No Pies hoodoo for Swans: Goodes

Updated August 09, 2012 15:46:00

Adam Goodes has dismissed any talk of a Collingwood curse as Sydney looks for its first win over the Magpies since 2005 on Saturday night.

Since then, it has been an unrelenting tale of woe for Sydney, who has lost its last ten games to the Magpies.

Goodes, fellow co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Malceski, Ryan O'Keefe and Lewis Roberts-Thomson are the only present-day Swans who were part of the 2005 victory at Olympic stadium, where the two high-flying teams meet again this weekend.

Sydney won by just one point in 2005, but do not ask the childhood Magpies fan Goodes - who kicked two goals in the game - for a blow-by-blow description.

"I can't remember anything about it to tell you the truth - 2005 was a long time ago," Goodes said.

He was equally fuzzy about Travis Cloke's six-goal haul against the Swans last season, though made light of his memory lapses where the Pies are concerned.

"My memory is not too good about the Pies, maybe that's for a reason, maybe I'm scarred or something," Goodes joked.

Sydney's elder statesman was more serious when asked about the losing streak.

"I don't think there is a curse at all, it's another game of football and it's against a side that we haven't beaten (recently)," Goodes said.

"It's no different to last week, it's no different to a month ago, so whether it's the Pies or whoever we play next week, I don't think there is a hoodoo or anything.

With Sydney riding a nine-match winning streak, Goodes believed the time was right to end their miserable sequence against the Pies.

"I think if we work hard and stick to our game plan, we definitely can," Goodes said.

"I used to barrack for Collingwood as a kid and I used to love playing Collingwood and winning.

"It has been a while between drinks.

"It's a great opportunity for us to play a team that is around about where we think we are and it's a good opportunity to put a win on them."

While lamenting the loss through injury of Jude Bolton, Goodes felt it was neutralised by Collingwood's suspension of Dane Swan.

"It (Swan's suspension) is a bonus for us, he's a fantastic player, he's been in super form, and I think it just cancels out our injury with Jude hopefully," Goodes said.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, collingwood-3066

First posted August 09, 2012 15:46:00

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Goodes returns for Swans

Updated June 21, 2012 20:26:58

Expect Adam Goodes to have his touch and fitness near their peak when he returns for Sydney against Geelong in a season-defining clash at the SCG on Friday night.

So says Swans coach John Longmire, thrilled with the way the Brownlow Medallist has handled his rehabilitation during six weeks on the sidelines with a quadriceps tear.

"Goodes has done everything the medical staff and conditioning staff have wanted him to do over the last six weeks," Longmire said.

"He's ramped it up a fair bit over the last few weeks and trained really well in our final training session.

"He's also made sure he's right from a fitness (and) touch perspective for when he comes back and plays."

Goodes was named in the Swans' side on Thursday night.

Small forward Ben McGlynn also returns for Sydney after suspension, with Nick Malceski and Trent Dennis-Lane omitted.

Brisbane has regained Simon Black for its encounter with the Western Bulldogs at Docklands on Saturday after his recovery from a knee problem.

Black injured his knee against North Melbourne in round nine and missed the Lions' huge win over West Coast and their loss to Hawthorn last weekend.

Essendon has recalled veteran ruckman David Hille for its match against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night, and omitted Tom Bellchambers.

But the Dockers will be without their giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands long-term with a toe problem, while midfielder Stephen Hill is also missing because of an ankle injury.

They are among four forced changes, with midfielder Hayden Ballantyne suspended and key defender Zac Dawson missing with a knee problem.

Alex Silvagni, Nick Lower, Zac Clarke and Jayden Pitt are their replacements.

As expected, Collingwood recalled premiership defenders Heath Shaw, Ben Reid and Alan Toovey after all recovered from injuries ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with West Coast at the MCG on Saturday.

But impressive Magpies small forward Ben Sinclair is out with an ankle injury.

West Coast welcomes back in-form defender Beau Waters from suspension.

Melbourne has recalled Aaron Davey to an extended 25-man squad for its clash with Greater Western Sydney at the MCG on Sunday.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted June 21, 2012 19:22:43

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Goodes set to make comeback

Updated June 20, 2012 13:01:58

Sydney coach John Longmire is confident inspirational co-captain Adam Goodes will be playing in Friday night's blockbuster match with reigning premiers Geelong.

Missing the past six weeks with a quad strain, Goodes has trained well this week and looks set to take the field in front of a sell-out crowd at the only Friday night match at the SCG this year.

"He's looking pretty well," Longmire said.

"We expect him to train again today and to be playing on Friday."

Longmire says he will not be putting any pressure on the 304-match veteran in his comeback appearance and expects the rest of the squad to maintain the standard of the past few weeks without Goodes.

