SYDNEY’S season got back on track in a big way at the SCG on Thursday night with the fiercely determined Swans producing a convincing 46-point defeat of the Western Bulldogs.
Only inaccuracy in front of goal threatened to derail Sydney, who led for virtually the entire match against a Bulldogs side that has lost all four of its clashes interstate in 2017.
Travis Cloke and Matthew Boyd headlined four inclusions for the Dogs, but they were soundly beaten in all departments by the Swans, who have now won four of their past five matches after a disastrous start to the season.
Both sides were coming off a bye and, though Sydney started tentatively, their intensity throughout remained top-notch as their execution steadily improved.
Young guns, small forward Tom Papley and half forward Isaac Heeney, were among the Swans’ best in the greasy conditions, while Josh Kennedy played a strong captain’s knock with a game high 37 disposals.
Lance Franklin kicked 3.5, but his goals, including one after the half-time siren, came at important moments. He was ably assisted by Sam Reid, who kicked two goals along with Papley.
The Sydney midfield enjoyed a feast at the stoppages with ruckmen Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair dominating hit-outs 65-16.
For the Bulldogs there was little to celebrate, especially after they fell away badly in the final term, scoring just three points to the Swans’ 20.
Caleb Daniel, with 28 possessions, was busy, while Jack Macrae had a team-high 32 disposals.
Sydney’s hardness at the ball was key to their first-half success in which they extended a slender quarter-time lead into a valuable buffer, 5.8.(38) to 2.3.(15), at half-time.
A misguided chip by Daniel inside his defensive 50, which was marked and potted from beyond the arc by Franklin, proved the telling moment of a tight and tough first quarter, in which Sydney edged ahead by a goal.
The Swans had better field position for the majority and accounted for a cautious approach in possession with intense application when chasing, stifling the Bulldogs’ transition.
The pattern became more pronounced in the second term, with Sydney dominating the ruck and clearances and creating numerous opportunities, only to be cruelled by wasteful kicking at goal.
The Swans scored 0.5 from 10 inside 50s early in the second term before Franklin scored his second goal, followed by Papley’s first and, after the half-time siren, another long and true shot by Franklin to give the home side a 23-point gap.
The Bulldogs’ return of 2.3 for the half was their lowest against the Swans since 1970, but they added four goals in a sapping third quarter.
Goals to Jake Stringer and Tory Dickson were bookended by a pair to Reid, which kept Sydney 25 ahead, before Sydney skipper Josh Kennedy added another.
The inside 50 count remained lopsided Sydney’s way, and despite Easton Wood and Luke Dahlhaus adding majors for the Bulldogs nearing three-quarter time, Papley’s second goal late in the period gave the Swans a seemingly safe 29-point advantage at the last rest.
Goals to Luke Parker, George Hewett and Jake Lloyd in the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter sealed the deal for the home side.
SYDNEY 2.2 5.8 9.14 12.16 (88)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.2 2.3 6.3 6.6 (42)
GOALS
Sydney: Franklin 3, Reid 2, Papley 2, Hannebery, Kennedy, Parker, Hewett, Lloyd
Western Bulldogs: McLean, Daniel, Stringer, Dickson, Wood, Dahlhaus
BEST
Sydney: Heeney, Kennedy, Papley, Lloyd, Grundy, Hannebery
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus, Daniel, Macrae, Wallis
INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Adams (foot)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Hay, Findlay, McInerney
Official crowd: 20,692 at the SCG
