Analysis Sydney's 2024 dominance is underrated

[Juddernaut08]

Theyre a sho in but are only 8-10 injuries away from coming back to the pack.

 

[NetworkNerd]

Sydney are the greatest team OAT. I actually feel sorry for the rest of the 8 thinking they have a chance. Just give us the cup already. All this finals BS is just a formality.

Are you related to Bloodret?

Give us the flag what the **** are we waiting for LOL?

This team is reminiscent of my junior soccer team, where we used to dismantle opposition to the tune of 10-0 weekly drubbings without breaking a sweat. They were completely out of their depth. Our defenders used to pick daisies. Opposition coach used to rest his best players against us because...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[lordbob]

But did we think that their season up to 14 matches is more dominant than, say, 2008 Geelong or any of Hawthorn's 2013-2015 seasons? Maybe you did, but I'll be honest and say that it really crept up on me. I personally wasn't aware that Sydney are currently tracking to be the most dominant team in close to 15 years until I started looking.

That's why I think their current dominance is underrated. If we're not talking about them being statistically up there (or even better than) Hawthorn and Geelong in their dominant eras, then we're not appreciating them enough IMO.

They're amazing to watch right now.

Think you might be getting ahead of yourself there. its only half a season. Cant compare then to those teams until its maintained for multiple seasons

 

[SuperSub17]

The Crows were 14-2 after 16 rounds in 2006 and had Mark Thompson claiming that we were ‘unbeatable’ after we smashed them at Footy Park. Lost the prelim to West Coast.

They’re obviously the favourite right now, but plenty of footy to go this season.

Yeah Adelaide 06 gets forgotten about in discussions like these. Everyone thinks of Geelong 08, St Kilda 09, Collingwood 11 - but Adelaide was arguably just as bad.

Check out this round 16 ladder…



Amazingly they lost to West Coast the following week by 82 points, and never recovered - they even lost the minor premiership.

West Coast in 05 was even worse!



4 games clear with 6 to play, only 1 loss to that stage - and they also failed to finish top.

TLDR - there is a LOT of footy still to be played…

 

[Cleansweep17]

I think so, I can’t remember a time where there was a challenger so dominant that we forgot who last years premiers were.

 

[BACCS]

Yeah Adelaide 06 gets forgotten about in discussions like these. Everyone thinks of Geelong 08, St Kilda 09, Collingwood 11 - but Adelaide was arguably just as bad.

Check out this round 16 ladder…

View attachment 2028379

Amazingly they lost to West Coast the following week by 82 points, and never recovered - they even lost the minor premiership.

West Coast in 05 was even worse!

View attachment 2028381

4 games clear with 6 to play, only 1 loss to that stage - and they also failed to finish top.

TLDR - there is a LOT of footy still to be played…

We ended up finishing 1st in 2005, didn’t realise we were 4 games behind the Eagles with only 6 games to go!

 

[Zevon]

I do think our dominance is underrated, yes. I mean sure everyone is singing our praises, but nobody is declaring us certainties to win the next three flags, which is pretty disrespectful IMO. Bow down to us you peasants, and we MIGHT show you some mercy in 2027.

In the meantime please just sit back and enjoy the show.

 

[Blue1980]

No doubt they are a good and well coached team.

I’m sorry if I am a tough marker. I reckon my mob has 3 A Graders, plus Mills if he returns from injury.

Carlton fans are kinder markers,esp of their own. Players like Saad, McGlove and Doc are imo decent B Graders on their good days.

A graders Cripps, Weiters, Walsh, McKay, Curnow and Saad. All elite in the positions they play.

TDK could join that company if he continues on what he’s been doing last month.

 

[Blue1980]

We've had more games missing from our best 22 than Collingwood has, 2nd to Richmond. So yeh. l already explained this in a previous post. At one point we had an entire first choice line out... a line that amplifies our weakness if not there.

People have goldfish memories, and have forgotten how many we had missing up to around the Sydney game. It’s eased off since then, but we have 4 who could still come in to a best 23.

We haven’t had any fresh injuries since before the Sydney game, touch wood.

 

[H00t]

Clearly the best team so far this year. Should easily finish on top of the ladder. They’ve tightened up their clearance game which was an area that could have been exposed.

From here it’s all about maintaining the rage all through finals. Only takes one slip up. It’s theirs to lose.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

People have goldfish memories, and have forgotten how many we had missing up to around the Sydney game. It’s eased off since then, but we have 4 who could still come in to a best 23.

We haven’t had any fresh injuries since before the Sydney game, touch wood.

