Australian Football

Match Report

Sydney has recorded a strong win over West Coast to stamp itself as a genuine threat in the face for the 2016 premiership. The Swans were challenged strongly by last year's runner up for most of the first half and particularly early in the second half but the Eagles fell away badly after hitting the front at the nine-minute mark of the their term. From that point until the end of the match, they could not manage a major score, while Sydney registered six to record an emphatic 39-point win.

Behinds were the order of the day in the first few minutes, with Sydney missing twice via Lance Franklin and Tom Papley and the Eagles getting a rushed one of their own. Josh Kennedy started off the goal-kicking with his first at the five-minute mark but Franklin answered with Sydney's first five minutes later. Callum Sinclair followed up with another at the 15-minute mark but a major to Luke Shuey four minutes later had the Eagles in front by four points. Josh Hill extended that lead with his first and West Coast led by an even goal at the first break.

Things began to look ominous for the Swans early in the second quarter when Nic Naitanui goaled to put the Eagles 12 points clear but a major to Isaac Heeney after a couple of behinds had Sydney back within four points. A Tom Mitchell behind cut the margin to three before defender Ted Richards drifted forward to kick his first goal since 2013 to put the Sawns in front. First-year player Papley followed up with another major and Sydney took a nine-point lead into half time. 

The Swans looked to be getting on top when Franklin kicked his second within the first couple of minutes of the third quarter to take the lead out to 16 points but the Eagles suddenly clicked into gear and majors to Kennedy, Jack Redden and Elliot Yeo saw them snatch the lead at the nine-minute mark. It proved to be a false dawn for West Coast however. Sydney halted the Eagles' scoring and then, after a period in which neither side scored a goal, kicked the last three majors of the term to lead by 21 at 'orange' time.

West Coast needed the first goal in the final quarter but sadly for the Eagles it went to Sydney's George Hewett, putting the Swans 27 points clear. Former Swan Lewis Jetta had a chance to cut the margin to 20 at the 10-minute mark, but he fluffed an easy shot, drawing cheers from his former fans. The Swans then closed out the match with goals to Papley and Jake Lloyd to cruise to victory.

Ted Richards played a fantastic game for Sydney, taking 10 marks and gathering 22 possessions, while Papley (eight marks, 20 disposals) was also excellent. For the Eagles, Matt Priddis (28 touches and six tackles) and Andrew Gaff (32 possessions, six marks) were standouts.

The win keeps Sydney firmly entrenched in third place on the ladder, while the Eagles have slipped to eight. The Swans will be hot favourites to beat Brisbane at the Gabba next Sunday, while West Coast will host Collingwood at Subiaco later that day.

GOALS
Sydney: Franklin, McVeigh, Papley 2; Sinclair, Heeney, Richards,McGlynn, Lloyd, Hewett
West Coast: Kennedy 2; Hill, Redden, Yeo, Shuey, Naitanui

BEST - HERALD SUN
Sydney: Richards, Papley, McGlynn, Lloyd, Hannebery, Parker, Kennedy, Franklin, Grundy
West Coast: Priddis, Gaff, Masten, McGovern, Shuey, Hurn

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Sydney: Richards, Parker, Papley, Kennedy,Grundy, Hannebery, Jack
West Coast: Priddis, Gaff, Hurn, McGovern, Masten, Shuey

INJURIES
Sydney: Jeremy Laidler (concussion), Harry Cunningham (ankle)
West Coast: Nil

UMPIRES: Donlon, Bannister, Findlay

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Brad Johnson, Cameron Mooney