Six games, 13 points. From September 2005 to March 2007, West Coast and Sydney played each other on six occasions, four of which were finals, with the matches decided by an average margin of 2.17 points.
The last three games, where the rivalry ascended from compelling theatre to brilliant absurdity, shared the same margin of a solitary point.
Sport often has the feeling of determinism – as though a script has been pre-written, and the two teams are just playing it out. Eagles fans got a taste of that in 2004 when James Hird completed a fairy-tale, because of course he did.
The West Coast-Sydney rivalry is perhaps the best example in recent AFL history of the joy of determinism, especially in the 2006 grand final, for me the crown jewel of the rivalry, Leo Barry be damned, it felt like the football Gods, and not the players, were dictating the outcome.
The teams traded the final five goals, and every time West Coast extended the lead to seven points, it seemed as though fate started wearing red and white guernseys to cut the margin back to one, which the Swans did on three different occasions in the final eight minutes.
The final score that day was 85-84, the exact same scoreline as in the qualifying final the teams played against each other three weeks earlier. Fittingly, the two sides ended the ’06 finals campaign tied at 169, with the tiebreaker seemingly only the football Gods’ sense of fairness given Sydney’s victory the year prior.
Great rivalries are made by great moments. For many, Geelong-Hawthorn has succeeded West Coast-Sydney as the pre-eminent modern rivalry, largely because of its longevity (2008-2014) and its array of memorable moments: Stuart Dew’s legendary third quarter in the 2008 grand final, Jimmy Bartel’s match-winning point after the siren in 2009 and Tom Hawkins’ goal at the same junction three years later, to name a few.
The Eagles and Swans produced just as many moments, in less than half as many years. The Leo Barry mark and Daniel Chick smother are the two most notable ones given their context, but don’t forget about Daniel Kerr’s game-saving tackle in 2007 and Michael O’Loughlin’s iconic goal-square finish and celebration to win the 2006 qualifying final at Subiaco.
They say styles make fights and West Coast and Sydney were affirmation of this. ‘Judd, Cousins, Kerr’ was the most devastating, exciting three-word sentence in football a decade ago. Sometimes diversity in a team is the most aesthetically pleasing phenomenon, but often homogeneity is just as breathtaking. Chris Judd, Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr were all different players but their powers largely overlapped.
The talent they shared was momentum – the ability to combine vicious speed with commanding, battering force. Watching the trio explode from congestion time and time again was as majestic a visual spectacle as any midfield has produced. When they combined in the same passage, there was nothing you could do as a fan but rejoice and dance in the streets. It was special.
Aesthetically pleasing is not how anyone chose to describe the Sydney Swans of a decade ago. They were the Rafael Nadal to West Coast’s Roger Federer, wearing down their more attractive opponents with grit and persistence. So often their match-ups felt like a game of rock-paper-scissors, where Sydney was the rock and had made paper unavailable to the Eagles, forcing their western opponents to try and gnaw away at the rock with scissors.
Such was the supreme talent of the Eagles that they were often able to succeed this way.
West Coast-Sydney stands as the most memorable football rivalry of my lifetime. Geelong-Hawthorn was ludicrously entertaining, but how great can a rivalry really be when one team wins 11 times in a row?
West Coast-Sydney didn’t end in March 2007 either. There was the Ben Cousins comeback game later that year forever etched into Eagles folklore, and the Barry Hall hit on Brent Staker in 2008, forever etched into boxing folklore.
Thanks to Cousins and deep V-neck t-shirts, the Eagles-Swans rivalry petered out at the end of the decade as the Eagles, who did win five of the seven clashes with Sydney in the heart of the rivalry, could no longer uphold their end of the bargain.
In 2015 though, the rivalry has relevance again. For the past two months the Eagles have been the second best team in the league, and despite last weekend’s catastrophe, the Swans can still make a credible argument that they have the most talented list in the AFL (do not yell Hawthorn fans, your team is unequivocally the best in the game).
Inside 50 differential and contested possession differential are arguably the two best basic metrics to judge teams in 2015, and on these fronts the Eagles rank first and third while the Swans rank fourth and seventh. They’re both elite squads and Richmond is the only genuine contender to dislodge either of them from the top four.
When they play each other on Sunday, there will be legitimate repercussions in the premiership race. That’s the first time a West Coast-Sydney clash has had that at stake since 2007. Of course, it won’t be the same. There’s not the same history between the players, no epic match-ups of Judd, Cousins, Kerr and Dean Cox against prime Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton and Darren Jolly. Goodes, Ted Richards, Sam Butler and Jarrad McVeigh are the only remaining players for either team from the 2006 grand final.
At the same time though, rivalries evolve through time and although they take different forms, they always retain something from the past. The 2004 line in the sand match between Hawthorn and Essendon had added significance because of what had transpired between those teams two decades prior. Collingwood playing Carlton will always be meaningful, largely because of things that happened 40 years ago.
The players may be different on Sunday afternoon, but the colours will be the same as they were when Leo Barry rose up and plucked a premiership from the heavens. In the age of free agency, player movement and constant change, consistent laundry is something to savour.
Brian
Guest
The rilvary didn't end in the 2006. There have still been some close encounters since the famous 05/06 run. The two games in 08 were memorable, one for a punch and another for a 9 goal to 3 comeback from the Swans to win by 5 points on hostile territory. Then in 09, a young eagles team almost stole victory before Kieran Jack kicked the winner to again win it by 5 points for the Swans. 2011, Swans against beat Eagles by 13 points after the unlikely hero Andrejis Everit kicks two goals in 5 minutes. The rilvary you could say started in the 2004 season when the two teams played in an elimination final.
