Sydney coach John Longmire pleased with ‘fantastic second half’
SYDNEY’S march to September has gained ominous momentum after a stunning second half barrage buried St Kilda’s finals hopes.
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SYDNEY’S march to September has gained ominous momentum after a stunning second half barrage buried St Kilda’s finals hopes.
The Swans led a tight contest by five points at half-time before blowing the Saints away with a 15.4 to 4.5 second half that had all the hallmarks of a serious premiership contender.
Lance Franklin kicked six goals from 28 possessions and nine marks, while Daniel Hannebery (37 touches), Josh Kennedy (35), Jake Lloyd (35) and Luke Parker (33 and three goals) all tore into St Kilda.
“It was just a real powerful second half. It was a fantastic second half,” Swans coach John Longmire said.
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“It was a real interesting tussle that first half. We thought we were going OK, but they were playing really well.
“We probably got our hardness right. Our pressure was good, but then we were able to use the ball going forward. I think we had nine marks inside 50m in the third quarter alone and we finished with 25.”
Sydney’s 23.8 (146) was it’s highest score of the year and with Kurt Tippett a strong chance to return next week, the Swans are on track for a top-two finish and the ideal platform for a flag push.
Asked if his side was as well-placed as it has ever been, Longmire said: “I don’t think about it. What’s happened previously isn’t relevant.
“We can always get better. We’ll look at that first half and there’s some thing we’ll need to work on.”
Longmire described Franklin’s third quarter, in which he had 15 possessions and three goals, as “pretty reasonable”.
“He was getting involved up the ground, that was what we noticed. But that’s what makes him a good player, he can do that and be so useful going into the forward 50m,” he said.
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But Longmire was more effusive on emerging defender Aliir Aliir, who has been a revelation in the second half of the season and took an equal game-high three contested marks last night.
“Aliir has been terrific. He’s competing well, he’s been really composed with the ball and he made some really smart decisions coming off his man tonight and helping his teammates,” Longmire said.
“It’s probably the brashness of youth at times. Sometimes it can get you into trouble, but sometimes it works out all right and playing alongside a (Heath) Grundy and (Nick) Smith and (Dane) Rampe certainly helps.”
Originally published as Sydney coach John Longmire pleased with ‘fantastic second half’
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