GWS Giants...Have A Women's Team!

The Greater Western Sydney GIANTS are delighted to announce the club will field a team in the new National Women’s League (NWL) in 2017.

The AFL today announced that the GIANTS were one of eight AFL clubs to secure a licence to field a team in the inaugural year of the NWL.

The GIANTS’ successful bid detailed the club’s experience in establishing a new AFL team, it’s capacity to house a women’s team immediately and its commitment to driving inclusion and diversity in the New South Wales and ACT communities.

GIANTS CEO David Matthews said today’s decision was a watershed moment for the game and for female athletes in New South Wales and the ACT.

“This is one of the most significant announcements in the game’s history and certainly one of the most important things the GIANTS will ever do,” Mr Matthews said.

“Today’s decision opens up a clear pathway for women and girls looking to play Australian Football at the elite level. The opportunity this provides females in New South Wales and the ACT is unprecedented.

“We’re pleased our bid has been vindicated and our commitment to the promotion and development of female sport has been recognised by the AFL. We are in the unique positon of having a proven track record when it comes to building a club from the ground up. We know what it takes to establish a new team and take the game to all corners of the community from day one.

“Our objectives in establishing a women’s AFL team are also aligned to the AFL’s broader strategic aims of providing comprehensive pathways for female athletes and developing a truly national code.

“We have world class facilities and play out of some of the best stadia in the country which will provide the ideal platform for growing the women’s game. We are proud to be the flag bearers for female athletes looking to play Australian Football in New South Wales and the ACT and can’t wait for the inaugural NWL season to get under way next year.”

The GIANTS will now work with the AFL on planning for the inaugural NWL season with further details of the 2017 NWL competition forthcoming in due course.

Hey You

Hey you, I'm in love with your eyes
And the sound of your name
Hey you, I'm in love with your smile
And the way you're dressed today

Hey you, well I like the way you walk
Just like a star moves on stage
Hey you, well I like the way you talk
You're really calm for your age

I really die
You're driving me wild
I really die
I'm in love 100 times 
I really die
You're driving me wild
I really die
I'm in love 100 times
To be your answer

Hey you, I said you know what's going on
Do you know what I mean
Hey you, if he wants you better come
This school is up to me

I really die
You're driving me wild
I really die
I'm in love 100 times 
I really die
You're driving me wild
I really die
I'm in love 100 times
To be your answer...

California. There Is No End To Love.

Bar-Bar-Barbara, Santa Barbara

Bar-Bar-Barbara, Santa Barbara

Bar-Bar-Barbara, Santa Barbara

Bar-Bar-Barbara, Santa Barbara...

California

Then we sail into the shiny sea

The weight that drags your heart down

Well, that's what took me where I need to be

Which is here, out on Zuma

Watching you cry like a baby

California

At the dawn you thought would never come

But it did

Like it always does

Whoa, oh, all I know

And all I need to know is

There is no, yeah,

There is no end to love

I didn't call you

Words can scare a thought away

Everyone's a star in our town

It's just your light gets dimmer if you have to stay

In your bedroom, in a mirror

Watching yourself cry like a baby

California

The blood orange sunset brings you to your knees

I've seen for myself, there's no end to grief

That's how I know

Whoa, that's how I know

And why I need to know

That there is no, yeah,

There is no end to love

Whoa, oh, all I know

And all I need to know is

There is no, yeah,

There is no end to love

Whoa, oh, all I know

And all I need to know is

There is no, yeah,

There is no end to love

Whoa, we come and go

With stolen days you don't get back

Stolen days are just enough.

Hawthorn: 2014 AFL Premiers

 

HAWTHORN has made a mockery of its pre-Grand Final underdog status to smash the Sydney Swans by 63 points at the MCG on Saturday and claim its 12th premiership.

After the Swans kicked two of the game's opening three goals, Hawthorn completely dominated the game, their 21.11 (137) to 11.8 (74) victory clinching back-to-back flags for just the second time in the club's history.

 

It was the Hawks' wise old heads who led the way, with skipper Luke Hodge, former skipper Sam Mitchell and vice-captain Jordan Lewis ensuring Hawthorn avenged its 2012 Grand Final loss to the Swans.

