The exploding talent of Dylan Gibbons featured in the recent saddle exploits are better than good while the speed of Alex Johnston, even in defeat, again confirmed he is a South Sydney great.
Bad was the State of Origin – surely one of the worst on record, with Queensland disappointing far more than expected. New South Wales emerged superior even with Nathan Cleary’s magic toe looked like it was inflicted with gout.
Alas the Swans were downright ugly against the Crows to the degree that if Dean Cox, good bloke and first season holding the reins, was in Rugby League and not AFL he would have been marched out on Monday.
However Gibbons, talented to date, showed that with a recent break from injury he has returned better, while Johnston, possibly at the backend of a remarkable career and also returning after a setback, indicated if he has lost a yard or two in pace, he still has the touch of distinction.
Johnston notched his 200th try against a very strong Warriors outfit last Sunday making him comparable with Rabbit flank exceptionals John Graves, Ian Moir, Michael Cleary, Terry Fahey, who is still training racehorses, and Nathan Merritt. I go back to Clive Churchill, the memory of whom still lingers.
Rugby League was different, more of a grind than the present acrobatics, but wingers like Graves and Moir were scene stealers whereas racing then was riddled with jockeys and trainers scheming to get an edge.
Not that I am comparing Gibbons, 23, with past masters after a couple of flash Saturdays but it was the skill of his two doubles that resonated.
Very few current top jockeys, senior to Gibbons, ride outside the square. Navigation is plotted by “desktop experts”.
Trainers come into the category. “We are going to do this,” is often mentioned by them in interviews. Yes, they always gave instructions but mainly to apprentices and those riding for them initially. Stewards now must be informed of a change in tactics, a negative.
Jockeys should mainly ride by instinct: what happens when they come out of the gates, how they adjust to the tempo. Not what is drilled into them earlier. It takes initiative out of race riding that made George Moore and Athol Mulley magnificent. Nash Rawiller is a current exponent, champion James McDonald more conventional.
Sure, in time Gibbons may attempt a tactic that doesn’t work but at Randwick two weeks back he came from last down the outside fence to score on Miss Kim Kar. It was questioned by stewards. He was instructed to be in a forward position. Miss Kim Kar began well from a wide gate but Gibbons explained others inside him went fast so he eased instead of booted saving his mount from added pressure.
In a previous event Gibbons steered along the inside fence to win on Hollywood Hero thus trainer Bjorn Baker had a successful double. Baker is renowned for getting the right fit with jockeys. Rachel King and Josh Parr being examples.
Gibbons followed up Randwick with eye-catching efforts at Rosehill on Saturday, taking off early on Half Yours in a tactic that proved vital and notched another double handling the much unfancied Liberty State. Yes, Liberty State was wide throughout prompting the suggestion he had so much on the opposition Tiny Tim would have triumphed on him. But Gibbons was in full control.
Much was made of the Latrell Mitchell involvement in two out of the three Johnston touch downs against the Warriors. Beautiful passes, no doubt, but Johnston still had to produce skill for the final result.
Mitchell gets the headlines and played strong after early mistakes but was involved which is all Rabbitoh fans can expect of him. Also his goal-kicking was a treat.
Like the Rabbits, the Swans are smitten with injuries and suspensions. We can only ask they do their best, surely better to what was produced against the Crows.
Hoofnote: The “gout” mentioned in regard to Nathan Cleary earlier is the painful problem that arises from rich living, a bellyful of port triggers mine, not the speed demon who carries the title with a double dose.
