It started at 9.50 that morning. The reserves were strutting their stuff, big Jesse White, who in the seniors had been unable to buy a mark, was plucking the ball from the air as if his hands were lined with velcro. He finished with 8 goals in a dominant display up forward. The reserves had a mammoth win in a dominant display all over the ground. It was the start of a very good day for those wearing red and white.
But that was the reserves, and their opposition was the lowly Tuggeranong Hawks. The real challenge began at 1.10 that afternoon, as the Sydney Swans seniors trotted out to meet their challengers, North Melbourne. Both sides have had their troubles, and both have had what can only be described as mixed success this year, with some blistering performances intermingled with some frankly underwhelming football. It was shaping up as a season-defining game for both sides, with the Swans at 8th, clinging onto a top 8 spot, North directly below them at 9th, banging on the door, and nothing separating them but percentage. When out-of-form Swans star Adam Goodes, who had been languishing (by his standards) in the unfamiliar role of centre-half forward and focal point in attack, strode out to the centre circle for the first bounce, thousands of Swans fans let out a quiet sigh of relief. Finally, the move had been made, and the Brownlow medallist was playing in his Brownlow position.
This proved to be a masterstroke. 14 seconds in, the ball was leaving a Goodes boot and spotting up Ben McGlynn in between two North defenders with a perfectly weighted kick to advantage. McGlynn slotted it. Goodes was back. Goals were traded, until a run of three towards the end of the term handed the Swans a comfortable lead which North was never able to peg back.
Ted Richards returned to the team in a pseudo-centre-half-forward role, leading up strongly from the centre-half forward position but without the physical presence of a true key forward. He was effective enough however, especially early, and gave the forward line some desperately needed structure. Meanwhile, at the other end of the ground, Tadhg Kennelly and Nick Malceski were simply brilliant, both collecting 34 disposals and using the ball beautifully as they rebounded from the half back line. Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Heath Grundy were also notable in they key defensive posts, while Adam Goodes was best on ground for the Swans in the midfield, collecting 33 disposals, 11 marks, 5 clearances, 8 inside 50s and 3 goals, with Brett Kirk and Josh Kennedy also performing well, the former laying 13 tackles and the latter winning 6 clearances and 23 disposals. Rhyce Shaw had a mixed day, playing probably his worst game for the year for the first 3 quarters, before being switched up forward and kicking two immensely important goals, including a brilliant snap from the boundary line, that shifted momentum back in favour of the Swans just as North Melbourne were thinking about mounting a comeback. These, combined with a goal-saving, and possibly match-saving tackle from Kieran Jack and a fantastic mark going back with the flight from Daniel Hannebery in defence ensured a repeat of last week's last quarter capitulation to a reborn Richmond Tigers outfit did not repeat itself.
For North Melbourne, Boomer Harvey was busy as usual, while Brady Rawlings was fantastic on an out-of-sorts Jarrad McVeigh, restricted the Swans midfielder to just 6 disposals, while collecting 27 himself. Young midfielders Leigh Adams, Ryan Bastinac and Ben Cunnington were also very good, while Todd Goldstein was impressive in the ruck. It was never quite enough, however, especially up forward where not a single player fired for the Roos. It was this that allowed the Swans to outscore the Roos despite being almost even in inside 50s and North winning the clearances 39 to 31.
Goals
Sydney: Goodes 3, Shaw 2, McGlynn, Jack, Bevan, Mumford, Kirk, Dennis-Lane, Malceski
North Melbourne: Campbell 2, Goldstein 2, Thomas, Bastinac, Adams
Best
Sydney: Goodes, Malceski, Kennelly, Roberts-Thomson, Mumford
North Melbourne: Rawlings, Harvey, Goldstein, Adams, Cunnington
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