Australian Football

Match Report

Sydney has arrested a two-game losing streak with a comfortable 38-point win over Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night. The Swans led virtually all night, and by as much as 59 points as the third quarter entered time on, before taking the foot off the pedal in the last term of the game, allowing the Demons to restore some respectability to their performance from a scoreboard perspective.

Aaron Vandenberg opened the game up for Melbourne with a behind at the two-minute mark before Mike Pyke kicked the first goal of the match for the Swans a couple of minutes later. After a period dominated by the defences, first-gamer Billy Stretch, the son of former Demon Steven Stretch, took a mark on the boundary and began his debut in the best possible way with a goal with his first kick in AFL football. But there was little else to smile about for the rest of the term for Melbourne as Sydney, in particular Kurt Tippett, took a stranglehold on the match. Tippett booted all three of the remaining goals of the term and the Swans took a 20-point lead into quarter time.

There was to be nothing for Melbourne fans to smile about in the second quarter either as Sydney's renowned defence strangled the Demons' forwards, restricting them to just two behinds for the term. The Swans didn't score heavily in the term themselves, but Ben McGlynn, Lewis Jetta and Josh Kennedy all kicked majors to take Sydney to 7.7.49 at the half, 40 points to the good of the Demons.

It was more of the same in the first 20 minutes of the third quarter, the Swans registering goals via Kennedy, Tippett, Dan Hannebery and Luke Parker while the Demons finally managed a second goal to Jeff Garlett at the five-minute mark. Trailing by 59 points at the 24-minute, Melbourne did, to its credit, fight out the last part of the third term, goals to Ben Newton and Jesse Hogan cutting the difference to 46 points at 'orange time'.

The last quarter of the match was Melbourne's best by far, although it must be said that the Swans had the match well in their keeping by that stage. The Demons added 3.3, with goals to Chris Dawes, Garlett and Hogan, while Sydney mustered only 1.7, the Swans' only goal being the last of the match. Despite Melbourne winning the final term, Sydney prevailed by a very comfortable 38 points.

Tom Mitchell was a standout for the Swans, with 28 possessions and five tackles, while Josh Kennedy (31 disposals, eight tackles) and Tippett (four goals, 15 hitouts) were also very good. For Melbourne, Tom McDonald (10 marks, 25 touches), Christian Salem (24 possessions and for tackles) and Nathan Jones (25 disposals and four tackles) were all excellent.

Back on the winners list and in the top four, Sydney's next assignment will be to host Geelong at Stadium Australia. The Swans thrashed the Cats by over 100 points at the SCG last year. Melbourne will face Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday, and it could get ugly for the Demons with the Hawks, coming off an unexpected loss to GWS, sure to be very hungry for a win.

GOALS 
Melbourne: Garlett, Hogan 2; Stretch, Newton, Dawes 
Sydney: Tippett 4; Kennedy 2; Pyke, McGlynn, Jetta, Hannebery, Parker, Goodes 

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: McDonald, Salem, Jones, Hogan, Vince 
Sydney: Mitchell, Kennedy, Tippett, Jack, Parker, Jetta, McVeigh 

BEST -  THE SUNDAY AGE
Melbourne: McDonald, Brayshaw, Salem, Jones, Tyson
Sydney: Mitchell, Tippett, Kennedy, McVeigh, Hanneberry, Jetta, Jack, Parker.

INJURIES 
Melbourne: Dawes (right knee), Tyson (left knee) 
Sydney: Heeney (right knee), Lloyd (ankle), Hannebery (left ankle) 

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Watts replaced Pedersen in the third quarter
Sydney: Goodes replaced Heeney in the second quarter

UMPIRES: Margetts, Findlay, Harris 

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Cameron Ling