Australian Football

Match Report

Sydney has emphasised the gap between the AFL's heavyweights and other finals contenders by comfortably accounting for sixth-placed Richmond at the SCG in Sunday's twilight match. The two sides traded early blows and scores were level at quarter time but the Swans gradually got on top as the game wore on, and flexed their muscles in the last quarter to run out convincing 47-point winners.

The Tigers burned brightly early in the match, with Matthew White igniting them early with a long running goal from outside the 50-metre arc. And when Tyrone Vickery marked and goaled at the five-minute mark to give Richmond an 11-point lead, it appeared the Swans were in for a tough afternoon.

But the Swans settled as the quarter wore on and would have led at quarter time had a turnover not resulted in a final minute goal to Richmond's Jack Riewoldt. That major saw the scores tied at 5.3 at the first break.

Sydney clicked into gear early in the second term, kicking three goals to one to take a two-goal lead at the 10-minute mark. The Swans then dominated much of the next 20 minutes but were unable to translate that into scoreboard results. They scored four further behinds to Richmond's one and took a 15-point lead into half-time.

While the Swans made the early running in the third term, Richmond remained within striking distance and when Jack Riewoldt goaled at the 11-minute mark, the difference was only 10 points. But from there, the Sydney began to dominate. The Swans kicked the last four goals of the term, via Mike Pyke, Kieran Jack, Jesse White twice to take a 33-point lead into the final term.

Richmond needed the first goal of the last quarter to give themselves a chance and it appeared to have attained that via Tyrone Vickery after he marked in the forward pocket and kicked what seemed to have been a goal. But a a video review saw the kick adjudged as a behind, and the Swans swept the ball forward soon after for a Tom Mitchell goal which saw Sydney take an unassailable 38-point lead. While the Swans only kicked two further goals for the term, Richmond could manage only one and Sydney finished the match 47 points to the good, a meritorious win considering the Swans' relatively long injury list.

Best for the Swans included Jesse White, whose four-goal performance was perhaps his best yet, Ryan O'Keefe (30 possessions) and Tom Mitchell, who kicked two goals and had 26 possessions in just his eighth game of AFL football. For the Tigers, Dustin Martin (30 disposals and two goals) was outstanding, while Trent Cotchin (30 possessions) and Shaun Grigg (26 touches) were also good.

Sydney's win has enabled it to move up to third place, with Essendon slipping to fourth after its loss to Hawthorn on Friday night. The Swans, who will play the Bulldogs on Sunday, are a game plus 21 percentage points clear of fifth-placed Fremantle. Richmond maintains its hold on sixth place on the ladder but will face another tough test when it takes on ladder leaders Hawthorn at the MCG next Saturday afternoon.

GOALS
Sydney: White 4; Tippett 3; Mitchell, K. Jack 2; Lamb, B. Jack, Pyke, Smith, Bolton
Richmond: Riewoldt 3; Martin 2; Conca, Jackson, Vickery, White

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Sydney: O'Keefe, Jack, Mitchell, White, Bird, Tippett, McVeigh
Richmond: Martin, Riewoldt, Cotchin, Grigg, Jackson

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Sydney: White, O'Keefe, Hannebery, Jack, Mitchell, Tippett
Richmond: Martin, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Grigg, Foley

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Richmond: Vickery (concussion), Petterd (groin)

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Brandon Jack replaced by Harry Cunningham at three-quarter time
Richmond: Shane Tuck replaced by Matthew Arnot at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: Stevic, Stewart, Meredith

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Gerard Healy, Paul Roos, David King