SYDNEY 4.6 5.9 6.11 8.17 (65) CARLTON 0.3 1.5 4.10 5.13 (43) GOALS Sydney: McGlynn 2, Tippett 2, Bolton, Parker, Pyke, Mitchell. Carlton: Gibbs, Armfield, Bootsma, Lucas, Tuohy. BEST Sydney: Bird, Parker, Mitchell, Kennedy. Carlton: Henderson, Judd, Gibbs, Bootsma. UMPIRES Findlay, Rosebury, McInerney. CROWD 25,349 at SCG.
It wasn't even close to being pretty, but that hardly matters in comparison to the four competition points that the Swans picked up on Friday night. Really, the big story was the weather. To put it mildly, it was atrocious, and many of the 25,000 fans in attendance at the Sydney Cricket Ground would doubtless have thought back to the corresponding game two years ago, played in very similar conditions. If anything, this Friday night was worse. Even the most diehard of supporters had to admit that there were better things they could have been doing with their time.
Yours truly (left) enduring a wet, poncho-friendly night at the SCG
Two years ago, it was a Chris Judd masterclass that sparked Carlton to a good win, but the still-brilliant Judd, a real barometer of the fortunes of his team, had no such influence on the contest this time around, and despite a surge in the second half, the Blues fell short on a night where, because of the torrential rain - it felt like we were sitting through a tropical cyclone event at times - even the most basic of skills sometimes seemed beyond players on both sides.
For Sydney, the trajectory of the game was eerily reminiscent of last week's loss: big lead early, the other side makes a comeback. But the result was different; there was no repeat of the Port Adelaide debacle. Unlike last week, when challenged, the Swans found a way to stand up and deliver something more. Considering the conditions, and considering, also, an Injury List that's as long as my arm, and features names like Goodes, Shaw, Reid, Roberts-Thomson, Johnson, Morton and more, this was a good win, and just what the doctor ordered after last Saturday's failure at AAMI Stadium.
With so many premiership stars out, it was up to some of the newer faces to get the Bloods across the line. Craig Bird and Dean Rampe had perhaps the best games of their season, Kurt Tippet, in his SCG debut, managed two goals, and midfield rookie sensation Tom Mitchell kicked a classy goal at the end, sealing the win for the Swans.
The old stagers had an impact, too: Ben McGlynn had a double on a night not exactly tailor made for kicking at goal. Jude Bolton's performance was to be expected, given his love of the close-in contest, and on a night where you needed to really scrap for the football, when it was tough to get a kick away, the evergreen midfielder stood up and led from the front. Whenever there was a pack, Bolton was at the bottom of it.
The less said of the howler of a decision from the umpire to penalise Nick Malceski for rushing a behind late in the first half, gifting Carlton a goal that set them on their mini-run into the third, the better. You can bet, though, that the umpires will have a tough week of answering questions about that ruling, the first of it's kind this season. When even the television commentators are struck dumb by the decision and lost for words...well, you know it was a horrendous decision. Good luck in the VFL next week, Mr Umpire.
In the end, rain and all, the Swans came away with a win, avoiding a two-game slide. The rain doesn't seem so bad when you win. Also worth noting that with Fremantle, the West Coast and Collingwood losing around Sydney this weekend, the Swans are still staring a top four finish squarely in the face, and the quest for back-to-back premierships is well on track. Melbourne next week: Sunday at the MCG.
Go Bloods!!
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