Australian Football

Match Report

The Sydney Swans made a name for themselves in the middle of last decade with their flooding tactics but it was a flood of a different kind, along with an impressive Swans outfit, that caused the Gold Coast Suns trouble at Carrara on Saturday night. After a day of torrential rain, that continued to fall throughout most of the match, Sydney and the rain proved too much for the Suns, who started well but eventually succumbed to the weather and the Swans by 38 points.

With rain tumbling and players sliding everywhere, Sydney started the match the better and Gary Rohan had a goal on the board for the Swans at the four-minute mark after intercepting a defensive pass. There were no further goals until 14 minutes later as both sides struggled with the conditions. Then, the Suns suddenly seemed to adapt to the wet ground and kicked three goals in six minutes through Alex Sexton, Ryan Davis and Jesse Lonergan to surprisingly lead by 11 points at quarter time.

Aaron Hall had a chance to extend the lead early in the second term but his shot at goal in the first minute sailed wide. After that the Swans took control. Callum Sinclair got Sydney going with an accurate snap at the two-minute mark and the Swans made light of the heavy weather over the next 12 minutes to add majors via Jake Lloyd, Lance Franklin, James Rose (playing just his third AFL match and his first of 2016) and Luke Parker to jump to a 19-point lead. The Suns regained control to a degree after that and, after misses to Matt Rosa and Gary Ablett, Tom Lynch scored a goal that brought Gold Coast back to within 13 points at half time.

The Suns looked likely to make a game of it early in the third term when Matt Rosa scored a goal to cut the margin to seven points, but that was to be Gold Coast's last of the quarter. The Swans managed a couple of goals, one to Tom Mitchell and one to Kieran Jack, and it was Sydney by 26 points at three-quarter time. 

Goals continued to be hard to come by in the last term, and when one came at thew six-minute mark it was to Sydney's Rohan, effectively sealing the result. Brandon Matera clawed one back for the Suns four minutes later, but just as in the previous term, it was Gold Coast's only major of the quarter. Sydney added two further goals Isaac Heeney and Luke Parker, cruising to a win of more than six goals.

Kurt Tippett was highly influential in the Swans' win, with 50 hitouts and 16 disposals, while ex-Eagle Matt Rosa played a fine game for the Suns, collecting 33 possession and laying five tackles.

Next up for Sydney is a return match against the Giants at the Sydney Showground. The Swans beat GWS at the SCG in round three. The Suns, meanwhile will travel to Melbourne next weekend, to take on Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.

GOALS
Gold Coast: Sexton, Davis, Lonergan, Lynch, Rosa, Matera
Sydney: Rohan, Parker 2; Sinclair, Lloyd, Franklin, Rose, Mitchell, Jack, Heeney

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Rosa, Miller, Ablett, Harbrow, Ah Chee, Prestia
Sydney: Tippett, Hannebery, Mitchell, Rohan, Kennedy, Rampe

BEST - SMH.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Rosa, Ablett, Miller, Prestia
Sydney: Tippett, Mitchell, Hannebery, Rohan, Jack Kennedy

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Lonergan (knee)
Sydney: Mills (managed) replaced in selected side by Rose, Hewett (concussion)

REPORTS: Tom Lynch (GC) reported for striking Jeremy Laidler (Syd) in the fourth quarter.

UMPIRES: Rosebury, O’Gorman, Wallace 

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Adam Papalia, Jason Dunstall, Alastair Lynch, Barry Hall