Sydney underline premiership credentials with second win over ladder leaders West Coast in 2018
SYDNEY has soared into the premiership conversation and solidified its position in the top four with its second win over ladder leaders West Coast in 2018, ending the Eagles’ 10-match winning streak with a hard-fought 15-point victory.
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SYDNEY soared into the premiership conversation with a gutsy 15-point win over West Coast at the SCG on Friday night.
The Swans made it back-to-back wins against the Eagles and remain the only team to beat them in 2018 after outpointing them in Round 1.
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The victory kept the Eagles winless at the SCG since 1999 and moved the Swans level with them on 40 points and just 3.5 behind them on percentage.
It was a match worthy of the great 2005 and 2006 rivalry where the teams split two Grand Finals and a total of just 13 points separated them over six games between the ’05 qualifying final and Round 1 of 2007.
Lance Franklin didn’t bring his kicking boots and finished with 2.5 for the night, but his battle with Jeremy McGovern was a headline act.
If McGovern was auditioning for a spot in the Swans’ 2019 line-up he could hardly have done better as he kept Franklin on a tight leash.
The only time Buddy was able to impact the scoreboard was when Eagles skipper Shannon Hurn was moved onto him to free McGovern up to intercept mark.
The Swans have now won seven in a row thanks largely to their young talent.
Ollie Florent was dynamic, picking up a game-high 29 possessions and will shorten in the betting for the Rising Star on the back of his performance.
Forwards Tom Papley and Ben Ronke were explosive, kicking two goals each, and Will Hayward booted one, but it was their forward 50 pressure that was telling.
The Swans won the inside 50 tackle count 16-7.
Coach John Longmire was pleased with his team’s ability to win in a game played with finals-like intensity and overcome a rocky start after going goalless in the first term.
“It was a pressure game. A lot of pressure from both teams. We didn’t have a lot of time and space, we had to scramble,” he said.
“When you’ve got first versus third, it’s a high-pressure game and you’re going to miss some targets and miss some goals because of that pressure.
“They’re a very, very good football team. We were coming off a six-day break, they had the bye last week.”
Aliir Aliir made an outstanding return to senior football with a cool display, dragging down 10 marks.
He was playing in just his second senior game this year and only his fifth in the past two.
His effort was reminiscent of his 2016 form when he took the competition by storm.
The Eagles will rue their poor kicking for goal, with Liam Ryan’s miss at the start of the third quarter pivotal as he kicked from 20m out directly in front but pulled it wide.
Had he converted the margin would have been back to just eight points, but instead the Swans kicked the next three goals in a row through Ronke, Kieren Jack and Franklin to open up a decisive 32-point lead.
Josh Kennedy missed another set shot from directly in front in the closing minutes of the last quarter, which would have made for another grandstand finish.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson lamented the missed opportunities in front of goal but was proud of his team.
“We didn’t convert early, they did,” he said.
“The second half in particular, the boys really had a go.”
SYDNEY 0.3 5.3 10.6 10.12 (72)
WEST COAST 1.3 2.7 5.10 7.15 (57)
CORDY’S BEST
Swans: Florent, Heeney, Lloyd, Jones, Hewett, Aliir, Papley, Kennedy, Smith.
Eagles: Yeo, Redden, Hurn, Naitanui, Masten, Gaff, McGovern.
GOALS
Swans: Ronke 2, Franklin 2, Papley 2, Cunningham, Kennedy, Jack, Hayward.
Eagles: Yeo 2, Kennedy 2, Waterman, Ryan, Lycett.
INJURIES
Swans: Nil
Eagles: Nil
UMPIRES
Nicholls, McInerney, Deboy, Gianfagna
CROWD
36,402 at the SCG
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Originally published as Sydney underline premiership credentials with second win over ladder leaders West Coast in 2018
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