'Super' Swan dive fires up Sydney
Michael Cowley, Sydney | May 4, 2009
FOR Marty Mattner, it was a little like a car accident. Everything suddenly seemed to be going in slow motion before the inevitable impact. The crash came, a dozen minutes into the final quarter at the SCG yesterday, and, while it was only one tackle, the impact it may have on the Swans' season could be looked back upon come September.
The Swans had stalled and Richmond was coming. The Tigers had been 33 points down but suddenly trailed by just six. Momentum was their running-mate, and Jack Riewoldt was heading into an open goal, 20 metres out, about to tie the scores.
But "Super" Marty Mattner had other ideas.
Somehow, he laid an amazing tackle on Riewoldt, cutting him to the ground and winning a free kick. As if stung into life, Sydney found its form, kicked a couple of goals and was able to close out the game for an important win, following last week's disappointing loss to Fremantle.
"I guess even when I was running I thought he was going to kick it," Mattner said. "It just seemed like it was in slow motion and I ended up getting there.
"A couple of boys came up to me and patted me on the back and said it was a great effort, but you don't really think about it at the time — you just do what you have to do.
"But now that you look back on it, some of the boys were really excited about it and it got them up.
"If you can do things like that, and some of the boys took good marks and did other things — Teddy Richards going back in the pack and taking that mark in front of "Richo" (Matthew Richardson) — those things get the boys up, and I guess when we all can do it rather than a couple of players it makes it a lot easier."
Coach Paul Roos was delighted with the result, and while the Swans didn't dominate their opponents, their ability to fight when challenged was pleasing.
"I was concerned when (Riewoldt) was running into an open goal, and then Super Marty came out of the grandstand and tackled him," Roos said.
"I thought our defence was super all day. Even when they got on top in the third quarter they weren't able to kick five or six goals. Defensively, that's probably what won us the game.
"You know that (a team is) unlikely to dominate a game for four quarters. In the first quarter we should have been another three (goals) up, we had 11 scoring shots. That's the way footy is, you've got to take your chances. Late in the game we took them."
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said his team had known Sydney would want to atone for the Fremantle loss, particularly as it had been Brett Kirk's 200th game.
"We knew what to expect in the way they would come out, but the reality of it is that knowing what to expect and dealing with it are two separate things," Wallace said.
"Their attack on the ball and their attitude early in the game was the thing that got them over the line."
SYDNEY 5.6 9.7 11.9 14.10 (94)
RICHMOND 2.1 5.4 9.6 11.9 (75)
GOALS
Sydney: Hall 2, Meredith 2, Moore 2, Jack 2, O'Loughlin 2, Grundy, McVeigh, Thornton, Shaw.
Richmond: Collins 2, Graham 2, Tambling 2, Oakley-Nicholls, Riewoldt, Coughlan, Richardson, Nahas.
BEST
Sydney: Shaw, Mattner, Kirk, O'Keefe, Roberts-Thomson, Richards.
Richmond: Bowden, Tuck, Tambling, Jackson, Graham, Coughlan.
UMPIRES Findlay, Grun, McInerney.
CROWD 25,410 at SCG.
MAIN MEN
The Swans started like a train with Rhyce Shaw kicking the first goal of the game and then roaming the middle of the SCG to become an important link man for Sydney. But the Tigers were able to rally, with Daniel Jackson not only starring with 29 possessions, but keeping the Swans' dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes quiet. Lewis Roberts-Thomson played one his best games while Matthew Richardson was injured and had no impact.
TURNING POINT
Richmond had worked its way back into the game and was about to draw level when Jack Riewoldt stormed into an open goal in the 12th minute of the final term. Out of the blue, Swans' defender Martin Mattner pounced. Riewoldt dropped the ball and Mattner was paid the free kick.
THE UPSHOT
The Tigers will take great heart from turning what looked like a certain defeat into a contest. Not only that, they showed plenty of heart.The Swans will not be displeased either, despite failing to put Richmond to the sword. Michael O'Loughlin looked lively in his first game for the season and Canadian Mike Pyke looks set to become a cult figure.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfmatchreport/swan-dive-fires-sydney/2009/05/03/1241289039819.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
