Swooper1987

Agree with this. I'd go further to say that we won the most difficult flag of all to win. Not one single opportunity for a home final, every game at a neutral venue probably makes it the purest finals campaign of all time. Anyone who attempts to rewrite history by belittling our performance last year on the basis that it wasn't at the MCG is absolutely kidding themselves. Geelong until this year proved themselves finals chokers in all environments, the Swans got belted in GF's at the G in 2014 and 2016. No need to go into the litany of finals debacles Collingwood have had at the G. Those who supported us in Perth last year deserve our respect and gratitude.

Not buying the doom and gloom. I've seen enough sides in identical positions to us now (with even worse form coming into finals) make GF's or actually win it. Dropping the first final isn't necessarily an impediment to winning a flag. Just this century you've got Brisbane in 2003, Sydney in 2005, West Coast in 2006, Hawthorn in 2015, Richmond 2020; then teams who have made the GF after losing in week 1 include Sydney in 2016, Collingwood in 2018 and Geelong in 2020 just in the last 6 years. Add to that the Bulldogs who won a flag and made another GF (2016 and 2021) playing each week. Very historical but both flags our own coach played in were 4 week finals campaigns - in 1997 they won them all and in 1998 they lost the first one then got three in a row to claim back to back. Let's hope history repeats.

Just a touch of hyperbole there Daz. Gawn had 30 hitouts from 49 contests and 14 hitouts to advantage. To go with his three contested marks (5 in total) and a goal.Hickey won 24 hitouts from 71 contests with 7 to advantage. With one contested mark and 1 goal. I grant you the bit about Jackson - 13 hitouts from 34 contests and 1 mark and 7 disposals at 43% effectiveness. Gawn got half the centre bounce attendances for the night and beat Hickey comprehensively when he got the chance to play where the best ruck in the league should play - the ruck. I'd argue we would have been substantially better off had the best ruckman on the ground actually played in the ruck for an appropriate amount of time.

That was one of the really great finals games. And makes you realise just how unbelievably dominant our September campaign was last year. That game today was what you always hear about what finals are supposed to be like. I still think our best is good enough to take Geelong if we can get there.

If Harmes is suspended we'd win it on appeal for sure. I reckon he'll get a fine. Late bump, not high, no damage done, 50 given and play on. We'll need him if Petracca is out or reduced to a cameo forward role.

Jackson playing so much time in the ruck really hurt us. Hickey just rag dolled him. Gawn needs to be in there about 80-20. Hickey had next to no impact when opposed to Gawn. Oliver was magnificent, May was brilliant but had one or two "moments" he'd like back. We won't be making many if any changes. Perhaps Harmes the only (forced) omission. We'll beat the Lions - not easily but we'll get it done. Plenty of teams have come from the semi finals (either QF losers or EF winners) to make GF's and win flags - Both Sydney and the Bulldogs in 2016, Collingwood in 2018, GWS in 2019, Geelong and Richomond in 2020. That's just the last handful of years. The Hawks won the flag in 2015 after losing week 1 of finals. We didn't play a terrible game last night. We made too many errors, some under a lot of pressure and some under not much. Some of our star players were very down - Petracca and Brayshaw haven't played that poorly in some time. Jackson had a season worst game. And despite that we had opportunities to win and were in a good position half way through the third quarter. It's far from over but this the greatest test for this team. I think they can do it.

Lovett played more mid under Balme, Binman. Balmey often started him in the centre square. Under Northey he was an outstanding attacking half back. At the time - late 80's early 90's probably the best in the comp. Glenn Lovett was also an excellent mid albeit with dodgy hamstrings.

Other than Hawkins being named captain, it's actually a really decent side. I'd have swapped Hawkins for Lynch but otherwise it's hard to see who didn't deserve to be in there. Congratulations to Gawn who is clearly the best ruckman since Dean Cox. 6 AA's puts him in rare air. Oliver will be there soon enough, and well done to Petracca and May on their achievements.

N6 - 2 tickets. I usually sit N14 as a Trident.

Yeah! N6 - love it!

https://www.zerohanger.com/gws-appoint-richmond-assistant-adam-kingsley-as-senior-coach-126258/

And hopefully this will be shown up in September.

The first club since Essendon in 2000 and 2001 to be in the top 4 for every round for two consecutive seasons.

Not what it used to be. This award had a lot of status back in the day, really now just a bit of a [censored] take. Coaches award is the one to win now.

Hawthorn look horrible. Carlton will need to win if they want to make it.

Don't share the optimism of some on here. I think Gawn has to poll at least 15 votes. If you run the line through his coaches votes up to the last time they were reported he had 50 - including 4 10's and an 8. That's pretty close to 5 best ons. Oliver gets a lot of coaches votes obviously, but they can regularly be outside of the top 3 on the ground. For mine Oliver, Petracca should get mid 20's, Gawn and Brayshaw likey mid to high teens. Forget anyone else polling substantially from us. Miller has got literally nobody taking votes off him and they won 10 games this year. Miller often polls well in losses going by previous counts. I reckon he's the one. Neale will get plenty and I thin those two will finish ahead of our guys. I expect we'll go close to the highest aggregate votes (likely with Geelong) but I also expect that by the time the count is done we'll all have bigger things on our minds.

I rate McInerney. Big Oscar always has a crack. He's no star but seems a decent guy who puts in. No false bravado, just head down bum up. He took on Jackson and Gawn pretty much solo last night and he wasn't disgraced. That's the type of on field leadership they need.

It's one game - he is rated average for hit outs to advantage across the season at 29.9%. English is 29.6% and rated below average. I was impressed with him last night though. He looked like a player who is fully invested. If he can play like that for another month he'll likely have another premiership medal.

He was carrying a minor injury apparently. There was some thought that he might have been a late out. He seemed to mark ok once the game went on but his mobility was definitely not at its usual standard. Fortunately Jackson stepped up and played one of his better games for the year.

I don't think a dominant ruckman is easily neutralized at all, and Collingwood are a much better side with a much greater chance of winning big games with Grundy in the ruck and Cameron the back up. There was a game when Ablett kicked 14 for Geelong and they still lost. There are often many reasons why a team loses. A dominant ruckman helps not hinders.

Collingwood would be mad to let him go. Cameron had a nice 5 week patch mid season but he's been exposed the last few games - Gawn took him apart, and Hickey completely dominated him on Sunday.

This might have been raised earlier but it's a 6 day break for the AFL side and a 5 day for anyone who played VFL. If Harmes was in serious consideration it's unlikely they would've played him for a full game in the VFL.

The game looks the way Collingwood like it at the moment. The Swans are playing well but haven't capitalised. Hoping the Swans can get it done. I don't fear travelling to the SCG for the first final if that's how it rolls out. No side is better on the road than the Demons.

I like Cripps. He's everything you'd want in a mid fielder. He tackles, he doesn't fumble, he can take a decent over head mark and he can kick goals. He played a great game last night and it's not his fault he was out there. I'm pleased we beat them with him in the team.

What a great game of footy! Carlton are very competitive and play a finals brand. If they don't make it this year, they'll be very dangerous next year. Cripps is a champion. Gawn was again outstanding. His willingness to be in the right position behind the play contributed to his 8 score involvements. Melksham's last goal was a direct result of Gawn's positioning (and a very good mark). Brayshaw was a thorn in their side all night. Most of our players were in and out of the game but as a unit they stood up when needed. I'd be finding a spot for Harmes against Brisbane. Hunt certainly keeps his spot based on last night.