Sad Sacks,
Not interested in football anymore.
That said, having worked my through Mad Monday and the debrief with SC Roos, perhaps it’s time for the odd reflection on the season that might have been.
As I’ve been saying for weeks it was a year that was cruelled by injury, with Kennelly and the Ugliest man in Football largely unavailable, and other ageing stars playing on one leg, as it turns out, with the aid of pain killing needles, for much of the year.
Others didn’t make the “best players” list as much as they might have done.
No one really expected the Swans to go past the first week of the finals, did they?
Except perhaps for the team itself who I am reliably informed, had already played the Collingwood game in their heads and were looking towards a rematch with West Coast.
The final was atypical of the whole season…a dreadfully slow start [like having six goals to one kicked on you in the first quarter – how many times did that happen?]...a brave fight back in the second quarter while playing catch up football…a flat championship quarter…and running out of legs towards the finish as the youngsters in opposing sides showed them up for pace.
A cursory look at the Swans roster says to me that some players should just retire now, but probably won’t, as they don’t want to give up the good money and the good life, but certainly, age will catch up with many by the end of 2008 at the very least.
I fear the Swans are now destined for many years in the football wilderness when you look at ages of these blokes:
Spida Everitt 33
Brett Kirk 31
BBB Hall 30
Leo Barry 30
Magic 30
Jared Crouch 29
The Goodes Train 28
C.Bolton 27
Nic Fosdike 27
Nick Davis 27
D.Jolly 27
…and the list goes on….
Tadgh Kennelly will be happy enough to join Jim Stynes in the Pantheon of Irish Footballers Made Good and return to Dublin forever.
Fearfully, I can’t see many youngsters coming through the ranks with the exception of 20-year-old Eddie Barlow, and Teddy Richards, who played every game this season, but the bloke is already 24.
The Swans have never used their draft picks very wisely, and I don’t suppose they are about to start now.
In other words, to remain competitive with the likes of the teams that occupied the top four at the end of this season, over the next couple of years, the Swans will need to buy at least three class backs, a name full-forward, a name ruckman [perhaps two], a name midfielder/ruck rover, and a name centre half forward, all under the age of 25, at the very least!
That’s a very tall order my friends.
I think I have said all I want to say about the Balmain Tigers.
Anyway, The Winter Game wire is now officially closed for the year, you will be pleased to hear!
Thanks for the abuse, comments and suggestions throughout the season.
I’ve enjoyed the ride.
Occasional updates will appear on my website:
http://crazycraves.blogspot.com
Which of course will remain a repository for pertinent remarks on the first class cricket season, if you are interested.
Bring on the thwack of willow of leather, I say!
COLLINGWOOD: 6.5, 8.9, 13.12, 18.17 (125). Goals: Rocca 6, Cloke 3, Rusling 3, Buckley, Davis, Didak, Medhurst, Pendlebury, Swan
SYDNEY: 1.4, 7.5, 9.8, 13.9 (87). Goals: O'Loughlin 4, N.Davis 2, Malceski 2, J.Bolton, Fosdike, Hall, Kirk, Schneider
At Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Crowd: 64,645
Craven.
