Friday 8 April 2011

AFL 2011 - HOW GOODES IS THIS SWANS BLOG #3: 'Did We Really Win That?'


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WEEKLY BLOG BY WARRICK NICOLSON

AFL ROUND 2 - 2011 
SWANS 14.14.98
BOMBERS 13.15.93

Did we really win that?

Blog #3 of How Goodes Is This? starts with a question - did we really beat Essendon last Sunday?

I ask this because everyone seemed to think that the Jimmy Hird Empire (which had been built in the space of a month or two of pre-season footy and a Round 1 win) would continue to expand its territory in Round 2 and yet the Swans came out at the sparsely populated ANZ Stadium and found a way to win.

It wasn't pretty (but are Sydney's wins ever pretty?) but it showed that the Sydney style remains an intensely competitive one and when we got a sniff in that final term we took our chance. Conversely if Essendon took their chances late in the 4th Quarter they would have felt like they deserved the win too but the fact remains set shots from Ben McGlynn and Jude Bolton and a snap from Ryan O'Keefe won the day.

Now the means reinforced the fact the Swans are a good team... but are we a premiership challenger?

That question I would love to answer in the affirmative but remember we only beat the Bombers (who didn't feature in the Finals last year, yet we almost made it to the final four) and while a win like that deserves to be respected let's not go too far and label it as a stepping stone to greatness.

Which is something the Essendon faithful may have done after their win over the Bulldogs last week...

Anyhoo, the Swans take on our Grand Final pen pals from 2005 and 2006 West Coast on Saturday and although the Eagles are 2-0 - the Swans will have marked this one down as a road game they had to win coming into the season.

I'm just hoping the question that arises later on Saturday night isn't 'Did we really lose that?'

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'HOW GOODES IS THIS' FANTASY REPORT: 

ROUND 2 DREAM TEAM: 2,087 for 4,215PTS / 8,862 of 265,00.
ROUND 2 SUPER COACH: 2,187 for 4,493PTS / 13,593 of 359,135
Round 2 Summary: We missed Joel Selwood in Round 1 when he barely played and we really missed him in Round 2 when he didn't play at all.
Now Joel's got the rest of the season to prove keeping him was the right call.
Andrew Swallow was another disappointment after a good Round 1 - but playing Collingwood meant North barely got the pill and it was reflected in Swallow's stats... He is the most obvious premium I could trade out for Eddie Curnow but Mike Hibberd despite his utility value might be the guy to go.
Up front it looks like I'll be bringing in Luke Tapscott (with all 200,000 other managers who didn't have him already) for Lukas Markovic who probably looses his spot permanently if Brian Lake is fully fit. I'll lose the flexibility of Markovic alongside Michael Hurley and Shaun McKernan but there's no doubt at all the upgrade value of Tapscott (and Curnow in the midfield) make them no brainers this week.
Two thumbs up for the Swannette, Gibbo and Welcome Back Coxer for doing all they can to keep me competitive but I need more from Ben McGlynn (trading him for Tapscott could be a consideration to upgrade down back next week) and Jack Grimes who was hot and cold v Hawthorn.
Obviously will be sticking with Brendon Goddard despite his so-so form and Nick Riewoldt who has been similarly average.
Good luck this week with your trades and let's all hope Curnow and Tapscott aren't dropped in Round 4.
Here is the AFL Dream Team I submitted for Round 1... 



HOW DID YOU FARE?