{"id":64088,"date":"2024-05-27T10:29:01","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T00:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/?p=64088"},"modified":"2024-05-29T16:06:23","modified_gmt":"2024-05-29T06:06:23","slug":"pulp-sydney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/2024\/05\/pulp-sydney\/","title":{"rendered":"Pulp Sydney"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Like most weekends this time of year, I spent a lot of time on the couch watching football.<\/p>\n<p>On Friday night I spent it asking whether Jai Amiss has ever actually slept given the ever-present bags under his eyes.<\/p>\n<p>I spent the early part of Saturday afternoon eating crow on my \u201cZac Williams is barely an AFL footballer\u201d take earlier this season as he\u2019s done the Darcy Byrne-Jones and turned morphed from a half back to a forward pocket and done it beautifully.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday twilight I did a full 180 on Leek Aleer, one of my early notes read \u201cAliir\u2019s ball use is really poor\u201d.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Leek Aleer saves the day for the Giants \ud83e\udd2f<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLCatsGiants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLCatsGiants<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qAQp1jIsqI\">pic.twitter.com\/qAQp1jIsqI<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL (@AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL\/status\/1794297094108217757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 25, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>My end-of-game note read \u201cALIIR HOLY SHIT WHAT A MARK\u201d and \u201cAGIN HES TAKEN TWO OF THEM\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday night I asked repeatedly whether Dusty was still done.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">DUSTIN MARTIN. \u2b50\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLTigersDons?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLTigersDons<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8rIIglVKFC\">pic.twitter.com\/8rIIglVKFC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; 7AFL (@7AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/7AFL\/status\/1794308430758330837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 25, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>He is not.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday I spent the afternoon asking myself a similar series of questions.<\/p>\n<p>But one question rose above every other one that I asked and answered over the course of the weekend: how much better is Sydney than everyone else?<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udc4d<\/p>\n<p>Plenty more footy left this season \ud83d\udd1c<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Bloods?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Bloods<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1TtfbFyddo\">pic.twitter.com\/1TtfbFyddo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sydneyswans\/status\/1794673664165900427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 26, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Even in a game where I thought they played quite poorly overall, they still won because they are so hard to play even when they\u2019re not on with their pressure and workrate.<\/p>\n<p>And even in a game where they were poor, their ball movement was so good when they finally did get some clean air that they couldn\u2019t help but score.<\/p>\n<p>Against the Bulldogs, Sydney gained their fewest metres for the season, had the fewest inside 50s, the fewest contested possessions, and their fewest shots.<\/p>\n<p>But it didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n<p>They still won against a side that is no pushover, even despite the injuries they suffered on the night.<\/p>\n<p>They are so deep and rich with goal-kicking talent through the midfield that they can easily survive, and even thrive, with a forward line full of second banana type players.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday night it was Chad Warner who kicked four, but another day Isaac Heeney might get forward and kick a couple, or Justin McInerny, or Errol Gulden, alongside all the forwards.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">He used Brodie like a step ladder! \ud83e\ude9c<\/p>\n<p>Chad Warner&#39;s high flying efforts was a no-brainer for this week&#39;s Mark of the Week, presented by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/qatarairways?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@qatarairways<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0V9VEiu0Vx\">pic.twitter.com\/0V9VEiu0Vx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sydneyswans\/status\/1793914838013337966?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 24, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It shows in the numbers, with Sydney averaging 9.5 different goal kickers per game. That\u2019s 1.1 more than the next closest.<\/p>\n<p>Despite a lack of genuine star forwards, they\u2019re also the most efficient team in the AFL going inside 50 averaging the most goals and scoring shots in the league and the second highest expected score.<\/p>\n<p>The way they score is exceptionally balanced.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re the best in footy at scoring from the defensive half and off turnover, and they\u2019re the fourth best at scoring from stoppage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">They\u2019re like that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/hawks\/hawks-starting-five-share-eastern-conference-player-month-honors\">Atlanta Hawks team<\/a> were every player in the starting 5 was the Eastern Conference Player of the month.<\/p>\n<p>The defence is also kind of the sum of its parts.<\/p>\n<p>They don\u2019t have a single superstar defender, or even true star defender while Tom McCartin isn\u2019t playing.<\/p>\n<p>And yet, they give up the fewest goals per game, the sixth-fewest shots, and the least goals per inside 50.