AFL Round 12 Sydney v Adelaide: All the news, analysis and fallout from the SCG
For 10 minutes on Saturday night, the Swans appeared to come out with a point to prove. Then the Crows took over in a demolition that stamps their genuine premiership credentials.
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A first-half onslaught from the Adelaide Crows has all but ended the Swans’ season after Dean Cox’s side succumbed to an enormous 90-point defeat on Saturday night.
It was a demolition in every sense of the word, with the Crows’ elite attack running riot in each quarter and firming up their position in the top four.
For the first 10 minutes of the match, it looked as though the Swans had come out with a point to prove following their poor defeat to Melbourne last weekend.
The two sides traded goals as Sydney looked somewhat inspired by their 2005 premiership side, who were in attendance celebrating the 20-year reunion of their drought-breaking flag.
But instead of celebrating the glory years, Swans fans were left to marvel at the dolphin dive their side have taken since qualifying for last year’s grand final.
Izak Rankine kicked the Crows’ first major of the night, opening the floodgates for an incredible 12 unanswered goals to all but wrap up the result before half time.
The Swans looked to respond with four quick majors in the third term, but the energy hit they received from Cox’s half-time spray didn’t last long, with the Crows quickly getting back on top.
Another eight-straight goals from Adelaide opened up the margin to an embarrassing 91 points, with Sydney players barely able to muster up the effort to block goals on the line in the final term.
Sydney came into their match with a six-game winning streak against the Crows, but it was a complete mismatch at the SCG, with Adelaide only enhancing their premiership credentials following an emphatic victory.
“When you come to the SCG, and in my short time as a coach we haven’t had a lot of fun up here, we’ve often gone away disappointed and played against a team that’s probably beaten us up,” coach Matthew Nicks said.
“So tonight, to come prepared for that, but then execute, was the part that is the most pleasing. We’ll sit down together and have a discussion through that and make sure we enjoy that, but understand you’ve got to bring that level every week when you play the best sides.
“The first key is we don’t start talking about the second half of the season, because we’ve still got a couple of games before the bye.
“So we lock in now, as we’ve done every week. It’s off a learning from last year where we tried to focus on blocks of games. This year we’re locked in, we’re locked in now on (Brisbane).”
CROW’S SMALLS’ TOUCH OF CLASS
Fresh off a career-best five-goal haul against the Eagles last week, Josh Rachele arrived at the SCG ready to reinforce his standing as one of the best small forwards in the competition.
He both got under the skin of his Sydney opponents and led all comers with an equal-game high of three goals. His last major came after enticing a frustrated Dane Rampe into giving away an unnecessary 50-metre penalty.
However, it was Rachele’s football-like assist in the third term that summed up the gulf in quality between the two sides.
It was a fantastic bookend for Rachele, who, less than 12 months ago, was dropped for the Crows’ clash against the Swans at the SCG. On Saturday night, he was centre stage and the main attraction.
“I’m more proud of what he’s been able to do, not surprised at all though,” Nicks said.
“That’s where a decision made late last year was made for a reason, because we have a really important player at our footy club and a future leader, he’s actually a current leader.
“At the time, he was going to be a future leader that we knew would respond well to it. We live by certain values as a footy team, that it’s not just writing on a wall, it’s the way we live, and so unfortunately, if you go away from those, we’re going to have to work our way through it.
“But I think as a coach, and as a friend, I knew we’d be where we’re at now. I was really confident that he’s done some incredible work through the break, and he will be a future leader of this footy club.”
With a bouncing ball headed in his direction and his back towards goal, Rachele flicked the ball on with his foot to put it perfectly in front of Ben Keays on the run. It also completely split the Sydney defence, who could only watch on as the Crows surged forward.
Keays didn’t hesitate at the opportunity, pouncing on the ball, outpacing Nick Blakey and kicking the Crows’ 18th goal of the night.
It was one of several moments from Adelaide’s livewire smalls, with Rankine also producing a moment of magic, powerfully shrugging off a tackle from Isaac Heeney to set up a goal for Alex Neal-Bullen.
