Swans too classy for Tiger cubs DAVID SYGALL, SYDNEY
April 11, 2010 SOMETIMES it looked like a training run. Sometimes they resembled the Harlem Globetrotters. And, certainly, there was plenty of hard footy. But in the end, it was a comprehensive win for Sydney, which disposed of a committed - but outclassed - Richmond last night.
Led by four goals to star recruit Daniel Bradshaw and three to Ben McGlynn, the Swans produced a sleek and measured performance and, despite being pressured in the second half, were never genuinely threatened by the young Tigers, whose poor start to the season continues.
Former Eagles star Ben Cousins huffed and puffed for the visitors, but the Swans blew his house down, effectively securing the four premiership points by the end of the first quarter. When Cousins did get near the ball, he was smothered by Martin Mattner, allowing other Swans to take starring roles, including Kieren Jack, McGlynn and Heath Grundy, who were among their best.
In a blistering first term the Swans raced to a six-goal lead, featuring five separate goal-scorers. They continued the momentum in the second, adding another 26 points, against Richmond's one goal for the entire half, to go to the main break 52 points clear.
Richmond was the only team yet to have won a quarter this season, but it put up an admirable fight in the third term to try to rectify that statistic. It came up short, 25 to 20, but commendably, did manage to win the final quarter by two points.
Early on, it had looked as though the Swans were on track for their first 100-plus-point win since 2001, but they slipped a notch late in the match, nevertheless buoyed by a performance that sets them up for tougher assignments.
Before last night, the Swans had won their previous seven games against Richmond, including four at the SCG and four by 50 points or more. Last night's win equalled the club's longest sequence of victories against the Tigers - eight between 1915 and 1919.
The Swans pulled away immediately last night, with two recruits, former Lion Bradshaw and former Hawk McGlynn, scoring the opening majors. Bradshaw's was his 500th in the AFL.
Over the next 10 minutes, Ryan O'Keefe and Josh Kennedy added to the early belting and Bradshaw kicked another and, though the Tigers briefly were able to match the Swans' physicality midway through the term, they fell further behind when Jack, celebrating his 50th match, received a free kick and goaled to finish off the quarter.
Whatever good work Richmond's midfielders were doing was undone by poor service to their forward line. For the Swans, it was the opposite, with nice movement into forwards who seemed to have too much space and time.
Jarred Moore became the sixth goal-scorer and, in the lead-up to McGlynn's second, the Swans started throwing no-look and behind-the-head handballs.
Shane Mumford kicked his first goal for the Swans in the 19th minute of the second term to put them out by nine goals, before Richmond finally registered a six-pointer through Shane Edwards three minutes later.
Jude Bolton's fine second quarter was marked by a goal in the closing stages and the Swans went to the break ahead by 52 points.
Major contributors included Nick Malceski, McGlynn and Jarrad McVeigh, while Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt were Richmond's best.
The Swans had 208 disposals to Richmond's 152 in the first half, including 129 kicks to 82.
The Tigers' fine third-quarter effort was headed by goals to Troy Simmonds, Riewoldt and Ben Nason and they were leading the term until Bradshaw kicked his second of the term to add to Malceski's earlier goal.
In the final term, the Tigers continued the fight, but had little to show for it, other than a Brett Deledio goal, owing primarily to poor kicking at the big sticks.
There was concern for Relton Roberts, who was taken off on a stretcher in a neck brace after a heavy collision with Grundy.
Late in the match, Cousins had his only set shot at goal, receiving a loud boo from the crowd as he ran in, but his kick fell short.
The Swans passed 100 points with a McGlynn goal in the dying minutes.
Best -
Sydney: Jack, Grundy, McGlynn, J Bolton, Mattner, Malceski.
Richmond: Martin, Riewoldt, Edwards, Jackson, Nason.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/swans-too-classy-for-tiger-cubs-20100410-s04p.html