"There's no expectation for him to come into the team and dominate from the first bounce," he said.

"We know he's a fit player, we know he can play forward, midfield and a number of roles for us, so we just expect him to come in and contribute.

"Goodesy hasn't missed too many matches so other players have needed to step up and we've been able to get through that time without him.

"So those players know they need to just play like they have been the past few weeks."

Longmire knows the Cats, on a three-match winning streak, will prove a test for his Swans, but takes some confidence from his charges' nail-biting four-point victory over Essendon in round 11.

"If you go through the names in their (Geelong) team, it's a who's who of the last five years of premiership football," Longmire said.

"They can turn it on any week, any quarter or any five-minute block ... so we know we need to be at our best to beat them."

The Swans, who are fourth on the ladder with an eight-three win-loss record, have played just four Friday night matches at the SCG since 1997.

Pocket rocket Ben McGlynn will also return for the Swans following a week's suspension then the bye, while Shane Mumford, who has been back for two matches since missing six weeks with a back problem earlier in the season, will look to get back to his best for the clash against his former team.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000

First posted June 20, 2012 12:59:12

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Swans lose Goodes for six

Updated May 07, 2012 15:18:05

Sydney will have to do without inspirational co-captain Adam Goodes until round 13 after he injured his left quad against Adelaide.

The extent of the damage was revealed after Goodes received the results of scans on his leg following the injury on Saturday night.

Goodes was in fine form against the Crows and had kicked 5.1 for the evening when he pulled up while running a lead in the forward 50 in the early minutes of the final quarter.

He tried to run the injury off but limped off soon afterwards and was substituted from the game.

Sydney coach John Longmire confirmed the bad news and said the club would take no chances with the star player's recovery.

"I spoke to him today and he said he felt something, but thought he could almost run it out and that’s been his attitude all along, and that’s why he’s played so much football because he is remarkably strong-minded," Longmire said on the Swans' website.

"The reality is though that we need to be reasonably conservative with it because we don’t want to do any more damage."

Longmire said that Sydney would attempt to emulate the West Coast Eagles by playing successful football in the absence of key players when the side takes on Richmond this weekend.

"I look at the West Coast Eagles and what they’ve been able to do and they sit undefeated on top of the ladder with three or four of their best players out of the team," he said.

"That’s what good teams do, they’re resilient and they get on the job, and that’s what our challenge is to try and do."

Goodes has missed just seven games through injury since making his debut for the Swans in 1999.

The dual Brownlow medallist had returned after a week's suspension and broken the Swans' games record against Hawthorn in round five.

His injury deals a blow to Sydney's premiership prospects after the club won its first five matches before the loss to Adelaide.

Given that the Swans have the bye in round 12, six weeks on the sideline would see Goodes make his return in round 13 against Geelong at the SCG.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted May 07, 2012 14:30:47

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Goodes hits milestone as Swans sink Hawks

Updated April 29, 2012 18:14:43

It was a big day for Adam Goodes but a bigger day for the Sydney Swans, who beat the fancied Hawthorn by 37 points at York Park to start the year with five wins from five.

Goodes reached a milestone for the Swans, breaking his cousin Michael O'Loughlin's club record by playing his 304th game for Sydney.

Like his team, the co-captain started slowly, but he led from the front in the second half to finish with three crucial goals.

Sydney looked anything like winners in the first half, as the Hawks shut down Sydney's attack, while Jarrad Roughead looked unstoppable up front kicking five goals to half-time.

Hawthorn led by 20 points at half-time, 8.6 (54) to 5.4 (34).

It was a totally different story in the second half, as the Swans rediscovered the path to goal, overwhelming Hawthorn by 11 goals to two after the main break.

Sydney smashed the Hawks in the middle and improved its delivery to the forward line to turn the match around.

Josh Kennedy told ABC there was a simple explanation for the change in fortunes between the first and second half.

"It was pretty basic, we got smashed in contested possessions, that was really where the game was won in the first half,'' he said.

"Probably in the second half we were able to turn that around, get numbers to the ball and get it going forward and make the most of our opportunities."

The crucial period came in the third quarter. Two early goals to Goodes put the Swans back on track, as Sydney shut down Roughead and the rest of Hawthorn's attack, kicking 4.3 to no score for the term.

The Hawthorn-dominated crowd willed the Hawks on to victory in the final quarter, but even some trademark moments of brilliance by Cyril Rioli were not enough to take back the momentum.

The Hawks could not make headway in the final term as Sydney answered the challenge, and fittingly a goal to Goodes in time on sealed the win.

A seven goals to two final quarter for the Swans left the Hawks looking dispirited by the end. Hawthorn now sits at 2-3, raising questions about the team's ability to challenge for the flag.

