For much of Saturday night at Spotless Stadium, the Giants coasted on their talent until they were finally struck with a punishing blow of cruel irony: the most talented player on the field was playing for the other team.
Lance Franklin’s high-arching dagger from outside 50 on the left boundary was almost cheapened by its rich, breathtaking predictability. Franklin excels at making moments more difficult than they need to be, and then making them look like they were effortless all along.
He juggled the mark in front of Phil Davis in the fourth quarter, seemingly costing himself the precious few metres that would have made the goal kickable. But then Franklin reminded everyone that every word in his football vernacular ends with ‘able’.
Franklin’s goal didn’t end the game, but it was a game that always felt over anyway. The Giants, the most talented team in the competition, playing at home against a team whom they have owned in recent history, were only down six points in the final term and not for one second looked like they would win the game.
Moments of individual brilliance kept GWS in the match, and occasional chains of multiple moments of individual brilliance made things briefly interesting. But the Giants were, ultimately, a little hopeless.
They won contests, but their victories were made fleeting by the confusion that followed with ball in hand. They spent the night manfully climbing rungs of a ladder that led nowhere.
They positioned themselves in defence, then gave away mindless free kicks inside 50. They spread with intensity off half-back, but the intensity was dead by half-forward. They delivered the ball inside 50, but delivered it to no one. For stretches they played the game in their forward half, but the ball never felt trapped there – it was not boxed in; it was just being repelled by a small, eminently breakable wall, which finally did break.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
Everything Sydney did, they did with order. Everything made sense. They had numbers behind the ball, and when they regained the ball, they ran forward together in perfect synchrony. They worked harder, impelled by the knowledge that talent is only crushing when it is properly weaponised.
The Swans were a perfectly drilled military unit – the Giants were a lot of John McClanes all trying their own way to take down Nakatomi Plaza.
This is not a three-week malaise for GWS. They have been stumbling since the first five weeks of the season, unable to properly punish semi-competitive teams, and making few statements against the best. A team this brilliant should not be losing to Carlton and St Kilda, or failing to win at home against a Geelong side absent Joel Selwood, coming off a six-day break.
The GWS issue is not manpower. They have injuries, but the team that took the field against Sydney was still arguably the most talent-laden in the league. Their issue is organisation, or motivation, or both. Whispers about poor coaching are growing louder.
The fact that the Giants are continually being neutered by teams prepared to work hard, track back and cut off the corridor, reflects poorly on Leon Cameron, and suggests an inability to devise a Plan B. His decision to play Rory Lobb behind the ball on Saturday night, shrinking what should have been a decisive height advantage for GWS inside 50, was incomprehensible.
Cameron said he was pleased with the effort Saturday night. Moderately improved resilience cannot be a benchmark for these Giants – the sky must be the goal, and right now, they are rooted firmly to the ground.
I ate pies
Guest
It's in reference to my statement that their players are overrated...do keep up.
Penster
Roar Guru
Well, sure, to some extent, but Gold Coast managed to fluff it up pretty badly, Melbourne has enjoyed stupid amount of concession and produced zip, Swans COLA should have chalked them up for more than 1 flag in 10 years .......... it's much easier to stuff it up than deliver a flag.
JD
Guest
And incredibly hard-working.
Josh
Expert
I'd say that's about right, personally.
Mark
Guest
Pretty comical making two separate comparisons with Carlton when the Blues beat the Giants, especially when GWS have been accused of expecting talent to get them over the line against the "system" of Carlton.
Mark
Guest
You should have a much greater strike rate in getting more talented players getting so much first round draft picks.
Mark
Guest
So are Sydneys. What's the relevance?
Mark
Guest
He wasn't but any chance for you to take a potshot hey?
Tom
Roar Rookie
What a lot of rubbish. GWS loses it best forward, who for those of you who actually go to the game, is Jeremy Cameron who is fast and kicks bombs, but Swans keep Buddy and Paul Roos says that the swans are doing it on system and not talent. What a silly thing to say. Who doesn't use their talent. Look at Carlton they have plenty of system and they're at the bottom of the table. Geelong have Dangerfield put him forward and he wins them the game. Talent over system, I'll have talent please As for Cameron opening an account at Centrelink, he is one of the best coaches in the comp. Check out the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Carlton as comparisons. A few weeks ago they had 4 AFL listed players in the NEAFL. The depth isn't as big as everyone thinks. Half of the senior sides in Victoria can attest to the number of people who were formally at the Giants. They have been able to keep about 15-16 of their best players in the team, but the rest are really only NEAFL standard at best. Yet still they are THIRD. (The three people they miss are Cognilio, Griffen and Hopper)
justif01
Roar Rookie
Yes the Swans outplayed GWS for most of the game and Buddy Franklin had a decent game and GWS have not really played inspired football of late a bit of perspective is needed. Franklin doesn't always have a decent game, if he played like that in last years grand final the result may have been different. A fit Cameron, Coniglio at the least would have made GWS more competitive. Hopper and Taranto would provide be another midfield option at the very least. Griffen and Deledio it is hard to know what impact they would have but fully fit they would add something positive. Even Setterfield in the reserves has a similar size somewhere between Fyfe and Bontempelli and who knows he may well add something extra to the midfield rotations that have been a bit lacking. There are maybe up to five or six teams capable of winning it this year but if GWS get their mojo back in the next few weeks they are every chance to give it a hit.
George
Guest
Very harsh assessment of GWS in comments here considering they have 10+ players on injured list it seems like forever. Not sure if any team could cope as well as GWS did. How did Swans play with 4-5 players injured early in season?
Paul D
Roar Guru
All I see is someone suffering a bad case of butthurt. What did I do to you again, apart from give it back to you when you took a pop at me? What a sook.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Crows or Swans. That's this week's guess...;)
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Technically, but you see the point, yes?
I ate pies
Guest
So their top players are those from other clubs, just like I said.
Darren
Guest
But Josh that is 20 midfielders and only 18 teams. Roughly 1 a-grader per team. Is that the going rate?
Sir Col in paradise
Guest
Tough one johnny doggie - 7 teams left in it - the top 4 plus Swans, Tigers and bombers. It's down to Cats and Swans for . Toss a coin for my bet @!!
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
There's only one question in that one, bro
sammy
Guest
Another train of thought. GWS do have a heap of players picked in the draft first round which is supposed to imply they have an extremely talented list because they get early cracks at recruiting the supposed best 18 year olds. What this does overlook is the number of good to great players that have been picked up outside the first round and talent that develops at an older age. No one is doubting that GWS have a very talented list, but are those players more talented than Sydneys, or Adelaide's or Geelongs or Melbourne's or Ports. I mean by this that all these teams have some really good players on every line as well and the expectation that GWS was just going to have to turn up to win is silly as when you put 22 talented people v 22 talented people, either side can win. What it says in my opinion is that we have a very even league where no team is a standout as no one team has a vastly greater array of talent from the other and there are many teams still in the conversation to win the flag this year because of this
Sir Col in paradise
Guest
Love it Paul - exactly.... Anyway the window is only going to be this and next year - they are going to have some retire around then , the rest are going to get pillaged - if Fyfe goes for what's rumoured the vultures are going here and pick what they can get . GWS will loose depth and be back with the pack. No matter who is coaching.