It had been billed as the biggest Sydney Derby in its’ four year history, but after the Swans’ 89-point win over the Greater Western Sydney Giants, two things were made clear.
Firstly, the Swans are still by far the number one side in Sydney, and the Giants still have a long way to go before they can be considered finals contenders.
The stakes were high for both sides entering the eighth edition of the Derby. The Swans had to win to keep alive their top four hopes, while the Giants were battling to stay in finals contention after winning just three matches since Round 10.
Both sides had injury concerns entering the match, with Lance Franklin, Gary Rohan, Tom Mitchell and Luke Parker sitting out for the Swans while Phil Davis, Shane Mumford and Tom Scully were among those missing for the Giants.
For the latter team, it was also the opportunity to prove that they were indeed the real deal, the club having won a season-best 10 games this season after winning just nine in their first three seasons combined.
Among their 10 wins included the scalps of two-time reigning premiers Hawthorn and the Adelaide Crows, while they also achieved their largest victory when they thrashed Carlton by 78 points at Etihad Stadium.
In addition, they had also defeated the Swans in the only other meeting between the two sides to be played at Spotless Stadium.
But for all the expectation of a close Sydney Derby, the Giants were left humiliated by their heaviest defeat for the season.
The Swans’ win came on the back of dominant performances from forward Kurt Tippett, who kicked five goals, and midfielder Josh Kennedy, who racked up yet another 30-possession game to stake his claim for the Brownlow Medal.
It comes to show that the Swans are about to return to their best form, following a recent patchy period in which they lost three games between Rounds 16 and 19.
However, with winnable matches against St Kilda (at Etihad Stadium) and the Gold Coast Suns (at the SCG) to come in the final fortnight, the club is in prime position to finish in the top four for a fourth consecutive year.
Do that, however, and the club will all but have to travel to Perth for a third time this year to face either Fremantle or the West Coast Eagles in a qualifying final, and then possibly a fourth to face either in the preliminary final.
As for the Giants’ heavy loss to the Swans, it all but extinguished any hope the fourth-year club had of reaching the finals, but there is no doubt that the club is on the right track as far as their progress is concerned.
Coach Leon Cameron said the loss took the club “about three or four steps backwards” and was reminiscent of the club’s struggles in the early years, when heavy losses were far too common than the occasional victory.
In addition, their percentage also dropped below 100 per cent for the first time this season, and the final two matches against Carlton and Melbourne will be not about salvaging the season, but rather preparing for season 2016 and the challenges and expectations that lay ahead.
At the start of the season, expectations were high for the club on the back of a strong off-season which saw experienced players Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull arrive at the club from the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane Lions, respectively.
The duo, along with established players such as Shane Mumford, Phil Davis, Heath Shaw, Jeremy Cameron, Dylan Shiel and Adam Treloar, have played their hand in the club climbing up the ladder this season after their first three seasons yielded two wooden spoons and a 16th-place finish.
They found themselves as high as second on the ladder after Round 4 and suddenly many were thinking the unthinkable – that a side still so inexperienced and scarred by the heavy losses that plagued their infant years could play finals in 2015.
That was until a day of carnage against Collingwood at the MCG in Round 11 saw Mumford, Davis, Patfull and Stephen Coniglio suffer serious injuries that would ultimately derail the second half of the season, with Mumford’s ankle injury serious enough to see him not play again in 2015.
At the time the Giants were sitting fifth on the ladder and prior to the match against the Pies they held an impressive 7-3 win-loss record after 10 rounds, the same record the Gold Coast Suns had after as many matches twelve months ago.
Similar to how the Suns’ season would unravel after their superstar captain Gary Ablett Jr went down with a serious shoulder injury midway through last season, many thought the Giants would also suffer without their key players in the second half of this season.
But to the club’s credit, they would remain competitive in the majority of their games, defeating St Kilda and the Suns, each for a second time this season, before notching up win number 10 against Essendon in Round 19.
As already mentioned above, the Giants have two very winnable games to finish their fourth season in the AFL, and winning those two would see them eclipse the Suns’ fourth-season record of 10 wins, 12 losses and a 12th-place finish.
Another pre-season and the expected return to full fitness of Davis and Mumford ahead of Round 1 next year will see expectations for the club continue to rise as they look to achieve their goal of playing finals for the first time.
For now, the 89-point loss to the Sydney Swans, which has unsurprisingly left the Giants’ playing list disappointed after a golden opportunity slipped by, will only be another lesson as to how to cope with the expectations of a huge match.
It will be one of many lessons the club will learn when they assess their 2015 season.
