Darren Jolly of Sydney and Darren Glass of the West Coast during the AFL Round 08 match between the Sydney Swans and the West Coast Eagles at ANZ Stadium. Slattery Images
Sydney maintained their unbeaten home record and kept themselves in the finals race, scraping home in yet another AFL thriller against old rivals West Coast at ANZ Stadium.
The Eagles got their noses in front for the first time in the match with a Scott Selwood goal 20 minutes into the final term, but Kieren Jack answered with a goal with just over two minutes remaining to give the Swans a nail-biting 16.10 (106) to 15.11 (101) victory.
In his first game against the Eagles since his infamous punch on defender Brent Staker last year, Barry Hall answered his critics with five goals to show there is still some fight left in his ageing legs.
Adam Goodes and Jude Bolton were also outstanding for the home side, while Ryan O’Keefe had his best game of the season after a sub-par start to the year.
Dean Cox and Andrew Embley excelled for West Coast as Ben McKinley kicked four goals and Josh Kennedy three.
The Swans threatened to pull away a number of times but the two great rivals traditionally enjoy tight encounters and this one followed the script.
Both sides are in the process of trying to rebuild their lists after consecutive grand final appearances in 2005 and 2006.
But Sydney’s core group is still intact and the victory keeps them well in the hunt for September at 4-4 for the season, while the Eagles have slipped to 3-5.
Sydney have now won six of their past eight clashes at their second home at Homebush Bay.
The Swans got off to a flying start against a flat West Coast outfit who struggled to get their hands on the ball in the first term.
Sydney had three goals on the board inside the opening 12 minutes as they tried to stamp their authority on the game.
But West Coast gradually settled and two late goals meant they trailed by just one straight kick at the first change.
Sydney led by 19 points at the last change, but the Eagles finished full of running and kicked four goals to two in the final term and appeared likely winners.
Jack’s late heroics, however, gave the Swans the priceless four points.
It was the eighth time in the past ten meetings between the teams that a match was decided by less than one goal.
Hall had come in for some stinging criticism after a goalless effort in last week’s heavy loss to Geelong, so Swans coach Paul Roos was happy for his spearhead on Saturday night.
“Geelong are a super side and they belted the Kangas today and belted us last week,” he said.
“(Cats defender) Matty Scarlett’s a super player but even he would say after halftime there was hardly any one-on-one contests between them, our ball use was pretty ordinary.
“But Hally’s ability to get his hands on the footy and convert at really important times for us was excellent tonight.”
Roos was also left scratching his head at yet another close game.
“It’s extraordinary. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just one of those things that’s happened between the two sides and has happened so regularly over the last six years,” he said.
“They were fantastic tonight the Eagles. We got out to a couple of gaps and they fought their way back, got in front in the last quarter.
“Credit to them and obviously credit to our guys getting over the line in the end.”
Jack was also thrilled after kicking the winning goal that squared Sydney’s record.
“It’s unbelievable. I think we got away with it in the end,” he said.
“If we had gone 3-5 it really would’ve been a bad start to the season.
“We’re 4-4 now, we move on and hopefully step forward.”
BigAl
Guest
Peter . . . you're obviously not on the Swan's bandwagon - what wagon are you on ?
Redb
Roar Guru
Pip, The Foxtel numbers will continue to improve as penetration increases in tradtional AFL cities like Melb, Adel and Perth as now there are 4 live AFL games and due to the fixed schedule they occasionally get the better games like St Kilda v Bulldogs, St Kilda V Essendon, the ratings will be out next week. The twilight game (4:40pm Sunday start) will be a ratings winner not so good for crowds they only got 45,000 on Sunday, should have been 51-52k. The majority of AFL games are in the day whereas the NRL has about 75% at night or prime time. My friend Roy Masters was at it again on the weekend with his flawed logic and laughable 'confidential report' on NRL v AFL ratings and TV rights. Redb
Pippinu
Roar Guru
The most amazing stat I saw in those ratings you're referring to is that 262,000 tuned into Fox to watch West Coast vs Melbourne - bloody hell - who would tune in to watch them two!!??
Redb
Roar Guru
beaver fever, Interesting stat. I'm sure Saturday night is not as good as Friday night. Two other non Swans games attracted 40,000 and 50,000 viewers giving cumulative ratings in Sydney for AFL games of 250,000, Brisbane had 236,000 for all AFL games. It shows that the AFL is developing its own TV market for AFL fans as opposed to just Sydney Swans fans, the Swans over the last 2 seasons have not been in the best games/contests. It's a start. Redb
beaver fever
Roar Pro
Interestingly enough the game between Collingwood and Carlton on sunday arvo rated higher in Sydney than the Sydney/ West Coast game did in sydney on saturday night 84k to 78. what does this mean ....... is saturday night a ratings black hole for sports or are the swans just plain ugly to watch. Take a squiz http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?p=14539210#post14539210
Redb
Roar Guru
:-) is for more evolved cyber warriors than LOL, didn't that go out in the 90's :-)
Peter
Guest
LOL - Again with the Face icons. Looks like someone's still not tired of their X-MAS present.
