wubsy's Sydney thread

[woodublieve12]

Preview from AFL.com

SUMMARY
It's only round four but this clash between two undefeated sides is crucial for the two top-four contenders. Fremantle's demolition of West Coast showed just how attacking Ross Lyon's men can be, albeit against the undermanned Eagles. The Sydney Swans' experienced heads helped them hold off the Giants in round three, and they'll be needed again for the league's toughest road trip. With names like Nat Fyfe and Lance Franklin running around in brilliant form, this looms as an absolute belter.

WHERE AND WHEN: Domain Stadium, Perth, Saturday 6.40pm AWST

TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide

LAST FIVE TIMES
1QF, 2014, Sydney Swans 13.15 (93) d Fremantle 10.9 (69) at ANZ Stadium
R5, 2014, Sydney Swans 13.14 (92) d Fremantle 11.9 (75) at the SCG
2PF, 2013, Fremantle 14.15 (99) d Sydney Swans 11.8 (74) at Domain Stadium
R8, 2013, Sydney Swans 11.4 (70) drew Fremantle 9.16 (70) at the SCG
R2, 2012, Sydney Swans 14.10 (94) d Fremantle 12.9 (81) at the SCG

THE SIX POINTS
1. The Swans won both of these sides' encounters in 2014. In round five at the SCG, Lance Franklin booted 4 goals and Josh Kennedy starred with 38 possessions. In the qualifying final at ANZ Stadium, Luke Parker had 32 touches while Matthew Pavlich kicked four goals for the Dockers.

2. The Swans hold the head to head advantage over Fremantle, winning 16 games to 12, with one draw. Since 2009 it's four wins each and one draw.

3. This game will be a battle of the competition's two best ruck divisions. Fremantle is ranked 1st for hit-outs with 56 per game, while the Swans are 2nd at 53.3.

4. The Dockers have a fantastic record against the Swans at Domain Stadium, winning six of their eight contests and five of the past six.

5. Both sides have been strong defensive teams so far in 2015. The Swans are ranked 2nd for least points conceded with 64.6 per game while the Dockers are 4th at 69.6.

6. Nat Fyfe and Lance Franklin are probably the two hottest players in the competition right now, and sit 7th and 8th respectively on the AFL's Official Player Ratings.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR
Craig Bird, the Swans' stopper likely to get the job of curbing the influence of Fremantle star Nat Fyfe. Suspensions may well have cost the Docker a Brownlow Medal last year and he's started 2015 on fire, racking up 31, 36, and 31 touches in his three games. Bird put the clamps on GWS youngster Dylan Shiel in the Sydney derby last week but Fyfe is a whole different prospect, and he'll need plenty of help from his teammates to have any chance of stopping the best player in the competition so far this year.

PREDICTION: Fremantle by 17 points.

[bennymacca]

bring back tom mitchell ffs

[woodublieve12]

Titus O'Reily's preview

Sydney vs Western Bulldogs (SCG) 2.10pm
Luke Beveridge must be a pretty happy man. Walking into the Bulldogs at the end of last year seemed like folly, especially given everyone else seemed to be walking out.
Weirdly, though, those leaving left a whole lot of talent behind.
Being a Melbourne supporter, I’ve never met a Bulldogs supporter and frankly never want to, but I imagine they’re pretty happy right now.
Sydney are returning from an unsuccessful trip to Fremantle, where they almost pinched a win after giving up a massive lead early on.
I can’t see the Swans dropping this one after the start they had last week. They’ll want to make amends on the SCG.
The Doggies can match them for toughness but are not yet at this level, as shown against Hawthorn two rounds ago.
Plus, the Swans have Kurt Tippett, the most expensive decoy in the game’s history.

Sydney Swans versus Western Bulldogs
Prior to the start of the season the solitary match between the Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs for the year shaped as a likely mismatch.

The Swans were coming off another successful season only tarnished by the grand final loss to Hawthorn, while the Bulldogs lost their captain, coach and CEO in tumultuous circumstances after their third consecutive bottom-five finish.

Oh, and not to mention that the Bulldogs also lost their reigning best-and-fairest, Tom Liberatore, to a season-ending knee injury during the NAB Challenge.

But any fears of a one-sided match have been set aside for now, with both sides on three wins and one loss for the season and playing contrastingly exciting brands of football four rounds into the new season.

The Swans started off with three consecutive wins against Essendon, Port Adelaide and GWS before a poor first half proved to be their downfall against Fremantle.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, thrashed the previously unbeaten Adelaide Crows by 57 points to prove that they are tracking well under rookie coach Luke Beveridge, despite the adversities the club faced at the end of last season.

Their first visit to the SCG since 2012 will provide an acid test of where the Bulldogs are at, and for their multi-million dollar recruit Tom Boyd, it will be his first trip to Sydney since leaving the GWS Giants at the end of last season.

As hyped-up as this match may be, the Swans’ home ground advantage and the fact the Bulldogs haven’t won in Sydney since 2008 should swing the favouritism the way of John Longmire’s men.

Prediction: Sydney Swans by 32 points.

[woodublieve12]

I thought it was a bit stiff McGlynn was Omitted...


B Jeremy Laidler, Ted Richards, Nick Smith.
HB Dane Rampe, Heath Grundy, Rhyce Shaw.
C Jake Lloyd, Josh P. Kennedy, Craig Bird.
HF Kieren Jack, Lance Franklin, Jarrad McVeigh.
F Lewis Jetta, Kurt Tippett, Sam Reid.
Fol Mike Pyke, Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker.
I/C Adam Goodes, Tom Mitchell, Gary Rohan, Dean Towers.
Emg Harry Cunningham, Ben McGlynn, Sam Naismith..

