Eight it great? Buddy's big bag beats Brisbane

Easy to say now but Mills was never going to get suspended for that.

Great to see Franklin getting some decent delivery. Too often it has been bombed high which isn't Buddy's strength at all. This game we saw lower trajectory kicking to advantage. A perfect example was the kick from Papley (who looked quite at home in the centre square!) for the last goal. Ball never above 4 metres and to Buddy's stronger left side, allowing him to outstretch his opponent quite easily, and take the ball at his favourite height. Similarly from Jones and some others (not Hannebery sadly). Another thing was the amount of organising that McVeigh was doing while playing limited minutes. It seemed to have a very positive effect on structure. JPK is a terrific leader by example but not an organiser. The other bloke who will make a big difference in that regard when he comes back id Sir Dane. Our defence has looked a lot less effective without him. So all in all a pretty good win with some good signs on the systematic ills that have hurt us in the first 6 rounds. The longest journey starts with a single step. Congrats to all this weeks winners!

That looked more like the Sydney team I know. Good to see more pressure, players picking up their game but still some fiddling around in the back at times. But a decided improvement. Now we need to build from there. To top it off Sydney reserves knocked off Brisbane in the NEAFL as well.

I look at the Draw every year for this game. As a Lions supporter living in NSW I get very limit chances to see my side place. This year when I found it was the Sunday early game I was very disappointed as I was no chance to attend with my daughters footy on in the morning and then being 1.5 drive to SCG from my place meaning logistically I couldn't get there. I've also been saying to my Death riding / band wagoners for the Swans they weren't anywhere near as bad as what they themselves have been saying and the media had been portraying. I think you find a big improvements in the next few weeks. Whether it will be enough to get them near finals, I personally don't think so, but wait and see I guess.

Next season is the one for me. If we're two years into the new AFL sponsored coaching regime and at the end of 2018 Schache has pulled stumps and other kids have left and we're still cemented to the bottom 2 I'm throwing up my hands and walking away until the AFL are prepared to give us a reason to come back. As you say it's just tiresome and frustrating that there seems no end in sight and no real desire at head office to put us on a level playing field.

Cheer up Lions' fans. Your team has a heap of young talent and a pretty good coaching structure. Your team badly missed the leadership and skill of D Beams. McCluggage is a classy player and Close was impressive. In this strange season the 'Brions' will pull off some good results and put games into the kids. Otherwise it was good to see the Bloods get on the board. Old Bloods fans like me have the natural pessimistic world view of the downtrodden. Often I feel the past two decades of being consistently competitive is an aberration. Nothing can be taken for granted. Our younger brigade and even two or three of our lesser performed players stood up. It was interesting to watch the shift in attitude and consequent the upping of unsociable football when compared to last week when the Bloods stood aside when Mills was repeatedly knocked around by Carlton. Mills this week fought back and received some support. Several players will have their pockets tickled by the MRP and Mills himself will be unavailable next week. Still a line has been drawn.

Buddyrific! Swans are back and ready to climb out of the bottom half of the ladder...

100%. This season is becoming the tipping point for myself. While I will never totally give up on the lions, it's definitely tiresome after 7.5 seasons of the same thing and with no end in sight, the future is definitely looking dire for Brisbane.

The last seven or so years has knocked the stuffing out of the Lions support. It was never that strong in Brisbane to begin with and with them being so consistently terrible for so long everyone just stopped caring up here.

Not the win that says Swans are back on track but it's a start. Ball movement coming out the back 50 still looks shaky but it looked good when they got it out. Z.Jones might be the most exciting and frustrating player to watch because his run and carry probably best of the Swans back 6, but always fearing he coughs up an unneeded turnover. Same feeling when watching Leo Barry or Tadgh Kennelly in the 00s. Heeney and Mills looked good today. Their development going to be great to watch this season if they keep this up. Franklin really shows how much he is worth when given plenty of opportunities.

I agree with all of that Angela. There was a joyous atmosphere in the crowd, sure we knew we were playing a fellow cellar dweller but the win was so important for confidence. And like you I felt a bit sad there was so little support for the Brisbane players.

Whew, but can we keep going? Great mood at the SCG this arv, packed with Swans supporters but barely a Brisbane supporter to be seen. No flags, no groups going for the Lions. It must be hard for players not having any audience urging them on. Every other visiting team at the SCG has a bunch of supporters and flag wavers even from as far away as South and Western Australia. Where are the Brisbane supporters?? Sick of hearing how much was paid for Buddy. He is worth every penny. A terrific bloke and a unique player Heeney also on the way back. Cheer, cheer the red and the white

How you got this match report up so quickly is mystifying. Good win by Sydney, though, and I guess the onus is now on the Lions to perform well down in Tassie against the Hawks next week!