Swans make a statement as Giants face stretch without Green, Brown

1 week ago 6

The Swans person sounded a informing to the remainder of the AFL aft claiming section bragging rights with an emphatic 29-point triumph connected Saturday, leaving the Giants to number a perchance dense outgo done wounded and suspension.

In beforehand of a near-record assemblage astatine the SCG, the Swans cracked unfastened the 27th variation of the Sydney derby with a four-goals-to-zero 2nd word and past comfortably swatted speech each attempts astatine a comeback from the Giants thereafter.

Off-contract guardant Will Hayward led the mode for Sydney 4 goals – 3 of them coming successful the 3rd term, arsenic the Giants tried and failed to ascent disconnected the canvas – portion their midfield was utterly dominant, with Errol Gulden, Chad Warner, Isaac Heeney, James Rowbottom and Taylor Adams each terrific.

Gulden, who had a game-high 29 disposals, 5 clearances and kicked 1 goal, was awarded the Brett Kirk Medal arsenic the champion subordinate connected the tract – but immoderate 1 of astir apt 5 oregon six players could person made a tenable claim.

Toby Greene, meanwhile, was held goalless for the archetypal clip successful a derby since 2016.

“It was a hard pugnacious crippled – 2 beauteous bully teams, playing tenable footy,” said Swans manager John Longmire.

“You’ve got to beryllium doing everything close for a agelong time, and we were capable to bash that, and were capable to support going with that, and that’s easier said than done. The unit was tremendous from some teams … [When] there’s not overmuch successful it, you’ve conscionable got to support persisting.”

Will Hayward celebrates a extremity for Sydney.

This 14.14 (98) to 10.9 (69) triumph was a immense connection of ambition by Sydney, since their crosstown rivals were hitherto considered premiership favourites on with Geelong, and astir analysts didn’t rather person them connected the aforesaid rung.

Indeed, the Giants’ ain credentials took a deed connected aggregate fronts: not lone was this by acold their astir disappointing show of the year, but they whitethorn person mislaid prima midfielder Tom Green and guardant Callum Brown for aggregate weeks.

Green was subbed retired aboriginal successful a rainswept 2nd 4th aft his near ankle was trapped nether an hostile successful a tackle – and his misfortune helped plaything the crippled Sydney’s way.

Toby Greene and the Giants look connected aft Sydney’s win.

With the Giants’ premier mover retired of the picture, the likes of Gulden, Warner, Heeney and the remainder of Sydney’s midfield brigade frolicked successful his absence, winning much of the shot (43 clearances to 31) and generating much wrong 50 entries (67 to 42). Soon enough, those discrepancies were reflected connected the scoreboard.

“They had a existent thirst for the contention we didn’t have,” Giants manager Adam Kingsley said. “[Our midfield was] comprehensively beaten.”

Minutes aft Green succumbed to his wounded – the severity of which, Kingsley said, was unclear instantly post-match – the Swans had to activate their substitute aft Tom McCartin was near concussed by Brown successful an incidental that is definite to pull a hefty suspension and sparked a mini-melee.

McCartin and Brown were chasing a escaped ball, but the erstwhile got to it archetypal – and a divided 2nd later, the second had taken him retired with a head-high bump which near him motionless connected the ground. He was yet taken into Sydney’s rooms, wherever helium failed his HIA, ensuring helium volition beryllium retired Friday night’s travel to look Fremantle owed to concussion protocols, portion Brown is facing astatine slightest a three-week suspension.

A remorseful Brown apologised to McCartin arsenic helium came disconnected the ground; the cardinal defender has his ain unfortunate past of caput knocks, not to notation his brother, Paddy, who was forced into status past twelvemonth owed to repeated concussions.

Longmire described the incidental arsenic “disappointing” successful his post-match property conference, portion Kingsley said helium hadn’t seen it.

“It’ll unfold arsenic the week goes on,” Kingsley said. “He’s a ball-player. I don’t deliberation he’s ever been suspended … he’s 1 of the fairest players successful the game.”

The attendance of 40,337 was lone 13 abbreviated of the erstwhile grounds for a derby astatine this venue, acceptable erstwhile the Giants and Swans faced disconnected successful the 2018 elimination final.

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