Click here for full match coverage

Although it was hard to split the three stars, Hodge edged his two long-term teammates for the Norm Smith Medal for the best player on the ground. Hodge polled 10 votes to win his second Norm Smith Medal, having also won in 2008, with Lewis and Mitchell each polling nine votes.

The Hawk skipper had 35 possessions and, as usual, did it all for the Hawks, cutting off Swans attacks at half-back, winning clearances in the midfield and drifting forward to kick two goals.

Lewis finished with a game-high 37 possessions and Mitchell had 33 as the Hawks' midfield dominated a Swans' on-ball division widely acknowledged as the best in the competition.

Hawthorn spearhead Jarryd Roughead kicked a game-high five goals to follow up his bag of six against Port Adelaide last Saturday, and, perhaps more satisfyingly, claimed bragging rights over good mate and former Hawk Lance Franklin. 

Franklin did his part for his new club with four goals, but was powerless to stop his former team's weight of dominance around the ground. 

Ten things we learned from the Grand Final

The Hawks' gamble on recalling Cyril Rioli for his first senior game since suffering a serious hamstring injury in round 15 paid off. The star forward had just nine possessions, but constantly harassed the Swans' defenders until he was substituted from the game early in the final term.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said after the game he had never envisaged his team winning so easily against the Swans.

"We've planned for a long time for this. I know that the game materialised in a manner that said everything worked perfectly for us today [but] not in our wildest dreams did we anticipate it was going to be a 10-goal victory for our side this year," Clarkson said.

 

"In actual fact, no one saw it coming in terms of that margin, and many didn't see it coming even in that result because we were the underdogs."

Nick Malceski, who is widely expected to leave the Swans in the free agency period that starts on Friday, was one of the Swans' better performers with 26 possessions.

Josh Kennedy (29 possessions) played a lone hand for the Swans in the midfield as their on-ball division lowered its colours for one of the few times this year.

McVeigh 'disgusted' by defeat

Swans coach John Longmire said he was disappointed his team hadn't given itself a chance of winning.

"We didn't apply the sort of pressure that we hoped to apply early, and we couldn't get it back," Longmire said.

"We didn't play the sort of football we wanted to. We didn't pressure the opposition when they had the ball, we couldn't get our hands on it.

"When we got our hands on it, we coughed it up and the opposition got it.

"We missed tackles and we were on the back foot from the first bounce.

"We were not able to wrest the momentum back at any stage. It was such a disappointing effort."

The Swans headed into Saturday's game as strong favourites after their dominant preliminary final win over North Melbourne and the Hawks' desperate three-point win over Port Adelaide.

However, the Hawks saved their 2014 best for last, stunning the Swans with suffocating pressure that forced the minor premier into a uncharacteristic slew of errors by hand and foot.

At kick-ins, the unlucky Swan with the ball in his hands often looked like a deer in the headlights and just as often coughed the ball straight up to the Hawks.

The Hawks, meanwhile, found time and space to slice the Swans apart with their unrivalled foot skills. And when they were not doing that, the likes of Bradley Hill and Liam Shiels were running the Swans ragged in open space.

In defence, last year's Norm Smith medallist Brian Lake was outstanding on Swans spearhead Kurt Tippett and Josh Gibson racked up 32 possessions.

The Hawks have now won three premierships since 2008, equalling Geelong's tally over the past decade. 

The Cats' 2007, 2009 and 2011 flags looked to have stamped them as the dominant team of the post-Brisbane Lions premiership era (2001-2003), but the Hawks (2008, 2012-13) now have a legitimate claim to sharing that title.

Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson is now equal with John Kennedy snr and Allan Jeans as the most successful Hawthorn premiership coach, with the trio each boasting three flags.

Since entering the VFL/AFL competition in 1925, the Hawks had previously won back-to-back flags just once, in 1988-89. 

The Swans started Saturday's game well enough and led by six points at the 13-minute mark of the first quarter.

But the Hawks took total control from there, slamming on the final four goals of the term to go into quarter-time 20 points in front.

The Hawks' dominance was reflected in the first-quarter tackle count (22-7), inside 50s (19-7) and uncontested possessions (69-48).

