Preamble
Like any true Bloods supporter, I still haven't gotten over 2016.
I still detest the Bravedogs. I will always despise Stevic, Meredith & Jeffery. I can't stand Luke Beverage. And, despite the passage of time, the hollow feeling of walking out of the MCG on that fateful September day still lingers.
But, time moves on .... and beating the Dogs does at least now brings with it a deep sense of satisfaction, probably unmatched by any other victory.
For those Bigfooty posters who are more recent converts to the Swans (and hence didn't suffer through the pain of the 2016 GF) .... I'd encourage you to think of that smug, satisfied feeling you get when TheMase or robbieando likes one of your posts. It brings affirmation that you've posted something eminently sensible & nobody, not even The King! can stand between you & (temporary) exalted Bigfooty guru status.
For those who lived through 2016, beating the Dogs feels something like that.
The Details
Date: Thursday May 23
Time: 5.30pm AWST (thats 7.30pm for those of you on the east coast)
Venue: Marvel Stadium
Why a stadium was named after superheroes, I'll never know. They probably asked Tom Liberatore to name it - but his first choice (Homer Simpson Stadium) was already taken.
Weather: showers. But I suppose it doesn't matter, thanks to the roof. Donza is thus rendered obsolete this week.
The Opposition
The Dogs are coming off a surprising victory over GWS. Its difficult, however, to get a read on that form line, as GWS (like Geelong) appear to have had all of their wheels fall off simultaneously & their season is entering potential train-smash territory.
Nonetheless, wins are wins (except if you're North Melbourne) & the Bravedogs are hovering around the lower reaches of the 8 with an impressive percentage. After a shaky start, they're going kinda-OK-ish.
Team selection for the Dogs is an absolute lottery this year & I wouldn't dare pre-empt who Beverage will select. Indeed, Bulldogs team selection this year is probably best summed up as follows:
Cody Weightman won't play. It also appears Libba will be out. With no Libba, Ed Richards (alongside Bont and Tim English) seems to have become a key mover in the Dog's midfield set-up & may well be JJ's target this week. The rest are a mix of "meh", with the occasional "hope he doesn't have a break-out game" (Darcy) and "hope he doesn't go all Alex Sexton on us" (Garcia). But its mostly "meh".
In truth, I don't really care who they select, as they're all Bravedogs and hence equally responsible for 2016.
Now, dear reader, you may think this entire preview will do nothing but spit bile at the Bravedogs.
Not true.
For I am absolutely fair & impartial in all matters AFL ... and there is one person within the Dogs' set-up that I reckon is a grouse Aussie legend. So whoever decided to put him on a t-shirt - well played sir (or madam).
The Swans Line-Up
You know a team is on fire when weekly selection rolls around and "no change" appears. Sure, it makes for a boring Bigfooty thread on Thursday afternoons (or Wednesday in this case) - but its still a good thing. In fact, ever since JPK retired and Grand Uncle Horace took a Bex and a good lie down, Thursday afternoons have been far more civilized on Bigfooty, regardless of team selection.
Fox will be an out due to injury, but beyond that "no change" seems likely this week, assuming:
* The Chad doesn't cop an AFL-imposed holiday. It would normally be in the realms of the absurd, but never underestimate the AFL's ability to intervene in support those brave boys of the Bulldogs breed;
* Matty Roberts doesn't come straight back in after his week off; and
* The Swans don't spring one of their infamous "someone got injured mid-week in a wacky, comical manner" surprises on us come team selection.
Should the Chad be cooling his heels courtesy of a corrupt officialdom, its unlikely that Luke Parker will be the man to replace him after he Callum-Browned an opponent in the VFL. Instead, it would seem that either Braeden Campbell or Gus Sheldrick gets a guernsey in the mids.
But .... a largely unchanged side beckons.
The Verdict
The Swans will eventually lose a game. But it won't be this week. It can't be.
Swans by 36, with Naughton to go goalless and prove once & for all that Kinnear was just trolling when he told some journo that he dangled a long-term contract in front of the bloke.
As an aside, I'd encourage any Swans fans travelling to Marvel this week to stick around post-game, for the Dog's traditional presentation of the Bob Murphy Medal to Bob Murphy.
Its a truly moving event & fast becoming a weekly highlight of the AFL calendar.
Post-Script
All (lame) jokes and digs aside - I was really saddened to hear this week that young Bulldog Aiden O'Driscoll was forced into retirement at the age of just 18, due to concussion issues. I know personally how hard kids work to get drafted & to have your AFL dream ripped away so soon afterwards must be shattering for the young bloke. I know he won't read this - but nonetheless, I do genuinely wish young Aiden all the best for his future endeavours.