Brian
Guest
crowds peaked in the 60s and 70s only because ohs laws were slacker. the 120,000 who attended the 1970 gf did so at an mcg which smaller then the current all seater version
Me Too
Guest
to be inclusive I propose the Premiership tallies begin with the last team to win one from the previous incarnation of the AFL. So tally from 1966 onwards - anyone want to finish the count. I'll start: GWS 0 Suns 0 Fremantle 0 Bulldogs 0 Melbourne 0 Port 1 St Kilda 1 Adelaide 2 Sydney 2 ...
Me Too
Guest
As a few have already mentioned, this simply isn't true. Up until the 1980s the best sanfl and wafl players stayed in their states, with a few notable exceptions. The reasons being that football was semi professional for most of its history and these players already had good jobs and relatively good money, plus fame, family, and friends. Their wasn't near the same pull, and although the VFl was the premier league, the difference certainly wasn't striking enough for most players to up and leave to chase glory there.
kavvy
Guest
Slane, the "spirit of the game" argument you've made about rushed behinds is probably the most pathetic thing I've ever read on The Roar. Congratulations
Michael Huston
Guest
I think it's the best rivalry of that era. It was a good short run of two teams that were truly equal (I don't believe Geelong and Hawthorn were as equal, nor do I think they matched up as evenly as Sydney and West Coast). They had completely different styles, faced off in back-to-back grand finals (something Geel v Haw never did) and both were thrillers. Both teams had the buzz players who were walking highlights reels, such as Judd, Cousins, Goodes, Buchanan etc. Both had players that brought a lot of drama, such as Barry Hall and Daniel Kerr. But most importantly, there seemed to be an immense respect between the two. It wasn't like Coll v Carlton or Ess v Haw or Haw v Geel or Freo v WC where there was a sense of real animosity. This was just two clubs that recognized each other as their greatest threats and gave their all to the final siren to beat each other. That is a rivalry.
mattyb
Guest
You have described that fascinating history very well Rick.Thanks for sharing.
The Oven
Guest
Great comment especially re: the form guide.
The Oven
Guest
Hahahahahaha!
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
I think a rivalry is only as good as the teams that contest it and doesn't outlive its time. Around 1990-ish Melbourne and West Coast went at it a bit, the Bulldogs and the Crows had a few grudge matches around 1997-99 and Essendon and Brisbane had the whole "no rules" series from 2001-3 but all of that means little now. The same goes for Carlton-Collingwood and West Coast-Sydney, in my opinion.
jax
Guest
They mean nothing because we don't have a connection with them just as Victorians don't have a connection to interstate players that didn't go to Victoria. It has little to do with parochialism from my perspective and more to do with completing the circle, ironing out the kinks and making this a truly national competition. Each state league had amazing players and they were all strong competitions. I can understand why Victorians want to hold on to their records. If most of those Victorians barracked for an expansion club they might think differently about it. It's people that support Victorian clubs that are the parochial ones. I'm thinking truly national and modern. John Todd won the Sandover Medal at age 17. George Doig kicked 1103 goals in 203 games averaging 120 goals over 9 seasons. I've heard people say that Robran was the Bradman of football (never saw for myself). Stephen Michael was unbelievable, imagine Jim Stynes only two or three times better with plenty of tricks). Vics got a lot but they also missed a lot.
jax
Guest
Why did they think so poorly of North?
jax
Guest
VFL clubs made a massive push to sign WA players prior to the Eagles joining, I read an article on it recently and there was a lot of cream taken.
jax
Guest
I remember. I went to school in Geelong and followed the Cats before the Eagles joined. I didn't say that the VFL records are a farce. I said merging VFL records into AFL records is a farce and that they should be separated. The VFL was the strongest comp but it wasn't the only comp and not everyone wanted to play there. These were the points I was trying to make. I've spoken to guys that went to the VFL and those that ignored multiple offers. Money was the key factor, the challenge was secondary. Some of the greatest players to have never played in the VFL include. Barrie Robran, Stephen Michael, Garry McIntosh, Michael Aish, George Doig, John Cahill, Nick Sautner, Bill Swan, Bill Walker, Paul Bagshaw, John Todd, John Leedham; Neil Conlan, Horrie Gorringe; Bob Withers, Ken Eustice, Bob Quinn,, Bob Hank and Lindsay Head to name a few. Guys like Coventry, Reynolds, Whitten etc and their records mean something to Victorians but they nothing to most non-Victorians. Just like the names above mean nothing to most Victorians. The VFL records aren't relevant and when we hear that team X has won X flags of player X has done X we don't take it seriously. I'd like to see them separated once and for all. It's just a matter of time before it happens so why delay the inevitable. It may take 10, 20 or 50 years but eventually they will be separated.
Freo As
Guest
As a Dockers supporter, anything before 1995 don't count for crapola.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
Sth Melbourne had the Foreign Legion in the 30s. North had a few notables in the 70s and 80s. Haydn Bunton Snr Polly Farmer and so on If the VFL had a draft they would have taken all your wingers and flankers as well
Pope Paul vii
Guest
Nah the Big teams got sick of flogging St Kilda so North, Footscray and Hawthorn volunteered their services. Everyone regrets Hawthorn joining. Actually the rest thought North were beneath their dignity so there could have been a bribe involved.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
I'm from NSW. Sure there are some notable exceptions,who stayed at home but they are exceptions. Many interstate champions wondered if they were good enough and gave it a crack. Perhaps you are too young to remember the VFL's impact on the nations footy lovers prior to the advent of the AFL? Everyone had a team, including those who were SANFL and WAFL followers which is why you will find supporters all over the place. I don't care that you are parochial but you are kidding yourself if you think VFL history is farcical.
joe b
Guest
I'll proffer my biased view as well... East Perth v West Perth is the real rivalry in the WAFL. Go the Royals!
Bennvick
Guest
Excellent article! Well written, entertaining and true!