Australian Football

Match Report

The first 'Battle of the Bridge' for 2016 has gone the way of Sydney, who defeated GWS in a relatively low-scoring affair on Saturday night. The Giants were by no means disgraced against the Swans, but Sydney has demonstrated that is not ready just yet to give up the mantle of the Harbour city's best team. 

Defence was the order of the day in the first quarter, particularly for the Swans, who restricted GWS to just two scoring shots for the term, resulting in a behind for Ryan Griffen in the first two minutes, and another to Tom Scully early in time on. Sydney itself had several goal-front opportunities, but these yielded just 2.3, the goals going to Tom Mitchell and Lance Franklin and the Swans took a 13-point lead into the first change of ends. 

The Swans extended the lead to 19 points when Dan Hannebery kicked the first goal of the second term and it looked like the Giants were in danger of losing touch but they suddenly clicked into gear and majors to Stephen Coniglio, Rhys Palmer and Jonathon Patton had GWS within a point at the 10-minute mark. The Giants then added two further behinds to grab a one-point lead but Sydney closed out the half with two of the last three goals to take a six-point lead into the long break. 

Rhys Palmer roved nicely to score his second and level the scores early in the second half but Sydney got on top in the next 15 minutes, adding two goals via Isaac Heeney and ruckman Callum Sinclair to jump out to a 14-point lead. Patton's second cut the difference back to eight but Buddy Franklin chipped in for his second at the 24-minute mark and in was the Swans by 14 at the final break. 

Sydney came out firing early in the last quarter and with majors to Franklin, Luke Parker and Tom Papley appeared to blow the game open in the first seven minutes. But the Giants were not done with yet and responded with three goals of their own, majors to Shane Mumford, Josh Kelly and Stevie Johnson cutting the difference back to an even two goals midway through the term. Ben McGlynn got on the end of a chain of handballs to goal for the Swans at the 16-minute mark but Coniglio's second had the Giants back within 12 three minutes later. The Swans held firm from there, though, and late majors to Franklin and Kurt Tippet 'iced' the game for the Swans, the final margin 25 points their way.

Luke Parker continued his fine form for Sydney, with 30 possessions and seven marks, while Tom Scully (29 disposals and seven marks) was a stand-out for GWS.

The Swans are now top of the table with three wins from three outings, and they will look to make it 4-0 when they take on the Crows at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, while GWS will look for its second win at Manuka Oval on Sunday.

GOALS
Sydney: Franklin 4; Tippett, Hannebery 2; Mitchell, Heeney, Sinclair, Parker, Papley, McGlynn
GWS: Patton, Palmer, Coniglio 2; Ward, Mumford, Johnson, Kelly

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Sydney: Parker, Kennedy, Hannebery, Franklin,Jack, Lloyd
GWS: Shaw, Scully, Shiel, Davis, Patfull, Wilson

BEST - DAILY TELEGRAPH
Sydney: Parker, Hannebery, Franklin, Kennedy, Mitchell, Grundy, Lloyd, Jack
GWS: Scully, Mumford, Shiel, Whitfield, Ward, Kelly

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
GWS: Corr (ankle)

UMPIRES: O'Gorman, Meredith, Ryan

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Jason Dunstall, Alastair Lynch, Barry Hall