COX QUESTION MARKS
The Swans’ lack of attacking output would have again concerned Dean Cox as the Swans only kicked one goal combined in the first, second and fourth quarters. Outside of a 13-minute patch in the third term, Sydney only scored 17 points on the night.
The three-match suspension to Joel Amartey has severely limited the Swans’ attacking structure, but for too long they persisted with a long-ball tactic when they only had smalls ahead of the ball.
During the week, Cox suggested that young Jack Buller still hadn’t found the consistency in the VFL that was required to earn an AFL recall. But after registering only five marks inside 50 on the night, it might be time for a different look ahead of the ball.
BRONX CHEERS
The nature of the Crows’ domination in the first half left the SCG crowd struggling to find reasons to cheer as the visitors kicked 12 unanswered goals before the main break.
But a rare foray forward that ended in an Angus Sheldrick behind – that sailed well wide – brought the crowd into raptures as their side finally registered something on the scoreboard again.
The Bronx cheers were a sad indictment of just how far last year’s grand finalists had fallen, as they looked like a team devoid of any attacking ideas in the first half.
The cheers continued early in the second half as the Swans kicked three-straight behinds, but they were much less visceral with plenty of fans deciding they had seen enough and leaving the SCG at the main break.
They finally had a chance to properly celebrate when Will Hayward kicked just their second goal of the match in the third term.
Scoreboard
SYDNEY 1.2, 1.4, 5.7, 5.11 (41)
ADELAIDE 5.3, 12.3, 18.4, 21.5 (131)
Goals
Sydney – Hayden McLean (2), Braeden Campbell (1), Isaac Heeney (1), Will Hayward (1)
Adelaide – Ben Keays (3), Joshua Rachele (3), Isaac Cumming (2), Riley Thilthorpe (2), Darcy Fogarty (2), Jordan Dawson (1), Alex Neal-Bullen (1), Taylor Walker (1), Sam Berry (1), Luke Pedlar (1), Jake Soligo (1), Wayne Milera (1), Brodie Smith (1), Izak Rankine (1)
Best
Sydney – Grundy, Sheldrick, McInerney, Heeney
Adelaide – Neal-Bullen, Peatling, Rachele, Rankine, Keane
McKirdy’s best
3 – Alex Neal-Bullen (ADL)
2 – Mark Keane (ADL)
1 – Josh Rachele (ADL)
Injuries: Nil
Umpires: Nicholas Brown, Nicholas McGinness, Simon Meredith, Alex Whetton
Crowd: 35,229 at the Sydney Cricket Ground
GOODES ALL SMILES IN SCG RETURN
Two-time Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes was all smiles at the SCG as he joined his 2005 premiership teammates for a celebration of 20 years since their drought-breaking flag.
The Swans pulled out all the stops for Paul Roos’ iconic side, welcoming them into their HQ in the hours before the match, before letting them take part in the now customary march to the SCG for the game.
Goodes was one of several players who took turns holding the 2005 premiership cup as they strode down Driver Avenue. He was also happy to give high-fives out to any fan who wanted one.
It was one of Goodes’ first major appearances at the SCG since he was a part of the 10th anniversary celebrations for the 2012 premiership in 2022. He remains incredibly close to Sydney as a football club, including having an office at Swans HQ for the GO Foundation he founded alongside Michael O’Loughlin.
Roos was also in attendance, alongside the likes of O’Loughlin, Leo Barry, Jude Bolton, Barry Hall and Tadhg Kennelly for the celebrations.
20 years since Sydney's '05 grand final triumph - and all the big names are in town 🆠pic.twitter.com/dykcn2On4C
— CODE AFL (@codeaflau) May 31, 2025
The side then made their way into the Swans’ dressing room post-game to address Dean Cox’s current-day side ahead of their clash against Adelaide before taking in the game from a box in the Don Bradman Stand.
The entire SCG then had an opportunity to pay tribute to the team as they completed a lap of honour at half time.
Originally published as AFL Round 12 Sydney v Adelaide: All the news, analysis and fallout from the SCG
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