In retrospect, how goshdarned awesome was the Swans/Eagles rivalry?

[BarneyBent]

Since when does a handfull of close games equal a rivalry. Sure, whilst it's still going on you would like nothing more to beat the other, but in years to come, they it will most likely been seen for what it was. Two teams, both at their peak, giving their all.

Pies and lions fans have all (mostly) moved on. At the time, we would have killed to have got one up on the Lions, but we didn't, we move on, and now they're just another team. Hell, even the 'Dick Pratt Vs the ACCC' rivalry is bigger.

It was a rivalry at the time. It will probably fade, unless the Eagles and Sydney have some brilliant bottom of the ladder tussles in the years to come! Just because it isn't a longstanding rivalry based on tradition doesn't mean that AT THE TIME, it wasn't a fiercely contested and very valid rivalry. It was a rivalry built on close contests. As such, as soon as the close contests ended, the rivalry faded. Nobody is questioning that. After all, the past tense was used in the title. The rivlary WAS awesome at the time.

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

The feelings between the clubs became real. It doesn't have the history of Collingood Carlton but it's more of a rivalry than some of the rubbish dreamed up for the AFL rivalry round.

True that.. .the fact that there was no outside bullshit, and it was entirely down to just the engaging contests was what made it so excellent. Every time we played the Swans during that period I remember rocking up and thinking ****, no matter how well we play and they play, this game will be decided in the last 60 seconds.

I'd venture to say that no other teams in AFL history have played 2 QFs and 2 GFs in two years, and had a total margin split of zero over that time, and no two sets of fans have experienced winning a flag and losing a flag to the same opposition by less than a goal when the emotions from the previous year are still raw. When it comes right down to it, you'll find that many 'traditional' rivalries are built on far less than that.

The contrast of styles was what made it entertaining- games would consist of the Eagles trying to break free and get a run on, versus the Swans trying to slow it down and lock it in- because the latter tactic kept things close, you'd have 2 or 3 minute bursts which decided games.

The matchups were good value, and because things were so evenly poised, one player beating his man was often the catalyst for a win. Days before matches, it would always be the same questions, who get O'Loughlin? Who get's Judd? What happens when Hunter switches forward? Why won't the Eagles drop extra defenders back?

Ultimately, both sides and both sets of fans hated losing to each other, had a series of controversial incidents to argue over for all time, ended up with very healthy respect for the other playing list, genuinely feared the other sides' gameturners- if that's not a rivalry, it's what a rivalry should be.

Hopefully both sides have got their hands on some decent youngsters, and we can write a few more chapters in a year or two..

 

[Spook]

I think you're attempting to invent a rivalry because your club doesn't have one.

LOL.. I agree.. wow 9 whole games.. yes 9 and its a rivalry. Wow what is going to happen when they play a 10th close match... Anzac Day? New public holiday in both states...

to OP. Grow up and if you are so young you did not see any football before 2005 read up on it, buy some dvds, get some books... but FFS grow up

 

[bali-dog]

Does anyone have a spare enigma machine?

hehe - classic - very funny!

it was a good rivalry, with many patches of exciting play..i tend to agree with others re swans style of play(shut the game down)..ive rewatched those key games many times..the commentators all cetainly cream themselves and gush forth senselessly..
in threads, i get a bit tired of hearing about how "our club has the longest tradition blahblah,or vic clubs have the longest+proudest histories blahblah"..living in the past is tedious,i know thats all some clubs have to cling onto..we could always dismantle other state clubs,and return to VFL,that'd be exciting..for my money its the here+now that matters..the rest is just,well,...history. Footys never been so good (except for all the f#@ handballing),would love to see where its evolved to in 20 years time..
another rivalry worth noting is collingwood vs.eagles..via malthouse+woosha..the 2007 finals match at subi a draw and into extra time was a sensational game-exhausting to watch.

 

[legend166]

Why the hell are people trying to play this down? No one is saying it's the greatest rivalry of all time. The fact is over a 3 season period the teams produced an amazing amount of closely fought, tough matches.

Also, lol @ the revisionist history going on here. "bububububu the Swans flooded and wouldn't let the poor Eagles run around!" Garbage. The reason the matches were so good is because the vast majority of the time, the teams played 1-on-1.

 

[Johnson#26]

I feel sometimes people confuse close games with good games.

Good games are generally exciting for most of the match, close games are sometimes only exciting for the last 5 minutes.

That's how I felt about a lot of the Swans v Eagles games. Wasn't West Coast's fault though... I just didn't enjoy the way Sydney played most of the time.

Agreed. The 2006 GF wasn't all that flash until the final term. Any close match becomes great watching in the final term, though, but the stakes are what gave it the added excitement. The 2005 GF was a better match, but even then, both were not as good as many will have you believe.

Their best match? Round one, 2007, at Telstra.

 

[ssfc0203]

Heart attack rivalry.

 

[AsIfYouCare]

goshdarned

Careful; you might get white carded for "goshdarned". What is this, "The Waltons"?

Goodnight John Boy.

 

[adelaide_40]

I personally liked watching the close games of sydney vs west coast.

 

[SM]

9 matches and counting. We haven't started 09 yet...

I think a lot of the younger Swans players and I'm sure Eagles as well, who have started playing in the last year or two and have known nothing other than this rivalry will be what keep it going. Guys like Bird, Jack, Ebert etc. have only ever known the rivalry to be a very strong, pride on the line account. In future years they'll put their all into the matches no matter what, and I don't see this rivalry going anywhere.

