Swans defeated but not disgraced in narrow loss to Hawthorn
HAWTHORN 2.2 7.5 11.6 17.10 (112) SYDNEY 5.2 9.2 13.4 16.4 (100)
Goals: Hawthorn: J Roughead 4 J Gunston 2 L Breust 2 L Franklin 2 B Lake D Hale G Birchall J Anderson J Lewis P Puopolo S Mitchell. Sydney: J White 3 L Parker 3 G Rohan 2 S Mumford 2 B McGlynn J Bolton K Jack M Morton M Pyke T Mitchell.
Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Shane McInerney, Dean Margetts.
Official Crowd: 37,980 at ANZ Stadium.
Well, wasn't that something? If you ventured out to ANZ Stadium tonight for your first game of AFL footy, you'd surely come back again and again and again, because it was a value-for-money contest of the highest order: two of the best two - maybe the best two? - teams in the competition going back and forth, momentum swinging this way and that, clutch goals at one end, desperate defensive lunges at the other, two gun midfields, physical contests, tackling machines...AFL footy at its' absolute very best.
If there's such a thing as a 'good loss' then the Swans had their best loss of the season. I wasn't sure how this game would go - Hawthorn have been very good, and they were coming in off a nice-tune up against Collingwood (who beat the Swans two weeks earlier) and form for Sydney hadn't been great, after an insipid and largely uninspiring loss to Geelong in Geelong last Saturday. With injuries piling up, I just didn't know how the red-and-whites would go.
As it turned out, all was not lost, and, indeed, there is great hope heading forward, for a team of largely young kids ran with the best team in the league, the minor premiers, and, at times, ran over them. After a general lack of discipline and effectiveness last week, the Swans were back to their best this week. They showed, despite losing by two goals - and, let's be honest, there were chances to be had in that last quarter, chances which were sadly squandered - they can definitely be a force to be reckoned with in September action. How many people would have said that after last Saturday's clunker in Geelong? Not many, that's for sure.
A blistering Hawthorn assault, five goals in 13 minutes was the difference for the Swans, who tried as best they could to hang tough in the last quarter, and did fight hard. Their competitiveness was probably the most encouraging thing of all tonight. And it was a brilliant game to watch. A little more veteran presence would have helped, particularly in the last quarter, but there are plenty of positives to be gleaned: Tom Mitchell, Luke Parker, Ryan O'Keefe, Mike Pyke and Ted Richards were all outstanding. Jarrad McVeigh was his usual dependable self. Dane Rampe recovered from his worst performance of the year last week.
Once again, unlikely forward target Jesse White played strong footy, but the potent combination of four Jarryd Roughead goals and another impressive effort from Sam Mitchell were the difference, and propelled Hawthorn to the 2013 minor premiership and sets these two teams on a collision course in a qualifying final next Friday night at the MCG.
For that game, there is a lot of hope, if you're a Swans fan. The Hawks can be beaten, and Sydney can be the ones to do it. Spearhead Kurt Tippett will be back after his hamstring soreness (which might've been more about the Sydney brains trust not wanting the Hawks to get a preview of the gun forward than any real injury) along with, you would assume, Nick Smith and Dan Hannebery, too. Even better news: Lewis Jetta will play in the reserves tomorrow, so there's every chance he might return, as well. Imagine a team with Jetta and Gary Rohan in full flight. That'd be something to give opposition fits. Rohan pulled off some incredible chases tonight. He's back to his pre-injury best.
Meanwhile, the AFL world watches and waits for a decision on Buddy Franklin. The Hawks star was reported in the first quarter for a suspect high bump on Nick Malceski, who was momentarily taken from the field. There's every chance that Buddy will be suspended for at least next week's return clash - and maybe longer still. It wouldn't be the lead-up to the finals without some controversy, would it? Lots of pressure on the Match Review Panel over the next few days, and some work to do for the Swans ahead of a trip south to the MCG and another crack at the Hawthorn cherry.
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