Redb
Roar Guru
Peter, There is no hiding from the fact that bandwagons drive a lot of sport support outside of their actual popularity levels and I mean all sport. Leave the deliberate mis-spelling behind just makes you look like a goose. ;-) Redb
Peter
Guest
Not that old "Vlad told the Swans in 2005 they play unattractive stop start foddy" As one prominent Sydney Sports jouno said at the time [and this guy was not an alf knocker] "We dont know what attractive aussie rules foddy is. we only watch the swans play and if thats what they play then that's all we know about how the games played" The swannies could play like the Harlem Globetrotters and still the crowds @ the game and TV rating will still be the same. red -you actually gave the real reason later "the bandwagon factor fades" 100% Spot on! The swannies bandwagon has dropped off big time. From 60,000+ a game @ ANZ to 30,000. ouch!
Peter
Guest
Oh! Sorry Red , I missed a couple thou. That should read 793598137. Thanks!
Redb
Roar Guru
Peter, Actaully I was referring to this: "but when 764890247 journalists across all forms of media... " :-) Swans ratings are not great, next question. Sydney likes winners, has a predominant rugby league fanbase who were brought up with an entirely different type of game play. The game rated 293,000 in Melbourne for a Sydney (some Sth Melb diehard remnants) and a Perth team. AFL boss Demetriou told the Swans in 2005 they play unattractive stop start football, what do you expect once the bandwagon factor fades. The Western Sydney White Elephants will give Sydneysiders a chance perhaps to follow a team who might play the game the way it should be played, although the Swans on Saturday night are starting to play in a good style. The Swans were warned about their game style. Redb
Peter
Guest
10 Saturday Night Afl Ten Sydney - 76,000 30 Abba The Movie Rpt SBS Sydney - 77,000 How do you like them Apples red? Exaggeration? No, just FACTS.
Redb
Roar Guru
Peter, your not prone to exaggeration by any chance? :-) Redb
The 1 and Only Master
Guest
Can anybody on this site tell me which team based in Sydney that averages over 25K per game like the Swans do I know for a FACT that Sydney F.C. really struggles to get a crowd over 15K. A-League crowds were down DRAMATICALLY last year, this was blamed on the Financial Crisis. Why have AFL crowds remained buoyant ????? Any comments. Always funny when the soccer crowd point out 1 team or 1 game to highlight declining interest in the AFL. One game is not a trend ! One teams performance doesn't speak for the whole competition. The problem that MC pointed out with the A-League was that ALL clubs went backwards last year. The AFL crowds this year are mirroring last years record breaking year. The AFL has no problems, Soccer has them by the truck load
Peter
Guest
Oh! And another fact. The swannies also got outrated by the 30+ year old movie ABBA:The movie. Which as been replayed 6898683 times on TV and was on SBS. Western Sydney White Elephants hear they come.
Peter
Guest
Spot on jimbo RE: Mickyc;s constantly referring to the decline in “A-League crowds”? MC As far as "there’s people out their with an agenda to discredit the AFL and just knock at every opportunity" what makes me laugh is that if a member of Joe Public makes a factual comment about alf's irrelevance in NSW you claim that people like no knock alf. But when 764890247 journalists across all forms of media [special regards to NEWSLimited (Australia wide), Southern Cross Radio and C7,9] hang shit on Football in any way, I dont read your posts about the football-phobia that exists in the widespread media that reaches several Millions. As opposed to a sports blog that reads by several thousand Talk about a sooky la la
Redb
Roar Guru
Jimbo, The story is beat up by the same journo who proclaimed "Rugby league storms into AFL fortress" a day or so later with a story of 1,400 regisitered RL players in all of Melbourne and Victoria. The NSW Sports Minister very clearly explained on the Offsiders a couple of weeks ago that the NSW Government has not even been approached by the AFL with an offer in mind re Showgrounds,etc. This was in direct response to that article. The AFL has spruiked as it's right and it is certainly not alone (NRL,FFA or ARU) that there has been a 30% increase in participation across NSW and QLD. Now how you equate that with the statement "the AFL’s claims of taking over the NSW sporting landscape are not coming to fruition" is perhaps best left to thsoo who can establish logical debate on known facts/statements rather than tabloid like dribble. Redb
jimbo
Guest
Redb, Then what’s this story all about then? http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25403241-23211,00.html?from=public_rss The AFL used a lot of persuasion including statistics that showed AFL was growing at 30% a year to get councils and governments to get involved. No sooking - just a reality check. :)
Redb
Roar Guru
Jimbo, your last sentence is just plain false. The AFL has never claimed it wil take over the NSW sporting landscape and the NSW Government has not withdrawn any funds for AFL projects becuase they were no projects to begin with on the table. Your just a sooky la la. :-) Redb
jimbo
Guest
MC and you've never pointed out the decline in "Soccer crowds"? I33k is a good crowd for NRL or SFC and this is where AFL has the advantage, but is does also show a fall in attendance and interest on TV over last year. Strangely no one watches AFL on TV up here and is the lowest rater of any major sport north of the Murray. The falling crowds and ratings are also a contributor to NSW Premier Rees withdrawing funding for AFL projects because the government can now see that the AFL’s claims of taking over the NSW sporting landscape are not coming to fruition and not spending money on AFL won’t cost him too many votes in NSW.