Also, they'll never play each other in rivalry round because Freo vs WCE will always be seen as more important than any ACTUAL rivalry. Assumption is if you aren't from the same state or have a rivalry stretching back 70 years, you don't have a rivalry.

 

[bzparkes]

Lol at all the Vic club supporters whinging about how it's not a rivalry. Just because it's not Collingwood vs Carlton, doesn't mean it's not valid. At least it was a hell of a lot more interesting to watch than recent matches between the 'big 4'.

Seems to be a lot of people saying it was boring because both teams played 1-on-1 contested footy. The games were low scoring because both teams were incredibly hard at it and matched each other perfectly. That's the sort of footy that wins you finals.

 

[bzparkes]

Also, they'll never play each other in rivalry round because Freo vs WCE will always be seen as more important than any ACTUAL rivalry. Assumption is if you aren't from the same state or have a rivalry stretching back 70 years, you don't have a rivalry.

I for one would rather see us play the Swans due to our recent rivalry. May or may not always be like this but it's a very valid one in my eyes.

Plus it would stop the Freo fans from winning their GF's every year

 

[NMFC ALWAYS]

36 blokes standing within 50 metres of the ball is not great to watch.

Not one of those great contests were played in that fashion Frank

 

[SM]

I for one would rather see us play the Swans due to our recent rivalry. May or may not always be like this but it's a very valid one in my eyes.

Plus it would stop the Freo fans from winning their GF's every year

I know, I hate the Brissy Rivalry Round match. WCE would make far more sense and I'd make it a must see match live.

 

[quickstraw]

Why the hell are people trying to play this down? No one is saying it's the greatest rivalry of all time. The fact is over a 3 season period the teams produced an amazing amount of closely fought, tough matches.

Also, lol @ the revisionist history going on here. "bububububu the Swans flooded and wouldn't let the poor Eagles run around!" Garbage. The reason the matches were so good is because the vast majority of the time, the teams played 1-on-1.

The Eagles played 1-on-1, the Swans flooded. That often meant the Eagles playing 8 man forward lines. Other teams as well.

The Swans were a blight on the game back then.

 

[EagleMan87]

The funny thing is if Hollywood made a movie about the tight games West Coast and Sydney had it would be considered too unbelievable by the average Joe.

In a game where an average score per team is about 80 points, and the average margin about 2 goals* for 6 games to be decided by that amount overall is amazing.

Now I'm off to talk to Senor Spielbergo.





*And I base that on absolutely nothing

 

[m0nty]

More goshdarned awesome than the Eagles' performances in derbies recently. That barely qualifies as a rivalry any more, Freo wins all the time.

 

[Bollox]

GeeGollygosh Christopher, that was super
Geeewhizzikins Adam, that was simply smashing what.

Whoopseydaisey here comes that goshdarned rascally white maggot again...tally ho chaps.

 

[.Shotties.]

36 blokes standing within 50 metres of the ball is not great to watch.

What's that got to do with the ganes played? I can't think of a single match in that period where this was the case.

 

[gaz15]

I feel sometimes people confuse close games with good games.

Good games are generally exciting for most of the match, close games are sometimes only exciting for the last 5 minutes.

That's how I felt about a lot of the Swans v Eagles games. Wasn't West Coast's fault though... I just didn't enjoy the way Sydney played most of the time.

cant agree. Swans Eagles were always exciting, tough, uncompromising games. Anything could happen. The 05 grand final was up there with the great finals games. It was a war.

 

[Quinz]

The funny thing is if Hollywood made a movie about the tight games West Coast and Sydney had it would be considered too unbelievable by the average Joe.

In a game where an average score per team is about 80 points, and the average margin about 2 goals* for 6 games to be decided by that amount overall is amazing.

Now I'm off to talk to Senor Spielbergo.

*And I base that on absolutely nothing

Yeah it was incredible, to the point where if you saw a movie about it you'd probably laugh at how rediculous it was. Despite the changes from game to game, the difference in form of the teams from each game, somehow, it would always be close. The Swans were not great at the start of the 06 GF but almost won. We were without 7 premiership players in round 1 2007 but just won. We lost Braun and Jones, and Kerr early in the 05 GF, plus played Gardiner in the forward line (no Lynch or Matera) and almost won. It was incredible.

A heart attack rivalry, the fact that four of the games were finals makes it even more amazing. Go us.

Also as far as your stats go, the average score this decade is about 95 points and the average margin is 34.36. With thanks to allthestats.

 

[bali-dog]

Re the rivalry between WCE+freo..i'd prefer Swans or Adelaide,or Brissy etc - any other club..the purple people are just annoying and irrelevant..and bad sportsmen (generalising)...maybe theyd have more self esteem if they won a tin mug..now thatd be goshdarned awesome..then theyd have something to crow about..

 

[Pie eyed]

Does anyone have a spare enigma machine?

LOL...

Apart from that Browndog is right on the money.
Rivalry in a teacup.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

Rhetorical question, we know it was very goshdarned awesome.

<snip>

In retropsect, 'goshdarned' is one serious wank of a word!

 

[Hinkley29]

i think this might have been a team v team professional rivalry to start with, but it has progressed past that now. if you asked a lot of swans fans which team they hate the most or which team they love beating, WC would be the most popular response.

This may be true, but I don't think many WC fans would answer "Sydney" to the same question. I think Freo would take the points in that battle.

Maybe it is a "team vs team" rivalry for WC, but a deeper "club vs club" rivalry for Sydney because they don't have a natural enemy?