The Sydney Swans have added another big win to their premiership resume on Saturday night, blowing the St Kilda Saints away in the second half to win by 70.
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Final score
St Kilda 11.10.76
Sydney 23.8.146
One of the year’s up-and-comers hosts one of the premiership contenders, as the St Kilda Saints meet the Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 7:25pm (AEST).
St Kilda have been an easy team to like this season, and I suspect there’ll be a lot of people cheering them on tonight.
To be blunt, it would take a small miracle for them to make the eight from here. They’d need to win each of their remaining three games and have the Roos lose their last two.
But there’s something about keeping that slim, mathematical chance alive that gives extra weight to everything that happens on the field. In a team that is developing, if not all that young in truth, that extra sense of significance can be valuable in preparing for the future.
And you can be sure that that slim hope will get that home crowd a little more enthusiastic, and a little louder, for tonight’s game.
If anything, there’s even more on the line for the visiting Sydney Swans.
The race for top four positions and home finals is a season long marathon, but this year it’s come down to a sprint finish between at least five teams, of which Sydney are one.
Currently they sit in second with the highest percentage in the league, but a surprise loss could see them tumble out of the top four.
Sydney would be aware that St Kilda have often played above themselves this season, and are particularly strong inside the dome at Docklands, tonight’s venue. Sydney, on the other hand, haven’t played here since round 2.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Swans have been excellent in 2016, and will approach every game with confidence. While they’ve had a few poor performances they’re certainly the more consistent of the two teams.
Sydney have conceded just 67 points per game so far this season, which is something of a concern for the Saints, who in turn don’t exactly have the league’s most potent forwardline.
Their powerful midfield is going to cause real problems for the Saints. St Kilda’s best performances often rely on the tireless work of Jack Steven, but between Luke Parker, Josh P Kennedy, Tom Mitchell and Kieren Jack it’s likely that Sydney will get first use of the ball more often than not.
Up forward for the visitors, all eyes as usual will be on Buddy Franklin.
At selection, the Saints have lost Luke Dunstan to injury, and replaced him with an extra forward option in Patrick McCartin.
Sydney have gone with an unchanged lineup following their thrashing of Port Adelaide.
Both teams have shown a lot of grit and determination this season, and probably exceeded most expectations. There’s a lot to look forward to, as well as a lot on the line, in this contest.
You have to favour the Swans, even away from home, given their superior experience and relative consistency. But don’t write off the Saints tonight.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 7:25pm (AEST).
TomC
Roar Guru
That's all from me. Good night.
TomC
Roar Guru
Votes 3. Luke Parker - 33 possessions, five clearances, three goals and three goal assists. Parker did his normal work in the midfield, but what stood out tonight was his intelligence pushing forward into the space around half forward, where he created a series of opportunities for the forwards and finished a few himself. A truly superb, individual all-round display. 2. Lance Franklin - 28 possessions and six goals for Franklin. He was lethal in front of goal, as usual, but also did plenty around the ground tonight. A constant threat for St Kilda and one ultimately they couldn't contain. 1. Dan Hannebery - Plenty of hard working players out there tonight, but Hannebery worked the hardest. 37 possessions, including 7 clearances, 10 inside 50s and three goal assists. Four absolute standouts, with Kennedy the one to miss out. I know a lot of people will say Franklin should have got the three, but Parker was the one creating the chances for Buddy. Aliir Aliir was excellent, but not quite at the level of those above. Acres and Montagna were the Saints' best.
TomC
Roar Guru
Thanks for your thoughts AD. Sounds like we saw things pretty similarly.
