Round 18 – GWS v Sydney Swans: Almost as triumphant as Beethoven’s Ninth!
I missed almost the first half of this game. Can’t believe what happened.
All AFL games are recorded on Fox. Never an issue. Until this weekend.
On Saturday night when I went to watch the Port v St Kilda game, it wasn’t showing in the Fox Library of recordings. Instead, it said GWS v Sydney. How ridiculous, I thought, we don’t play until Sunday. Clicking on it I soon realised it was of course the Port v St Kilda match.
On Sunday evening at 7pm (always watch later than the start) when I searched for our game in the Library, there was nothing to be seen. Fox had stuffed up big time, and had assumed that it had already been recorded on the Saturday, and completely missed the real thing on the Sunday.
Going straight to the live showing, with 8.45 minutes remaining in the second quarter and the score 50–16 – down by 34 points – I felt sick. Very sick!
At that point I knew nothing at all about the behind–the–scene Covid dramas, and that two of our most influential players this year, Callum Mills and Harry Cunningham weren’t playing (Their Toby Green, too, hooray!) and all I could think of was Oh god, here we go again, losing to a side below us…. I just couldn’t believe the score.
Of course I persisted watching, and from that moment the Swans were back! For the remainder of the quarter Justin McInerney managed two goals, Paps dribbled one off the ground from 20 metres, and just before the siren Luke Parker took a courageous mark and kicked truly – leaving us just 16 points in arrears at half time.
No doubt encouraged by their own eight–minute performance, and the coaching staff’s inspiring words during the break, thanks to a wonderful team effort we pile on 6.2 in the third term to their 0.3. Goals to Wicks; Buddy – quiet up until now – from 50 metres; Tom Hickey, on the end of a wonderful passage of play from Rampe, McCartin, Kennedy, Parker, Blakey, Hewitt and finally into the arms of Hickey, brings a ‘Wow’ from the Fox commentator. Wow indeed!
Now ahead by just one point, there’s no stopping us, and there’s still 14 minutes left in the quarter. Blakey – at his promising best – runs, bounces, runs, bounces, and delivers perfectly to Buddy, for another goal from 50 metres. The superstar then receives a perfect pass from Rowbottom, the two–games–in two–days replacement for Mills, and adds another to his tally. Will Haywood kicks truly and we’ve managed nine consecutive goals. A couple of close misses towards the end of the quarter sees us 19 points up, and despite our wonderful comeback, I’m as nervous as hell!
Surely we can’t let them come back now, are my thoughts at three quarter time, remembering the game earlier in the year at the SCG against them, when they came from behind in the dying minutes to overcome us.
Not long into the final term Finlayson goals for the Giants and the nerves are mounting. Marshall takes the brunt of my exclamations and screams for the rest of the quarter, but in the end we continue to maintain the pressure and add three more goals, thanks to Sam Wicks, Tommy Papley – his fourth and definitely his best – from the boundary 15 metres out. (He certainly seemed impressed, along with all of us, with his effort!) and another to Buddy, straight in front from 20 metres.
I’m starting to relax, with a 31 point lead and with just eight minutes left, but relaxation for me is definitely not synonymous with Swans matches. When Himmelberg goals for GWS not long later, it just adds to more tension.
Half an hour later the siren sounds, giving us a remarkable 26 point victory. The small crowd erupts. Almost all red and white supporters, they have been loud and proud in their support, and it’s wonderful to see so many Swans supporters wherever we play.
Again, as in the past couple of weeks, this has been another team effort. Special mention however must go to Luke Parker (awarded the best on ground Brett Kirk Medal for the third time) for his overall performance. George Hewett impressed in the second half, as did Joey Kennedy, Buddy, Errol Gulden, Justin McInerney, Tommy Papley, Nick Blakey, Tom McCartin, and Tom Hickey – what a find he has been.
Perhaps John Longmire best described this game when he said, “It was just an unbelievable effort when you consider that we probably had enough reasons just to, if we wanted to, make the choice to not keep going. The players’ ability to be able to dig in and push against the tide when things weren’t going well and recover and go again was outstanding. On top of what’s already happened (missing players from Covid), to be able to have the resilience as a footy club to get through and come out the other end of it was just fantastic.”
And, to finish off, just in case you’re wondering: why Beethoven’s Ninth?
I often listen to music whilst watching sport on television (never when Swans are playing though!). On Saturday evening and part of Sunday afternoon I watched the Port v St Kilda and Melbourne v Hawthorn matches – all played without spectators. I loathe the faux crowd noises that are played when no one is attending, so instead of listening to that and the commentators, I prefer music.
I was actually playing Beethoven’s Ninth just before I switched to our game on Sunday evening, and even though no sporting achievement can be compared to the genius of Beethoven, as we rolled onwards to victory in the final minutes, the triumph of the last movement of Beethoven’s Symphony certainly came to mind.
Go Bloods!
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About Jan Courtin
A Bloods tragic since first game at Lake Oval in 1948. Moved interstate to Sydney to be closer to beloved Swans in 1998. My book "My Lifelong Love Affair with the Swans" was launched by the Swans at their headquarters at the SCG in August 2016. www.myswansloveaffair.com
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Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news.
The Swans are a-fly in’
See em reel and rockin’
Roll over Beethoven
I want my Swans to play
Roll over Beethoven
My Swans have won today!
Jude
Thanks Judy. Wonderful poem! Go Bloods!
Great article, Jan.
Judy, forever the poet!!
I’m very happy for all Swans supporters.
Julie.
C-H-A-R-A-C-T-E-R Jan. That was truly a great comeback. God was watching, in sparing you 1.5 quarters of misery!
A great comeback by our boys Jan. I’m very proud of these boys and our Club. Best game from Georgie in awhile, along with the usual suspects, plus the kids J.Macca, T.Macca and The Lizard.
Thanks Chris and Keiran
Onwards we go…week by week for me, and see how things transpire. Love my Swannies!