I haven’t forgotten. Definitely see you as one of our major adversaries. You guys are flying high.

 

[Syd]

 

[Bushdid911]

The last 3 seasons the minor premier won ended up winning the flag, so that's good for Sydney.

The 7 years before that though, no minor premier won. 2 of those 7 were Sydney..

 

[brutus76]

Got a 2008 type of vibe here

Swans clearly the best team in it

But it all depends on what happens GF day 9like the Hawks did to the Cats in 08)

 

[.Shotties.]

Only need one off game at the wrong time and it doesn't mean anything. Enjoying every game at the moment, though. You need to make the most of a season like this as it's happening rather than looking forward and worrying about what might happen.

 

[Lia]

They are in an extremely strong position and in another week or so they can start optimising preparation for finals with resting players and positional experiments.

 

[NetworkNerd]

Ex AFL player and unbiased footy analyst Dan Gorringe says Sydney are only the 2nd best side in the comp

 

[Mr Meow]

We all understand how Richmond is the only team to beat Sydney in 14 matches. That's fairly obvious. But what some people may not realise is that Richmond is also the only team to lead against Sydney at 3-quarter-time this year. Every team that lost to them was already trailing by 3-quarter time.

I just checked data from the last 20 years regarding this, and the only teams that match (or better) 2024 Sydney's W/L and 3QT record after 14 matches are 2009 St Kilda (14-0 W/L, 13/14 leading at 3QT) and 2011 Collingwood (13-1 W/L, 13/14 leading at 3QT). Even the West Coast of 2005 (13-1 W/L) and the Geelong of 2008 (13-1 W/L) trailed in at least 2 games.

Given that no team led at 3QT for all of their first 14 matches in the last 20 years, Sydney is currently matching it with the best.

What makes Sydney's current season stand out from the others is that they also have no one close to them. Both 2009 St Kilda and 2010 Collingwood had a 13-1 Geelong for company. Meanwhile, the closest team to Sydney right now is Carlton with a 10-4 W/L record. Even then, Carlton has led at 3QT 9/14 times this year.

Not saying that Sydney will end up winning the Premiership, but I feel like people are underappreciating just how dominant Longmire's current side is. The stats (e.g., percentage gap, the W/L record, the 3QT stat etc.) after 14 matches don't align like this very often. It'd be interesting to see how it all goes for the rest of the year.

A valiant attempt at putting the mozz on them, but one which I feel will be unsuccessful. The wild card of course is facing a big Melbourne based club at the G on grand final day. Only two interstate sides have met that challenge successfully since what, 2003?

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

A valiant attempt at putting the mozz on them, but one which I feel will be unsuccessful. The wild card of course is facing a big Melbourne based club at the G on grand final day. Only two interstate sides have met that challenge successfully since what, 2003?

Yeah, somehow this time feels different. Of course the wheel could fall off next week. But I just have this sense that if the Swans can go all the way to the GF playing with their current resolve, nothing will faze them on the big day.

But that could just be me getting a little bit carried away.

 

[Macca180]

Have to win it all.

 

[RUNVS]

Have to win it all.

That is the problem with being this far ahead in the H&A season is that anything other than winning the Grand Final will be seen as a massive failure and I don't think there is a single Swans fan that is confident if we make the Grand Final that we will win it.

 

[Macca180]

That is the problem with being this far ahead in the H&A season is that anything other than winning the Grand Final will be seen as a massive failure and I don't think there is a single Swans fan that is confident if we make the Grand Final that we will win it.

Top 2 is a lock. You are not losing a final at home.

Congratulations on making the Grand Final.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Top 2 is a lock. You are not losing a final at home.

Congratulations on making the Grand Final.

Yeah, it’s Sydney vs someone - that I am sure of

 

[Gavin Excell]

What is their weakness?
Perhaps a shortish backline?

 

[Maddo11]

What is their weakness?
Perhaps a shortish backline?

I could see Curnow and McKay getting a hold of McCartin and Rampe individually, but I think we defend well enough as a team to hopefully nullify that. Unless we get absolutely pansted in the midfield they shouldn't get enough quick supply to get good 1v1s. Cripps Walsh Hewett and Kennedy are good enough to do it though on their day.

Neale and McLuggage feeding Daniher, Raynor and (I can't believe I'm saying this) Hipwood would be close behind but it's hard to see them finishing the year strong enough to get a favourable match up against us.

Don't rate Collingwood or Essingtons forward lines enough to consider them a threat right now, but we do play them again before the end of the year.

Who knows. Maybe we lose to Brisbane Collingwood and Essendon and finish 3rd or 4th.