The Swans kicked the first goal of the second term through former Hawk Ben McGlynn to cut their deficit to 14 points.

But this proved a false dawn for Swans supporters as the Hawks piled on the next five goals, with Hodge's goal at the 16-minute mark of the second term putting Hawthorn up by 47 points.

The Swans then kicked consecutive goals for the first time in the game, through Adam Goodes and Franklin, to cut the Hawks' lead to 35 points at the 25-minute mark.

But when Roughead goaled less than three minutes later the Swans went into half-time 42 points down and had to engineer a comeback like Carlton's in the 1970 Grand Final to win.

But where the Blues were able to come back from 44 points down at the main break to beat Collingwood in 1970, the Hawks never allowed the Swans the faintest sniff of victory in the second half.

Grand thrashings: Biggest margins in VFL/AFL Grand Finals

Margin	Score	Year
119	Geelong 24.19 (163) d Port Adelaide 8.6 (44)	2007
96	Hawthorn 22.20 (152) d Melbourne 6.20 (56)	1988
83	Hawthorn 20.20 (140) d Essendon 8.9 (57)	1983
81	Richmond 23.21 (159) d Collingwood 9.24 (78)	1980
80	West Coast 20.23 (143) d Geelong 8.15 (63)	1994
78	Essendon 26.14 (170) d Hawthorn 14.8 (92)	1985
73	Essendon 18.17 (125) d Carlton 6.16 (52)	1949
73	Melbourne 17.19 (121) d Collingwood 6.12 (48)	1956
63	Essendon 22.18 (150) d Melbourne 13.9 (87)	1946
63	Hawthorn 21.11 (137) d Sydney Swans 11.8 (74)	2014

Will Langford celebrates with his teammates as Josh Kennedy contemplates defeat. Picture: AFL Media

SYDNEY SWANS                 2.3   5.3       8.5      11.8 (74)

HAWTHORN                         5.5   11.9     16.11   21.11 (137)

 

GOALS

Sydney Swans: Franklin 4, Goodes 2, Jack 2, Kennedy, McGlynn, Tippett

Hawthorn: Roughead 5, Breust 3, Langford 3, Gunston 2, Hodge 2, Burgoyne 2, Hale, Hill, Puopolo, Suckling 

BEST

Sydney Swans: Franklin, Malceski, Kennedy, Shaw, Goodes

Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell, Roughead, Hill, Lake, Langford, Burgoyne

 

INJURIES

Sydney Swans: Jetta (concussion)

Hawthorn: Nil

 

SUBSTITUTES 

Sydney Swans: Jake Lloyd replaced by Craig Bird in the third quarter

Hawthorn: Cyril Rioli replaced by Taylor Duryea in the fourth quarter

 

Reports: Nil

 

Umpires: Stevic, Nicholls, Meredith

 

Official crowd: 99,454 at the MCG

 

 

 

Tunnel Of Love

Getting crazy on the waltzers but it's the life that I choose

Sing about the sixblade sing about the switchback and a torture tattoo

And I been riding on a ghost train where the cars they scream and slam

And I don't know where I'll be tonight but I'd always tell you where I am

In a screaming ring of faces I seen her standing in the light

She had a ticket for the races just like me she was a victim of the night

I put a hand upon the lever said let it rock and let it roll

I had the one arm bandit fever there was an arrow through my heart and my soul

And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above

And I'm just high on the world

Come on and take a low ride with me girl

On the tunnel of love

It's just the danger when you're riding at your own risk

She said you are the perfect stranger she said baby let's keep it like this

It's just a cake walk twisting baby step right up and say

Hey mister give me two give me two cos any two can play

And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above

And I'm just high on the world

Come on and take a low ride with me girl

On the tunnel of love

Well it's been money for muscle another whirligig

Money for muscle and another girl I dig

Another hustle just to make it big

And rockaway rockaway

And girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did

Like the spanish city to me when we were kids

Oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did

Like the spanish city to me when we were kids

She took off a silver locket she said remember me by this

She put her hand in my pocket I got a keepsake and a kiss

And in the roar of the dust and diesel I stood and watched her walk away

I could have caught up with her easy enough but something must have made me stay

And the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above

And I'm just high on the world

Come on and take a low ride with me girl

On the tunnel of love

And now I'm searching through these carousels and the carnival arcades

Searching everywhere from steeplechase to palisades

In any shooting gallery where promises are made

To rockaway rockaway from cullercoats and whitley bay out to rockaway

And girl it looks so pretty to me like it always did

Like the spanish city to me when we were kids

Girl it looks so pretty to me like it always did

Like the spanish city to me when we were kids...

