Australian Football

Match Report

The juggernaut that is the Sydney Football Club in 2014 continues to roll as the Swans comfortably accounted for West Coast at Subiaco on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles never let Sydney get too far ahead but the Swans always had the slight measure of West Coast, winning three of the four quarters and drawing the other.

In a relatively low scoring first quarter, West Coast drew first blood with a goal to Jack Darling at the three-minute mark but goals to Luke Parker and Adam Goodes in the next 10 minutes set the Swans on their way. Each side added another goal before quarter time and Sydney led 3.4 to 2.2 at the first change. Honours were relatively even in the second term, each side kicking two goals, but the Swans were somewhat wasteful, also kicking eight behinds for the quarter to West Coast's three, taking a 13-point break into half time.

Another low-scoring quarter ensued in the third term, with the first goal not coming until the 12-minute mark. It was Adam Goodes who kicked it, giving the Swans a three-goal break. But the next two goals were kicked by Eagles Scott Lycett and Luke Shuey and West Coast were within a goal well into time-on in the term before Ben McGlynn kicked a late major for Sydney to restore the half-time margin of 13 points at the final change of ends. Any hope of an Eagle comeback was snuffed out by goals to Parker and Goodes within the first eight minutes of the final quarter, and the Swans held firm after that to record a 28-point win, their 11th consecutive victory and one which took them to the head of the ladder for the first time this year.

Best for the winners included Parker (33 disposals, six tackles) and McGlynn (27 possessions and two goals), while the Eagles were well served by Matt Priddis (28 touches and eight tackles) and Andrew Gaff (25 disposals and seven marks).

A game clear of Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Fremantle, the Swans will return to the SCG next Saturday night to host Carlton while West Coast, now three games adrift of the top eight, will travel to the Gabba to take on Brisbane, also on Saturday night.

GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 2, Priddis, Shuey, Darling, Cripps, Lycett
Sydney: Goodes 3, Parker 2, McGlynn 2, Rampe, Reid, Franklin

BEST - SMH.COM.AU
West Coast: Priddis, Shuey, Gaff, Mackenzie, Rosa, Lycett
Sydney: Parker, McGlynn, Kennedy, Bird, Jetta, T Richards

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: Priddis, Mackenzie, Shuey, Gaff, Darling
Sydney: McGlynn, Parker, Kennedy, McVeigh, Jetta, Bird, Malceski

INJURIES
West Coast: Rosa (pectoral)
Sydney: Jones (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Sam Butler replaced Jeremy McGovern during the third quarter
Sydney: Brandon Jack replaced Zak Jones during the first quarter

REPORTS: Nil

UMPIRES: Farmer, Chamberlain, O’Gorman