By Barry Kennedy, AFANA Reporter in Melbourne, reporting from the MCG
Yesterday's mesmerizing festival of football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with the reversal of the result, went into another realm and did what few Hollywood films ever do - the sequel was far better than the original.
Headlines in sports pages this year, particularly in Melbourne, have lamented the AFL style of play going ugly and the interstate dominance as a threat to the game. West Coast yesterday obliterated those arguments with a pulsating running game and third Premiership while their opponents, Sydney, proved the bravest of opponents in a Grand Final for the ages. It's taken forty years for another Grand Final to be settled by the lowest of margins (not counting the draw between North Melbourne and Collingwood in 1977), it may take a century for two sides to be this evenly matched again.
Last year Leo Barry's famous mark sealed the match for Sydney, this year it was the siren, the ball suspended in the air meters from the Swans goal. The one-point win Grand Final of 2006 will be remembered as a game of shifts in momentum, and in this contest it was the first half momentum of the Eagles that orchestrated the result.
A single rushed behind got the Swans in front in the opening minutes of the game. They would never head the Eagles again and at times fell behind far enough for them to be a the brink of oblivion. Ashley Hansen established an early dominance over out of form Lewis Roberts-Thompson and kicked the Eagles first. Judd toe-poked a second after Amon Buchanan and Roberts-Thompson botched up a clearance while Cousins put on the third giving the West Coast an early 19 point break.
The Swans looked out of sorts and error prone especially in front of goals where Barry Hall was dropping marks and missing an easy conversion, while Jude Bolton botched two even easier chances later in the quarter. The Eagles had their attack squadron midfield firing on all cylinders. Andrew Embley, Chris Judd, Daniel Kerr, Ben Cousins and Andrew Braun all looked up and going early. Ruckman Dean Cox, effectively an extra midfielder with his mobility, also hurt the Swans. Elsewhere Hunter and Glass took turns on Hall. Chris Judd was running with Sydney's dual Brownlow medal winner, Adam Goodes and looked the goods in doing so.
After 18 minutes the Swans finally got on the board via Michael O'Loughlin. Ashley Hansen kicked another for the Eagles in the latter stages of the quarter to maintain a mini-break of 16 points at the break. The Swans benefited from some beguiling umpiring decisions with show pony whistle-man Darren Goldspink putting on his own sideshow. Nevertheless, the Swans couldn't take advantage and could thank the breezy running of Leo Barry and Tadhg Kennelly out of the backline for not being further down at quarter time.
The dominance of Eagles ruckman Dean Cox continued to clear the way for Eagles runners in the second quarter. Embley's explosive bursts of pace combined with marking ability is not unlike Adam Goodes and it was his goal that made the margin 21. Mathew's got a goal back for the Swans.
Emerging cult hero Quinten Lynch, who was left out of the Eagles Grand Final side last year was next on the board with two goals. The lead up and delivery of both majors were high quality. One came after two bounces and some Harry Houdini escape acts by Daniel Kerr. The next from a three bounce carving run by Chad Fletcher. Cousins, Kerr and Judd are all amazing at accelerating, spinning and stepping out of danger leaving opponents clutching at thin air. The Swans were getting this sort of treatment time much too regularly for their liking and the body language of the side looked shot.
Barry Hall in particular started seeing red and was mounting a behind the play guerilla campaign against the entire Eagles backline. The Sydney co-captain may have a delayed start to 2007 as a result.
Uncharacteristic mistakes were marring the Swans game especially in attacking positions, while their runners looked minnows next to the imperious Eagles. Nick Davis was one that stood up, however, setting up O'Loughlin and kicking one himself with a great clutch goal at the end of the half. Cousins kicked one for the Eagles in between and the margin at the long break was 25. O'Loughlin kicked the first for the Sydney-siders in the second half before Embley hit back for the Eagles. Nick Davis then held off David Wirrapanda to kick truly, bringing the margin back to 20 points.
The Swans were hanging tough and the Eagles were still overshadowing the 2005 premiers in the midfield particularly Kerr, whose magnificently daring play and delivery to Lynch for the big man's third was inspirational. Andrew Embley and Ben Cousins put minor scores on the board to make the difference 27 -- the biggest in the game.
Brett Kirk is the heart and soul of the Swans side, and it was his will that started turning the Swans' fortunes around in the third quarter. Relentless tackling by Kirk and company began to win the Swans a greater share of the ball. Adam Goodes started to come into the game while the rebound of Ted Richards and link up play of O'Keefe commenced a mini-revival for Sydney. Roberts-Thompson cast forward and was released by Kirk for an ugly but important goal. The Swans lay a sustained assault and peppered the goals. Hall missed a sitter from a set shot while Kirk and Richards also missed, but when Davis kicked a beauty from 50 the margin was 11 at the completion of the quarter.