Greener

Thought life would be better

If you spent it with another

Thought the grass would be greener

If you left me for her

The glass would be cleaner

The juice much sweeter

Thought the skies would be clearer

The sun would shine brighter

Oooh, you were so wrong

And now you’re singing your

Remorseful song, song

And you, wish you didn’t move on

Oh but honey, your mistakes,

They can’t be undone, undone

Thought the bond would last longer

The passion would be stronger

Thought your life would be easier

You’re flirting with disaster

Thought you found a hidden treasure

But her wealth wasn’t richer

Thought you could divide and conquer

The honeymoon’s over

Oooh you were so wrong

You underestimated me, all along, along

And you, thought I couldn’t move on

Oh but honey, the love for you is now gone, now gone

What now you’re not a believer

Cause the tension’s getting steamier

You know you made an error

The grass wasn’t greener

Her reflection’s in the mirror

It isn’t any clearer

Now you see her true demeanor

You’re ready to leave her

You said you had to get it off your chest

You wish you never left

What a situation, oh what a mess

Cause you know I was the best

Your promises were meaningless

Now you live with your regrets

Stuck in your self-made mess,

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yeeaahhh, whoooo, yeeaahhh

Greener … thought it would be greener

Greener … yea, thought it would be greener, greener

Oooh, you were so wrong

And now you’re singing, you're singing your

Remorseful song, song

And you, yeah, you couldn’t move on

Oh now honey, my love for you is now gone, now gone

Greener … thought it would be greener

Greener … yea, thought it would be greener, greener, greener

Greener

Greener

Greener … thought it would be greener

Greener … yea, thought it would be greener, greener, greener...

Don't Leave Me This Way

Don't leave me this way

I can't survive

I can't stay alive

Without your love, oh baby

Don't leave me this way, no

I can't exist

I'll surely miss

Your tender kiss

Don't leave me this way

Baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you

Now come on down and do what you've gotta do

You started this fire down in my soul

Now can't you see it's burnin', outta control

Come and satisfy the need in me

'Cause only your good lovin' can set me free

Don't, don't ya leave me this way, no

Don't ya understand

I'm at your command

Oh baby, please

Please, don''t leave me this way

No, baby

Don't leave me this way

I can't survive, I can't stay alive

Without your love

Baby, don't leave me this way

Baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you

So come on down and do what you've gotta do

You started this fire down in my soul

Now can't you see it's burnin', outta control

So Come and satisfy the need in me

Only your good lovin' can set me free

Need your lovin' baby

Need

Need

Satisfy the need in me

Satisfy the need in me...

Hay, Hay Baby

Come satisfy the need in me

Oh, oh, baby

Come satisfy the need in me

Oh, baby

Don't leave me this way

Don't leave me this way...

The Rhythm Of The Night

This is the rhythm of the night

The night, oh yeah

The rhythm of the night

This is the rhythm of my life

My life, oh yeah

The rhythm of my life

You could put some joy upon my face

Oh, sunshine in an empty place

Take me to turn to, and babe I'll make you stay

Oh, I can ease you of your pain

Feel you give me love again

Round and round we go, each time I hear you say

This is the rhythm of the night

The night, oh yeah

The rhythm of the night

This is the rhythm of my life

My life, oh yeah

The rhythm of my life

Won't you teach me how to love and learn

There'll be nothing left for me to yearn

Think of me and burn, and let me hold your hand

I don't wanna face the world in tears

Please think again, I'm on my knees

Sing that song to me, no reason to repent

I know you wanna say it

This is the rhythm of the night

The night, oh yeah

The rhythm of the night

This is the rhythm of my life

My life, oh yeah

The rhythm of my life

This is the rhythm of the night

The night, oh yeah

The rhythm of the night

This is the rhythm of my life

My life, oh yeah

The rhythm of my life...