Like any true Bloods supporter, I still haven't gotten over 2016.
I still detest the Bravedogs. I will always despise Stevic, Meredith & Jeffery. I can't stand Luke Beverage. And, despite the passage of time, the hollow feeling of walking out of the MCG on that fateful September day still lingers.
But, time moves on .... and beating the Dogs does at least now brings with it a deep sense of satisfaction, probably unmatched by any other victory.
For those Bigfooty posters who are more recent converts to the Swans (and hence didn't suffer through the pain of the 2016 GF) .... I'd encourage you to think of that smug, satisfied feeling you get when TheMase or robbieando likes one of your posts. It brings affirmation that you've posted something eminently sensible & nobody, not even The King! can stand between you & (temporary) exalted Bigfooty guru status.
For those who lived through 2016, beating the Dogs feels something like that.
The Details
Date: Thursday May 23
Time: 5.30pm AWST (thats 7.30pm for those of you on the east coast)
Venue: Marvel Stadium
Why a stadium was named after superheroes, I'll never know. They probably asked Tom Liberatore to name it - but his first choice (Homer Simpson Stadium) was already taken.
Weather: showers. But I suppose it doesn't matter, thanks to the roof. Donza is thus rendered obsolete this week.
The Opposition
The Dogs are coming off a surprising victory over GWS. Its difficult, however, to get a read on that form line, as GWS (like Geelong) appear to have had all of their wheels fall off simultaneously & their season is entering potential train-smash territory.
Nonetheless, wins are wins (except if you're North Melbourne) & the Bravedogs are hovering around the lower reaches of the 8 with an impressive percentage. After a shaky start, they're going kinda-OK-ish.
Team selection for the Dogs is an absolute lottery this year & I wouldn't dare pre-empt who Beverage will select. Indeed, Bulldogs team selection this year is probably best summed up as follows:
Cody Weightman won't play. It also appears Libba will be out. With no Libba, Ed Richards (alongside Bont and Tim English) seems to have become a key mover in the Dog's midfield set-up & may well be JJ's target this week. The rest are a mix of "meh", with the occasional "hope he doesn't have a break-out game" (Darcy) and "hope he doesn't go all Alex Sexton on us" (Garcia). But its mostly "meh".
In truth, I don't really care who they select, as they're all Bravedogs and hence equally responsible for 2016.
Now, dear reader, you may think this entire preview will do nothing but spit bile at the Bravedogs.
Not true.
For I am absolutely fair & impartial in all matters AFL ... and there is one person within the Dogs' set-up that I reckon is a grouse Aussie legend. So whoever decided to put him on a t-shirt - well played sir (or madam).
The Swans Line-Up
You know a team is on fire when weekly selection rolls around and "no change" appears. Sure, it makes for a boring Bigfooty thread on Thursday afternoons (or Wednesday in this case) - but its still a good thing. In fact, ever since JPK retired and Grand Uncle Horace took a Bex and a good lie down, Thursday afternoons have been far more civilized on Bigfooty, regardless of team selection.
Fox will be an out due to injury, but beyond that "no change" seems likely this week, assuming:
* The Chad doesn't cop an AFL-imposed holiday. It would normally be in the realms of the absurd, but never underestimate the AFL's ability to intervene in support those brave boys of the Bulldogs breed;
* Matty Roberts doesn't come straight back in after his week off; and
* The Swans don't spring one of their infamous "someone got injured mid-week in a wacky, comical manner" surprises on us come team selection.
Should the Chad be cooling his heels courtesy of a corrupt officialdom, its unlikely that Luke Parker will be the man to replace him after he Callum-Browned an opponent in the VFL. Instead, it would seem that either Braeden Campbell or Gus Sheldrick gets a guernsey in the mids.
But .... a largely unchanged side beckons.
The Verdict
The Swans will eventually lose a game. But it won't be this week. It can't be.
Swans by 36, with Naughton to go goalless and prove once & for all that Kinnear was just trolling when he told some journo that he dangled a long-term contract in front of the bloke.
As an aside, I'd encourage any Swans fans travelling to Marvel this week to stick around post-game, for the Dog's traditional presentation of the Bob Murphy Medal to Bob Murphy.
Its a truly moving event & fast becoming a weekly highlight of the AFL calendar.
Post-Script
All (lame) jokes and digs aside - I was really saddened to hear this week that young Bulldog Aiden O'Driscoll was forced into retirement at the age of just 18, due to concussion issues. I know personally how hard kids work to get drafted & to have your AFL dream ripped away so soon afterwards must be shattering for the young bloke. I know he won't read this - but nonetheless, I do genuinely wish young Aiden all the best for his future endeavours.
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