Futurists,
A nine goal football lesson [albiet handed out to a team that knew its season was over a long time ago and ended up finishing third last by a slim margin] is as good as any way to finish a season.
The hapless Bears were brained by half time, with the Swans eight goal second quarter probably their best all season.
Competant against a rabble of a side
That turd Ray "Artform" Chamberlain actually had a reasonable game with the whistle for a complete change, but crikey, doesn't he yabber, yabber, yabber on incessantly?
The players must be sorely tempted to say "for Chrissake, Ray, won't you just SHUT THE FUCK UP!?".
The Stats Guru pointed out the surprising fact that The Hanneberry Kiddie was playing in his 50th game in the seniors.
Fancy that.
It seems like only yesterday that he was drafted and made his debut.
Given that he never gets injured, he's a 300 gamer if he puts is mind to it.
The Goodes Train no doubt added to his tally of Brownlow votes once again [and firmed into the second line of betting to pick up his third Chas], and will line up in the finals in ripe form, even if he has lost a yard of pace.
So it comes down to St Kilda - didn't the Swans play them just a few weeks ago and got away with the win?
They could get lucky again in week one of September, and make week two, but in the final paralysis, surely, sheer class will win out in the end?
Its a good thing that they didn't get a home final, as the crowd could have been an embarrassment, given that the latte drinkers don't appear to be interested, not to mention the prices the AFL charges for finals tickets.
They've played at Docklands three times this year for a 1-2 result, so the ground doesn't hold any particular demons for them, unlike the damnable MCG.
But really, something must be done about the iniquitous AFL fixture list, as the prestige Melbourne clubs [think Collingwood, Carlton, St Kilda] hardly ever have to play outside Melbourne, whereas the Swans were asked to travel to Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Canberra this year.
Something must be done, but the old money boys behind the closed doors down at the Melbourne Club will see to it that that never happens.
Mr Ed has done well to bring this mob this far and make the finals in his first year as senior coach in 7th.
Especially as he's been standing in the long shadow of SC Roos, he had to tinker week in week out with almost everything except the mid-field, and the fact that the team scored more behinds during the season than they did goals [267.295!].
It'll be interesting to see how he approaches it, and gets on from here, as he'll find that September is a different kettle of fish altogther.
SYDNEY 3.3, 11.7, 14.9, 18.11 (119). Goals: Goodes 4, Bolton 4, Rohan 3, Spangher 3, Parker 2, Hannebery, Malceski.
BRISBANE 4.3, 6.6, 9.9, 9.13 (67). Goals: McGrath 3, Karnezis 2, Cornelius, Rich, Hawksley, Redden.
At Sydney Cricket Ground.
Crowd: 27,721.
Balmain are masters of strangling a game to death when they find themselves with a match winning lead deep into the second half.
They snap the lid shut on all that expansive flambouyant attacking play and just sit on the football; they set up and maintain neutral field position and defend it grimly, so there is just no possibility of the opposition getting into a points scoring position.
Wily coaching, as ever.
Tigers went down to the The Shire and did just enough to win, in the knowledge victory by any margin was all that was required to clinch 4th spot on the final ladder.
The Best Leb in the Game had a freak match; its not everyday the hooker scores three tries from the front row.
No one doubts his skill at dummy half, but that was something else.
[In another omen flashback to the Miracle Year '05, that was the last time Farah also scored three tries in a match].
And it was book-ended with a nice try from Moltzen from out the very back.
The argument about whether to play the Tigers "home" final at the Sydney Football Stadium or the Olympic Standium didn't last long.
Balmain had every right to put their foot down and insist on it being played at the SFS, but the bean counters down in the bunker at NRL HQ reckoned with two very well supported Sydney clubs playing each other they could bank on pulling a crowd of 50K+, which is about 10K more than the SFS can hold.
Money talks, so its off to Homebush we go.
Never mind that among the Tigers three home grounds, the Olympic Stadium is not one of them, and they've only played there twice this year in away games and lost both of them, or that its now being touted as some silly thing called a "Sydney region home final".
So much for that elusive thing called "home ground advantage".
SC Sheens is certainly cranky about the decision not to play at the SFS, saying he feels the team has been "shafted", adding "we had better draw 50,000, if we don't, then I will certainly have something to say".
The downside is that the Western Paddock is by no means as good as the SFS in terms of spectator viewing or playing surface, but the upside is that with the added capacity, the tickets are dirt cheap.
Snaffled myself two tickets to the reserved cheap seats right on the north eastern corner post in the Club Members pre-sale for just $20 each.
For a final?!
That's cheaper than a walk up general admission ticket to the home and away matches.
They are working on the theory that they might as well fill up the ground and trouser the not inconsiderable gate takings, rather than charge exorbitant prices like the AFL does and find that nobody turns up.
No doubt the Club Secretary would have told the coach "Sorry Tim, but money talks".
So it comes down to St George - didn't the Tigers play them just a few weeks ago and came up with 14-12 win?
No reason why they can't do it again with a more or less fully fit roster; the Try Scoring Freak returns from injury along with Be My Beau Ryan, a forward pack on fire, the backs playing out of their minds and a hundred set plays committed to memory.
Under the vagaries of the McIntyre system, a saloon passage through to the Grand Final qualifier is highly unlikely with a win, but a loss would most likely still be enough to get through to week two.
The Great Benji Marshall, after being robbed of the Dally Messenger Medal [rugby league's equivalent of the Chas Brownlow], with his typical modesty, said he is playing the best he ever has in his career, but adds there's room to lift even further in the pressure cooker that is September.
But, despite the wheels falling off the St George juggernaut late in the season, Benji still rates the Saints the No.1 contenders for the premiership.
On that thinking, by deduction then, if the Saints can be beaten in week one, then it follows that Balmain must be the No.2 chance.
We shall be there to see.
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS 22: Tries: Williams (2), Mills, Smith. Goals: Williams (3).
WESTS TIGERS 30: Tries: Farah (3), Brown, Moltzen, Tuqiri. Goals: Marshall (3).
At Shark Park, Cronulla.
Crowd: 16,879.
