Who saw this coming? The Sydney Swans proved they are a completely different team after their demolition of the Richmond Tigers.
It’s hard to say how off the Tigers were relative to how good the Swans were, as always it’s probably somewhere in the middle. Sydney came out breathing fire. Young gun Chad Warner attacked the ball at centre clearances so well, Sam Wicks found all the right openings up forward, as did most of the Swans forwards, and Errol Gulden had the composure of someone old enough to have the name Errol.
Last year there would not have been a soul in the football universe who would name those three players along with two or three other young Bloods as the impetuous for a Swans revival.
To add to that all-important injection of youth are the maturing young guns ready to take the helm of the club: Callum Mills, Oliver Florent, Tom Papley and Jordan Dawson. These four players are exactly what the Swans hoped they would be.
The final ingredient is of course the established stars who have maintained the proverbial rage: Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Jake Lloyd.
They’re exciting to watch, they move the ball at speed, with dare and, when they need, slow precision. The speed threw out the Tigers defence numerous times during the afternoon. There were Swans forwards free as if they had an extra man on the field and, and when they weren’t free they were mismatched.
It looked at times like John Longmire had exploited Richmond’s zone defence to gain a mismatch by letting them zone and then spreading systematically to catch his opponents off guard.
In four years we have not seen the Tigers break mentally like they did on Saturday. There was frustration boiling over into unforced errors and silly free kicks all over the park. As someone who has been tortured by Richmond’s ability to perform to such a high level under pressure, it was joyfully funny to watch Noah Balta come to the verge of snapping.
Don’t hate, Tigers fans – he’s a gun and you got him from nowhere. Let us have this moment.
Finally, to John Longmire. Last year Damien Hardwick went after his style of play – he attacked his ability to move the ball. Well, Damo, how did you enjoy that ball movement?
If I were Longmire, I would have had an absolute field day in the press conference. I hope he seized that chance.
Angela
Roar Rookie
And, of course, right on cue, Chris Scott starts whinging about the Swans Academy. No one in Vic gives a fling when the Swans are losing but the minute they start winning Vic ALF heavies start the pile-on. Pathetic
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Prior to the stand rule the kicker had limited options. He could kick over the mark, down the line or across the ground to switch play. Or backwards. The new rules allow the kicker more options, particularly at 45 degrees allowing better use of the corridor. Doing this at speed can open the opposition up like a can of sardines. They also gain metreage because they can run wide of the man on the mark who is nailed to the ground. Lateral movement on the mark limits these options. Not a great explanation but I hope you get the gist.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Good luck & enjoy.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Yeah. And blokes like you, who are far removed, would know it all. Classic.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Not my problem you haven't been paying attention, dude. Sports Journalist? Pfffft.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
It increases the angles available to the kicker. Quite simple really.
Davico
Roar Pro
Just asking, but how does enforcing a rule that keeps someone on the mark result in uncontested footy?
Swanee
Roar Rookie
I understand and would normally agree with you, we both know that young players don't have the stamina to play at their best for a full season. However, the Swans are very much without injury (unlike the past few years), and we still have many young players that can be rotated throughout the season. Exciting players waiting to get back in include Dylan Stephens, James Rowbottom, Will Hayward, Sam Naismith, Matthew Ling, Callum SInclair, Will Gould, Justin McInerney, James Bell, Colin O'Riordan and Buddy Franklin. If we can stay relatively Injury free, with those players should be able to rotate throughput the year and keep the players fresh.
Sports Bloke
Roar Pro
Ahhhh ha a Ben Dixon burner account. Got ya
Sports Bloke
Roar Pro
People close to the action never talk bollocks you got me.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Benny Dixon says hi. But as you wish.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Do your research, Sports Bloke. Has been suggested by people closer to the action than you and I.
Sports Bloke
Roar Pro
God what a sad thought. Lets hope in continues as long as possible.
Sports Bloke
Roar Pro
Is this Damien Hardwicks burner account. You really think this is a conspiracy hahaha
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Yes, appreciate your position. The Steven Hocking ire at how Richmond played the game does have legs. No tin foil hat required. Enjoy the season, Sports Bloke.
Sports Bloke
Roar Pro
love it.
Sports Bloke
Roar Pro
Very tin-foil hat pablo. I actually think that the Tigers have one of the best equiped teams to handle the new style of play. Given their immense talent at moving that ball forward with highly talented mids and running backs. Also I think the AFL has been pretty clear for the last 10 years that their rule changes have been aimed at opening the game up. Tigers have found some pretty remarkable success at the end of that 10 years. And at the end of the day if the Tigers are the looser out of this and it will be hard to tell because any more than three cups in a row is almost unheard of in the modern era, you will still. have those 3 to be very happy about. And an enjoyable game to watch for your next, whenever that may be.
Angela
Roar Rookie
Umm, Mooty Your comments are difficult to understand. I find many of the public comments by the coaches you mention very negative. Despite their successes, public restraint and class are not attributes demonstrated by those particular coaches. In fact, success seems to bring out the worst in them. They have all demonstrated impulsive childishness on many occasions. And, I don’t think too many people will continue to view Longmire as a coach with a ‘negative style’. Let’s see what the 2021 season brings.
Lukey Miller
Guest
The long season will probably bring the Swans back to the field eventually, but we should enjoy the quality flowing footy while we can. Coaches will be clogging up the middle corridor and pushing numbers behind the ball to slow down the run and flow unfortunately.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
Angela, you say Scott, Hardwick and Clarkson don’t show restraint. Maybe not what you’re used to with Longmire, but then again none of them are negative style coaches, unlike him, as their record of eight premierships show. 2012 - 2021 is a long time between drinks for a coach nowadays, only bettered by Scott and Buckley