The Roar
The Roar

AFL
Advertisement

The Swans and Wallabies go AWOL

Rugby fans will likely never know the full story behind Ewen McKenzie's resignation. (AAP Image/ Dave Hunt)
Expert
28th September, 2014
20

The Swans went missing in action for all four quarters in their AFL grand final clash with Hawthorn at the MCG, the Wallabies for the last 11 minutes against the Springboks at Newlands.

Why?

Pre-game, the Swans were rated white-hot prospects by the majority of pundits to win their second flag in three years.

Those who weren’t so adamant, reservedly said the decider was too close to call, and would go right down to the wire.

Both factions were a binocular distance wrong.

For the Hawks to win by 63 points, and lead at every stage, was a credit to their aggressive and positive play for the whole journey, leaving the Swans with a staggering lack of composure.

The Swans didn’t dog it, or tank it, they just didn’t turn up to play, which in itself was mind-boggling to watch. Very un-Swan-like.

And the way coach Johnny Longmire handled the media afterwards was also way out of left field. Longmire is a credit to the code and himself as an outgoing, well-spoken head honcho of the Swans.

Advertisement

But he was terse, knocking back any questions that covered individuals on the day, and especially the playing future of the Swans’ marquee player Adam Goodes. That’s not the real John Longmire, his predecessor Paul Roos was never like that, irrespective of how seriousness the situation.

Let’s face it, being flogged by 63 points in a grand final when you are expected to win, is very very serious. So do we put it down to just a “bad hair” day for the Swans?

Nothing is as simple as that, it never is.

There’s no greater example of the seemingly possible happening than Don Bradman being bowled neck and crop for a duck by England’s leggie Eric Hollies in The Don’s last innings. At the Oval in 1948, Bradman only needed a lousy four runs to own a career Test batting average of 100.

An awesome stat.

Still, 99.94 is an awesome average as well, especially as the next best is South African Graeme Pollock (60.97), with West Indian George Headley (60.83), and Englishman Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73). They are the only three Test batsmen in history to average better than 60, but still lie massively short of The Don.

That’s what the Swans were on Saturday afternoon – massively short of Hawthorn.

Advertisement

No doubt that loss will scar the Swans and their big band of supporters for sometime. But there’s always next season, with big lessons to be learned from this one. I’d venture to bet there will never be another day in the Swans history when across the board lack of inspiration sinks another campaign.

As for the Wallabies?

For 69 minutes the men-in-gold were in the lead after an early try by the Boks. The Wallabies led 10-5 at the break, but the Boks landed a penalty early in the second half to make the score 10-8 in favour of the Wallabies.

The lead should have been a lot bigger, but the Wallabies butchered far too many chances to score.

Very quickly I leave outside centre Tevita Kuridrani out of that criticism, he played out of his skin for 80 minutes, constantly breaking the first tackle, and when he had to defend he inflicted pain.

In my book, Kuridrani was the man-of-the-match in a losing side, closely followed by Bok flanker Schalk Burger, back from long-term injury, who only played half a game off the bench.

Burger won’t be wearing jersey 20 again, while Kuridrani will be wearing the 13 jersey for as long as he’s fit enough to play. Kuridrani did everything his peers didn’t do, consistently playing to potential, and often beyond.

Advertisement

It was Kuridrani who set up Adam Ashley-Cooper’s first half try, bursting through two defenders to send the winger on his way. Scott Fardy was another Wallaby who played to expectations, but two is never enough.

The Boks took the lead 11-10 with 11 minutes to go, thanks to a Pat Lambie penalty, but that was the last the Wallabies saw of their bid for victory, as the Boks crossed for three tries in their 28-10 victory, leaving the Wallabies scoreless in the second session, while the Boks piled on 23 points.

It doesn’t matter if a team has a bad hair day, that’s human nature. But there’s no excuse for a capitulation, and to be brutally frank both the Swans and Wallabies capitulated.

We’ll have to wait until next season to see if the Swans recover and build a successful 2015 campaign, but the Wallabies fly to Argentina to take on the fast-improving Pumas next weekend.

We await coach Ewen McKenzie’s selections with interest, with the Pumas planning an ambush after losing 34-13 to the All Blacks. The men in light blue and white showed they had something to offer against the All Blacks in La Plata, and will be better prepared for the Wallabies.

If the Wallabies repeat those hellish 11 minutes of yesterday the Pumas will chalk up their first Rugby Championship win. And that will really hurt.

close