2010 A space oddity (our false dawn and Paul Roos)

[Whispering_Jack 29,324]

It was Paul Roos' biggest defeat as a coach and it came towards the end of his illustrious career at the helm at the Swans. Conversely, it was Dean Bailey's finest moment but a little more than 12 months later, he was sacked.

It was the game between Melbourne and Sydney played at the MCG on Sunday 25 July 2010 and embarrassingly for me as it turned out, I entitled my report on the game DAWN

Here are the teams from that game -

MELBOURNE

Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram

Half backs Jordie McKenzie James Frawley Joel Macdonald

Centreline Jamie Bennell Cameron Bruce Brad Green

Half forwards Lynden Dunn Cale Morton Tom Scully

Forwards Colin Sylvia Jack Watts Liam Jurrah

Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Aaron Davey

Interchange Rohan Bail Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Addam Maric

Emergencies Matthew Bate Austin Wonaeamirri Matthew Warnock

In Addam Maric Austin Wonaemirri

Out Matthew Bate Brent Moloney *

* Brent Moloney was originally in the selected side but was replaced by Austin Wonaeamirri due to a thigh injury incurred the week before against Freo at Subiaco.

SYDNEY

Backs Rhyce Shaw Ted Richards Martin Mattner

Half backs Paul Bevan Heath Grundy Tadhg Kennelly

Centreline Nick Malceski Brett Kirk Kieren Jack

Half forwards Ryan O'Keefe Mike Pyke Josh Kennedy

Forwards Ben McGlynn Adam Goodes Jarred Moore

Followers Shane Mumford Jude Bolton Jarrad McVeigh

Interchange Daniel Hannebery Lewis Jetta Brett Meredith Jesse White

Emergencies Trent Dennis-Lane Sam Reid Gary Rohan

In Lewis Jetta

Out Nick Smith (hamstring)

New Sam Reid (Murray Bushrangers)

Two years later, the Swans were premiers under John Longmire and the Dees were going through a trough.

Now, the wheel has turned and Roos is coaching us.

What does it all mean for the Melbourne Football Club as we face a new year? Is it a new dawn of what?

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Not trying to be too clever here WJ, but I don't reckon that game means anything anymore. At all.

That we now have Roos at the helm. Well, I reckon that will prove to be an absolute game changer for this club - possibly the dawn of an era of finally being taken seriously.

[John Crow Batty 8,816]

A bad loss for Roos and the Swans was an aberation but throughout history every good team has put in a stinker once in a while. I think it was more about them than about us. We did look promissing for a while in 2010 and looked pretty good when we got the taste for an easy kill. We always played above ourselves when we could sense the oposition did not come to play and that was the case for that day.

I do believe it a new dawn for us this season. The club has been transformed from top to bottom ansd is now a virtually clean template for Roos to work with. It is not insignifcant that this will be our 50th year anniversary since our last flag. These kind of milestones be they positive or negative have a tendancy to reshape the future IMO

[Whispering_Jack 29,324]

True, the game itself doesn't mean much any more given that on my reckoning we only have eight players left from those who played in that game. Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove were missing through injury and probably some others. For a number of reasons, a number of players have gone and out list is fundamentally different today to the one that ran out then but look at what we beat with that team.

We can still learn something from the playing styles of both sides and what the Swans did in such a short time to become premiers and what we failed to do in the same time span.

Here's some vision from the game -

[Bring Back Barassi 552]

Only 8 players from that game still playing for us, 15 still playing for them.

[mjt 640]

I locked my keys in the car that day couldn't get them out tried for an hour cracked the shits smashed my window and drove home, my son and ilistened to it on the radio, couldn't believe our luck.

[Young Dee 1,303]

I locked my keys in the car that day couldn't get them out tried for an hour cracked the shits smashed my window and drove home, my son and ilistened to it on the radio, couldn't believe our luck.

Classic

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,474]

The days of being a mediocre team. I miss them

Anyone realise that between round 15 2010 and round 17 2011 we had a 11-11-1 winning record under Bailey.

[Blistering 538]

I locked my keys in the car that day couldn't get them out tried for an hour cracked the shits smashed my window and drove home, my son and ilistened to it on the radio, couldn't believe our luck.

So you're not exactly one of the delirious fans in the video then.

[What 18,810]

and we now know that game was nothing but a fluke

Very sad because at the time it was an absolutely incredible feeling

We were rising. We were the next big thing. Everyone was talking about us for the right reasons.

Bloody disaster.,

[Whispering_Jack 29,324]

The days of being a mediocre team. I miss them

Anyone realise that between round 15 2010 and round 17 2011 we had a 11-11-1 winning record under Bailey.

