Swans youngsters star in practice win

Sydney’s young brigade starred in a 28-point win over an undermanned Essendon in an AFL practice match at Blacktown Olympic Park on Saturday night.

Lewis Jetta, Jesse White and Gary Rohan were all among the Swans best as they downed the Bombers 14.7 (91) to 9.9 (63) after establishing a 37-point lead at the main break.

Essendon were without skipper Jobe Watson, as well as Brett Stanton, David Hille, Patty Ryder, Mark Williams and Leroy Jetta, while Michael Hurley was another notable absentee after being stood down for the first three games for the season over a drunken incident.

The Swans looked to have the game under control in the first half before Essendon’s new-look forward line hit back in the second, with three quick goals to talls Jason Laycock, Jay Neagle and debutant Jake Carlisle.

A brilliant solo effort from David Zaharakis cut the margin to just 12 points, but the Swans soon hit back through exciting goalsneak Jetta, who lit up the Blacktown ground with two goals in five minutes.

Rhyce Shaw looked comfortable in his first competitive match of 2010, showing no signs of the knee injury that hampered his pre-season, but fellow half-back Marty Mattner limped off just before halftime after copping a knock to his ankle.

The Swans were without Brisbane import Daniel Bradshaw, and rotated several of their talls at full forward all night, with Jesse White kicking three goals and marking strongly.

Adam Goodes was a headache for the Essendon defence, but looked rusty at times, dropping several marks in the first half.

Jude Bolton was productive with two goals, while youngster Gary Rohan looks ready for senior football.

For the Bombers, injury-prone forward Scott Gumbleton managed to get through unscathed.

Gumbleton, who was picked at No.2 in the 2006 draft, was relatively quiet on the night, and should have had a goal next to his name after marking strongly in the second term.

Anthony Long, the nephew of 1993 premiership hero Michael Long, played his first game in red and black, wearing his uncle’s No.13.

Swans coach Paul Roos suggested Jetta could be picked for the Swans Round one clash with St Kilda.

“Lewis was good again, he kicked a couple of goals,” he said.

“I think were down to about 26 or 27 (who could play). Next week when we do narrow it down, we’ll be a bit more critical.”

Roos said he would look at playing Goodes, White and Bradshaw in the same forward line.

“That’s the plan. You even saw when Seaby went up there, which worked really well, it’s going to stretch some teams,” he said.

“Jesse is pretty mobile and obviously Braddy (Bradshaw) is mobile, and Seaby went up there, took a good mark and kicked a goal.”

Essendon coach Matthew Knights said he was pleased his young side was able to make an impact on the scoreboard in the second half.

“For our guys to come back in that third quarter and really rally was promising,” he said.

“All in all, Im pretty pleased with the effort, apart from that second quarter.

“The second quarter I was disappointed because we didn’t put enough pressure on the Swans when they had the ball.

“We let them waltz through and score some pretty easy goals.”

Knights reported that David Myers suffered hamstring tightness during the game while Henry Slattery injured his wrist.

After the retirement of star forwards Scott Lucas and Matthew Lloyd, Knights said he was happy to see Laycock and Neagle presenting and taking marks.