Swans slump to 13th loss
By Daniel Pace
foxsports
March 11, 2006
SYDNEY is yet to record a victory since its fairytale AFL premiership win following a 40-point hiding at the hands of a rampant Richmond in an NAB Challenge practice tonight.
The Swans have lost their fifth match this year 13.11 (89) to 7.7 (49) and have plummeted to a shocking 0-13 record in pre-season games since Paul Roos became head coach in 2002.
They were completely outplayed in the second half tonight and looked far from the potent side which defeated West Coast by four points in the 2005 premiership decider.
Both clubs fielded near full-strength teams at Carrara Stadium where a 6277 watched a lacklustre and at times scrappy match.
It was star forward Matthew Richardson who did most of the damage, bagging four goals for the Tigers.
He was well supported by midfielder Kayne Pettifer and Brent Hartigan while forwards Ryan O'Keefe and Barry Hall were best on ground for the Swans.
Sydney was dealt a minor blow in the opening quarter when wingman Nic Fosdike suffered a broken nose and a corked thigh in a sickening head collision with Tigers half forward Brett Deledio.
A groggy Fosdike was stretchered off the field and took no further part in the encounter.
The Tigers trailed 1.6 (12) to 2.1.(13) at quarter-time due to some woeful kicking in front as they missed five consecutive set shots after Swans forward Barry Hall grabbed the opening goal from a free-kick.
Richardson kicked two straight goals early in the second quarter to give the Tigers the ascendency and from that point they obliterated the Swans, who fell behind by 16 points at half-time.
Hall jagged two goals in the third quarter and Nick Malceski added another in the 15th minute but that failed to step the blood flow as the Tigers went up a few extra gears.
Richmond kicked the next six goals to lead 83-40 late in the final quarter and the Swans didn't nail another goal until seconds before the final siren.
Brisbane will meet Collingwood next Saturday in another practice match on the Gold Coast, where the AFL has scheduled two premiership games this year.
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RICHMOND 1.6 5.7 8.10 13.11 (89)
SYDNEY 2.1 3.3 6.4 7.7 (49)
Goals:
Richmond: M Richardson 4 G Stafford 2 A Pattison K Pettifer N Brown C Hyde M Coughlan A Raines S Tuck.
Sydney: B Hall 3 R O'Keefe L Ablett N Malceski N Davis.
Best: Richmond: M Richardson K Pettifer B Hartigan R Tambling.
Sydney: R O'Keefe B Hall L Ablett M O'Loughlin.
Umpires: S McLaren M McKenzie A Davis S Jeffrey.
Crowd: 6277 at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast.
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18433440-23211,00.html