<\/p>\n<p>All of their superstars are in one area of the ground, but it doesn\u2019t really matter.<\/p>\n<p>I went and saw Pulp Fiction at the cinema on Monday night and watching that I was reminded of watching Sydney, the Swans are like a great ensemble.<\/p>\n<p>There are the stars, sure, like Heeney, Gulden, and Warner as the crown jewel.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re the John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis equivalents.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Has he kicked it? He has!<\/p>\n<p>Isaac Heeney earns this week&#39;s Goal of the Week, presented by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/originenergy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@OriginEnergy<\/a> for his magnificent effort from the pocket. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Bloods?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Bloods<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fBXiuLD1Ij\">pic.twitter.com\/fBXiuLD1Ij<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sydneyswans\/status\/1793884641394643185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 24, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>But honestly, every team has some stars.<\/p>\n<p>What makes Sydney is what made Pulp Fiction: the bit players.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pulp Fiction (Adrenaline)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vfeIuFgZyD0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>How could you ever forget the drug dealer in Pulp who stabs Uma Thurman with the adrenaline shot, or his wife who has a stud in her tongue that helps with fellatio?<\/p>\n<p>What about Marcellus Wallace? Or Winston Wolf? Or Pumpkin and Honey Bunny at the start of the movie?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pulp Fiction | I Love You Pumpkin, I Love You Honey Bunny\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fJPbQgSqvo0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Or Zed?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pulp Fiction | &#039;Zed&#039;s Dead&#039; (HD) - Bruce Willis | MIRAMAX\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5lL1ypndnWA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Or the gimp?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pulp Fiction: Bring Out The Gimp\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CzewInPpBAw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>All of those characters appear in like two scenes, maximum, but they make the movie. They\u2019re called upon to do something small, and they make it big in their own small way.<\/p>\n<p>Sydney has the same thing.<\/p>\n<p>The stars are the stars, but the fact that you can set your watch to a reliable performance from Lewis Melican at one end and Joel Amartey at the other is what sets them apart this season.<\/p>\n<p>Aaron Francis might be the Quentin Tarantino character.<\/p>\n<p>I will die on the hill that Jimmy with the coffee is worse than Butch\u2019s girlfriend, but it\u2019s a close race.<\/p>\n<p>The other thing that sets Sydney apart is their ability to win in different ways.<\/p>\n<p>In football you can\u2019t be good at everything. To play the way that Sydney plays they are a pretty poor contested ball and clearance team, sitting 14th and 16th respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Their last four games have come against four of the best contested ball and stoppage teams (GWS, Fremantle, Carlton and the Bulldogs).<\/p>\n<p>They won contested ball in three out of four, and stoppages in two out of four (losing a third by one stoppage).<\/p>\n<p>Only the Bulldogs clearly beat them in those numbers and, again, it didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re like Tom Ripley, they adapt to their environment, right up until they can drag you to their level and then they\u2019ll kill you.<\/p>\n<p>They Dickie Greenleafed GWS particularly.<\/p>\n<p>But none of the above answers the question that I posed at the top: how much better is Sydney?<\/p>\n<p>Pretty bloody good.<\/p>\n<p>By the premiership metrics, Sydney\u2019s mean ranking is 2.4. If those numbers hold and they win the premiership, they would be the third best premier since 2012 behind only Geelong of 2022 and Hawthorn of 2015.<\/p>\n<p>Their current percentage of 150.1% would be the best percentage since the 2016 Swans.<\/p>\n<p>This is very possibly an historic football team.<\/p>\n<p>Of course they might drop off, and it would be remiss not to mention that the 2016 Swans of course lost to the Western Bulldogs in one of the great upsets in league history.<\/p>\n<p>But this is something special that we\u2019re watching here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b><i>Like what you read from our hard-hitting columnist?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b><i>Follow\u00a0<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/guywholikesspo1\"><b><i>@Guywholikessport<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i>\u00a0on Twitter or check out his\u00a0<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/guywholikessport.wixsite.com\/guywholikessport\"><b><i>FULL BLOG HERE\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":64256,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8298,344],"tags":[29,8614,3311,1329,8260,3094,9151,1458,957],"hub_post_cat":[],"class_list":["post-64088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australian-rules","category-guywholikessport","category-sports","tag-afl","tag-afl-2024","tag-aussie-rules","tag-australian-rules","tag-guywholikessport","tag-opinion","tag-pulp-fiction","tag-sydney","tag-sydney-swans"],"acf":{"md_tip_date":null,"md_tip_date_end":null,"md_market_url":"","tip_date":"27\/05\/2024","event_country":"Australia"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64088"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64088\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64088"},{"taxonomy":"hub_post_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub_post_cat?post=64088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}