In Adam Goodes, Tom Mitchell, Dean Towers.

Out Harry Cunningham (Omitted), Ben McGlynn (Omitted), Isaac Heeney (Ankle).Milestones:
Jeremy Laidler - Playing 50th game..

[RoosterMan]

I am still stunned we lost on the weekend.

I know the Doggies are in form but that was a game we pissed down the drain.

Our accuracy in front of goal was awful and I lost count of how many times we kept fumbling it.

Yes the conditions were atrocious, but being highly paid professional footballers there was no excuse to put in a piss poor performance like that.

[woodublieve12]

I am still stunned we lost on the weekend.

I know the Doggies are in form but that was a game we pissed down the drain.

Our accuracy in front of goal was awful and I lost count of how many times we kept fumbling it.

Yes the conditions were atrocious, but being highly paid professional footballers there was no excuse to put in a piss poor performance like that.

Our form in the wet in general is pretty poor...

couldn't agree more with all of that.
Interesting to see why McGlynn was dropped? At first i thought it was injury, but he ended up playing reserves. Good showing by mitchell with 30 touches.

[valleys07]

Good showing by mitchell with 30 touches.

Needs to play in place of Goodes for the remainder of the season- you need to look beyond this year.

[bennymacca]

its easy to say in hindsight, but do you think someone should have tapped goodes on the shoulder and asked him to retire at the end of last year?

he reminds me a little bit of ricky ponting - clearly one of the games best ever players, but maybe stayed on a bit too long. (contrast him with Judd, Pav, Harvey et al who are still performing at a very high level)

[Booney]

its easy to say in hindsight, but do you think someone should have tapped goodes on the shoulder and asked him to retire at the end of last year?

he reminds me a little bit of ricky ponting - clearly one of the games best ever players, but maybe stayed on a bit too long. (contrast him with Judd, Pav, Harvey et al who are still performing at a very high level)

Definitely, and I have no doubt he stayed on as he didn't want to go out on the back of that GF loss.

[daysofourlives]

Its not too late for someone to tap him on the shoulder now, hope it doesnt come from a 13 yr old girl

[MW]

I think he can still do a job, just not the job they are asking of him. A stay at home third tall forward would probably suit with the only knock he is prob. not quick enough to chase the defenders out of the forward line anymore

[daysofourlives]

I think he can still do a job, just not the job they are asking of him. A stay at home third tall forward would probably suit with the only knock he is prob. not quick enough to chase the defenders out of the forward line anymore

And if thats the case he doesnt play. This was happening last year and opposition clubs were getting a great leg up with their attacking defenders running off him

[helicopterking]

Huge distraction on the footy club, seems the last few years, everything is about A.Goodes.

[woodublieve12]

Huge distraction on the footy club, seems the last few years, everything is about A.Goodes.

massive distraction, two grand finals and a prelim... How have they coped?

[daysofourlives]

Huge distraction on the footy club, seems the last few years, everything is about A.Goodes.

massive distraction, two grand finals and a prelim... How have they coped?

Who's to say it couldnt have been 3 in a row without him and you would be talked about as one of the greatest teams ever, you could've been Hawthorn

[woodublieve12]

Huge distraction on the footy club, seems the last few years, everything is about A.Goodes.

massive distraction, two grand finals and a prelim... How have they coped?

Who's to say it couldnt have been 3 in a row without him and you would be talked about as one of the greatest teams ever, you could've been Hawthorn

you're an idiot

seriously though he has been a massive contributer in big games.. Should he have retired, maybe... But can he still offer something, certainly.

[helicopterking]

Huge distraction on the footy club, seems the last few years, everything is about A.Goodes.

massive distraction, two grand finals and a prelim... How have they coped?

I'd say he's been an unwanted distraction since the 13 yr old girl incident, now with not retiring. Could have done the honourable thing, put the club first and left on top. Like Jude Bolton, Brett Kirk.

[woodublieve12]

Huge distraction on the footy club, seems the last few years, everything is about A.Goodes.

massive distraction, two grand finals and a prelim... How have they coped?

I'd say he's been an unwanted distraction since the 13 yr old girl incident, now with not retiring. Could have done the honourable thing, put the club first and left on top. Like Jude Bolton, Brett Kirk.

he's put the club first his entire career... Dustin fletcher still playing, no issue. Boomer Harvey, still playing, no issue. Very different players i know but all contribute like goodes. Clearly he and horse had a chat and worked out his role...

People seem to forget he was easily in our top 4 in the GF last year and had a very good final series. He was quiet round 1 and was a sub round 2.

Since you bought up the 13 year old girl, i see no issue with what he did!!! The fact we find this behaviour acceptable seems to be baffling. 13 or 36 she knew better... I know i did at 13 and if my daughter did that, i'd be furious at her and myself. certainly not at goodes!

[helicopterking]

Dustin Fletcher and Brent Harvey are still in their clubs best 22. Goodes no longer is. Not hard to be in the best 4 in last year's GF, 12 of your blokes had career worst performances.

[Booney]

Huge distraction on the footy club, seems the last few years, everything is about A.Goodes.

massive distraction, two grand finals and a prelim... How have they coped?

Who's to say it couldnt have been 3 in a row without him and you would be talked about as one of the greatest teams ever, you could've been Hawthorn

you're an idiot

seriously though he has been a massive contributer in big games.. Should he have retired, maybe... But can he still offer something, certainly.

Tony Lockett would still offer something, doesn't mean he should still be playing....