Top of table Swans continue winning streak over Eagles
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West Coast coach John Worsfold hopes his team’s personnel crisis will ease over the coming weeks after watching the Eagles slump to a 52-point AFL loss to arch rivals Sydney at Patersons Stadium on Sunday.
Swans speedster Lewis Jetta booted four goals, while midfielders Ryan O’Keefe (39 possessions), Dan Hannebery (42) and Kieren Jack (29) starred as Sydney retained top spot on the table with a dominant 18.13 (121) to 10.9 (69) triumph on enemy territory.
The Eagles’ fourth loss of the year and sixth straight defeat to the Swans saw them slump from second to fifth spot, while their intimidating 18-game winning streak in Perth was also brought to a grinding halt.
West Coast entered the match without eight of their best 22 players due to injury and suspension, and were dealt a further blow when forward Jack Darling was subbed out of the game in the third quarter due to hamstring tightness.
The loss of Darling was particularly telling in a forward line already missing Josh Kennedy (ankle), Quinten Lynch (suspended), Mark LeCras (knee), Mark Nicoski (hamstring), Josh Hill (hamstring) and Ashton Hams (soreness).
In their place, ruckman Dean Cox (one goal) had limited influence, while defenders Will Schofield, Jacob Brennan and Patrick McGinnity also failed to have any significant scoreboard impact.
After the match, Sydney coach John Longmire played down the significance of the win given the amount of talent missing from West Coast’s line-up.
Worsfold hoped the return of Lynch for Saturday’s crunch clash with Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, plus the possible inclusions of Hams and Hill, would start a trend of regaining key players.
Midfielder Luke Shuey has one more week of his suspension to serve, while wingman Andrew Embley (shoulder) could return in a fortnight.
“There were times today when I think we had three defenders playing in our forward line trying to hold up for us, replacing those guys that were out,” Worsfold said.
“I thought they did a pretty good job just working hard when the ball got in there, but we were shuffling players around to get a team out there a little bit today.
“Lynch is available next week. Hopefully Darling’s all right and we could potentially get Hill and Hams back.
“So it’s all up (from here).”
Sydney utility Lewis Roberts-Thomson was taken to hospital for assessment after copping a heavy knock to the head in a hard but fair bump from Brennan.
Roberts-Thomson was given the all-clear, and is a chance to play in next Sunday’s clash with St Kilda at the SCG.
Longmire said his team wouldn’t get caught up in outside hype despite the impressive nature of their victory.
“It doesn’t worry us internally,” Longmire said.
“What happens outside the Sydney Swans footy club is really up to everyone else. We have very little control over that.
“I understand people want to talk about September now but I don’t focus on it because it’s only July.
“I’m just really pleased with the style of footy we’re playing and that’s what we’ve got to try to keep doing.”
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July 16th 2012 @ 8:37am
Strummer Jones said | July 16th 2012 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Where were Cox and Nic Naitanui? They appeared to have little if any influence of the game. Very much an anti-climax in the end.
It was also odd seeing Grundy fumbling a bit while Malceski probably had his best game of the year, and Bird and McVeigh actually stepped up. If the latter three can continue on those performances, Swans could be a chance to get a top two finish.
July 16th 2012 @ 9:45am
Nathan of Perth said | July 16th 2012 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Naita and Cox carried the team on the very spongy ground in Tassie to get the win over North Melbourne. Looks like it took a lot out of them.
July 16th 2012 @ 9:18am
Pope Paul VII said | July 16th 2012 @ 9:18am | Report comment
And Hannebury, they must have read the roar.
Injuries sminjuries Worsfold. North nearly did them when they had Shuey and Lynch. Classy effort by the crowd to boo Roberts-Thompson for holding up the game.
Collies and Hawthorn will make things a bit clearer, maybe, but Sydney are the real deal I think.
July 16th 2012 @ 9:59am
Nathan of Perth said | July 16th 2012 @ 9:59am | Report comment
North was a ground we had never played on before and it took a while for realise our game plan was all wrong – it was inevitable that we would both come back against them and that, having conceded the better part of a quarter and a half domination, that it would be a close-run thing.
But really, the loss of four additional players, Hill inclusive, not to mention still not getting back Waters who had to be pulled just before the North Melbourne game, combined with the mid-game loss of Darling, means that our stocks of forwards are effectively gone.
July 16th 2012 @ 10:58am
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 10:58am | Report comment
We dispatched the Hawks quite well in Tassie at the start of the year but we do need to prove ourselves against Collingwood who are the benchmark I think. We can’t seem to beat Adelaide either for some reason.
I’m yet to be convinced by the Hawks. After round 5 everyone was saying that they wouldn’t really prove their credentials until they consistently beat the best sides. Since then they’ve strung a lot of wins together but they haven’t really played anyone of note. That’s not their fault, it’s just the way that the draw has panned out, and I’m certainly not dismissing them but the next few weeks will show where the Hawks are truly at.
