My Sydney sojourn

[St.Kenny]

Impressions from the outer:

Good atmosphere with big crowd and balmy weather
Sydney supporters have a healthy respect for St. kilda on the back of tough games against us in recent years. Very glad to win.

Roo covering a lot of ground.

We did not combat Sydneys expected flood with any great tactic of our own.

Never one to rubbish our players but there was only one player as ineffective and lacking as much confidence as Barry HAll and that was X

Harve's looked out of sorts

The gifted goals from minor infringements in packs and ruck duels as well as hasty holding the ball decisions was a tragedy in a close game and clearly influenced the result. Sydney crowd clearly got through toumps

Lacking toughness on our behalf

Lenny getting back to pre op form. Covered a lot of ground.

[rymax]

But have they learned the rules up there yet (as hard as they are to understand at times these days)?

[St.Kenny]

I actually think the crowd is more 'educated' compared to when I last went to this game a few years ago. As far as the holding the ball decsions and hands in the back its a lottery with no one having any clear idea which way the umps will extend their arm.

How Sydney's fullback got away with all those holds on Gehrig was also completely beyond me

[rogerwa]

was hoping to catch up with you kenny..i should have got your ph nu when you phoned up

i'm still in the land of swines...thank god 99.9 % of the population dont know or give a stuff about the footy...dont have to listen to em wanking on

[joffaboy]

Good thread.

Sorry you didn't see a win St.Kenny.

63,000 at the game apparently.

Imagine the crowd if the Swans ever played attacking football?

[saintbrat]

you mean they may stay to the end of the game jb?

commented that even though only a couple of goals up the swans crowd were pouring out of the stands (easy to see from up in the gods) and was informed that they wanted to beat the traffic

several times I heard people being educated/ told what was going on- but I was in an area set aside for the field of women and many had come for that alone.

[plugger66]

Yes the number of the crowd was great. I think there was a few who hadnt seen many games because of the theme of the night but having said that I enjoyed the night except for the result. great to meet a few af the forum members as well.

[cowboy18]

you mean they may stay to the end of the game jb?

I tried to convince my 7 year old that we could leave with about 5 m inutes to go. Went something like this.


cowboy18: OK, shall we head off now and catch the train?
Son: Why?
cowboy18: Uhhh. Um.


Tough one to answer!

[cowboy18]

The gifted goals from minor infringements in packs and ruck duels as well as hasty holding the ball decisions was a tragedy in a close game and clearly influenced the result. Sydney crowd clearly got through toumps

Whilst I'm quoting my child - who is now an absolutely 100% hooked sainter despite the idiot swans supporters that dominate this city - he came up with an absolute pearler when the Dal Santo holding the ball decision was given.


"Daddy are the umpires cheating?"


I bit my tongue and said they made mistakes sometimes.


I don't want to expose him too much to my residual bitterness - he's already told his class teacher that the swans get to grand finals because the AFL give them money to steal good players from the poorer teams.

[TimeToShineFellas]

What was the go with that woman relentlessly abusing the microphone at Oylmpic Park Station?

Fair enough didn't mind her advising about the trains but the constant overkill on "3 cheers for the Sydney Swans" was just about doing my head in.

Coupled with the fact we must have copped the biggest ignoramuses who follow the Swans in the stand where we were sitting (fair dinkum they turned to each other and asked "what do they mean when they're talking about no kick-to-kick after the game" when it was announced by the PA) I was glad to get back to Victoria.

One thing I will say that Telstra Stadium did well was putting up and introducing the players when their faces were put on the big screen. Shame the PA then screwed up by informing all present at the ground that "the Coach of St Kilda is Grant Thomas"

[Dan Warna]

lol sadly I've done the same to my son

its like 'we only lose because collingwood are cheats' and after seeing me run around with the Saintsational folks a couple of years ago, he is convinced that I played for st kilda once and AoK is lenny hayes...im mortally afeared he will say something akin to that commercial in TV.

also he has started repeating some of my comments regarding opposition teams and umpires

and questions like 'why are st kilda not winning when they are the best team daddy?' and when we were in front 'we are the winner you are the losers!'.

you forget they are soaks for information and blurt out stuff at the mostest inappropriate times

[mischa]

Good report overall and I noticed this too

Roo covering a lot of ground.

And ppl want to criticise his goal kicking, he's so bloody exhausted by the time he gets back to the goal square running up and down the length of the ground to try and get something happening...well it says all you need to know. Been happening all year. Hopefully he'll get some relief soon.

[jonesy]

I was there also. First game since the 04 prelim since I moved to Darwin. Thought the crowd was very quiet for 63,000,but thats Sydney for you. Nice amount of Stkilda supporters there,most I've ever seen on an interstate game,nearly made more noise than the swans when we ran out on the ground.

Thought the match was shocking,a style of the coaches down to a tea. We didn't play well at all.Our lack of run was alarming.

The umpiring as an absolute joke to the highest order. I would of been embarrased to be a swans supporter, was the difference between the two sides .

Thought Gilbert was our best by a mile,then Bakes,then Max. Think I was at another game to a lot of the journalists.....

We really have to find some players who can run,and hit targets over the preseason,as we are so predictable coming out of defense. There is no fluency going fo0rward.

Will be at the freo game,unsure if it's a certainty with the way we're playing

[Garibaldi]

we were definately at the same match Jonesy. concur with your observations.
Keep in mind that the crowd there on Saturday eclipses crowd numbers at other code matches except finals and rugby trophy matches.

[Halo Halo]

I was there - I got the flu whilst I was there!! Maybe I shouldnt have made out with a swanette - hehe!!

Bigger crowd than I expected & not as loud our passionate as a Victorian game - but sometimes that happens I suppose.. And I suppose it depends where you are sitting etc..