And with the Swans about to embark on their 17th finals campaign dating way back to 1996, it’s very clear that the Swans are still the top club in Sydney
The Giants still have a very long way to go if they are to overtake their more successful big brothers in the not-too-distant future.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Both West Coast & Hawthorn have Sydney covered this year, and Freo will probably have their mettle if the game is played in WA. Things won't get any better for the Swans next year with Pyke & Richards a year older, Shaw gone and Jetta likely asking to be traded. Port will be back with a vengeance, Richmond & Adelaide will be stronger and West Coast will still be scary. Very hard to see how Sydney can improve as much as these clubs will and as I said they are already trailing the Eagles & Hawks. For a team that plays an ultra-defensive gameplan they simply don't have the defenders to make it work anymore, too many are cooked or are one-dimensional stopper lacking elite disposal or pace to run it out of defense. I have no faith in Longmire having the skill to tinker with the gameplan to successfully cater to the Swans' strengths either, he's a one trick pony who's been badly exposed this year.
Roger of Sydney
Guest
I see the Swans are far from cooked, they slumped, played like crap but when they are on they are near unbeatable. If they turn up to the finals to play, beware, if they turn up half cooked, out first round. With Heeny , Rose and others I think the future is not bad plus there are a lot of AFL who would like to play for the Swans. They will attract rejects and do what the Swans do, turn them into champion players We live in interesting times.
Michael Huston
Guest
Obviously GWS have a brighter future. Any team with a bunch of top-end talent all in their early 20's is going to have a positive future. But I wouldn't say our premiership window is closed. Most of our best players are in their mid-20s. But I do think that because we won a flag way before our time, we've struggled under the expectations, and also I think Longmire has tried to do too much with a team that was already surprisingly very, very good.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Giants are the youngest team in the competition. Who in their right mind would expect them to be fit & firing at the end of the year with so few preseasons under their belt? Sydney are cooked. Making up the numbers this year, flag window is shut until they go through a mini-rebuild and hope to get lucky replacing most of their backline & rucks. If forced to choose between the two clubs I'd say GWS have a much brighter future, but it'll take them another two years perhaps three before their flag window really opens.
Michael Huston
Guest
We did look arrogant, but I'd rather arrogant than defeatist. I'm not sure if this team is actually aware of how good they can be. I certainly hope so. But it can't just be mental: there's got to be good skills and ball movement if we're going to stand any chance against teams like Hawthorn and West Coast.
Roger of Sydney
Guest
Michael, Agree, but the Swans have not lost any talent since last year when they dominated, they just lost the desire to win. If that is back and it looks like it was against GWS I think they can mix it with anyone. Goodes is looking great and, Reed great and more to come back. I am more confident than last year, we looked arrogant but that gone now.
Michael Huston
Guest
Very optimistic view ^. I for one don't give us a hope in hell at the flag, but I do want to see us seriously contend in September. An article on the AFL site suggested we could go out in straight-sets, which would be a disaster. I'm not getting carried away. We played a brilliant game against Port back in round two, but then a few weeks later we had back-to-back losses against two sides we should have defeated. Then we went on that brief winning streak that included Hawthorn, only to come back after the break looking unrecognizable. Then, after we played pretty mediocre last week against the Pies, we come out and win by 89 points. It's not hard to see why Sydney are everyone's enigma this year, because their form and consistency has been so damn hard to read. We're just as likely to follow up this week's good win with an upset loss to the Saints. But let's say we get our crap together enough to head into the finals in-form... It would be our third game this year at Domain Stadium, a ground where we've been pretty successful at in recent years with this same Swans team. If it's against Fremantle, which seems most likely, then we've scored. The two best sides will be playing each other, while we get the most unconvincing (besides us) out of the top four. Freo haven't had an ounce of form since about the first month and a half of the season. They're extremely vulnerable, and the Swans can beat them if they do their best. If their midfield is up for the fight, if they don't handball for no reason, if they structure their forward line properly, if they give their all defensively knowing that they may get a surprise break should they win. But that is the attitude they need to have: That they are a premiership team that's done it before and against the toughest opponent since probably Brisbane in the early millenium. In 2012 we travelled to Adelaide to take on the Crows who looked just as unconvincing throughout that year as Fremantle have this year, and we rattled them by showing them the standard you need to play finals football. I hope they don't go into September with an already defeatist attitude like they've had all year.
Roger of Sydney
Guest
The Giants are a great team to watch and will have a future, apart from that they are a very professional club, Sheedy laid some outstanding ground work. The step up to finals is something that takes a while to build. Although the Swans have played like lady boys since the break they are now looking better. The thing with the Swans is they can improve another 30% or so ready for the finals. I think you will see a different Swans from here on in and it is great that they are not seen as a threat, like how dumb is that. When they tackle and move the ball they are a match to anyone. Without a beer I still see a West coast Swans final. Good luck to the giants, they are on the right track. Swans will beat Feo in first final, Hawthorn will loose to West Coast then its a new ball game.