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July 09, 2006
You've Just Seen The Premiers People
And it isn't us thats for sure going by today match, the Crows are far and away the best side in the competition today and will take over our Premiership crown without too much trouble come September. Us, well we are just shocking at the moment and to be frank a match report by me wouldn't sum up how bad we really were on Sunday. Error after error, mistake after mistake, turnover after turnover - this team has given up the goast and has finally decided that 2006 isn't going to be seen as the year where the Swans went Back to Back because we are a running joke at the moment. Too few are trying and to me thats a joke. Anyway here's the AFL's Official match report:
Swans fall to ladder-leadersSydney was unable to answer an onslaught from the Adelaide Crows on Sunday, going down by 39 points - 15.11 (101) to 8.14 (62) - in front of a sell-out crowd at the SCG. Adelaide, which has looked a class above the rest of the competition in recent weeks, was again in supreme touch after having to overcome a dogged Sydney outfit in the opening term. But once they found their feet, there was no stopping Neil Craig's men.
It was another even team performance from Adelaide, although Simon Goodwin (27 possessions), Mark Ricciuto (16 possessions and two goals), Trent Hentschel (three goals) and Graham Johncock were all outstanding. For the Swans, Michael O'Loughlin provided a target in attack all day, while Jarrad McVeigh and Luke Vogels provided some rays of light ahead of the Swans' tough road trip to the west next week.
From the opening bounce it was evident the Swans had come to play, and were determined to restrict the Crows' run off half-back which has been such a weapon in recent weeks. In a low-scoring but enthralling opening term, neither side could assert itself on the contest and gain any real supremacy. The Swans were playing it tight and in close early, and were rewarded in the sixth minute. In a sight to warm the heart of all home fans, Sydney's big guns all got a touch as Barry Hall found O'Loughlin, whose high ball found the sure hands of Ryan O'Keefe.
Hentschel answered O'Keefe's major mid-way through the opening term to get the Crows on the board, but O'Loughlin replied following a strong mark a minute later. Ricciuto, without kicking a goal in the first quarter, was looking dangerous for Adelaide, who despite not having many clear winners was right in the contest and trailed by just four points at the first break. It didn't take long for the Crows to take the lead in the second term. After a Swans chip on the wing failed to find the target, Adelaide pounced and from the resulting turnover Ricciuto kicked a long bomb from just outside 50.
Three goals in three minutes from the eight-minute mark further silenced the Sydney faithful, as the Crows running machine started to click into gear. Johncock cleared the pack and bounced one through from a long way out, and then Rhett Biglands showed his mobility from the ensuing centre bounce to dob one on the run from 45. When Goodwin did the same a minute later, the visitors had skipped out to a 19-point buffer and Sydney was in trouble. Johncock was awarded his second after a dubious soccer - which the home fans thought had already crossed the goal line - and it wasn't until time-on before the previously unsighted Nick Davis booted the Swans' first of the term.
But Adelaide hit back through Hentschel, who somehow managed to sneak through his second amid a host of defenders just nine seconds before the half-time siren. The Crows led 7.7 to 3.5 at the long change and the Swans needed to manufacture another of their famous SCG comebacks if they were to take the points. Sydney did manage to stem Adelaide's run in the third term and actually looked the better side in patches throughout, but converting was a problem. Jude Bolton had a moment he would prefer to forget, as Ricciuto swooped on the Swan's dropped chest mark 30 metres out from the Crows' goal to boot his team further ahead. McVeigh goaled at the 17-minute mark to lift Sydney and his major looked as though it might rally the reigning champs.
They seemed to have the momentum and could have edged inside a three-goal margin, but O'Loughlin's horror miss from 20m out in front might have killed off any sniff Paul Roos' men had of pinching a win. Matthew Bode goaled deep in time-on to make it a 28-point ballgame - and with Sydney having just four goals on the board at the last change - the fat lady began warming her tonsils. The two teams traded goals in the last quarter but the Crows were able to extend their margin, making it look easy at times while the inaccurate Swans have some work ahead of them if they are to force their way into the top four.
Next week Adelaide returns to AAMI Stadium for a meeting with Hawthorn while Sydney travels to the other side of the country for a Grand Final replay against West Coast on Saturday night.
SYDNEY: 2.2, 3.5, 4.10, 8.14 (62)
ADELAIDE: 1.4, 7.7, 9.8, 15.11 (101)
GOALS: McVeigh 2, O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, Davis, Buchanan, Williams, Goodes 1.
Best Swan On Ground: Adam Goodes.
Rising Star: Jarrad McVeigh
Posted by robbieando at July 9, 2006 10:27 PM