This is the rhythm of the night!

The Crossing (Osiyeza)

Through all the days that eat away

at every breath that I take

through all the nights I've lain alone

in someone else's dream, awake

all the words in truth we have spoken

that the wind has blown away

it's only you that remains with me

clear as the light of day

O Siyeza, o siyeza , sizofika webaba noma

O siyeza, o siyeza, siyagudle lomhlaba

Siyawela lapheshaya lulezontaba ezimnyama

Lapha sobheka phansi konke ukhulupheka

A punch drunk man in a downtown bar

takes a beating without making a sound

through swollen eyes he sways and smiles

'cause noone can put him down

inside of him a boy looks up to his father

for a sign or an approving eye

oh, it's funny how those once so close and now gone

can still so affect our lives

O Siyeza, o siyeza , sizofika webaba noma

O siyeza, o siyeza, siyagudle lomhlaba

Siyawela lapheshaya lulezontaba ezimnyama

Lapha sobheka phansi konke ukhulupheka

Take me now, hold me close

don't let go, I'm coming home!

O Siyeza, o siyeza , sizofika webaba noma

O siyeza, o siyeza, siyagudle lomhlaba

Siyawela lapheshaya lulezontaba ezimnyama

Lapha sobheka phansi konke ukhulupheka...

2014.4.27.

Hunter of Stars

Looking for a candidate

You have an option, only one choice

Sipping my drink, looking around

There's so much beauty, yes we can

And yet, self-confidence is a fragile concept that often fades away in the night

And there it comes, that unwanted guest, there's no place for you tonight

Want me to go, want me to go

Because you think I'm lying, 'cause you think I'm lying

No, open the door

'Cause tonight I cannot go hunting for stars, no no

Like an evil satellite

Twisting the truth and leaving us alone

In this mad and moody world

Society without love

And I state, my heart has been well-trained

I'm going to be your candidate

I'm the hunter, and you the poor prey

Tonight I'm gonna eat you up

Want me to go, want me to go

Because you think I'm lying, 'cause you think I'm lying

No, open the door

'Cause tonight I cannot go hunting for stars

I press my nose to the glass, it's raining outside, it's raining outside

I would like to storm in, roar like a lion, roar like a lion

But I feel your judgement, I feel your judgement, I am sweat, wet and dirty

I feel your judgement, I feel your judgement, I bear the stains of imperfection

Want me to go, want me to go

Because you think I'm lying, 'cause you think I'm lying

No, open the door

'Cause tonight I cannot go hunting for stars, no no

Want me to go

Because you think I'm lying, 'cause you think I'm lying

No, open the door

'Cause tonight I cannot go hunting for stars, no no

Want me to go

Because you think I'm lying, 'cause you think I'm lying

No, open the door

'Cause tonight I cannot go hunting for stars, no no...

Awitin Mo Isasayaw Ko

Walang iba pang sasarap 

Sa pagtitinginan natin 

Sana ay di na magwakas 

Itong awit ng pag-ibig 

Awit natin 

Ay wag na wag mong kalimutan 

Pangako ko naman 

Na lagi kang pakikinggan 

Magpakailanman 

Ang isang pag-ibig 

Ay parang lansangan 

Na pang dalawahan 

Kaya't sa ating awit, 

Tayo ay magbigayan 

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko, oh-ho-ho 

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko 

ah-ha-ha-ha-haaa 

Walang iba pang sasarap 

Sa pagtitinginan natin 

Sana ay di na magwakas 

Itong awit ng pag-ibig 

Awit natin 

Ay wag na wag mong kalimutan 

Pangako ko naman 

Na lagi kang pakikinggan 

Magpakailanman 

Ang isang pag-ibig 

Ay parang lansangan 

Na pang dalawahan 

Kaya't sa ating awit, 

Tayo ay magbigayan 

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko, oh-ho-ho 

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko 

ah-ha-ha-ha-haaa...

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko, oh-ho-ho 

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko, oh-ho-ho 

Ah-ha-ha, awitin mo 

At isasayaw ko...