TomC
Roar Guru
Match review The first half of this match was one of the most entertaining of the season. Neither side looked like establishing a big lead, as they went end to end, goal for goal. Whenever one side got a couple in a row, the other would respond instantly. The footy was attacking and aggressive, but both sides defended stoutly when necessary. At half time the Swans held a five point lead after an impressive display by both teams and we all eagerly awaited a second half that would hopefully be more of the same. Instead we got a performance that was no less impressive, but from just one of the teams. St Kilda's defensive pressure began to wane and the Swans' exploited it ruthlessly, racking up four goals in quick succession to open the second half. At the same time the Saints sustained injuries to Fisher and Hickey was clearly struggling, and all of a sudden all the momentum was running one way only. Sydney went on to kick eight goals to two for the quarter, driven by huge individual performances by Lance Franklin and Luke Parker. With the game effectively over at three quarter time, Sydney picked up where they left off. While the Saints battled gamely for the most part there was clearly only one side in the contest, and rarely did the ball leave Sydney's forward half late in the game. The Swans crowd were in party mode, cheering their favourite players whenever they got near it, which was often. Aliir Aliir, who was electric in the backline in his career best game, was a particular favourite. In the final analysis Sydney won by seventy points, had 100 more possessions, and 11 more inside 50s. A very comfortable, possession boosting win on paper, but for a lot of this game it looked like it would be tight and hard fought. It's a tribute to the quality within this Sydney team that they turned a shootout against a determined opposition into a cakewalk. They probably have the best top four or five players out of any club, and each of them stood up tonight. That means the end of St Kilda's finals hopes for 2016. They'll at least take some comfort that they pushed this team for at least a half, and that they can hopefully go a couple of wins better next year. Sydney on the other hand are very much alive. They've franked their position in second, further boosted their percentage, and given themselves the inside running on a home final and a very serious premiership charge. They could not have been more emphatic in the second half, and to have so many of their best players in red hot form at this time of year is exactly the position they want to be in.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Great game to half time, Sydney domination with a serving of strange umpiring after the main break. Thanks for the excellent call, Tom!
TomC
Roar Guru
And that's full time St Kilda Saints 11.10.76 Sydney Swans 23.8.146
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL ST KILDA Riewoldt gets a consolation goal for the Saints. St Kilda 76 Sydney 146
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL SYDNEY Parker and Franklin combine to send the Swans forward. Richards gets on the end of it to mark. It's a tough kick from just inside 50, but Richards nails it. St Kilda 70 Sydney 146 3 minutes left in the match.
TomC
Roar Guru
It's almost as if Nicholls was trying to impose himself on St Kilda, as if he was upset with them for some reason.
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL SYDNEY Sydney go forward again, and Bruce with a sloppy tackle on Parker concedes a free kick right in front of goal. Parker goals from point blank range. St Kilda 68 Sydney 140 If you'd told me at half time that we'd have a 72 point margin with nine minutes still to play in the match, I simply wouldn't have believed it.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
What the hell just happened. That was the single most pathetic display of umpiring I've EVER seen. All in a 4 minute period. (I apologise for my rants, just bemused right now!)
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL SYDNEY St Kilda 68 Sydney 133
TomC
Roar Guru
Umpire Matthew Nicholls needs to be removed from this game. He has just paid his third crazy 50m penalty to the Swans in a matter of minutes.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
This umpiring is getting ridiculous now. The Papley goal seemed to be for something the umpire imagined, and that was a ridiculously soft 50 to Franklin. Or maybe I'm just being a disgruntled viewer, I don't know.
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL SYDNEY Gee whiz, the umpires are doing their best to make enemies of the crowd tonight. Franklin takes a great mark at half forward, and falls forward in the process of marking. The umpire, crazily, gives a 50m penalty to take him to the goalsquare. Just plain nuts. Gilbert might have breathed near him after the mark, but that's about it. St Kilda 68 Sydney 127 Really, really sad to see the gloss taken off a high standard game of footy by inexplicable umpiring.
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL SYDNEY Papley has received a free kick. I'm not sure for what. Can't see an infringement on the replay either. And a 50m penalty as well. Not sure what that's down to. Can't see anything in that either. So a goal to Papley - hmmm. Only the umpire seems to know what that's all about. St Kilda 68 Sydney 121
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Saint Kilda's twitter account posted just seconds ago that Hickey's undergoing a concussion test. I feel for the guy.
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL SYDNEY Hewett with a raking long bomb that just clears the pack for another goal. St Kilda 68 Sydney 115 15 minutes left. It's just a question of by how much now.
TomC
Roar Guru
Agree on both counts. A very sad sight to see him helped off the ground. With the state of the ladder we might not see him again this season.
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL ST KILDA Now the Saints crack that Swans defence, as Sydney fail to take advantage of a two on one situation to let the ball fall behind to Newnes, who grubbers through a goal. St Kilda 68 Sydney 109