Experience and composure under pressure – plus some poor first half conversion in front of goal from their opponents - has helped the Sydney Swans to a 21-point win over Greater Western Sydney at the SCG.
The GIANTS were gallant in defeat, but couldn't keep up with the Swans as they sealed the 16.15 (111) to 12.18 (90) victory.
Dan Hannebery – winner of the Brett Kirk Medal after 34 possessions and a goal - Jarrad McVeigh, Rhyce Shaw and Heath Grundy were among the old heads to keep the Swans cool against the GIANTS, while third-gamer Isaac Heeney produced another classy performance with four goals.
Lance Franklin had Joel Patfull as his shadow for the night and while the former Lion battled manfully against the three-time Coleman medallist, the star Swan finished the match with five goals.
"They're a much improved team and they're going to be hard to beat this year," Swans coach John Longmire said.
"They're a team that can kick goals and plenty of them in a row, we saw that last week with nine in a quarter, so to be able to hold them off and answer with some scores of our own was important to do."
GWS matched the home side's intensity for most of the match but turned the ball over consistently because of poor decision-making and skill errors by both hand and foot.
The GIANTS started the opening term with promise but couldn't finish off their work on the scoreboard. Star forward Jeremy Cameron only managing to kick 1.3.
At the other end the Swans made the most of their opportunities. Heeney finished beautifully on his left foot for the game's opener, while Franklin and Hannebery both goaled after capitalizing on GWS mistakes.
It was more of the same after quarter-time as GWS kicked 2.7 in the second quarter alone. A goal from Rhys Palmer got the GIANTS to within 14 points, but four on the trot for the Swans gave them the edge once again.
"Obviously bad kicking for goal is bad footy," Giants coach Leon Cameron said after the match.
"We've got to make sure our goalkicking is better and finishes off the hard work the lads are doing up the ground."
Just as they did against Melbourne last week, the GIANTS came out a different side after half-time; they kicked three goals in as many minutes, then added a fourth thanks to a goal-of-the-year contender from deep in the right forward pocket from Rhys Palmer.
But it was a different story to the one that played out with the win over Melbourne in round 2. The GIANTS couldn't maintain their dominance thanks to costly turnovers, especially in the defensive half.
In an impressive sign of things to come, the GIANTS outscored the Swans by nine goals to six after half-time, but they'll rue a forgettable first half of goalkicking in the first Sydney derby of the season.
SYDNEY SWANS 4.3 10.6 14.12 16.15 (111)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.6 3.13 7.15 12.18 (90)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Franklin 5, Heeney 4, Parker 2, McGlynn, Jetta, Jack, Hannebery, Bird
Greater Western Sydney: Palmer 3, McCarthy 2, Cameron 2, Whitfield, Ward, Scully, Griffen, Coniglio
BEST
Sydney Swans: Hannebery, Franklin, Heeney, R Shaw, McVeigh, McGlynn
Greater Western Sydney: Whitfield, Smith, Palmer, H Shaw, Ward, Scully
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Sydney Swans: Dean Towers replaced Isaac Heeney in the fourth quarter
Greater Western Sydney: Nathan Wilson replaced Andrew Phillips in the third quarter
Reports: Shane Mumford (GWS) for rough conduct on Kieren Jack in the second quarter
Umpires: Rosebury, Findlay, Ryan
Official crowd: 31.966 at SCG
