The fallout from the Battle of the Bridge bust-up continued on Saturday night, with Greater Western Sydney midfielder Adam Treloar vowing his teammates would not be bullied.
GWS coach Kevin Sheedy’s moniker for the AFL derby in Sydney was rejected by Swans players throughout the week, with the likes of Josh Kennedy suggesting it was an insult to pigeonhole their side as representing only the east.
Veteran midfielder Jude Bolton termed it a “crock”, while new co-captain Kieren Jack was also critical.
Treloar, who was one of his side’s best at ANZ Stadium with 27 disposals and five tackles, said the Swans’ rejection of the marketing term had made for more ill feeling.
“With Sydney not buying into it, I think they just tried to bully us I guess and we weren’t standing for it,” Treloar said after the Swans won the third derby clash by five goals.
“We may be younger. We may be smaller than you guys but we have got as much heart as you guys, and we’re going to take it to you guys if you guys take it to us.
“It was definitely more heated than the last two games.”
Former Swans coach Paul Roos was also critical of Sheedy’s slogan, something the four-time premiership coach took exception to.
“There’s nothing wrong with the Battle of the Bridge. What do you want, to come up here and dance with your sister,” Sheedy wisecracked in trademark tongue-in-cheek fashion.
“Get a life, tell Roosy. We’re not here to dance with him, we are here to actually go to war against him.
“It won’t be long before we win, and it’ll be fantastic,” Sheedy added, saying his club was capable of knocking off the Swans in their return SCG bout on July 14.
Treloar also had reason to hope the Giants’ second season would feature more than the two wins they recorded in 2012.
“We almost beat the Sydney Swans, the premiers from last year. It showed we can match almost any team in the competition,” Treloar said.