It took 14 seconds for the Swans to kick a goal in the last quarter via Goodes on the run, and the same amount of time for the nearly 100,000 spectators to realise another classic was about to unfold. It seemed like the momentum had changed, but this was the Grand Final and both sides were about to underline the sort of committed desperation that can only be summoned at this time in the season. Bodies started getting propelled at the ball like crash test dummies by both sides for the next 15. A few rushed points and tired kicks across the face of goal occurred, but the game was otherwise a stalemate awaiting heroes.
Enter Adam Schneider who kicked a beauty to make the margin one point.
The Swans appeared to have the momentum but there was no stopping Daniel Kerr and Andrew Embley who kept competing. Daniel Chick, Wirrapanda and Glass also stood up in the Eagles back half propelling Sydney's drive. With the Swans searching for goals, West Coast got opportunities on the rebound. As a result the Eagles' forwards had space to lead into. Kerr took advantage of this and set up Steven Armstrong, who settled the boys from the west, restoring the seven point buffer.
Enter Ryan O'Keefe who kicked a goal from a desperate snap. It floated and dipped and evaded two or three sets of hands and may also have been conjured at a David Blaine retreat. The Eagles by one.
Enter Daniel Chick who put on an amazing smother of O'Keefe about to release open Swan players on the wing. The rebound was gathered by the West Coast hard nut who released Hunter for the open goal. Again the margin was seven entering time on.
Tired bodies lunged and crashed across the field. Cousins fumbled a free ball over the boundary line, while Hall was spilled a mark. Daniel Chick and Ted Richards both went for a contest, the resulting head clash had them both out on their feet, a sort of drunken dance on the wing. Young Eagle Beau Waters at 20 the youngest on the field took some beautiful steadying marks in defense, making amends for some ill-disciplined play earlier in the match.
Enter young Swan Nick Malceski who, released by Amon Buchanan, kicked a beautiful goal. The Eagles by one.
With the shadows all over the ground the Swans attacked again via Goodes, who, after taking towering mark, hit the ground running and sent the ball into the goal square where a big pack assembled.
Enter Andrew Embley. The man whose voice went missing some weeks ago thanks to a viral infection took a strong mark in the milling pack. While not the equal of Leo Barry's last year it thwarted the last clear run at goal by the Swans. Actions spoke louder than words for Embley.
The stoppages and stalemates kept mounting while the clocked kept ticking. One last Swans attack surged forward but was rushed over the boundary line by the Eagles' defense. From the throw in and with the ball at the top of its arc, meters from a score for the Swans - siren - and so ended one of the all time great finals.
More than anything else West Coast set themselves apart from Sydney with a brave dedication to their game plan. Time and again, the well-drilled Eagles would use handballs to get themselves out of trouble. Often it would look haphazard and seemingly get them into more bother, but the execution almost faultless, as a free-running player would eventually reveal himself. It was heart in your mouth play, especially in the last quarter, but a constant for which the Eagles should be congratulated.
The much heralded Swans' attack was lame with Hall off the boil. Several costly misses and poorly timed mistakes mounted for the Swans throughout the match. Unfortunately the Swans have many what ifs to ponder, but such is the nature of the beast when you fall by one point. The heart and fight shown by this team from such a dire situation will become the stuff of legend. The Swans or 'The Bloods' are the new 'Shinboners,' the nickname taken by the old North Melbourne Kangaroos, who are also famous for never-say-die ways. Nick Davis, for one, was inconsolable after the game and there was the sense that the oft-troubled star felt he owed his team something. He wasn't the only Swan in tears.
Andrew Embley was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for best afield after a spare parts role in attack, defense and the midfield. With key goals, great dashes through the center and that big mark, he was a deserving winner. Daniel Kerr would not have been too far behind him and his play in the second half with the Eagles under more pressure was critical.
Chris Judd was his usual game-breaking self, as was Cousins. These players simply can't be kept out of a game for four quarters. Darren Glass was great in defense on Hall, well supported by Beau Waters and Daniel Chick. Michael Braun and Tyson Stenglein were valuable second tier midfielders who were on song for much of the game, while Hansen and Lynch gave the Eagles the much needed height up forward they so needed last year. Dean Cox shadowed the Stephen Doyle and Darren Jolly all day, with the big man setting up much of the Eagles run whether through taps or handballs.