In contrast, there were many positives for Sydney. In defence, Ted Richards lowered Lance Franklin's colours, keeping the Hawks spearhead goalless, while Luke Parker had Sam Mitchell well covered all day.

Craig Bird and Jude Bolton were also important for the Swans, but the clear best on ground was Sydney midfielder Josh Kennedy.

Kennedy had 28 possessions, 11 tackles and three goals, as Hawthorn failed to find anyone to stop him in the second half.

Kennedy said the result was a huge win for the club and for Goodes.

"Obviously he's a legend of the club, and of the game,'' Kennedy said.

"Micky O'Loughlin was down there, to present him with his record-breaking jumped before the game ... it was really important that we lifted for him in the second half and showed how much it meant to us that we were able to do that.''

Sydney: 16.10 (106) - Kennedy 3, Goodes 3, O'Keeffe 2, Bolton 2, Bird 2, McVeigh, Jetta, Hannebery, Jack.

Hawthorn: 10.9 (69) - Roughead 5, Hale 2, Lewis 2, Rioli.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, tas, launceston-7250

First posted April 29, 2012 15:59:27

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Goodes reported as Swans down Port

Updated April 14, 2012 17:36:00

Two-time Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes was put on report as Sydney's maintained its perfect start to the season with a 22-point victory over Port Adelaide at Football Park.

Goodes was booked for rough conduct during the Swans' hard-fought 16.9 (105) to 12.11 (83) triumph.

He slid knees-first into the Power's Jacob Surjan early in the second quarter.

Surjan was not injured but Goodes' report threatens his looming milestone match.

Goodes is due to break the Swans' record for most appearances next Sunday, surpassing the 303-match mark of Michael O'Loughlin.

His report came as the Swans scrapped their way to a third consecutive win this season.

They needed a powerful late burst to shrug off a determined Power outfit, the Swans kicking six goals to three in the final term to secure victory.

The Power trailed by just three points at the final change but were ultimately overwhelmed by the midfield influence of Daniel Hannebery (36 disposals), Josh Kennedy (27 touches) and Luke Parker (30 possessions), while elusive Lewis Jetta kicked three goals.

The Swans' Martin Mattner felt his side was again guilty of not producing a four-quarter performance, as evident by the Power fight-back in the third term.

"We spoke today about four quarters and we didn't do it again," Mattner told Grandstand.

"So this week against the Kangas we have to do it again and I guess that is something we change up at half-time and try and get people switched on in the third quarter."

But Mattner was pleased the Swans were able to close out the match when it counted.

This week we were able to kick some goals and win by a good margin," he said.

"So that's the pleasing thing of the game. We didn't have to battle and battle and win by a couple of points, we actually kicked a few goals and won quite easily in the end."

The Power's losing streak to the Swans, dating back to 2006, was extended to eight matches despite the best efforts of sweeping defender Hamish Hartlett, Justin Westhoff (two goals) and recruit Brad Ebert (two goals).

The Power travel to Melbourne to play Collingwood next Saturday, while the Swans host North Melbourne the following day.

Sydney: 16.9 (105) - L Jetta 3, A Goodes 2, C Bird 2, J White 2, R O'Keefe 2, B McGlynn, J Bolton, J McVeigh, S Mumford, S Reid

Port Adelaide: 12.11 (83) - D Stewart 3, Brad Ebert 2, J Schulz 2, J Westhoff 2, J Surjan, M Broadbent, M Thomas

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, port-adelaide-5015, sydney-2000

First posted April 14, 2012 16:52:26

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Goodes appealing one-match ban

Updated April 17, 2012 16:48:38

Adam Goodes will meet with the AFL tribunal at on Tuesday night to appeal his one-match ban for sliding into opponent Jacob Surjan during Saturday's match against Port Adelaide.

The suspension would be a double blow to the Sydney co-captain, ruining an SCG celebration of his Swans record 304th game against North Melbourne on Sunday and ruling him out of contention of winning a third Brownlow medal.

The incident was regarded as a level-one offence involving negligent conduct, low impact and body contact which would normally be reduced to a reprimand but Goodes' earlier offence in the preseason has stood against him.

Goodes slid feet-first into Geelong's Taylor Hunt in February, resulting in him receiving a one-match ban during the preseason.

The Swans are likely to argue that this incident was less serious as he was not diving in with studs showing and both he and Surjan were approaching the ball in a similar manner.

Elsewhere in tribunal news, Bulldogs defender Brian Lake and Melbourne's Jack Gimes have both accepted one match bans, while Carlton's Marc Murphy and the Demons' Nathan Jones said they will not appeal $900 fines.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000

First posted April 17, 2012 11:45:54

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Goodes welcomes 'little brother' Giants

Updated December 02, 2011 18:43:33

Sydney co-captain Adam Goodes has welcomed the arrival of "little brother" Greater Western Sydney and the AFL limelight the new club has taken in the past few months.

