Swans 17.7 (109) d. Demons 8.10 (60)
By Frank Ienco, reporting for AFANA from Sydney
The Melbourne Demons remain winless after five rounds of the AFL home and away season after falling to a 49 point defeat at the hands of the Sydney Swans on Saturday night (AEST). The win was another archetypal Swans team performance, was set up by a dominant first quarter display. The home side maintained their intensity despite a spirited Demons performance before adding the icing on the cake with an impressive five goals to two final quarter.
But the victory, which cements Sydney’s spot in the top eight, could come at a major cost for the Swans, with key defender Tadhg Kennelly and Luke Ablett appearing to suffer major knee injuries. Brownlow Medalist Adam Goodes also looked to have a shoulder concern during the final term. After having two fortuitous seasons with injuries, scans this week on Kennelly and Ablett in particular could have a serious impact on the Swans’ campaign.
Melbourne came into tonight’s contest having been ravaged by injuries themselves. The losses of Brad Green (hamstring), Paul Wheatley (shoulder), Matthew Whelan (hamstring), and Nathan Jones (ankle) added to an extensive injury list that already included key forwards David Neitz and Russell Robertson. For their own part, Sydney had small forward Nick Davis returning for only his second match of the season. But the Dees did have recent history on their side, having won their last three matches in Sydney, including last year’s corresponding ANZAC Weekend encounter by five points.
But the Demons looked set for a bleak night within the space of seven minutes, as the Swans put three kick goals on the board to stamp their authority. Nick Malceski, who missed a last minute chance to tie last year’s SCG clash, opened the scoring from a set shout from 35 meters out after just two minutes. A down-field free kick allowed Lynden Dunn gave the Demons some short-term respite, but Sydney was in control all over the ground. They were dominating the midfield and clearances, while Barry Hall led a terrorizing forward line as Sydney played a much more attacking style of play. A goal on the run to Adam Goodes at the start of time on gave the Swans their fifth major from as many scorers.
Much of the news in Sydney this week had been dominated by their poor goal-kicking efforts that had already cost them games against West Coast and Adelaide, but tonight these fears were dispelled when Darren Jolly kicked a spectacular goal from beyond the 50 meter arc.
The Demons began the long haul back in the second in positive fashion, beginning to match the home side in intensity across the ground. Three goals in the opening 12 minutes of the quarter, including a spectacular major on the run from youngster Matthew Bate, had reduced the margin to three goals. Davis extended the Swans lead again when he converted from a free kick, but the young Demons continued to make a contest of it. After an uncharacteristic free-flowing first term for an SCG match, the second term was a typical scrap with scoring opportunities hard to come by. It took until the 26th minute mark for the next goal of the quarter when Hall marked on his chest to boot his third from point-blank range. Despite Melbourne’s best efforts, they had made no inroads into Sydney’s lead by half-time when an error from experienced defender Nathan Brown gifted a goal to Jarred McVeigh just prior to the main break. The Swans led by 37 points 10.5 (65) to 4.4 (28).
While Sydney continued to maintain the third term could best be remembered over the next few weeks for the key injuries suffered mid-way through the term. Young forward Tim Schmidt helped Sydney continue where they left off in the first half when he snapped a great goal around his body in the second minute. Davis replicated the effort moments later as the match soon began to fizzle out. Kennelly was the first to suffer his injury when television replays showed his knee to awkwardly bend during a tackle by Demon Byron Pickett, while minutes later Ablett also headed to the bench after hyper-extending his knee. Ablett’s incident does however bear a similar resemblance to Barry Hall’s a fortnight ago against Richmond, with the Swans full-forward able to return the next week. On the field Melbourne continued to fight on through goals to Aaron Davey and Cameron Bruce before time-on, but were unable to close the gap down any further, Sydney leading at three quarter time 12.6 (78) to 6.8 (46)
The Swans added the finishing touches to the scoreboard in the final term, withstanding a Demons rally to slam on three goals of their own in quick succession early in the term. While the Demons tried hard, they lacked a clear forward target like Neitz to set the base
The times they did press inside attacking 50, they also missed the spark of a player like Robertson who could get goals from difficult situations. Despite the inability to kick a winning score, the Dees did get consolation goals to Davey and first gamer Ricky Petterd. Adam Schneider capped off the Swans win with a goal on the run moments before the final siren, the Swans finally getting up 17.7 (109) to 8.12 (60).
The final quarter also added to possible injury concerns for the home side, with Adam Goodes appearing to have a shoulder problem, but seemingly nowhere near as worrying as his team-mates concerns, while Demon Matthew Bate also has a leg problem. Ironically Goodes tonight played his 172nd consecutive match, joining Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett on equal seventh on the all-time list.
Despite having to scrap for the win after quarter time, the Swans had match-winners from end to end. Most impressive was Hall (4 goals, 8 marks), who returned to form after a disappointing performance against Adelaide a week earlier, while tireless midfielder Brett Kirk amassed 31 possessions. The first quarter also highlighted the Swans’ abilities to rack up quick goals when they need to, with fast and effective delivery to the forward line constantly putting the Demons backs under pressure. Sydney was a lot more efficient with their ball usage and has also appeared to fix their problems shooting for goal, with tonight’s 17.7 much improved on recent weeks.
With so many first-team players out, Demons coach Neale Daniher could have been proud of his young charges who took the challenge up to one of the competition’s best sides. Debutant Ricky Petterd (11 kicks, 9 handballs) had an imposing first game, kicking his first league goal in the process, while Cameron Bruce and Brett Moloney were amongst the Dees best with 27 disposals apiece.
The Demons will be looking for some of their first-team regulars to return when they play host to Port Adelaide at the MCG next Sunday afternoon, while Sydney faces the Kangaroos next Saturday night for the first time in Melbourne for nine years.
Final Score- Sydney: 6.2 10.5 12.6 17.7
Melbourne: 1.2 4.4 6.8 8.12
Goals- Sydney: Hall 4, Davis 2, Schneider 2, Malceski, J. Bolton,
O’Keefe, Goodes, Jolly, McVeigh, Schmidt, O’Loughlin, Kirk. Melbourne: Davey 3, Dunn, Miller, Bate, Bruce, Petterd.
Best- Sydney: Kirk, Hall, Malceski, Davis, J. Bolton, Barry. Melbourne: Bruce,
Davey, Moloney,White, Petterd.
Changes- Sydney: Buchanan (knee) replaced in selected side by Moore. Melbourne: Nil.
Injuries- Sydney: Kennelly (knee), L. Ablett (knee). Melbourne: Bate (leg)
Reports- Nil.
Umpires- Kennedy, Rosebury, Nicholls.
Attendance- 23, 354 @ the SCG
Article last changed on Monday, April 30, 2007 - 2:37 PM EDT