The Swans got a passionate and powerful game out of Brett Kirk -- the new Paul Kelly in the Swans' set up. Nick Davis and Michael O'Loughlin were good in attack. Goodes came into the match in the second half while link man Ryan O'Keefe put the Swans on the brink of victory. Nic Fosdike and Jared McVeigh lifted along with Schneider in the centre, while Richards and Kennelly kept things steady in defense.
Plenty of respect was shown by the Eagles in their acceptance of the Premiership cup. Victorious skipper Chris Judd said, "If you measure your victories by the quality of the opposition you defeat, then this ranks incredibly highly because we've got huge respect for Sydney."
Sydney joint-captain Brett Kirk was as heart broken as any other Swans player, but was proud of his teams performance. "And to my band of brothers, we're a band of warriors, and we never gave up, not for a second."
Victorious coach John Worsfold the third coach in three years to win the Premiership for the first time appeared a little spent on the victory dais. He stuck to his man-on-man gameplan despite being attacked in some members of the media. He would have been well within his rights to make a defiant comment in the mould of Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams in 2004, but was humble in his acceptance of the cup.
The 97,000 spectators left the game exhausted but content they had seen something special. There was mutual respect from both sets of supporters with the Eagles' fans ecstatic but far from arrogant. Many Swans' fans also seemed unusually content and composed despite a loss. After all, their team had just played a major part in an epic Grand Final.
Australian Football has received an enormous shot in the arm with these last two Grand Finals. Four of the last five Grand Finals have been classic close contests, and all involving two interstate interlopers. The last All-Victorian final was 2000 where the Bombers dispatched Melbourne by ten goals, the last of several one-sided encounters stretching back a decade.
GOALS – Sydney: O'Loughlin 3, Davis 3, Mathews, Roberts-Thomson, Goodes, Schneider, O'Keefe, Malceski
West Coast: Lynch 3, Embley 2, Hansen 2, Cousins 2, Judd, Armstrong, Hunter
BEST – Sydney: Kirk, Kennelly, Richards, O'Loughlin, McVeigh, O'Keefe, Goodes
West Coast: Embley, Kerr, Glass, Cox, Judd, Braun, Lynch, Chick
INJURIES – Sydney: Ablett (hamstring)
West Coast: Nil
CHANGES – Nil
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - Vozzo, Allen, Goldspink
CROWD - 97,431 at the MCG
Yesterday's mesmerizing festival of football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with the reversal of the result, went into another realm and did what few Hollywood films ever do - the sequel was far better than the original.
Headlines in sports pages this year, particularly in Melbourne, have lamented the AFL style of play going ugly and the interstate dominance as a threat to the game. West Coast yesterday obliterated those arguments with a pulsating running game and third Premiership while their opponents, Sydney, proved the bravest of opponents in a Grand Final for the ages. It's taken forty years for another Grand Final to be settled by the lowest of margins (not counting the draw between North Melbourne and Collingwood in 1977), it may take a century for two sides to be this evenly matched again.
Last year Leo Barry's famous mark sealed the match for Sydney, this year it was the siren, the ball suspended in the air meters from the Swans goal. The one-point win Grand Final of 2006 will be remembered as a game of shifts in momentum, and in this contest it was the first half momentum of the Eagles that orchestrated the result.
A single rushed behind got the Swans in front in the opening minutes of the game. They would never head the Eagles again and at times fell behind far enough for them to be a the brink of oblivion. Ashley Hansen established an early dominance over out of form Lewis Roberts-Thompson and kicked the Eagles first. Judd toe-poked a second after Amon Buchanan and Roberts-Thompson botched up a clearance while Cousins put on the third giving the West Coast an early 19 point break.
The Swans looked out of sorts and error prone especially in front of goals where Barry Hall was dropping marks and missing an easy conversion, while Jude Bolton botched two even easier chances later in the quarter. The Eagles had their attack squadron midfield firing on all cylinders. Andrew Embley, Chris Judd, Daniel Kerr, Ben Cousins and Andrew Braun all looked up and going early. Ruckman Dean Cox, effectively an extra midfielder with his mobility, also hurt the Swans. Elsewhere Hunter and Glass took turns on Hall. Chris Judd was running with Sydney's dual Brownlow medal winner, Adam Goodes and looked the goods in doing so.
After 18 minutes the Swans finally got on the board via Michael O'Loughlin. Ashley Hansen kicked another for the Eagles in the latter stages of the quarter to maintain a mini-break of 16 points at the break. The Swans benefited from some beguiling umpiring decisions with show pony whistle-man Darren Goldspink putting on his own sideshow. Nevertheless, the Swans couldn't take advantage and could thank the breezy running of Leo Barry and Tadhg Kennelly out of the backline for not being further down at quarter time.
