We are go with a full strength squad for the Swans for tomorrows grand final. It will be a very very good game and Tom Jones is doing the pre-match entertainment, what more could you want?
Swans by 5 points, itās going to be closer than most expect, but I cannot see us losing this. The crowning of Buddy as king of Sydney, but Kurt Tippett could well be the difference. Kieran Jack for the Norm Smith medal, but there are so many others who will be in contention, like Jarrad McVeigh, Josh Kenedy, Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker. Jarad Roughead, Luke Hodge or Will Langford for the Hawks. Great way to send the greatest living Australian, Adam Goodes, off. Cheer, cheer the red and the whiteā¦
@caoimhaoin[/USER] [USER=236]@Fitzy[/USER] [USER=112]@Gman
Can one of ye give us a low down on how the Irish are doing over there these days?
I presume Tommy Walsh is coming home because he couldnāt make it?
[QUOTE=āJulio Geordio, post: 1022666, member: 332ā]@caoimhaoin[/USER] [USER=236]@Fitzy[/USER] [USER=112]@Gman
Can one of ye give us a low down on how the Irish are doing over there these days?
I presume Tommy Walsh is coming home because he couldnāt make it?[/QUOTE]
Starting from top to bottom,
Hanely is doing really well at Brisbane, easily in their top 3 players. Was close to being in nominations for All Australian selection too, was tipped by some to be picked. He plays off the half back flank or centrally in midfield, so is one of their key players for distribution and possession of the ball. He got a couple of goal of the year nominations too. At the moment, he has probably surpassed all who have been out there before, bar Stynes.
Tuohy is still getting his place at Carlton. This year wasnt as good for him, but it wasnt as good for the club either. They are playing him as the last man, corner back type player, which really doesnt suit him. He isnt a sticky marker and ends up being on the oppositions fastest and trickiest nippy small forward. His strengths are kicking deep penetrating ball from half back, and popping up for a few long range goals from deep, so playing him back there is not great for him. He has a reduced role on the ball as a result, but he is still getting his spot, and I dont think he was dropped at all.
Ciaran Sheehan has done well in his first year. He started hi sfirst game about with about 5 games left in the year, and did well. I think he played all the season out from there then. Saw him play 2 games and he did well, played mostly off the half back flank and was praised for his good kicking ability.
Daniel Flynn at Port Adelaide had a rough start, going out there, coming home and going back again. But he has really impressed in their second side, and is tipped to make it to the first team soon. Has good speed and has taken a good aggressive approach to his footy, where most lads going out there are very stand offish.
Tommy Walsh. The great enigma that is. Suffered a horrendous injury last year where the hamstring tore off the bone and had surgery and only came back a while back. They were playing him in the backs for the reserve team, and he seems to be doing well there for them. They want him to stay, but would only be offered a one year contract. With Kerry having a turn around in their side now, I reckon it would be the right time for him to call it quits and go home. He injured himself when he was in the first team late in the season, but it would be hard for him to make it now with so many big tall forwards in their side, so he will only make it in the backs if he does at all.
Ciaran Byrne from Louth is at Carlton. Has been doing average to good in their reserve team, and seems to have the potential to be pushing for a spot next year. Seems to have been next in line after Sheehan to get a spot in the side so should se him in some games next year.
Marty Clarke is coming home. With Collingwood being a load of men down with injuries, he still couldnt make it, so there was no hope at all for him, which is a shame. He started off with some real promise.
Caolan Mooney also has given up and is coming home. He showed some good promise too, and had some unreal speed. Dont think he took to it well there though and despite getting a few run outs, didnt look like breaking back in this year.
So, predicted a Sydney Hawks final, and so it comes to pass. And didnt look like anyone really pressed to break up the top 2. I tipped Sydney from the start, and I still think theyāll do it. Be great for Goodes to get a win and retire on this. The big news is that Rioli is included in the Hawks team after being out injured for the last couple of months.
[QUOTE=āGman, post: 1022676, member: 112ā]Starting from top to bottom,
Hanely is doing really well at Brisbane, easily in their top 3 players. Was close to being in nominations for All Australian selection too, was tipped by some to be picked. He plays off the half back flank or centrally in midfield, so is one of their key players for distribution and possession of the ball. He got a couple of goal of the year nominations too. At the moment, he has probably surpassed all who have been out there before, bar Stynes.
