Lance Franklin keeps on delivering
The “deal forever” keeps on giving to the Sydney Swans. Lance Franklin was in super touch on Sunday. 8 goals could have easily been ten if accurate. His goal sense is amazing. You really feel like you are watching a legend of the game that’s for sure. Felt that way when I saw Jesaulenko, Ablettt, Nichols, Skilton, Hudson, Carey, Matthews, Harvey, Whitten etc etc.. When the chips are down at Sydney, it’s Franklin who always puts in. He did it at last year’s grand final after copping a nasty knock. He did it on Sunday when they needed a win. He’s a hard worker. I love his football attitude. Probably my favorite Sydney Swans player.
The Sydney fans simply adore the “people’s champion” in Lance Franklin. Photo: Jodie Newell
The bouncing first quarter goal was a classic. The deliberation of just how far out it was kicked from was fun. 80 metres? 70 metres? the TV call said 67 metres..who cares? it was well outside the 50 metre arc and another jaw dropping Buddy goal. Still reckon the Malcolm Blight after the siren goal I saw kicked after the Carlton v North Melbourne game at Princess Park in June of 1976 rules. I was behind the Robert Heatley stand end and yes, the ball was post high with a perfectly executed torpedo punt. Players who put a dagger into your heart are usually legends. Blight included and he’d surely be impressed with Lance Franklin’s continuing brilliance. Just a reminder of THAT kick. Mike Williamson & the late Lou Richards (more on him later) call the game. Love how Mike Williamson says “Oh I’ve seen it all now, I have seen it All!”
Bullish Swans?
After being away from Australia for 4 weeks, it great to catch up with Daily Telegraph AFL scribe Neil Cordy and talk all things Swans and the whys and wherefores about season 2017 and the 0-6 start. Was it the coach? I asked “No” said Cords, Was it the let down from the 2016 Grand Final? “No” said Cords. Was there a player rift? “No” again said Cords. Had the Swans game plan been found out and were they sussed? and again “No” said Cords. Me being stumped at his reply, because I feel the above questions form a major part of the reasons why they have started badly. Neil said he was feeling “bullish” about Sydney and he rolled his case out like a defense lawyer. He pulled out the Footy Record and began his argument. He said the Sydney list had suffered from a very ordinary pre-season. Many players were either unfit, or had viruses ie: Isaac Heeney and this had contributed to the Swans worst start in years. I could see his point and it was a bloody good argument, but I remain unconvinced even after their 54 point win over Brisbane. I thought the Lions had absolutely nothing and maybe coach John Longmire thought so to when he benched Aliir Aliir for not turning up to training on time. Now that was a pretty risky call considering they were 0-6 and a loss would have made that call look bad. Still the Swans looked like the Swans of old. Maybe they can do what North Melbourne did in 1975.(again THAT team from the 1970’s!) That is North lost their first 4 games in 1975 and were gone for all money according to those in the know. Yet it was 1975 when they turned it all around and won the club’s first premiership. This time if Sydney were to win the flag from this place it would be a plus two on North’s effort. Stranger things have happened. Oh and don’t tell me, guess who Sydney plays this week? North Melbourne! They are in red hot form after flogging current flag favorites in the Adelaide Crows. It’s going to be tough for Sydney to win in Melbourne next Sunday. If they do the bullish call from Cords could well and truly be alive!
A bit Rich, but a great coach in Chris Fagan
I really wanted to speak with 150th gamer Daniel Rich after the game regardless of the loss. I asked the Brisbane Lions media rep for an interview and she went and asked him. He knew someone wanted to chat and I waited for around 15 mins whilst he took one of those bloody awful ice baths not many folks think about after the siren has sounded. I waited and waited..no show..During the wait, I managed to have a brief chat with Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan. We spoke about the game and all things footy. The thing that struck me was his knowledge and insight into the game. It must be a a challenging time for Chris as he comes from a winning culture in Hawthorn. Now he has a bunch of young charges to mold and teach winning football. I’m sure he’ll get there somehow.
