I had hopes that my mob would do OK this week following their win against the Saints last week. Besides, Sydney have not been all that flash this year.
Must have been confident having the magician sitting on the bench at the start of the game
Merrett looked OK at first blush, lead out at speed at centre half forward.
For the first five minutes it all looked very promising for us as we made charge after charge into the forward line but we could not maintain this pressure or indeed score anything either. Tend to find that “scoreboard pressure” does help a little whereas the reverse is very debilitating.
Goodes ducked under a tackle in the goal square and Kennedy was penalised, Brisbane penalised, first goal to Goodes. McVeigh, seventh disposal to Goodes beat our defenders pointless. Two goals in a great hurry. Swans didn’t need Tippett or Buddy.
Kieran Jack took a good mark over his shoulder about fifty metres out and kicked straight. Sydney way on top now, their moves forward were much more convincing.
Wait, Sydney turned the ball over in their back half, Ryan Lester took a good pass from Adcock and goaled. Fab!
Sydney butchering many thrusts forward, nine scoring shots to one.
Tough bursting bustling play by Merrett caused a spillage, Rockcliff goaled having been incorrectly tackled.
Quarter time, Swans 24 Lions 12, but the scores were not indicative of where the game was really at with Sydney leading three goals six to two goals. I talked myself and indeed the Minister for Home Affairs into believing that with any sort of luck we could still belt the rich team from Sydney.
Although Brisbane were mucking around with short passes going forward, they weren’t looking too crook but then Zorko unfortunately deflected a sharp goal mouth snap by Green.
All that hard work was ruined when Derickx easily outmanoeuvred his opponent in the square and goaled. Brisbane could only manage four points in a row at this stage of the quarter. Sydney 30 Brisbane 16. Green got a fantastic running goal after a Sydney turnover at centre half back
Nick Robertson messed up an easy shot to goal, we were buggered from then on.
Parker took a great mark on the wing. Cunningham didn’t miss 35 metres out Sydney now 14 points up, extremely disappointing really.
Green broke from the centre but no score, I nearly hit the ceiling jumping at first in anticipation and then in disappointment that a team lifting play came to nothing and was in fact in the end easily rebuffed.
Jack to Sam Reid, another goal, now points 20 up, showed how it should be done.
Raines kicked out of bounds on the full after making a really good clearance from centre half back, sport is tough sometimes. Gees another goal Josh Kennedy this time, Sydney were getting away, 3 quick goals in a row.
Hannebery out positioned Adcock, I started to think, “How bad is this going to get?” On this occasion he missed thus letting Brisbane let off the hook for a minute or two at least.
Merrett pulled an absolute clanger, it was getting “worser and worser” short passing across goal, and McVeigh took an intercept mark, made him pay with a goal. Really hopeless for such an experienced player.
As Alastair Lynch observed at half time, the Swans ability to rebound from half back was very outstanding. Swans had 75 more disposals in the first half.
Third quarter, no use bombing ball into the forward line, too easy to spoil.
McGuane missed an easy snap for goal, not too long after. Somehow Jack was free at centre half forward and goaled. One entry to Sydney, goal, five entries Brisbane, practically nothing. Then a poster by Jack, was starting to remind me of a boxing bout, left jab to the head right jab to the body, swift uppercut, with Brisbane gradually being destroyed.
Lions were getting tired, not providing much run now, our defence was under constant pressure. Rhyce Shaw 43 goaled in his 200th game. Been around Collingwood and Sydney since 1999. Good on him particularly given that for most the enduring memory of this player was his being turned inside out by Alastair Lynch in one of Brisbane’s Grand Final wins, just an ever receding dream now.
Paparone got one back for Brisbane as the indirect result of a Sydney turnover, interesting that the Swans were still making mistakes, against a better side that might have turned the tide.
Hannebury snaky about being pinged for holding the ball just out from the Brisbane forward line, but he was swung 360. Paparone a second in two minutes. At least the Lions had some life still.
Fantastic defence, close checking, smothers, prevented a seemingly certain goal by the Swans. Then Kennedy scored a goal from nothing thus undoing all of Brisbane’s hard work. Parker marked a high ball from Goodes, the Lions were back where they started from. 82 – 36. If that had been the final margin it still would have been bad enough.
Goodes kicked his third goal, what a great player he is, after yet another quick Sydney takeaway rom the centre. Brandon Jack ridden into the ground free kicked, goal, 59 point margin, too fast, too skilled, unfortunately.
Green missed a running shot for goal that would have been nice to get.
Another turnover following an errant Adcock handball. Intercepted by Malceski, neatly passed to Parker who got the first goal of the last quarter.
After some nice passes across the ground Cutler kicked really nice goal for Brisbane, but Brandon Jack soon replied for Sydney, nineteen year old left footer, lot of talented kids around, everywhere really.
Jetta who had been comparatively quiet (19 disposals though) kicked a nice goal. Swans up by by72 points. Lloyd after a rebound from some Brisbane forward pressure scored another goal from the half forward left flank. Brisbane out classed by 33 to 14 scoring shots. I turned the TV off thinking just how much off the pace the Lions really were and that now they would be stone motherless bottom. I also thought that apart from Aish, because of his South Australian origins, I had hardly heard of any of Brisbane’s young kids. May they rise against the Don’s next week!
Sydney 3.6 8.8 14.11 18.15 123
Brisbane 2.0 3.5 5.6 6.8 44
Goals Sydney: Goodes 3; B. Jack, Kennedy, K. Jack, Parker 2; Cunningham, Lloyd, McVeigh, Jetta, Shaw, Reid, Derickx.
Goals Brisbane: Paparone 2; Green, Lester, Cutler, Rockcliff
Best Sydney: McVeigh, K. Jack, Parker, Kennedy.
Best Brisbane: Rockcliff, Adcock, Green, Mayes.
Umpires: Stevic, Fleer, Stephens. Crowd 17953 at the Gabba.
Our Votes: McVeigh3, K. Jack 2, Parker 1.
About Peter Schumacher
Wannabe footy commentator and writer, used to be a wannabe footballer
Good description of the game, it was hard sitting in the stands. Would love to see the lions have more scoreboard pressure. Too many turnovers kill the enthusiasm