Ah ... our golden age. I remember it well.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Not trying to be too clever here WJ, but I don't reckon that game means anything anymore. At all.

That we now have Roos at the helm. Well, I reckon that will prove to be an absolute game changer for this club - possibly the dawn of an era of finally being taken seriously.

we need Roos

... the AFL is fast becoming a Joke atmo, congested like the milky way, no free flowing play out in space

[Thehardtackler 785]

Dunn in the forward 50 goal square, those were the days!

[Sir Why You Little 36,735]

Watched that game on the Australia Network from iligan city in the Philippines.

Superb afternoon with cold beers and great food.

The video on youtube where Bruce and Dennis get a little over excited is even better!!

The game against the Lions in Round 5 is also a great memory.

Bails was onto something. He just wasn't able to take the team that last 10%.

It's why he was quickly re employed at AFL Level & Neeld wasn't.

[Biffen 12,918]

Roos was shell shocked after that game.

At least for one day we rubbed their face in it .

The attack was incredible ,the defence was hardly needed .

The centre game plan worked that day for some unknown reason.

[Hannibal 5,814]

I locked my keys in the car that day couldn't get them out tried for an hour cracked the shits smashed my window and drove home...

That doesn't sound like you.

[Guest]

I was there that day and was just amazed at what I saw. It came at the end of a good week as far as I can remember as we had just cleared all our debt if I am correct (?).
Both sides were a good study in not jumping to conclusions. Many Melbourne supporters walked away thinking that finals were a cert in 2011. Roosy, in regards to his team, however saw it for what it was. The Swannies had had a shizen day at the office and there was no need to overreact just yet. Shame we didn't take that mindset.

[PaulRB 6,305]

Amazing to look at the players we lost (aside from those who retired) and how we've lost them

Bartram - degenerative knee

Scully - stolen by GWS

Sylvia - walked to Freo

Jurrah - legal/family/etc issues

wonamaerri - left the game

Rivers - walked to Geelong

Morton - traded not to play

Bennell - deregistered

Maric - deregistered

Of our entire forward line only Watts and Dunn remain, with neither now playing in the team as a forward...

Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram
Half backs Jordie McKenzie James Frawley Joel Macdonald
Centreline Jamie Bennell Cameron Bruce Brad Green
Half forwards Lynden Dunn Cale Morton Tom Scully
Forwards Colin Sylvia Jack Watts Liam Jurrah
Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Aaron Davey
Interchange Rohan Bail Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Addam Maric
Emergencies Matthew Bate Austin Wonaeamirri Matthew Warnock

In Addam Maric Austin Wonaemirri

Out Matthew Bate Brent Moloney *

* Brent Moloney was originally in the selected side but was replaced by Austin Wonaeamirri due to a thigh injury incurred the week before against Freo at Subiaco.

[angrydee 842]

Bennell is on West Coast's list.^^^^^

[beelzebub 23,240]

The only thing you take away from that game is that we must have got a certain P Roos intrigued as to what might have been in our drinking water that day.

otherwise our performance was sheer "aberration"

[P-man 13,366]

Scully wasn't "stolen", he walked just like the others.

It's difficult to say exactly what this game means anymore. I think many of us got sucked in, including Bruce with those infamous words: "the Dees are gonna be something!"

We all remember this game for the sheer attacking dominance on display, so in that sense it remains significant. As false dawns go, it wasn't a bad one. It also stayed with Roos, by his own admission. In its own vey small way, it played a part in him signing on. He saw first hand that the DNA of the club isn't as corrupted as some might believe, and there is some residual talent with which to work.

[Machsy 2,858]

Watched that game on the Australia Network from iligan city in the Philippines.

Superb afternoon with cold beers and great food.

The video on youtube where Bruce and Dennis get a little over excited is even better!!

The game against the Lions in Round 5 is also a great memory.

Bails was onto something. He just wasn't able to take the team that last 10%.

It's why he was quickly re employed at AFL Level & Neeld wasn't.

Are you ever right about anything?

[Sir Why You Little 36,735]

Are you ever right about anything?

Feel free to disagree with whatever you wish.

You are good at it.

In 2010 Bailey was close to getting it right.

Queens Birthday comes to mind. Winning that game may have given that group the confidence it needed.

Didn't happen and Bailey never got the team to be consistent. But he wasn't far away.

[mjt 640]

Are you ever right about anything?

I think the same when I read your posts.

[daisycutter 29,429]

Are you ever right about anything?

I think the same when I read your posts.

gentlemen.........we have a draw!