Swans outlast feisty Kangaroos to keep top-four dream alive

A 14-point win over the spirited North Melbourne Kangaroos on Saturday evening has kept the Sydney Swans’ top-four hopes alive.

The Swans have won six of their last seven games. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

A second-half resurgence from North Melbourne gave Sydney a scare as the Swans took out an unconvincing 14-point win at Marvel Stadium.

The Kangaroos – who had won the third fewest final quarters this season – came hard at the usually fast-finishing Swans.

David Noble’s men cut a 22-point three-quarter time deficit to under a goal within 10 minutes, with two of those goals coming off the boot of impressive first-year forward Eddie Ford.

Without managed superstar Lance Franklin, Will Hayward (17 disposals, 11 marks and 3.3) proved to be the X-Factor for the Swans with a double blow of his own, with the Swans managing to hold the Kangaroos off from there.

The result means the Roos are destined to receive the No. 1 pick in the National Draft later this year.

Sydney looked to have the game in complete control with a six-goal lead in the closing stages of the first half – a period marred by North Melbourne’s defensive errors and its inability to give its forwards opportunities, tallying just 13 first-half inside 50.

Co-captain Luke Parker continued his stunning run of form with 25 disposals, six clearances, eight tackles and a goal in another strong midfield display, while dynamic Roos forward Cam Zurhaar provided plenty of highlights in his three-goal return.

North Melbourne threatened to pull off an almighty upset but fell off the pace late in the final term. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Future stars duel

Two key position stars of the future went toe-to-toe under the roof and it was emerging Swan Tom McCartin who got the points over Nick Larkey.

It was a quiet outing for Larkey in his 50th career game, who was held to just one disposal at halftime, but when he got his hands on the footy he made it count.

The milestone man cooly slotting two tough set shot goals – one of those after the quarter time siren.

McCartin claimed another scalp with 14 disposals, eight intercept possessions and five marks (two of those contested).

What could have been

As a member of the successful Swans Academy Nick Blakey chose to join Sydney back in 2018 despite his father-son links to North Melbourne and Brisbane through his father, 359-game great John.

His father was working with the Swans at the time, switching over to his former club the Kangaroos at the end of last year to take up an assistant coaching role.

Blakey’s decision hadn’t hurt the Kangaroos a great deal – providing flashes of brilliance but lacking consistency.

That is until his move to halfback in recent weeks, which looks a masterstroke.

The 21-year-old was on track for a career-best game in front of his father, tallying 15 disposals and four inside 50s in the first half, until an injury forced him to be subbed out in the third term.

Blakey was helped off the field after picking up an ankle injury. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Don’t mess with the Zurhaar

With the English Premier League kicking off this weekend, Cam Zurhaar did his best striker impression to open his side’s account in style.

Dispossessed by Jordan Dawson close to goal, Zurhaar’s brute strength allowed him to keep his feet and follow up with a clever soccer goal out of the air from a tight angle.

The excitement machine slotted another cracking goal on the run from the paint in the third term, also pulling down a high-flying mark inside 50 in the first half.

NORTH MELBOURNE 1.2 3.3 7.4 12.5 (77)

SYDNEY 4.1 8.4 10.8 13.13 (91)

BATTEN’S BEST

Kangaroos: Zurhaar, Hall, Davies-Uniacke, Goldstein, Ford

Swans: Parker, Hayward, McCartin, Heeney, Hewett, Blakey

GOALS

Kangaroos: Zurhaar 3, Larkey 2, Ford 2, Stephenson, Anderson, Taylor, Comben

Swans: Hayward 3, Papley 2, Heeney, Wicks, Campbell, Parker, McLean, Gulden, Dawson, Florent

INJURIES

Kangaroos: Bonar (TBC)

Swans: Blakey (ankle), Kennedy (hamstring)

VENUE Marvel Stadium

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

BATTEN’S VOTES

3 L. Parker (Syd)

2 W. Hayward (Syd)

1 C. Zurhaar (NM)

Originally published as Swans outlast feisty Kangaroos to keep top-four dream alive