Australian Football

Match Report

Sydney has maintained its hold on third place on the ladder with an uninspiring win over Brisbane at the Gabba on Sunday. The Swans were outscored in the first and third quarters, but did enough in the second and fourth terms to finish the game 21 points to the good despite being a goal behind late in the third quarter. The Lions put up a good performance but remain at the foot of the ladder with just two wins to their name. 

As several others did in round, his match got off to a slow start in terms of scoring, with neither side scoring a major in the first 10 minutes. Dayne Beams broke the drought with his first at the 10-minure mark, with another eight minutes elapsing before Dayne Zorko scored the match's second goal to put Brisbane 14 points ahead. At the 23-minute mark, Kurt Tippett finally scored the Swans' first major, cutting the lead to seven points, and it remained so until quarter time. 

Sydney, as was expected by most, dominated much of the second term. The Swans kept Brisbane scoreless for the first 26 minutes, while piling on four goals through Tippett, Lewis Jetta, Kieran Jack and Dan Robinson to take a 17-point lead. Zorko pulled one back with his second at the 27-minute mark but the Swans took a two-goal lead into the long break and the general feeling was that they would go on with the job after half time. 

An early third-term goal to Jarrad McVeigh only served to strengthen that feeling but five minutes into the quarter the Lions turned the game on its ear, embarking on a 10-minute spree that saw Zorko, Pearce Hanley (in his 100th match), Beams and Jed Adcock all score goals and Brisbane led by six points as the term entered time on. Sydney need a spark and Lance Franklin was the man to provide it, with goals at the 25 and 28-minute marks which saw the Swans wrest back the lead and increase it to seven points at the last change. 

Franklin again came to the fore when the last quarter began, adding his third goal within the first 30 seconds. The two sides then traded behinds until halfway through the quarter, when Tippett kicked his third to out the Swans 20 points clear. Though that left the Lions with time to rein in the deficit, the defences got on top in the last 15 minutes and there were no further goals, the Swans getting home in the end by 21 points to remain firmly entrenched in the top four. 

Best players for the winners included Josh Kennedy (41 possessions, nine tackles), Dan Hannebery (34 touches, six tackles) and Tippett (31 hitouts, three goals), while Brisbane's better players included Zorko (30 touches, three goals), Beams (32 disposals, eight marks) and Hanley (33 possession and a goal). 

Next up for Sydney is a blockbuster encounter at Stadium Australia with Hawthorn, with the Swans no doubt keen to atone for last year's poor Grand Final performance against the Hawks. For Brisbane a match against Melbourne will be seen as a chance to get a third win for the year, particularly if the Lions give the effort they brought to the Gabba against Sydney.

GOALS
Brisbane: Zorko 3; Beams 2; Adcock, Hanley
Sydney: Franklin, Tippett 3; Robinson, Jack, Jetta, McVeigh

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Zorko, Hanley, Beams, Paparone, Clarke, Redden
Sydney: Kennedy, Hannebery, McVeigh, Tippett, Franklin, Mitchell

BEST - BRISBANETIMES.COM.AU
Brisbane: Zorko, Merrett, Hanley, Rockliff, Beams, Paparone
Sydney: Kennedy, Hannebery, Tippett, McVeigh, Rampe, Franklin

INJURIES
Brisbane: Gardiner (shoulder)
Sydney: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Rohan Bewick replaced Darcy Gardiner in the second quarter
Sydney: Harry Cunningham replaced Mike Pyke at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: O'Gorman, Findlay, Ryan

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: TBC