Sydney Face Down GWS

Fresh off handing Essendon’s just its second win this season, the Giants were jumped by the Swans in the 33rd Sydney Derby, losing by 51 points, 12.10.88 to 21.13.139. 

The Giants squandered a golden opportunity to find themselves inside the 10, while the Swans shored up their opportunity to finish with a home qualifying final. 

A margin of 33 points at the quarter-time was set up by Sydney’s midfield dominance. 

The Swans were all over the Giants, leading clearances 15 to eight at the quarter time break. 

Sydney were cleaner, and GWS were their own worst enemy, repeatedly turning the ball over in dangerous areas of the ground. 

After being held goalless against the Crows, Charlie Curnow had three goals inside the first half. 

He was demanding the football inside the 50, and working well against his direct opponent in Sam Taylor, who wasn’t helped by his defenders. 

Brodie Grundy was putting his hand up for his first Kirk-Ward medal, winning the ruck battle against the Giants young ruck, Nick Maddern. 

Around the ground, Grundy was linking the play together as the Swans transitioned the ball, while the highlight of his day came from a snapping effort after he took the ball out of the ruck. 

In the second term, clever ball movement saw the Swans having shots at goal. 

The Giants’ pressure was right down throughout the first half, which allowed the Swans to do as they pleased. 

Errol Gulden and Chad Warner were busy in the first term, before adding 10 and 14 disposals respectively. 

The Swans extended their clearance dominance, and as a result, their lead on the scoreboard, a 53-point ball game at the main break. 

Perhaps the best example of GWS’s afternoon came from Stringer in the early stages of the third. 

Jake Stringer grabbed the ball and had an opportunity to kick at goal from 15 metres out, but instead passed the ball to Aaron Cadman, the handpass wasn’t effective, and as a result Cadman kicked the ball after he crossed the goal line. 

Sydney took their foot off the accelerator in the third, and GWS found a slight heartbeat, consecutive goals saw the margin at 41 points. 

The second goal came from 22-year-old Max Gruzewski, who looms as the long-term replacement for the 2024 Coleman Medalist Jesse Hogan.

Hogan is out of contract at the end of the year, and has only kicked 12 goals in nine games across the year. 

Strangely, Gruzewski would have the weirdest moment of the night, swapping one shoe with a GWS physio, ending the third term wearing a new balance shoe on one foot and a nike shoe on his other. 

The Giants again started the quarter well, with the opening two goals, but it was too little, too late. 

The Swans were in party mode for a lot of the second half, and when Errol Gulden became the first Swan to have 1000 metres gained in a game, the Swans were having fun. 

The Kirk-Ward medal was won by Errol Gulden 

Realistically, the Swans had the game won early, and put the official record to 23 and 11 over its little brother. 

Giants: 2.1 4.4 8.7 13.10.88 

Swans: 7.4 12.9 17.10 21.13.139 

Giants: Coniglio 3, Angwin 2, Stringer, Stone, Oliver, O’ Halloran, Gruzewski, Fonti, Cadman, Brown

Swans: Curnow 4, McDonald 3, Rowbottom 2, Papley 2, Cootee 2, Warner, Serong, McLean, Lloyd, Heeney, Grundy, Campbell, Blakey 

Best, (alphabetical order): 

Giants: S. Coniglio, C. Oliver, L. Whitfield 

Swans: I. Heeney, E. Gulden, B. Grundy 

Kirk-Ward voting (unofficial) 

3 B. Grundy (SYD) 

2 E. Gulden (SYD) 

1 I. Heeney (SYD) 

Injury:

GWS: F. Callahan (ankle)