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May 09, 2006
Swans Bitch Slap Lions in Easy Walk in the Park
With the season back on track and the heading to to Brisbane which had become a happy hunting ground under the coaching of Paul Roos the Swans came into the match against the Brisbane Lions expecting to win. In the build up to the match the Lions game plan had been leaked to the local media and reports had the side split in two between those loyal to the coach Leigh Matthews and those loyal Jason "I cry like a little girl" Akermanis.
For the Swans the game started on a great note which the late withdrawl of Ben Mathews for Sean Dempster who had some impact on the match including his first goal in League football. The Swans led most of the day and really weren't pressed at any stage despite the Lions getting within two goals half way in the last quarter. Sydney was particularly dominant in the second term but led by only 26 points at half-time thanks to Barry Hall missing a pair of gettable set shots.
However, the Swans were able to build on their advantage in a third quarter when Jason Akermanis blew up and gave in to his "serial pest" Jared Crouch. First the he gave away a free kick that resulted in a goal to Crouch, then he tangled with Crouch which saw him get reported and conceded another free which resulted in the goal to Sean Dempster from 60m's out on the run.
Thanks Aker
The last quarter was a task of getting to the 100 point target for the second week in a row and hold the Lions at bay, which the Swans did with ease. For Sydney, Jude Bolton, Nick Fosdike and Adam Goodes were prominent with Goodes getting 28 possession alone to wrap up Best on Ground honours. In defence Lewis Roberts-Thompson did a fine job standing Jonathan Brown, while Crouch kicked two goals, had 19 disposals and won his running battle with Akermanis. Hall was good early kicking three goals until young first gamer, Jason Roe was put on him. The kid was outsized but put up a great fight and stopped Hall for ripping the Lions apart any further.
All in all a good win, but we'll face better sides in the coming weeks. This Lions side isn't what it was.
BRISBANE LIONS: 3.4, 4.4, 8.7, 10.10 (70)
SYDNEY: 5.2, 8.6, 13.10, 15.12 (102)
GOALS: Hall 3, Goodes, Crouch, Bolton, Ablett 2, Kirk, McVeigh, Dempster, Malceski 1.
Best Swan On Ground: Adam Goodes. That's more like his Brownlow winning best.
Rising Star: McVeigh. His Best. Game. Ever.
Posted by robbieando at 06:19 PM | Comments (0)
May 06, 2006
Team Selections vs Lions
BRISBANE LIONS v SYDNEY
Sunday, 1:10pm AEST, Gabba
SYDNEY
B: Barry, Richards, Schneider
HB: Mathews, Roberts-Thomson, C.Bolton
C: Kennelly, Kirk, Crouch
HF: O'Keefe, Hall, Goodes
F: Fosdike, O'Loughlin, J.Bolton
R: Jolly, Ablett, Williams
Int: Buchanan, Chambers, Malceski, McVeigh
EM: Dempster, Schmidt, Vogels
No Changes
BRISBANE LIONS
B: Johnson, Michael, Roe
HB: Sherman, Leppitsch, Voss
C: Notting, Black, B.Scott
HF: Moody, Charman, Rischitelli
F: Bradshaw, Brown, McGrath
R: McDonald, Power, Selwood
Int: Akermanis, Attard, Fixter, M.Clark
IN: B.Scott, Leppitsch, Roe, Attard
OUT: Copeland (neck), Mills, Macdonald, Corrie
EM: Brennan, Harding, Corrie
NEW: Jason Roe (North Adelaide)
Field umpires: Grun, Schmitt, McInerney
Well no changes to the Swans line up that beat the Cats last week so really nothing to speak about on that front, however the interesting bit is the umpiring selection of a certain Shane McInerney who we may all recall fucked us out of a home prelim final with the "free kick that wasn't" against Leo Barry against West Coast in the final in Week One. Will be interesting to see how he umpires us seeing as that mistake cost him a spot on the umpiring panel for the Grand Final (quite rightly though). Still should be a good game against a team we had no fear of when they were at their peak, so who know what will happen know they at in 16th spot as we speak.
Posted by robbieando at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)
May 03, 2006
Swans Take Another of the Cats Nine Lives
They came into the match wanting revenge and they came wanting to get their season back on track, but the Geelong Football Club failed on Saturday Night to do either and as a result has clear found itself in a position many would of found impossible 3 weeks ago. Still for the Swans they welcomed the return home to Telstra Stadium to win their second match of the second season and prove to the football world that they aren't going to give up their premiership crown without a fight.
Jude Bolton got his side's first eight minutes in after a 50m penalty while a strong mark to Mooney allowed Charlie Gardiner to put the Cats back in front a minute later. Hall was giving Matthew Scarlett the slip and he had plenty of it in the first quarter as well as booting a goal. But Geelong, with Gary Ablett and Paul Chapman looking creative, led by a goal at the first break.
The Swans went on to gain the ascendancy in the match during the second quarter. Hall booted the first of the second term from a free kick. Mooney then pulled in a ripper and repeated the dose with a handball to Gardiner who booted his second to give Geelong back the lead. The goals soon dried up but the Swans were doing all the attacking and it was only time before they got on top.
A costly turnover from Scarlett, who was moved off Hall mid-way through the quarter gave Goodes his first goal, and when Schneider and Craig Bolton booted late goals the Swans led by 20 points at half-time. The Cats were struggling to penetrate their half-forward line as the Swans, with Tadhg Kennelly starting to return to his attacking best, charged from defence at will.
Hall continued his outstanding night less than a minute into the second half, booting his third to make Geelong's task that much harder. Chapman replied with a great set shot from a tight angle but two quick goals to O'Loughlin and Craig Bolton had the margin out to 32 points. The Cats didn't lie down though, with Ablett dribbling one through while Jarad Rooke and Mooney also added majors. Hall and O'Loughlin could have put Geelong away before the last change but missed easy chances. Still the Swans led by 24 points at three-quarter time.
The Cats booted two early goals in the last term through Mooney, the Cats' only real tall-marking threat, and Chapman to cut the deficit to just two goals. But Hall booted his fourth to spell the end for Geelong, and two more goals to Schneider and another to Goodes ensured the Swans celebrated their second win for the year and quite clearly their best.
SYDNEY: 3.3, 7.11, 11.16, 15.17 (107)
GEELONG: 4.3, 5.3, 9.4, 13.7 (85)
GOALS: Schneider 4, Hall 4, C. Bolton 2, Goodes 2, J. Bolton, O'Keefe, O'Loughlin.
Best Swan on Ground: Tadhg Kennelly. Sure not our best per say, but heck he was our most important player out their on the night thanks to the run he provides coming out of defence.
Rising Star: Nick Malceski. Again. Just keeps on improving with gametime.
Posted by robbieando at 10:52 AM | Comments (2)