The home and away season has drawn to a close and at the start of the year that’s where plenty of us thought the season would finish up. But for the Swans, who finish 6th on the ladder, the season is still very much alive as we go into an elimination final against our cross town rivals.
Few could have expected our mix of stubborn veterans and youth to have come this far. But the boys just continue to deliver the goods. The Swans pulled together 15 wins - 10 more than last year - and have played some of the gutsiest footy of the season, back-ended with the longest road trip in AFL history. If they see it through to a premiership, they should be awarded two trophies.
Again and again this team has achieved the unexpected. When they headed to Brisbane in the opening round of the season I gave them little hope, but the Lions could barely keep up with them. In round three I expected a mauling against the tigers, but it was the swans who bloodied the reigning premiers. We beat premiership hopefuls the bulldogs in Melbourne, blitzed the Eagles by close to a hundred in Geelong and held on against the red hot cats at home. It's been one hell of a ride.
This is a team that plays with dare - a new look swans outfit that hits targets and runs through the corridor - a team that believes in its capabilities, whether the odds be great or be small.
Buddy's 9 year deal now looks a masterstroke with the competitions most compelling commodity still playing match-winning footy as he draws in on 1000 goals.
The engine room of Parks and JPK keep winning the hard ball after all these years and you sense they are as eager as ever for another red hot tilt. As smarter men than me have opined, Millsy is a Rolls Royce. Even on one leg he's incredible.
Isaac Heeney is surely the leagues most graceful player. And if you thought the teams exploits were a surprise, the contributions of big Tom Hickey have been nothing short of staggering. The lure of September success is clearly revitalizing the lovable big fella.
Who hasn't loved the season of Jake Lloyd, or enjoyed seeing Georgie Hewett run in the midfield? Who hasn't cheered the workmanlike dependability of Harry Cunningham? Who hasn't roared on another Tom Papley goal celebration and appreciated Will Hayward's best season to date?
Much has been written about our brigade of youth. From the quiet determination of Tom McCartin, the pinpoint passing of Errol, the dash of Jmac and the sublime skills of Jordan Dawson (just quietly, my favorite swan) one senses that there'll be plenty more September action in years to come.
What a great team we've got. What a club we support!
Just the team to tackle the Giants. A worthy opponent - and let's face it, we owe them a September belting.
We've shared the spoils in our two games this year. But they're 2-0 over us in finals. Greene, Taranto, Mummy, Whitfield, Kelly - they're a bloody good line up. And when they move the ball fast they're hard to stop. But they're definitely not unbeatable. And if Millsy and JPK can get up for this one (and even if they can't) this could be the start of a decent September campaign for the boys in red and white.
There have been plenty of tough assignments thrown at the team this year ... and they've answered just about all of them. It'd be a brave man to bet against 'em now.
Let's get it done.
Swans by 14.
Few could have expected our mix of stubborn veterans and youth to have come this far. But the boys just continue to deliver the goods. The Swans pulled together 15 wins - 10 more than last year - and have played some of the gutsiest footy of the season, back-ended with the longest road trip in AFL history. If they see it through to a premiership, they should be awarded two trophies.
Again and again this team has achieved the unexpected. When they headed to Brisbane in the opening round of the season I gave them little hope, but the Lions could barely keep up with them. In round three I expected a mauling against the tigers, but it was the swans who bloodied the reigning premiers. We beat premiership hopefuls the bulldogs in Melbourne, blitzed the Eagles by close to a hundred in Geelong and held on against the red hot cats at home. It's been one hell of a ride.
This is a team that plays with dare - a new look swans outfit that hits targets and runs through the corridor - a team that believes in its capabilities, whether the odds be great or be small.
Buddy's 9 year deal now looks a masterstroke with the competitions most compelling commodity still playing match-winning footy as he draws in on 1000 goals.
The engine room of Parks and JPK keep winning the hard ball after all these years and you sense they are as eager as ever for another red hot tilt. As smarter men than me have opined, Millsy is a Rolls Royce. Even on one leg he's incredible.
Isaac Heeney is surely the leagues most graceful player. And if you thought the teams exploits were a surprise, the contributions of big Tom Hickey have been nothing short of staggering. The lure of September success is clearly revitalizing the lovable big fella.
Who hasn't loved the season of Jake Lloyd, or enjoyed seeing Georgie Hewett run in the midfield? Who hasn't cheered the workmanlike dependability of Harry Cunningham? Who hasn't roared on another Tom Papley goal celebration and appreciated Will Hayward's best season to date?
Much has been written about our brigade of youth. From the quiet determination of Tom McCartin, the pinpoint passing of Errol, the dash of Jmac and the sublime skills of Jordan Dawson (just quietly, my favorite swan) one senses that there'll be plenty more September action in years to come.
What a great team we've got. What a club we support!
Just the team to tackle the Giants. A worthy opponent - and let's face it, we owe them a September belting.
We've shared the spoils in our two games this year. But they're 2-0 over us in finals. Greene, Taranto, Mummy, Whitfield, Kelly - they're a bloody good line up. And when they move the ball fast they're hard to stop. But they're definitely not unbeatable. And if Millsy and JPK can get up for this one (and even if they can't) this could be the start of a decent September campaign for the boys in red and white.
There have been plenty of tough assignments thrown at the team this year ... and they've answered just about all of them. It'd be a brave man to bet against 'em now.
Let's get it done.
Swans by 14.
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