The Monday Moment: Why Rory Sloane is so highly respected inside and outside of West Lakes
The three moments that showed why Rory Sloane commands respect and Swan Luke Parker explains why. Plus notes from Port Adelaide’s win over Gold Coast and our power rankings – for the first and possibly last time this year – in The Monday Moment column.
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Josh Kennedy had locked arms with Rory Sloane at the last contest at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night but when the siren sounded he didn’t let go.
What usually serves as a ceasefire as players turn to shake hands became more than that. Instead, Kennedy embraced the tangled mess and the handshake became a hug. The affection was as if they were teammates.
There is a reason Sydney players formed a guard of honour for Sloane as he left the ground after game 200.
Some of it had to do with the fact that there was no one else at the game, and if they didn’t clap him off then who would?
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But the real reason the Swans quickly ran ahead of their opponents as they made their way off and gathered in front of Adelaide’s race at Luke Parker’s orders was because of the respect they have for Adelaide’s No.9.
“It was the respect that we have for the player that Rory is,” Parker said. “We know he’s been a great leader and now the captain of their club.
“He gives his heart every game … and we have the utmost respect for him. We thought that, in the circumstances, he deserved the send-off.”
Sloane’s stats on Saturday told part of the story. He had 16 contested possessions – four more than anyone else on his team and equal with Kennedy for a game-high – and he laid eight tackles, the most by anyone on the ground.
But there were three really distinct moments where his repeat efforts stood out:
■ First quarter
13 minutes to go
Sloane takes the ball at halfback and handballs under pressure, Sam Gray picks it up, Sloane tackles him, Kennedy gets it, Sloane smothers him, then wins the footy and is gang-tackled by Swans.
■ Third quarter
14 minutes to go
Sloane wins the centre clearance and kicks inside 50m. He sprints forward, fights his way through traffic, wins the ball and handpasses to Reilly O’Brien, which sets up Lachlan Murphy’s set-shot goal.
■ Fourth quarter
5 minutes to go
With the game on the line, Sloane sprints at Nick Blakey, hits and dispossesses him, gets up and runs at Will Hayward, who is over the ball, goes in hard, wins possession and the Crows go forward.
There were other acts of desperation – like his lunge to tap the ball forward which led to Chayce Jones’ final-term goal, and his chase-down tackle on Parker to get the ball to Taylor Walker for that set shot.
But you don’t even bat an eyelid when he does those things any more. You just expect them.
Walker and Tom Lynch carried Sloane from the ground on their shoulders on Saturday night. Lynch said he was touched that the Swans formed a guard of honour.
“He (Sloane) is a warrior of the game and he’s got a lot of respect from not just his own peers but everyone in the competition,” he said. “I know the way he goes about his footy is something he’d have a lot of pride in, and it was fantastic they (Sydney) were able to hang around, so I appreciate them doing that.
“I think it was the fact that Tex and I are the old dogs, but Sloaney is a really close mate of mine and Taylor’s, and we’ve been on this journey for a number of years now.
“So, it was nice to do that for him and it was something I will remember.”
With Sydney on one side and the Crows on the other, Adelaide’s coaching staff also made their way to ground level to acknowledge Sloane who had his wife, Belinda, son Sonny and immediate family in the stands – but no one else.
“We go to work once the game starts … it’s probably just the end of the game (yet) we’re chairing off a guy who has played 200 games and there’s really no one there to recognise it and it does make it tough,” coach Matthew Nicks said.
Earlier, when he led the team out for the first time as solo skipper, Sloane wore a microphone for Fox Footy which broadcast what he was saying to the players.
“What a day for footy, what a day to kick the pig (skin),” Sloane said.
Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall was commentating the game for Fox, and his reaction was telling, given he led the external review into the Crows’ culture last year.
“That, to me, is a man embracing leadership,” Dunstall said. It’s one thing to lead by words, it’s another to lead by actions – Sloane does both.
GAME NOTES
POWER V SUNS
Steven Motlop kicked two goals and gave another to Connor Rozee but it was his effort on the wing in the second quarter that would have pleased coaching staff no end. He kicked the footy then followed up with a big tackle on Will Brodie to win back possession which resulted in a Todd Marshall goal.
Speaking of Marshall how good was it to see him jumping at the footy and providing a presence in the absence of Charlie Dixon.
Marshall and Mitch Georgiades provided the focal points for the Power in attack. The umpires didn’t even know Georgiades’ name in the first term when one of them awarded a free kick to “Port Adelaide, number 19” but that all changed 10 minutes later when he kicked his first goal in AFL footy and had his name on the big screen.
