AFL round 17 Sydney Swans v Fremantle: Results, news and analysis
The Sydney Swans still have a pulse — just. And one returning star is a massive part of that turnaround, but not just for what he’s doing ball in hand. Lachlan McKirdy explains.
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If a game ever encapsulated the Swans’ 2025 season, it was their gutsy, impressive and nervy 11-point win over the Dockers on Sunday afternoon.
Midfield dominance was matched with brainfades in defence. Shocking turnovers were equalled out by a return to accuracy in front of goal.
However, it was calm heads when the game was on the line, in particular from their youngest midfield general, Errol Gulden, that kept their slim finals hopes alive and pushed Fremantle back to the precipice of the top eight again.
The Swans were great value for their first victory against the Dockers at the SCG since 2018. They started on the front foot, winning the first nine centre clearances, looked sharp in their forward 50, and for the most part, fought hard in defence.
But as the simple errors began to sneak into their game throughout the second half, it would have been hard not to be reminded of some of their other disappointing losses this season.
However, in just his third game for the year, it was Gulden’s composure that stood out on a day when the Dockers threatened to run over the top.
“We know what he does with his boot and his damage with that, but the structure and the defensive set-up is probably on par as his number one strength as well,” Chad Warner said.
“And the amount the opposition probably has to think about him helps the rest of us as well.”
Where players like Warner and Heeney are the sparks that manufacture brilliance on the run, it’s Gulden’s steady hand that makes him the most reliable cog in the machine.
The 22-year-old knows when to take his foot off the gas pedal. On several occasions against Fremantle, he would take a mark in his own defensive 50, and instead of trying to rush the ball forward in transition, he took his full allotment of time before perfectly picking out a sensible target.
A special celebration from Errol â¤ï¸#AFLSwansFreopic.twitter.com/xB4uNqwwES
— AFL (@AFL) July 6, 2025
Even when he had the ball in scoring situations, he tried to slow it down, but not even an umpire’s advantage call could stop him from having an impact as he kicked an important third-quarter goal.
It speaks to the influence that the two-time All-Australian has on not only the way the Swans play with the ball, but also without it.
“He does watch a lot of vision, so he does go and tell you (what to do),” Warner said.
“It was pretty easy (for Errol to coach) when he was sitting up in the stands. But now he’s back out there, he’s doing the same, he understands how hard it is as well.”
Dean Cox added: “(Errol’s) always trying to find what’s happening in the game. What do we need to change? How do we maximise what we’re doing well?
“Every time he comes to the bench, he asks those questions. The good part about it is we’ve confidence that our leaders, who we spend a lot of time with … they make the call out there.”
Gulden finished the match with 25 disposals, eight score involvements, eight tackles and five clearances – showing no signs of any potential rust after his four-month lay-off from a broken ankle.
However, it was the ascendancy that the midfield was able to gain as a whole that led the Swans to victory.
Brodie Grundy continued his dominant two-month stretch with 12 clearances and 14 contested possessions, Isaac Heeney had 21 touches and seven tackles, while Warner was just as strong with 24 disposals and 427 metres gained.
On the flip side, the Swans’ tactics to shut down both Caleb Serong (11 disposals) and Jordan Clark (13 disposals) on the back of two tags from James Jordon and Braeden Campbell, respectively, went a long way to nullifying Fremantle’s biggest strengths.
It’s two weeks in a row that Sydney has won the stoppage battle against a top-four rated midfield team in the competition.
The win was even sweeter for Warner, coming up against one of the WA teams he spurned by re-signing with the Swans earlier in the season. But even though there’s a lot that has to go right for Sydney to make an unlikely finals’ charge, it’s clear their midfield dominance could be the thing that sets them apart.
“I think it’s always a little bit of fire in you that gets you up, knowing a lot of the boys, it’s kind of fun playing against them,” Warner said.
“JJ on Serong was amazing. (Brodie’s) the best I’ve seen at executing his process. The one thing no one knows is that today, he was playing through his hip flexor and glute, he was pretty cooked and played through the game, kept fighting, and it’s just what he does.
“Their midfield is probably one of the best in the comp. We respect them a lot. We worked a lot on our craft throughout the week on how we were going to beat them. I’m very proud of our midfield group.”