The dominance of Eagles ruckman Dean Cox continued to clear the way for Eagles runners in the second quarter. Embley's explosive bursts of pace combined with marking ability is not unlike Adam Goodes and it was his goal that made the margin 21. Mathew's got a goal back for the Swans.
Emerging cult hero Quinten Lynch, who was left out of the Eagles Grand Final side last year was next on the board with two goals. The lead up and delivery of both majors were high quality. One came after two bounces and some Harry Houdini escape acts by Daniel Kerr. The next from a three bounce carving run by Chad Fletcher. Cousins, Kerr and Judd are all amazing at accelerating, spinning and stepping out of danger leaving opponents clutching at thin air. The Swans were getting this sort of treatment time much too regularly for their liking and the body language of the side looked shot.
Barry Hall in particular started seeing red and was mounting a behind the play guerilla campaign against the entire Eagles backline. The Sydney co-captain may have a delayed start to 2007 as a result.
Uncharacteristic mistakes were marring the Swans game especially in attacking positions, while their runners looked minnows next to the imperious Eagles. Nick Davis was one that stood up, however, setting up O'Loughlin and kicking one himself with a great clutch goal at the end of the half. Cousins kicked one for the Eagles in between and the margin at the long break was 25. O'Loughlin kicked the first for the Sydney-siders in the second half before Embley hit back for the Eagles. Nick Davis then held off David Wirrapanda to kick truly, bringing the margin back to 20 points.
The Swans were hanging tough and the Eagles were still overshadowing the 2005 premiers in the midfield particularly Kerr, whose magnificently daring play and delivery to Lynch for the big man's third was inspirational. Andrew Embley and Ben Cousins put minor scores on the board to make the difference 27 -- the biggest in the game.
Brett Kirk is the heart and soul of the Swans side, and it was his will that started turning the Swans' fortunes around in the third quarter. Relentless tackling by Kirk and company began to win the Swans a greater share of the ball. Adam Goodes started to come into the game while the rebound of Ted Richards and link up play of O'Keefe commenced a mini-revival for Sydney. Roberts-Thompson cast forward and was released by Kirk for an ugly but important goal. The Swans lay a sustained assault and peppered the goals. Hall missed a sitter from a set shot while Kirk and Richards also missed, but when Davis kicked a beauty from 50 the margin was 11 at the completion of the quarter.
It took 14 seconds for the Swans to kick a goal in the last quarter via Goodes on the run, and the same amount of time for the nearly 100,000 spectators to realise another classic was about to unfold. It seemed like the momentum had changed, but this was the Grand Final and both sides were about to underline the sort of committed desperation that can only be summoned at this time in the season. Bodies started getting propelled at the ball like crash test dummies by both sides for the next 15. A few rushed points and tired kicks across the face of goal occurred, but the game was otherwise a stalemate awaiting heroes.
Enter Adam Schneider who kicked a beauty to make the margin one point.
The Swans appeared to have the momentum but there was no stopping Daniel Kerr and Andrew Embley who kept competing. Daniel Chick, Wirrapanda and Glass also stood up in the Eagles back half propelling Sydney's drive. With the Swans searching for goals, West Coast got opportunities on the rebound. As a result the Eagles' forwards had space to lead into. Kerr took advantage of this and set up Steven Armstrong, who settled the boys from the west, restoring the seven point buffer.
Enter Ryan O'Keefe who kicked a goal from a desperate snap. It floated and dipped and evaded two or three sets of hands and may also have been conjured at a David Blaine retreat. The Eagles by one.
Enter Daniel Chick who put on an amazing smother of O'Keefe about to release open Swan players on the wing. The rebound was gathered by the West Coast hard nut who released Hunter for the open goal. Again the margin was seven entering time on.
Tired bodies lunged and crashed across the field. Cousins fumbled a free ball over the boundary line, while Hall was spilled a mark. Daniel Chick and Ted Richards both went for a contest, the resulting head clash had them both out on their feet, a sort of drunken dance on the wing. Young Eagle Beau Waters at 20 the youngest on the field took some beautiful steadying marks in defense, making amends for some ill-disciplined play earlier in the match.
Enter young Swan Nick Malceski who, released by Amon Buchanan, kicked a beautiful goal. The Eagles by one.
With the shadows all over the ground the Swans attacked again via Goodes, who, after taking towering mark, hit the ground running and sent the ball into the goal square where a big pack assembled.
Enter Andrew Embley. The man whose voice went missing some weeks ago thanks to a viral infection took a strong mark in the milling pack. While not the equal of Leo Barry's last year it thwarted the last clear run at goal by the Swans. Actions spoke louder than words for Embley.