Connor Rozee was the Power’s leading goal-kicker last year but it’s the way he set them up on Saturday night that is most exciting. His kicking inside 50m to hit Georgiades and Marshall was elite.
Trent McKenzie saved his AFL career with his Round 23 performance last year and form in the SANFL finals series. On Saturday he continued on with five big contests including three contested marks in the first 10 minutes.
True to its last Marsh Series game, Port left Peter Ladhams out of the team and went with Scott Lycett as a solo ruckman and he had the better of Jarrod Witts.
Port kept Gold Coast to just 4.5 (29) which as their lowest conceded score since Round 23, 2017, when the Suns scored just 20 points total.
CROWS V SWANS
There were 52 secs left on the clock when Taylor Walker marked the ball and had a chance to win the game.
By the time his shot missed and Sydney kicked it in, the game was all but over, but Matthew Nicks wasn’t critical of Walker going through his routine.
“It’s funny because it’s outside 50m so most people say ‘come on move it on’ but if he’s 20m out we’d have no issue with it whatsoever,” he said.
“Tex does kick the ball 65m so I probably won’t tell him to change … we’ll back him in to kick that goal.”
Jake Kelly and Luke Brown are rarely beaten by they had no answer to Isaac Heeney. He out-marked, out-bodied and outsmarted them inside 50m all day.
Nicks wants to see “more fight” from his forwards to see the ball inside 50m. Lachie Murphy’s chase-down tackle on Aliir Aliir in the third term was exactly that.
He faded in the second half but Darcy Fogarty was very good. He presented all game particularly on the wing and his field kick to hit Tom Lynch in the second term was class.
Wayne Milera was among Adelaide’s best. Left at halfback he took intercept marks and won a rare one-on-one against Heeney and Luke Parker.
POWER RANKINGS
1. HAWTHORN (1-0)
The Hawks were my smoky this season and now we will never know if I was right … or will we. Big win over Brisbane to start the season albeit in Melbourne. Chad Wingard with 20 and three goals.
2. GWS (1-0)
No worries setting about atoning for their grand final loss to Richmond with a win over Geelong on the road. Toby Green and Jeremy Cameron with seven goals between them.
3. COLLINGWOOD (1-0)
Could not have been more convincing against a quality opposition in the Western Bulldogs. Led by Brodie Grundy the Pies are going to be a serious flag threat if this season returns.
4. SYDNEY (1-0)
Only won by three points but controlled most of the game against Adelaide on the road. Aren’t Ollie Florent and Isaac Heeney going to be some sort of double act at the Swans for a while to come.
5. PORT ADELAIDE (1-0)
I feel for Port Adelaide more than any other team in the competition right now. This was supposed to be a 150th anniversary celebration and the kids looked so promising against Gold Coast on Saturday night. While a danger game, beating up on the Suns wasn’t a real litmus test and there were bigger wins across the weekend so have them ranked fifth.
6. NORTH MELBOURNE (1-0)
Hit by injury and 31 points down in the third quarter, the Kangaroos produced a brave win over St Kilda.
7. RICHMOND (1-0)
Simply had to take care of business against the Blues and they did. Great to see Marlion Pickett on the MCG again.
8. ESSENDON (1-0)
Should have put the Dockers away but the important thing is they won to open the season. What a pick-up Jacob Townsend might prove to be.
9. FREMANTLE (0-1)
Brave effort to almost steal it against the Bombers on the road when not many gave them a chance.
10. ADELAIDE (0-1)
Could have pinched it against the Swans but that would have been an injustice. Love Darcy Fogarty’s presence and didn’t mind the look of Tom Lynch behind the ball to set them up at times either.
11. CARLTON (0-1)
Losing to reigning premier Richmond by 24 points is not a disgrace but the way they started the game was very poor.
12. ST KILDA (0-1)
Threw away a 31-point third quarter lead to the Kangaroos.
13. GEELONG (0-1)
Would have been eyeing a winning start at home and had their chances against the Giants but have a while to stew on it now.
14. WESTERN BULLDOGS (0-1)
One of the most disappointing performances of the weekend. Lots of talk about Tim English but Grundy gave him a lesson in the ruck.
15. BRISBANE (0-1)
Ball magnet Lachie Neale had a game-high 26 touches but the Lions weren’t able to get the win over Hawthorn at the MCG.
16. GOLD COAST (0-1)
Held to just 4.5 (29) which was the lowest score against Port Adelaide since … well Gold Coast’s 20 in 2017.
17. WEST COAST
Played Melbourne in Perth last night.
18. MELBOURNE
Played West Coast in Perth last night.
TO BE CONTINUED …
Originally published as The Monday Moment: Why Rory Sloane is so highly respected inside and outside of West Lakes