Voodooers,
What is it about Sydney and their quintessential hoo-doo ground?
Is it that, because of the hoo-doo, they play the match in their heads well before they even get to the ground, are their brains infested with the ghosts of great South Melbourne players past who they might mysteriously bump into on the paddock, are they haunted by the demons of that One Day in September in 2006, or perhaps they are fearful that the hallowed ground will simply open up and swallow them whole?
Who knows?
Inexplicable.
And that ground, of all grounds.
The Stats guru was quick to come up with the observation, that even though they don't play there that often in the regular season, in the last 15 games the Swans have appeared at the MCG, they've come away with one win and a draw.
Joisus.
Coming to think of it, it's very difficult to pinpoint the last game at the G in which they have played well since the Miracle Year.
Lost in the mists of time.
Wassup?
Or maybe its as simple as Mr Ed's 2012 coaching plan/modus operandi has been found out by opposition coaches after just five weeks.
The opening stanza being a classic case in point.
Richmond simply camped players on the best, most effective Sydney forwards - sat on them and closed them down completely - while not bothering much about the Swans defence, and leaving loose men everywhere in their own forward line.
It's a pretty simple game.
Certainly no rocket science involved.
And lets face it, there is no coming back from five goals-to-bugger all at quarter time, as you spend the rest of the match playing catchup football, which in the vast majority of cases in the Rules caper is a dead set lost cause, even if you win the Championship Quarter, as Sydney did, well, on this occasion.
Back to the drawing board, Horse.
The coach would have been forced to 'think again' as he sat by the magic waters at Bronte for Sunday morning smoko, gazing out beyond the horizon.
While Richmond had any number of candidates for Best on Ground, very hard to identify anyone who did any good for the Swans; JP Kennedy, again, perhaps, maybe, while Rhino and Son of Gary battled on gamely througout, but in truth, the Mothers Day fishwraps might as well have just inserted in the 'best' line in the Sydney scorebox 'all played poorly'.
It's probably time for a brief session in the Room Full Of Mirrors down on the Balmain Road, just in the faint hope that someone might by able to see the cause of the hoo-doo in their own refelection.
Perhaps they could take Brett Kirk dressed in some kind of kinky robe down there with them to do some mystical chanting, and light the incense.
Went to this game last year, and ended up having a most miserable weekend in Melbourne [cold wind, flat warm beer at the ground, barely defrosted pies, worst curry ever afterwards, being called a loser on a tram etc etc].
Lucky there was no enticement whatsoever to repeat the experience this time around.
And another thing.
It was fairly obvious - no Goodes Train - no cigar.
Tobacco freight disrupted indefinitely due to unexpected derailment.
RICHMOND: 5.6, 7.9, 8.11, 13.13 (91). Goals: Riewoldt 4, Grigg 3, Miller 2, Deledio, Martin, Maric, Conca.
SYDNEY: 0.2, 2.7, 6.9, 8.14 (62). Goals: Kennedy 2, Everitt, McGlynn, Hannebery, Grundy, Seaby, Dennis-Lane.
At Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Crowd: 40,352
Shock! Horror!
Against all expectations, the NSW selectors have at long last overcome their prejudices and actually picked The Best Leb In The Game at hooker for Stoush One v QLD.
What a turn up.
And about time.
Obviously, SC Sheens' public opinion on the matter has some clout.
Clearly, the selectors didn't want to stand accused by the Strayan coach of having "rocks in their heads".
If Farah is coached properly, as he was in the City v Country aka Probables v Possibles game, he'll do good.
If fact, if they base their initial platform on Robbie's dummy half work and kicking game, they'll go a long way.
And there's no doubt the bloke can learn a set play or two in a week and a half.
Never mind that Queensland, on paper, appear to be unbeatable.
If NSW don't believe they can win, then there's no point turning up.
We'll find out after the time honoured pie floater around at my place on Wednesday week.
WESTS TIGERS: Bye.