Goodes, who is one week into his 15th preseason, boasts two Brownlow Medals and more sway than any other AFL player in Sydney.

Yet he, and the Swans, have taken a back seat to the Giants over the past few months.

It is a trend likely to continue ahead of their clash to open the 2012 season on March 24 - and that sits just fine with the Swans stalwart.

"I think it's great they're getting the attention," Goodes said.

"They need it. They need it for their membership ... and if it means we get a really big crowd for round one, it's fantastic."

Goodes, who hails from the South Australian town of Wallaroo, was hoping the teams could create a rivalry to match the Adelaide showdown.

"If we can create that sort of rivalry, it's going to be fantastic for both football clubs," he said.

"We are the sort of big brothers up here in Sydney. I've got two younger brothers and as a kid you always used to beat them in the games you play in the backyard.

"Hopefully that sort of rivalry - big brother, little brother - at the start can happen and we've got a lot of respect for them."

While Sydney's first match of the 2012 season has most fans' attention, it is round four that Goodes' mother Lisa Sansbury will be making the trip to watch.

Goodes will, barring injury or suspension, usurp good mate Michael O'Loughlin as the Swans' games record-holder when he plays North Melbourne at the SCG on April 22.

Goodes, who played his 300th AFL match against Hawthorn in a losing semi-final this year to be in touching distance of O'Loughlin's tally of 303, says he is yet to study the draw next year.

However his mum, who lives in country Victoria, certainly has.

"I asked her why she wanted to come up so early in the year (round four)," he said.

"She said, 'that's ... the game, (where) you might beat Micky O's record'.

"I said 'Oh. Yeah. Sweet. When we get there we'll get there'.

"She likes to plan these things in advance.

"Next year's got a lot of things to be excited for - individually and as a football club."

Lisa was Goodes' partner on the night he was presented with the 2003 Brownlow Medal.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted December 02, 2011 18:43:33

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Goodes, McGlynn sink Lions

Published:Saturday, June 4, 2011 10:05 AEST

Adam Goodes and Ben McGlynn of the Swans celebrate a goal by Ben McGlynn during the round 11 AFL match between the Brisbane Lions and the Sydney Swans at the Gabba on June 4, 2011.

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Goodes accepts tripping reprimand

Posted May 24, 2011 12:00:00

Sydney's Adam Goodes has accepted a reprimand from the AFL's Match Review Panel for tripping Hawthorn's Brent Guerra.

The dual Brownlow Medallist remains eligible for this year's award after receiving a reprimand and 66 points towards his future record.

Carlton's Brock McLean, Richmond's Dylan Grimes, Melbourne's Joel MacDonald and Fremantle's Stephen Hill have also lodged early-guilty pleas and are free to play this weekend.

McLean accepted a $900 sanction for making negligent contact with umpire Chris Donlon during the first quarter of the round-nine match against Geelong at Docklands on Friday night.

Hill pleaded guilty to making negligent contact with umpire Stuart Wenn during the third quarter of the game against Port Adelaide at Football Park on Saturday and also accepted a $900 sanction.

MacDonald has been fined $900 for wrestling St Kilda's Nick Winmar during the half-time break of Saturday's game at Docklands.

Grimes accepted a reprimand and 60 points towards his future record for tripping Essendon's Leroy Jetta during the third quarter of Saturday night's clash at the MCG.

The AFL Tribunal will not sit on Tuesday night as no players are contesting charges.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, nsw, sydney-2000, carlton-3053, hawthorn-3122, melbourne-3000, richmond-3121, wa, fremantle-6160

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Goodes reprimanded for tripping

Updated May 23, 2011 17:18:00

Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes has escaped suspension for tripping a rival during Sydney's 46-point loss to Hawthorn on Sunday.

Goodes can accept a reprimand for tripping Hawk Brent Guerra late in the match at the SCG.

Richmond defender Dylan Grimes also fell foul of the match review panel for tripping, and has also received a reprimand.

Grimes is already sidelined with a hamstring injury he sustained later in the match.

Carlton's Brock McLean and Fremantle's Stephen Hill have been charged with making negligent contact with an umpire, and will be fined $900 if they make early guilty pleas.

Melbourne defender Joel Macdonald can accept a $900 fine if he makes an early guilty plea to a wrestling charge.

But his team-mate Clint Bartram's match-day report for striking St Kilda's Jason Blake was thrown out, the panel saying the contact was below that required to constitute a reportable offence.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000

First posted May 23, 2011 17:08:00

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