Tuohy is still getting his place at Carlton. This year wasnt as good for him, but it wasnt as good for the club either. They are playing him as the last man, corner back type player, which really doesnt suit him. He isnt a sticky marker and ends up being on the oppositions fastest and trickiest nippy small forward. His strengths are kicking deep penetrating ball from half back, and popping up for a few long range goals from deep, so playing him back there is not great for him. He has a reduced role on the ball as a result, but he is still getting his spot, and I dont think he was dropped at all.
Ciaran Sheehan has done well in his first year. He started hi sfirst game about with about 5 games left in the year, and did well. I think he played all the season out from there then. Saw him play 2 games and he did well, played mostly off the half back flank and was praised for his good kicking ability.
Daniel Flynn at Port Adelaide had a rough start, going out there, coming home and going back again. But he has really impressed in their second side, and is tipped to make it to the first team soon. Has good speed and has taken a good aggressive approach to his footy, where most lads going out there are very stand offish.
Tommy Walsh. The great enigma that is. Suffered a horrendous injury last year where the hamstring tore off the bone and had surgery and only came back a while back. They were playing him in the backs for the reserve team, and he seems to be doing well there for them. They want him to stay, but would only be offered a one year contract. With Kerry having a turn around in their side now, I reckon it would be the right time for him to call it quits and go home. He injured himself when he was in the first team late in the season, but it would be hard for him to make it now with so many big tall forwards in their side, so he will only make it in the backs if he does at all.
Ciaran Byrne from Louth is at Carlton. Has been doing average to good in their reserve team, and seems to have the potential to be pushing for a spot next year. Seems to have been next in line after Sheehan to get a spot in the side so should se him in some games next year.
Marty Clarke is coming home. With Collingwood being a load of men down with injuries, he still couldnt make it, so there was no hope at all for him, which is a shame. He started off with some real promise.
Caolan Mooney also has given up and is coming home. He showed some good promise too, and had some unreal speed. Dont think he took to it well there though and despite getting a few run outs, didnt look like breaking back in this year.[/QUOTE]
The lads at Collingwood had no chance. Heard from a very good source Buckley was never happy with some of the players he was left and in particular had no time for training up Irish recruits. He is not known for his man management skills and by all accounts both Down lads are the arm around the shoulder types.
He is generally a poor coach and seems like the type to blame everyone else while never looking at himself. He has got rid of a load of staff in an attempt to shake things up, and has blamed S&C for their injury list, while it is believed he has some old school training methods and often over trains the team.
Absolutely correct about Buckley there Kev and I can tell you most magpies supporters think heās a joke. Long may he remain there.
I think they had to include him for feel good reasons if nothing else as they are missing experience and buddy and have a few Injuries playing.
Should be Swans, but Hawks are a serious big game team.
Half way through 1st quarter. All square at 14 each, usual scrappy final start but getting good and opening up now. Fuch, hawks just went 6 up. Some really nasty shits being thrown at buddy but heās playing well and has a goal, he could end up in a punch up here if the umpires donāt give him some protection. Tippets going vert well. Hawthorn looking more threatening at the moment, gettin into very dangerous
Positions but has missed a few, Burgoyne going very well.
Hawks 27swans 14 with nearly 5 mins left in the qtr. Hawks 15-5 ahead on tackles which us very significant
Extremely impressive from hawks. Its not a lack of effort from Sydney its immense pressure from hawthorn. Hawks are also moving the handball very quickly to avoid the Sydney pressure? Its going well for them so far.
They are being very dirty on buddy too. Lake is doing a Aidan O Mahoney. In fact thereās are many similarities between the two finals.
Hawks 35-15 to the good after 1st qtr, ferocious workrate and tackling from them, swans fighting a rearguard action at the moment. Have to wonder if hawks have gone too hard toO early, long long way to go.
Tippets playing really deep, indicative of the swans inability to get past halfway. Heals should be 4 more goals up their kicking, especially Gunston is shocking
61-21 halfway through second qtr, this is a fucking massacre. Sam Mitchell imperious.
This is a walloping
Swans cant get out of their 50 never mind the half. Oh for fucks sake, Luke hodge just killed us.
Hodge and Mitchell are sheer class.
Goodeās playing hawks on his own. His maintainence of his pace is impressive.
75-33 HT. Signs of life from theswans for a few minutes and the Cyril ruins us. Hawks must be knackered but I canāt see how theswans can come back from this.
Kev, a lOt of swans players havenāt shown up have they? Mcveigh, jack, mcglynn, Reid. Lewis jetta having a nightmare. Hawks have been brilliant.