defence
Posted by robbieando at September 17, 2005 08:20 AM
Comments
I had an idea for the Swans cheer squad and you seem to be the closest I can get to them. Make of it what you will. I'm an Essendon supporter but obviously I prefer the Bloods to get up on Sept 24. My proposed message for part of the banner is "All New South is behind you. All old South is behind you. Go Swans!"
Posted by: John McClelland at September 18, 2005 01:01 AM
I'm in fact a member of the Cheer Squad and I'll certainly pass on the idea.
Posted by: robbieando at September 18, 2005 10:14 PM
Only one step to go! Not bad for 'ugly!'
Posted by: tony at September 18, 2005 11:42 PM