The Sydney Swans will look to consolidate on their top four standing when they make the trip down south to take on Melbourne at the MCG this afternoon. Join us for live scores and a blog as commentary kicks off from 1.10pm AEST.
The defending premiers rebounded well last week after their humiliating loss to the Port Adelaide Power with a 22-point win over Carlton in terrible Sydney conditions.
However, they’ll be without several of their big stars in this one, and could well find themselves challenged if the Demons turn it on like they did last week.
Inspirational leader Adam Goodes will miss at least five weeks due to knee surgery while the likes of Lewis Jetta (shin) and Rhyce Shaw (abdomen) are also both unavailable for selection.
Throw in niggling injuries to the likes of Shane Mumford (face) and Sam Reid (quad) and the Swans’ injury list begins to be concerning in the lead-in to the finals.
Against the likes of Melbourne, that shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but you simply never know what can transpire in professional football.
Melbourne led by 44 points last week mid-way through the fourth quarter against the Western Bulldogs and were seemingly already warming up their vocal chords for the team song – only to nearly throw away the win completely.
The Bulldogs kicked seven unanswered goals to close the gap to just three points, but could not finish off the job – giving the Demons just their second win of the season and one of the biggest get-out-of-jail escapes seen in the AFL season thus far.
Sydney have delivered some poor performances this year, but even away from home, they should have far too much for the Demons.
They are simply too professional and disciplined to let a very winnable match like this one slip, and they should easily account for their Victorian opponents in this one.
Sydney by 32 points.
Connor
Roar Rookie
Well done boys. Very proud of today's effort.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
That's it for me today! Thanks for following along. Make sure you keep it on the Roar for post-match reaction, news and more as well as more live blogs for this afternoon's games. Freemantle vs. St. Kilda - LIVE Essendon vs. Port Adelaide - 4:40pm AEST Cheers, Dan.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
FULL TIME!! SWANS 116 (16.20) beat DEMONS 85 (13.7) by 31 points POST-MATCH THOUGHTS Swans were good today and deserved the win, but were far from their best. To allow 85 points to the Demons certainly won't please John Longmire, and the way they were beaten on the ground all day won't go down too well with him either. However, Sydney hung in there and continued to maintain control regardless of what the Demons threw at them. For Melbourne, you just think they're a good midfielder or two away from being a really good side. They showed today that they can mix it with the best, but they remain inconsistent and turnover-prone. Which, against the best teams in the league, isn't going to lead to anything other than losses. Fitzpatrick and Dawes both mightily impressive today. STATISTICS Disposals Swans: Kennedy (33), McVeigh (33), K.Jack (30) Demons: Terlich (27), B.Jones (22), Sylvia (21) Goals Swans: B.Jack (4.1), Tippett (2.4), Bird (2.0) Demons: Fitzpatrick (3.1), Watts (2.1), Dawes (2.0) Hitouts Swans: 53 Demons: 33 Marks Swans: 60 Demons: 125 Inside 50's Swans: 62 Demons: 36
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
FULL TIME!! SWANS 116 (16.20) beat DEMONS 85 (13.7) Swans win by 31 points. Which, if you look above, is very close to my pre-match prediction!! Post-match thoughts and statistics to come.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 0:40 remaining. SWANS 116 (16.20) lead DEMONS 85 (13.7) GOAL - Fitzpatrick (Demons) Deserves a goal and gets one. Free kick for an infringement on Miky Pyke (who isn't happy with the call) but closes the gap even further with a much deserved goal. Lead is back to 31 points for the Swans.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 1:10 remaining. SWANS 116 (16.20) lead DEMONS 79 (12.7) Deep inside the Demons' 50 who are looking for one last goal to close out this game. Deserve to have won the fourth quarter today.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 2:12 remaining. SWANS 116 (16.20) lead DEMONS 79 (12.7) Fitzpatrick out on the full. Worked tirelessly today, and that kick showed it.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 3:40 remaining. SWANS 116 (16.20) lead DEMONS 79 (12.7) BEHIND - Tippett (Swans) Quick entry from the Swans and good mark from Tippett, who again misses from 50. Disappointing from set shots today—both Tippett and the Swans in general. Record their 20th behind for the game. Can the Demons break quickly from this behind like they have done all day?