SWANS’ SEASON STILL ALIVE AFTER DOWNING DOCKERS
— Sean Teuma
Sydney has seven games left to salvage a finals spot after ending Fremantle’s six-game winning run in style.
While all the talk pre-game was about the SCG surface, the Swans switched the headlines to their performance as they continued their push towards September.
Sydney’s midfield showed its teeth with a blistering display, led by stars Isaac Heeney and Errol Gulden, with the Swans never trailing at any stage of the contest.
They always held a multiple-score buffer throughout, but nerves started to kick in when Michael Frederick made it a one-point game with 13 minutes to play.
That created a tense closing passage with the Dockers threatening to hit the front.
But they couldn’t land that blow, with the SCG coming alive as Hayden McLean sealed victory with two minutes remaining as they prevailed 14.10 (94) to 12.11 (83).
The win wasn’t without more injury drama however, with Tom Papley subbed off at halftime with a hamstring concern and Joel Amartey limping off in the final minute of play.
TAKING THE BAIT
Luke Jackson was able to nab Tom McCartin hook, line and sinker towards the end of the first term.
The two came together after the Fremantle ruck took a mark on the wing, with the temptation proving too much for McCartin.
He whacked Jackson well after his kick, winning Freo a downfield free and allowing Patrick Voss to slot the goal to tie up the scores.
"Jackson sucked him in there."
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) July 6, 2025
McCartin gives away the downfield free kick, and Voss takes full advantage.
📺 Watch #AFLSwansFreo LIVE on ch.504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/UFa9lwilJt
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/zsus9qNsVW
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/FzWpjqjBHBpic.twitter.com/WANHldD9uP
TEN OUT OF TENORS
No patch of grass has experienced as much vilification as that at the Paddington end of the SCG over the past week and a bit.
The solutions ranged from moving the fixture through to taking a leaf out of their SFS neighbours and digging the surface up.
A bit of TLC throughout the week and a sunny day proved the tonic, with the turf largely holding up well.
There was the odd slippage, but an obvious improvement on the scenes witnessed against the Bulldogs.
COAST TO COAST
The other end of the ground had some controversy of its own with Fremantle the beneficiaries of a very lucky break.
In trying to centre the ball back inside for Corey Wagner, Murphy Reid looked to have clearly taken the ball out of bounds in clear view of the umpire.
"Even Wayne Harmes is calling that one."
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) July 6, 2025
The Sydney fans don't like it, but it's a Wagner goal.
📺 Watch #AFLSwansFreo LIVE on ch.504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/UFa9lwilJt
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/zsus9qNsVW
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/FzWpjqjBHBpic.twitter.com/T8G2VGLpi6
It was somehow given the all clear, with Wagner taking the mark and kicking the goal, much to the disgust of the Swans faithful in the stands.
Sydney got one back in the third term when Errol Gulden put his hand up to concede the advantage from a free kick, before immediately snapping a goal that arrested Fremantle’s momentum.
HEART-AND-SOUL SWAN SUBBED OUT WITH ANOTHER INJURY
An emotional Tom Papley has been subbed out of the Swans’ clash against Fremantle in the first half after suffering a hamstring injury.
The forward had a strong involvement with an inside 50 after bursting through the corridor and producing a cute kick around the body to try and find Joel Amartey.
Tom Papley has been subbed out of the game after this contest in the second quarter.#AFLSwansFreopic.twitter.com/3VXlyBdy10
— AFL (@AFL) July 6, 2025
However, the 28-year-old immediately came to the sidelines and was seen with his head in his hands on the bench as he pointed to his left leg with Sydney medical staff. The star looked to be pointing towards his left hamstring.
Papley has already missed a large chunk of football this year after suffering a fracture in his heel following the Swans’ last game against Fremantle in round two. He finally returned in the win against Port Adelaide two weeks ago, with this clash against the Dockers just his sixth appearance of the year.
Papley was assessed during the main break, with the Swans deciding to take him out of the game.
Matt Roberts will enter the match as Sydney’s substitute, with his side holding onto a 17-point lead at half time on the back of their midfield dominance.
Originally published as AFL round 17 Sydney Swans v Fremantle: Results, news and analysis
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