July 16th 2012 @ 9:30am
Winston said | July 16th 2012 @ 9:30am | Report comment
I would also add Alex Johnson to that list. He did a couple of classy things yesterday which is very unlike him. Marty Mattner was not bad either.
July 16th 2012 @ 10:50am
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 10:50am | Report comment
Johnson has hit a good patch of form over the past few weeks. he’s quite similar to Grundy in some ways. Both of them have questionable disposal, with a tendanciesto fluff it by foot, but both are very good defensively.
July 16th 2012 @ 9:44am
Pope Paul VII said | July 16th 2012 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Mike Pyke’s goal. Not bad for a behemoth.
July 16th 2012 @ 10:03am
Nathan of Perth said | July 16th 2012 @ 10:03am | Report comment
The backline has been sterling all year – that was only the second time all year a three-digit score has been kicked on us. But even though it was, aside from Waters, mostly uninjured, the other lines were so ruined with injury and suspension that we had to cannibalise the backline to plug the holes.
As a result, the backline also broke and we conceded our worst score, but a long ways, for the year.
July 16th 2012 @ 4:18pm
Strummer Jones said | July 16th 2012 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
Grundy was strangely indecisive whilst Johnson had a cracker. Hopefully LRT will be right for next week.
July 16th 2012 @ 10:09am
Redb said | July 16th 2012 @ 10:09am | Report comment
If the season is true to form, just as a front runner looks to cementing itself at the top, they will get knocked off. Although the Swans at home it may not happen this week against the Saints.
The Collingwood game still looms as the Swans true test of premiership fave.
July 16th 2012 @ 10:20am
Nathan of Perth said | July 16th 2012 @ 10:20am | Report comment
For that matter, Collingwood’s true test as well.
July 16th 2012 @ 12:12pm
Redb said | July 16th 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Collingwood can claim the away factor though if they lose, they just need to finish top 2 to secure a home final.
July 16th 2012 @ 10:53am
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 10:53am | Report comment
It’s a very impressive performance. I was quietly confident of a win given the Eagles outs but I don’t think many people picked a 52 point margin. It’s even more impressive given that Goodes and Bolton had fairly quiet games. The younger players are stepping up and we no longer rely on the veterans of O’keefe, Goodes and Bolton to get us over the line, although O’keefe was superb yesterday.
More importantly we now have effectively a 2 game margin over 5th given our good %
July 16th 2012 @ 11:13am
Nathan of Perth said | July 16th 2012 @ 11:13am | Report comment
The result was expected – the excessive margin can be attributed, as I mentioned above, to Darling going down and Schofield having to cover from.
In the second half we did not have the services of the entirety of our best-six starting forward line. Literally all gone – three defenders or midfielders had to pinch hit forward because we were just out of forwards.
July 16th 2012 @ 1:38pm
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 1:38pm | Report comment
52 points against the Eagles in perth is huge no matter who they had out. Besides West Coasts midfield hasn’t been hit too much with injuries and was pretty close to full strength yet they were smashed by the Swans equivalent.
July 16th 2012 @ 2:31pm
Nathan of Perth said | July 16th 2012 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
It’s not even the outs in the mid and backfield that are the problem, its that we’re having to play those players out of position in the forward line, which has been wiped out. Having these players in the forward line doesn’t just hurt that line, it ALSO hurts the midfield and back lines that we had to take those players out of.
Although missing Shuey and Embley are in and of themselves big outs.
Not even wiped out as in is missing a player or three. It’s gone. Not one of the six forward-line players that we had in the second half would have started in a clean-slate team.
July 16th 2012 @ 4:22pm
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
I’m not arguing about the injuries. They clearly had an impact and the re-shuffle of positions for other players doesn’t help. Shuey was certainly missed though he only has himself to blame for that. Still, a midfield containing Kerr, Priddis, Gaff, the Selwoods, Rosa etc should have done better yesterday. They all had decent individual numbers but 48 inside 50′s to 65 indicates that they weren’t as effective as they should have been.
West Coast will still be a serious threat when/if they get some players back but next week’s game away to Adelaide is crucial. A loss will end their Top 2 hopes.
July 16th 2012 @ 12:33pm
OldManEmu said | July 16th 2012 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
I can hear the bandwagon starting to fire up….
Looking at the Swans draw you would have to think they are odds on for a top two finish.
They will dispose of the Suns, (a Juddless?) Carlton and the Bulldogs without too much drama. This will take them to at least 60 points which by itself might well be enough looking at the draw. But I expect they will beat St Kilda as well this weekend and this should get them there. They then have tough games against the Hawks at the SCG, the Pies at Olympic Stadium and then what I think will be their toughest game of the year against the Cats at Skilled Stadium against a side that will either be having to win to make the finals or will be wanting to win to make up for a very disappointing season.