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 5:22 remaining. SWANS 115 (16.19) lead DEMONS 79 (12.7) GOAL - Davey (Demons) Great snap from Davey, who runs down a loose ball 13 out on a tight angle. Without looking, he instinctively slams it on the left foot and drills it home to give the Demons some respect on the scoreboard. Gap back down to 36 points, and a deserved goal for the wiry Davey. Melbourne have been running all over Sydney today.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 5:22 remaining. SWANS 115 (16.19) lead DEMONS 73 (11.7) GOAL - Trengrove (Demons) Great goal from Trengrove who crumbs well, shrugs a tackle and then slams it home from 45 out on a tight angle to the right hand side of the field. One of the best individual goals of the day.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 6:42 remaining. SWANS 115 (16.19) lead DEMONS 67 (10.7) BEHIND - Watts (Demons) Long kick from Watts (who takes another superb mark) but he can't score a goal this time. One of the best in a losing team today. Swans lead by 48 points.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 8:52 remaining. SWANS 115 (16.19) lead DEMONS 66 (10.6) GOAL - B. Jack (Swans) Four goals for Jack, who crumbs and snaps beautifully after a great run from Lamb gets the Swans inside 50. Demons don't deserve to be losing by this much, but the Swans are making them pay for their mistakes. Gap blows out to 49 points with three Swans goals in four minutes.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 9:10 remaining. SWANS 109 (15.19) lead DEMONS 66 (10.6) GOAL - Lamb (Swans) More controversial umpiring and another goal from Sydney as Lamb squeezes it through. Crowd not happy, and rightly so. Demons have been robbed of a few 50-50 decisions today.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 10:00 remaining. SWANS 103 (14.19) lead DEMONS 66 (10.6) GOAL - McVeigh (Swans) McVeigh finally gets a goal, but not after some controversial umpiring allows the Swans to play on from a dropped ball. McVeigh marks from 30 out right in front, and sneaks it through for a goal. Swans are home.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 12:49 remaining. SWANS 97 (13.19) lead DEMONS 66 (10.6) BEHIND - Lamb (Swans) Quick snap from Lamb and it bounces through for a behind. Another behind for Sydney, and as they've done well so far today, the Demons break quickly from their own goal-line.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 13:20 remaining. SWANS 96 (13.18) lead DEMONS 66 (10.6) GOAL - Dawes (Demons) Good mark from Dawes inside 50, who may have gotten away with a little push there. Close to the left-hand boundary from 40 out, Dawes does a great job and keeps the Demons alive (theoretically) in this one. Swans lead by 30 points.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 15:21 remaining. SWANS 96 (13.18) lead DEMONS 60 (9.6) BEHIND - Clisby (Demons) Melbourne running with numbers, but they can only manage a behind. Had plenty of options but chose the wrong one every time. Pretty good indication of how they've played for the most part today.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 16:08 remaining. SWANS 96 (13.18) lead DEMONS 59 (9.5) Demons trying to hold the ball inside their own half, but it's another turnover. The Swans launch it inside 50, but Tippett cannot take the mark and Byrnes cleares it out to Nicholson for the Demons.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 17:22 remaining. SWANS 96 (13.18) lead DEMONS 59 (9.5) GOAL - Watts (Demons) Juggled mark by Watts but he hangs on for a mark 20 out from goal, slight angle to the right. Doesn't miss and nabs his second goal for the game.
Dan Talintyre
Roar Guru
Q4 18:33 remaining. SWANS 96 (13.18) lead DEMONS 53 (8.5) Lovely work by the Jack brothers to win a throw-in deep into the Swans' 50, but the Demons break. Gap still 43 points and the pace of this one has definitely slowed down.