The stoppages and stalemates kept mounting while the clocked kept ticking. One last Swans attack surged forward but was rushed over the boundary line by the Eagles' defense. From the throw in and with the ball at the top of its arc, meters from a score for the Swans - siren - and so ended one of the all time great finals.
More than anything else West Coast set themselves apart from Sydney with a brave dedication to their game plan. Time and again, the well-drilled Eagles would use handballs to get themselves out of trouble. Often it would look haphazard and seemingly get them into more bother, but the execution almost faultless, as a free-running player would eventually reveal himself. It was heart in your mouth play, especially in the last quarter, but a constant for which the Eagles should be congratulated.
The much heralded Swans' attack was lame with Hall off the boil. Several costly misses and poorly timed mistakes mounted for the Swans throughout the match. Unfortunately the Swans have many what ifs to ponder, but such is the nature of the beast when you fall by one point. The heart and fight shown by this team from such a dire situation will become the stuff of legend. The Swans or 'The Bloods' are the new 'Shinboners,' the nickname taken by the old North Melbourne Kangaroos, who are also famous for never-say-die ways. Nick Davis, for one, was inconsolable after the game and there was the sense that the oft-troubled star felt he owed his team something. He wasn't the only Swan in tears.
Andrew Embley was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for best afield after a spare parts role in attack, defense and the midfield. With key goals, great dashes through the center and that big mark, he was a deserving winner. Daniel Kerr would not have been too far behind him and his play in the second half with the Eagles under more pressure was critical.
Chris Judd was his usual game-breaking self, as was Cousins. These players simply can't be kept out of a game for four quarters. Darren Glass was great in defense on Hall, well supported by Beau Waters and Daniel Chick. Michael Braun and Tyson Stenglein were valuable second tier midfielders who were on song for much of the game, while Hansen and Lynch gave the Eagles the much needed height up forward they so needed last year. Dean Cox shadowed the Stephen Doyle and Darren Jolly all day, with the big man setting up much of the Eagles run whether through taps or handballs.
The Swans got a passionate and powerful game out of Brett Kirk -- the new Paul Kelly in the Swans' set up. Nick Davis and Michael O'Loughlin were good in attack. Goodes came into the match in the second half while link man Ryan O'Keefe put the Swans on the brink of victory. Nic Fosdike and Jared McVeigh lifted along with Schneider in the centre, while Richards and Kennelly kept things steady in defense.
Plenty of respect was shown by the Eagles in their acceptance of the Premiership cup. Victorious skipper Chris Judd said, "If you measure your victories by the quality of the opposition you defeat, then this ranks incredibly highly because we've got huge respect for Sydney."
Sydney joint-captain Brett Kirk was as heart broken as any other Swans player, but was proud of his teams performance. "And to my band of brothers, we're a band of warriors, and we never gave up, not for a second."
Victorious coach John Worsfold the third coach in three years to win the Premiership for the first time appeared a little spent on the victory dais. He stuck to his man-on-man gameplan despite being attacked in some members of the media. He would have been well within his rights to make a defiant comment in the mould of Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams in 2004, but was humble in his acceptance of the cup.
The 97,000 spectators left the game exhausted but content they had seen something special. There was mutual respect from both sets of supporters with the Eagles' fans ecstatic but far from arrogant. Many Swans' fans also seemed unusually content and composed despite a loss. After all, their team had just played a major part in an epic Grand Final.
Australian Football has received an enormous shot in the arm with these last two Grand Finals. Four of the last five Grand Finals have been classic close contests, and all involving two interstate interlopers. The last All-Victorian final was 2000 where the Bombers dispatched Melbourne by ten goals, the last of several one-sided encounters stretching back a decade.
SYDNEY 1.4 4.6 8.11 12.12 (84) WEST COAST 4.2 8.7 10.10 12.13 (85)
GOALS – Sydney: O'Loughlin 3, Davis 3, Mathews, Roberts-Thomson, Goodes, Schneider, O'Keefe, Malceski
West Coast: Lynch 3, Embley 2, Hansen 2, Cousins 2, Judd, Armstrong, Hunter
BEST – Sydney: Kirk, Kennelly, Richards, O'Loughlin, McVeigh, O'Keefe, Goodes
West Coast: Embley, Kerr, Glass, Cox, Judd, Braun, Lynch, Chick
INJURIES – Sydney: Ablett (hamstring)
West Coast: Nil
CHANGES – Nil
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - Vozzo, Allen, Goldspink
CROWD - 97,431 at the MCG
Article last changed on Sunday, October 01, 2006 - 11:22 AM EDT