The biggest thing against the Swans prospects for the flag is that they so rarely play at the MCG. As a matter of commonsense a team that rarely plays at a venue, particularly a ground with the aura and size of the MCG, is not going to be as good as other teams that play there more regularly, particularly the Pies and the Hawks. The only trip by the Swans to the MCG this season was one resulting in a poor loss to an average Richmond team and this must have been at least in part due to the fact that Richmond play frequently at the MCG.
The biggest factor in the favour of the Swans is that they are in Sydney.
The Melbourne centric AFL media gives no credit at all to the Swans and to a lesser degree writes off the Eagles, the Crows and other out of towners. This was no more evident than Channel 7′s Game Day programme on Sunday with the Eagles Swans game on any measure due to be an absolute banger and was given only the barest of mentions. Instead the panel foamed at the mouth about the Judd chicken wing, The Kangas resurgence, blah blah blah – anything but the Swans.
So there is no media pressure or spotlight whatever on the Swans.
And there is the fact that the Swans can lead pretty much normal lives in Sydney. They can go about their daily routine away from footy without being hounded, as opposed to players living in Melbourne and this has to be a massive plus.
My long term prediction is that the Swans will be there on the last day in September. I will get back to you about their prospects when we know who they will play. If it is Pies, Hawks or Essendon I will not be as confident as if it were Eagles or Crows.
July 16th 2012 @ 4:24pm
Strummer Jones said | July 16th 2012 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
Thanks OldManEmu. You’ve just cursed the Swans. They’ll lose to the Saints and the Suns now
Seriously, last year they were dropping games like they were Richmond against the Suns. This year its only happened once (against Richmond….which was a game they should have won). Hopefully the stretch of good fortune will last, but I sense an upset for the Swans on the horizon.
July 16th 2012 @ 4:34pm
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
St Kilda this week is a possibility. They gave as a real touch up down there earlier in the year. If they took their chances it would have been 50+ points. The fact it’s at the SCG means that we should win but it’s far from a certainty.
July 16th 2012 @ 4:26pm
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
In fairness to the Melbourne based AFL media, they don’t get much help from the Sydney media!
The MCG record is very strange. We have no problem in perth and had a good win against the hawks at Aurora which is a big ground so it’s not like we can’t play on the bigger grounds. Then again if we can make the Top 2 then, as you say, we might not have to play there until the GF and the MCG issue will be negated somewhat if we’re against Adelaide or West Coast.
July 16th 2012 @ 3:01pm
Lroy said | July 16th 2012 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
I think WCE not only will struggle to make the top 4, they might struggle to hold onto a top 8 spot given the injury problems they have.
Quinten Lynch, Luke Shuey, Josh Hill, Josh Kennedy, Andrew Embley, Mark Nicoski, Mark LeCras and Beau Waters..Ashton Hams..Jack Darling…
I dont care who you are.. no team can win a game if its 7 top goal kickers, are missing. Throw in two of its gun midfielders and a top defender .. crikey..they would have struggled to beat GWS. A 50 odd point loss actually might not be that bad all considered.
Seriously, Eagles will be lucky to win 14 games, given our only games against sides not in the top 8 are against Port (great record against us) the Lions (beat us a few weeks ago) and the Dockers.. which is always an arm wrestle.
So unless the Eagles get some luck on the injury front, their premiership hopes may now be over. The only thing going for them is that all the other sides will take points of each other as well, so maybe 14 wins will be enough to get a top 4 spot after all?
I cant help but wonder, does this have something to do with Woosh not giving the boys the week off training during the bye?? Seemed like an appalling decision to make them train on the Saturday night before the Carlton game.. Surely they needed a break to freshen up mentally and physically??
Oh well, its all in the hands of the gods now..
July 16th 2012 @ 4:32pm
Matt F said | July 16th 2012 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
They’ll easily make the 8. They’re 3 games and % ahead of 8th and have some very winnable games to come. They’ll still be good enough to beat Brisbane at home as well as the Power in Adelaide and should be too good for Fremantle and Geelong (in Perth) as well. They’ll get quite a few of those players back over the period. That will be more then enough for a Top 6 finish and a home final and quite possibly enough for a Top 4 spot as well. However if they lose to the Crows this week then their Top 2 hopes are completely finished.
July 17th 2012 @ 6:23pm
Lroy said | July 17th 2012 @ 6:23pm | Report comment
Dude, I like your enthusiasm… hope you are right
July 16th 2012 @ 3:34pm
Richo said | July 16th 2012 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
A win inspite of some shocking umpiring decisions. Three clear cut examples of deliberate out of bounds by the Eagles and how many called? zero. The umpires are spineless and get influenced by the crowd.
Selwood’s fifty in the first quarter was also a joke. Still not too late to get a spot on the diving team for the Olympics.