Highlights: Franklin scare in Swans' win over Roos

I think any true North person, myself included lauded the day the Roos opted to stay in Melbourne. Personally, I would much prefer to see them die entirely if they can't stay their own entity, the North Melbourne Football Club - Kangaroos. The day that North either merge or relocate is the day I give the game away. Will hold zero interest for me

Mike, yep, now you know what we mean by the "bloods" culture. Same thing. I wonder how many Norths supporters who believe in the shin bonkers spirit would acknowledge the bloods? To your point, North could now have had the benefit of the Suns support from the AFL for 5 years or more, but declined the opportunity to innovate and stayed in Melb. Now with the benefit of hindsight, Norths and numerous others would probably jump at the same chance if it came along again. The bloody mindedness that prevailed from the mid nineties to the mid naughties amongst Melbourne's fans seems so silly now. Like any industry, consolidate, innovate or die.

Agree to some point michael. There are too many clubs in Melbourne. Of those 4-5 clubs you are referring to, only 1 has won a flag in the modern era - well 2 flags actually and that is the Roos. As much as I love and support my Roos, I cannot see them surviving in their same entity long term without on field success. They just don't have the fan base of the power Melbourne clubs to get them through the rebuild years. What North lack in supporter numbers is more than made up by the spirit and culture that breathes through the club and every North Melbourne person. "Shinboner" spirit. It's difficult to describe but special

Mike, you are correct. But the truth is that Norths and 4 or 5 other sides in Melb belong in the VFL permanently, at least based on what the last 30 years has demonstrated about that group of clubs. Swans stand out as a club that has sustained success in the modern AFL comp. As all in Victoria will do when the Hawks or Geelong or the other few successful clubs down there "get the job done" against "whomever they are presented with to play"................we Swans fans will tic off Saturday's win, put it in the bank and move on. Surreptitious analysis of the Swans mediocrity as above (aka wishful anti interstate thinking) is irrelevant. The ladder and the percentage rankings are the only thing that matters at this point. That shows Swans superiority over most and the equal of the very best on their day That is all a fan can ask, thank you.

I would hardly say cruising in beating an almost VFL side by 9 points. North had 10 of their best players out. Thought I was watching Werribee v Swans at one point

North were switched on from start to finish. They were as good as they were during their nine-match winning streak at the start of the year, when they beat Adelaide and Western Bulldogs. There's absolutely no shame in beating them by nine points, particularly given how notoriously difficult it is for teams playing in Tasmania. The interesting thing is nobody has beaten Hawthorn in Tasmania since 2012, when the Swans were the last team to do so. And nobody had beaten North in Tasmania since 2013, when the Swans were the last team to do so. What I've liked about the Swans this year is this ability to win any style. The last three weeks were clinical to a tee, but it's an unrealistic expectation to have against a top eight side at their fortress. They were difficult conditions, particularly for our side who have average efficiency at the best of times. We didn't have Kieren Jack (a notable absence at the centre bounces) and Buddy didn't impact the scoreboard, and never really presented as a forward target. Yet we still had nine goal-kickers and kicked a score of 85 (would have been more if not for inaccuracy.) But the most pleasing aspect of this win is that we responded to every challenge North threw at us. If this was the same Swans side of last year, we probably would have crumbled once North got a run on. But every time they had a good patch and came at us, we just kept on persisting, and our persistence resulted in goals most of the time, which is another difference from last year. We just score much easier and more freely now. A good result even when far from our best, and it's now the third top eight side we've beaten away from home. Hopefully it'll give the boys some confidence going into finals that we can beat anyone at any ground (as long as they don't get too confident, a la 2014)

Hardly comparable games - Hawthorn at home as opposed to Swans playing away at Norths supposed stronghold of Blundstone Arena. So in answer to your question, no Swans are most definitely not a 30 point poorer team than Hawks.

Sage advice there young Swannie. 2014 was the Swans to lose, they don't hand out premiership medals at the airport on the way to Melbourne!

Swannies - Don't tempt fate...I love our team too - my heart has leapt every times I see the colours since 1973 including the bad , sad days at S Melbourne's Lakeside Oval. Well actually 1976 and 1977 were good seasons for us but that is another story! What I mean is that teams do not always play the exact same way every week. Teams lose games they are expected to win - that is the consequence of a long season. Hawthorn not playing at capacity at the mo but they will be back. The Bloods doing well and did just enough today. They will roll on and at least play in the Prelim. The rest is assuming that they play well on the day - not a science as we all know! AS regards building a dynasty - I have dreamed of that for years. The Hawks have done it because they have believed they could. I don't think our Swans have that kind of head set. But I could be wrong.

DR...Hawks put in a near-perfect 1st quarter last week. Swans were pretty much in 2nd gear the whole game and just did enough. They will click into 1st gear come September.

I'm not sure that beating a middle-of-the road team like NM by nine points says a great deal about the Swans.If the Hawks, who are fading, could beat them by 39, then maybe the Swans are 30 points poorer than the Hawks?

Just proves Swans are not totally reliant on Buddy. They are just cruising at the moment on their way to a premiership. They are only going to get better and build a hawk-like dynasty!