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan will create a winning culture with this team. Photo: Jodie Newell
The Lions could have been beaten by 100 points but they stuck to their tasks no matter how difficult and were competitive. The stats showed that 129 to 128 contested possessions in favour of Sydney, Clearances 36 -37 in favour of Brisbane. Tackles 55 apiece. 74% to 71% disposal efficiency to the Swans The numbers illustrate they weren’t far off, except they didn’t execute or deliver enough pressure on Sydney. Anyhow back to Daniel Rich, who finally got out of his ice bath and had a feed with his team-mates and well, they had a plane to catch and well I get it…there was no interview… Rich’s stats for his 15oth game were : 10 kicks / 4 marks / 2 tackles / 3 rebounds from the 50 m arc / 1 inside 50 m / 1 clearance / 2 clangers / 1 free kick against / 5 Contested possessions / 10 Uncontested possessions / 3, 1% per-centers / Disposal efficiency 80% / 85% game played /
Daniel Rich had an ordinary day during his 150th game. Photo: Jodie Newell
Well done on 50 games Callum Sinclair
It was a well deserved milestone for Sydney Swans tall man Callum Sinclair. He debuted against Hawthorn for the West Coast Eagles in 2013 at age 23. Since then it’s been a struggle for him to stay fit. The other factor at West Coast was that he was kept out of the team by two very good players in Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui. He did play in a grand final for the Eagles in 2015 against a rampant Hawthorn team. He joined the Swans in 2016 and it’s here where he’s been able to play some pretty consistent footy. It’s a real shame Sydney didn’t have Callum in the 2016 grand final team due to injury, as he would have made a big difference. If Sydney are to salvage season 2017, he’s going to play a key part of any renaissance. His presence around the rucking contest is extremely valuable in getting the ball to the midfielders such as Parker, Hannebery, Kennedy and Heeney. Here’s hoping Callum can get to 100 games without too much of a problem. Well done champ!
Breaking the 50 game mark. Callum Sinclair (number 18) bursts through the Swans banner. Photo: Jodie Newell
Vale Lou Richards
And finally, well played Lou Richards. A classic old schooler who changed the way football was reported, how media personalities reacted to the game and brought massive interest to the grand game of Australian Rules Football. I never saw him as a player, but from all reports if you cut his wrist, he would have bled black and white. Total Collingwood, total devotion to the Victoria Park crew. His fabulous football commentary was unreal and I grew up on it as a kid. The “What A He-Man” call when Leigh Matthews crunched the behind post at Windy Hill at Essendon was a classic. His dramatic voice would make watching football on TV compelling. Then there was his humour. In a world that is bound by nonsensical political correctness, Lou Richard wouldn’t stand a chance today against the finger pointing, fake outraged “matrons” and “barons” of today’s social media world. I loved his work on World of Sport and his analysis of the game. Luckily, you can watch his efforts on World of Sport via You Tube. He’d bring in an armful of sponsor products and give them to the football coaches or special guests that would frequent the Channel 7 Dorcas Street studios. He’d throw in a gag to try and cheer up (and succeed) notoriously grumpy coaches who had lost the day before such as Allan Jeans or Ron Barassi much to their chagrin. That act would also be a subtle reminder that despite the disappointment, life does go on and teams go on. I did see Lou Richards at Victoria Park the night Collingwood won the 1990 AFL premiership. There were thousands at the ground and I clearly remember Lou Richards wearing a black and white top hat introducing the winning players to a delirious crowd of Magpie fans that were in an absolute frenzy, it was the biggest Collingwood story in years and Lou Richards was very much a part of that great day for the club. Days later he would bury the infamous “Colliwobbles” at Victoria Park after that famous flag win. Then there were the bold predictions. He’d make bets with teams that stood little chance of winning that he’d do something outrageous. In 1976 he said he’d jump of a pier at St Kilda in the middle of winter if a side got up and they did. Richards could never be accused of being a “Welsher” and met his obligations with humour and real courage. Try jumping into the waters of St-Kilda in the middle of a freezing Melbourne winter, no way Jose!
Lou Richards after jumping off St-Kilda Pier in June, 1976. His outrageous and humorous antics captured the football public’s imagination. Photo from Herald Sun
He also paddled across the Barwon River in Geelong in a bath tub with Cats coach Billy Goggin after fumbling a dare. Thousands turned up to watch the spectacle and Richards “punishment” metered out. Again folks roared with laughter, even the coach Goggin did and it illustrated the fact that Lou Richards made football fun. I miss those days. Yes, life goes on, there is change, but is it for the better? sometimes I think not. I miss the late Thursday night’s with Jack Dyer, Bob Davis and Lou on League Teams announcing the ins and outs for the weekends games. Throw in Lou’s recipes, gags and play with Jack & Bob and you’d feel happier for the experience. Today we have the Footy Show and AFL 360 and On The Couch.All of these shows have their strengths, but I still think the World of Sport crew was the best football show I’ve watched. Ron Casey (another old school genius) allowed and encouraged Lou Richards to thrive in the ad-lib environment that was World of Sport.I really hope media lecturers show some of Lou’s work to prospective sports journalists. In today’s numbers obsessed game of clangers, hard ball gets and inside 50 metres, the one thing that Lou reminded us was that footballers are human and they aren’t machines or simply creatures of habit, as many like to think today. Lou brought personality into the game and that’s what still brings in the crowds of today’s AFL. A job well done Lou, I hope, you and Bob and Jack are enjoying a few quiet ones upstairs, before wife Edna interrupts and calls you home for dinner and a nite in front of the telly watching the footy.
Below is the brilliant video made in 1985 “The Spirit of Collingwood” which features Lou hosting the program and includes Magpies legends in Harry Collier, Bruce Andrews, and Keith Stackpole snr.
