Opening Round. 2024.

[Magpietothemax]

Swans 86
Melbourne 56
Swans have played a scorching last quarter

[Jezza]

Swans won 86-64.

Where's P4S to celebrate Grundy's performance?

[Pies4shaw]

Swans won 86-64.

Where's P4S to celebrate Grundy's performance?

See: https://www.magpies.net/nick/bb/viewtop ... 05&start=7

and

https://www.magpies.net/nick/bb/viewtop ... 9&start=75

[Magpietothemax]

Swans won 86-64.

Where's P4S to celebrate Grundy's performance?

Well I'm here to do so.
Brilliant performance by Grundy.
I have always been sure that he is a player capable of imparting brilliance to a team if the coaching and the team configuration were right.
I understand now that we let him go because he was just occupying too much cap space, and by doing so we acquired the players we needed to create a Premiership list.
But Sydney is lucky to have him at a reasonable cost. they seemed to play Grundy tonight as we did in 2018...he ranged free, and involved himself in all aspects of the game...also his ruckwork was great.

[Jezza]

^ I agree.

That was his best performance in several years. It was the 2018-19 version of Grundy that we fondly remember.

[LaurieHolden]

I didn't rate Melbourne going into this, so nothing has changed. (let alone the Covid Cup they won in 2021 - in a year the AFL just should have canned the comp)
Melbourne played the equivalent of 1980's footy last night.
Sure, they get the ball through the likes of Petracca, Oliver and Viney but it's what they do with it after. They really lack quality outside runners that can deliver it into their forward line as opposed to bombing it in.
Fritsch's talent alone sees him convert regularly, but gee he has to work for it.
While Gawn is a warrior through and through, he can't do it all himself.
Even the commentators focus on the afore mentioned needs to expand to unpick their game plan, whatever that is.
Hodgey is the only one capable in the commentary box of analysing the strategy as opposed to BT waiting for the opportunity to suggest they need to bring out the haemorrhoid cream for a cut, AC joint, corkie, ACL...or Bradshaw's over the top yelling. BT calls a game well, it's just the urge to inject his patter at times when better analysis of the game is required still needs addressing.

Sydney were v good last night, really stuck to their game plan. That Blakey is a lock for AA, he's a gun. I'd expect they'll lose few games if any at home this year.

[What'sinaname]

I knew by midway through the 1st that Melbourne weren't going to kick a big enough score to win. I also thought Josh Schache had been delisted and way playing in some country league. Surprised to see him on an AFL field - albeit not too often. It's a fair effort to go missing on the SCG.

[LaurieHolden]

^and to think there were many calling for us to go after Schache. (probably me too...) He's just not AFL quality.

[Jezza]

^ Amazes me Schache is still in the AFL system.

[Donny]

Bit of rain around the Gabba. Shouldn't be a problem.

Lions v. Blues. 7.40

[Donny]

Lions 12-6.

[LaurieHolden]

This is getting very ugly. Lions are quick and Blues look like spectators.

[Donny]

Quarter time.

Lions 44-12.

[Magpietothemax]

Carlton have awoken from their coma, and showed clear signs of a capacity to present some kind of resistance.
Brisbane 59
Carlton 28
at half time.
McKay missed a critical set shot, as he so often did last year.

[Donny]

Would you believe the Blooze are now in front ??!