Sydney wraps up the minor premiership with 113-point thumping of hapless Richmond at the SCG

LANCE Franklin kicked seven goals as Sydney secured the minor premiership in style, thumping a hapless Richmond by 113 points at the SCG.

Lance Franklin celebrates one of his seven goals. (AAP Image/David Moir)

THE SWANS have wrapped up the minor premiership in the most emphatic way possible demolishing Richmond by 113 points at the SCG.

It’s just the third time in the club’s history in Sydney they have finished in top spot after the home and away season, the previous two coming in 1996 and 2014.

The Swans were as good as the Tigers were bad, dominating every aspect of the game to cruise into their seventh consecutive finals series.

“It was a terrific performance,” Swans coach John Longmire said.

“You’re not quite sure with teams who aren’t playing in the finals because they can be really difficult and challenging. The way our players went about it was fantastic and didn’t give them a look in.”

Lance Franklin kept the scoreboard ticking over with seven for the night before John Longmire took him off with 10 minutes to go in the last quarter.

He started the match 13 goals behind Coleman leader Josh Kennedy who kicked five in Friday night’s upset win over Adelaide. When he kicked his sixth early in the third term a repeat of his 2012 heroics playing for Hawthorn against North Melbourne (when he kicked 13) looked like it might be on the cards. While he didn’t catch Kennedy he did overtake Kevin Bartlett’s career total of 778 to move him to 12th in the game’s history on 780. Matt Richardson is in 11th spot with 800 goals.

Lance Franklin (left) celebrates a goal with Ben McGlynn. (AAP Image/David Moir)

Ben McGlynn kicked five in a timely return to form and Gary Rohan was electric with four goals. His first two were spectacular using his lightning speed to great effect.

Isaac Heeney was also outstanding taking 10 marks to go with his 20 touches and goal.

The Swans midfielders were totally dominant with Josh Kennedy producing a game high 37 disposals and two goals. He was one of six Sydney players to finish with 30 or more possessions — the others were Dan Hannebery (31), Tom Mitchell (34), Kieren Jack (31), Jake Lloyd (31) and Jarrad McVeigh (31).

“It’s a marathon to get to this point but the reality is that season is finished and the new one is about to begin,” Longmire said.

“Hopefully we’ve got some confidence in the sort of football we like to play, that’s what we take into this new season.”

While Longmire was being circumspect there was no holding back for Swans fans (Crowd 36,570) who had the party in full swing by early in the third term when they started a Mexican wave which continued for 10 minutes.

Remarkably the Tigers have a recent record against the Swans second to only Hawthorn winning their last three matches and six of the last nine including Sam Lloyd’s after the siren goal in round eight this year at the MCG.

SYDNEY 5.6 14.9 22.11 25.14 (164)

RICHMOND 0.5 1.6 2.8 7.9 (51)

GOALS:

Sydney: L Franklin 7 B McGlynn 5 G Rohan 4 G Hewett 2 J Kennedy 2 I Heeney K Jack L Parker T Mitchell X Richards.

Richmond: T Cotchin 3 J Riewoldt S Edwards S Hampson S Lloyd.

VOTES

3. Franklin

2. Kennedy

1. Rohan