Match

Sydney Swans vs Port Adelaide

Commentary / 25 Mar 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to SCG for the Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide Round 1 clash.
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
Port Adelaide was only able to take a mark with 17 per cent of its kicks inside 50 during the 2016 (ranked last). This ratio was matched in the 2017 JLT Community Series, however over that period it ranked the club tenth.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:40
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Chad Wingard)
02:30
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)
03:31
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Josh P. Kennedy)
05:07
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Sam Reid)
05:17
After missing the entire 2016 season with various soft tissue injuries, Sam Reid has kicked the first goal of the season for the Swans. His personal best season return is 31 goals back in 2012.
07:09
SCORE GOAL - Power (Jackson Trengove)
07:19
Swans Interchange - Callum Mills off due to the blood rule.
07:37
Port Adelaide has already won three forward half intercepts, with its first goal launched from the latest to Broadbent. In 2016 the Power averaged 24.9 intercepts in its forward half per game, ranked fourth in the league.
10:05
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Charlie Dixon)
13:21
SCORE GOAL - Power (Charlie Dixon)
13:37
The Power have registered the past seven forward 50 entries of the match. In this time Port Adelaide has won four more clearances, amassed ten more kicks and also laid three more tackles than Sydney.
15:32
SCORE GOAL - Power (Charlie Dixon)
15:36
Back-to-back goals to Dixon now, with both from free kicks. Just six of his 30 goals last season came from free kicks.
19:29
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Daniel Robinson)
20:16
Both teams are finding the ability to transition from defensive 50 to forward 50. Sydney has done successfuly on 40 per cent of its attempts and has already launched both its goals from intercepts from defensive 50.
22:19
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
24:41
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Sam Reid)
24:44
Sydney has entered forward 50 on four fewer occasions than Port Adelaide however it has found the efficiency required to hit the front. The Swans have scored from 60 per cent of its forward 50 entries, well above the 2016 league average of 46 per cent.
26:56
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)
27:58
SCORE GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
28:28
Sam Powell-Pepper has become the latest to register a goal with his first kick at AFL level. The 2016 first round draft selection already has a clearance and three dispoals, along with his set shot goal from outside the 50-metre arc.
30:35
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
30:45
Sydney takes a one-point lead to the first break after an entertaining quarter. Both teams enjoyed periods of dominance, with the Swans able to isolate Reid (two goals) and Franklin (one) at times, while Dixon kicked two goals for the Power.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:44
SCORE GOAL - Power (Aaron Young)
01:52
SCORE GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
02:51
Two goals in under two minutes for the Power to start the second term. Port Adelaide has caught Sydney napping with the first two centre clearances to Wines and Ebert quickly resulting in goals to Young and Boak.
05:20
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Sam Reid)
06:28
Sam Reid already has three goals in his first match since 2015, equal to his best before half time in his 99-game career. The last time he did likewise was in 2015 Round 14 - also against Port Adelaide.
11:28
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Sam Naismith)
12:29
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
17:56
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Josh P. Kennedy)
18:28
Sydney is enjoying a dominant period with the ball in its forward half for 71 per cent of the past 12 minutes. In this time the Swans 25 kicks have been at 84 per cent efficiency compared to the Power with 15 kicks at just 47 per cent efficiency.
20:35
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Jordan Foote)
22:50
SCORE GOAL - Power (Chad Wingard)
24:14
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Aaron Young)
26:11
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Zak Jones)
30:28
SCORE GOAL - Power (Aaron Young)
30:47
Swans Interchange - Daniel Robinson and is possibly out for the game.
32:09
SCORE GOAL - Power (Chad Wingard)
32:14
This term both sides have capitalised on forward half territorial advantage. Port Adelaide has launched two goals from centre clearances and three from forward half intercepts, while Sydney has launched all four of its goals from forward of centre.
32:18
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
32:28
Some big names in the midfield went head-to-head in the second quarter amassing a lot of the ball. For Sydney, Josh Kennedy won four clearances, had nine disposals and kicked a goal and was supported by Jones (12 disposals), Parker and Jack (eight each).

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:41
SCORE GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
01:10
For the second straight quarter, Port Adelaide has snatched a goal within the first minute. The Power has won double (12) the centre clearances of the Swans (six), led by Wines and Ebert with three apiece.
02:47
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
10:03
SCORE GOAL - Power (Darcy Byrne-Jones)
10:10
The flowing play and scoring appears to have dried up following the half time break. Port Adelaide is making every post a winner under the circumstances, with ten goals from its past 11 scores. Only three of these have been from within 30 metres.
11:29
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Kurt Tippett)
13:51
SCORE GOAL - Power (Karl Amon)
14:34
From eight throw-ins this quarter, Port Adelaide have won six hit outs and four clearances. Three of these clearances (two to Powell-Pepper and one to Boak) have launched goals for the Power this term.
16:53
SCORE GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
16:59
That's two goals in a row from outside 50 metres for Port Adelaide and the Power have now kicked 12.1 (73) from their past 14 shots (with one miss). Both teams have kicked three goals from outside 50 metres across the match.
22:08
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Jordan Foote)
25:41
Sydney has taken the ball inside forward 50 on seven more occasions than Port Adelaide this term but have scored two fewer goals. For the Swans, 12 of their entries have been launched from possessions won forward of centre, resulting in just one behind.
27:11
SCORE GOAL - Power (Aaron Young)
29:09
Sydney has had the ball inside its forward half for 59 per cent of this quarter, however Port Adelaide has cashed in far more easily with five goals from just ten forward 50 entries. The Swans have kicked two majors from 16 inside 50s.
31:55
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Charlie Dixon)
32:38
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
32:48
Port Adelaide leads Sydney at three-quarter time for the first time since 2006. The Power did the damage from the midfield, kicking five goals from 19 possession chains originating in the midfield, compared to the Swans with two goals from 28 such chains

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:37
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
03:09
Lance Franklin has played a significant all-round forward game. He has recorded 14 disposals, taken three marks inside forward 50 (two contested) and had six shots resulting in four goals. He has won all four one-on-one contests he has been involved in.
04:00
SCORE GOAL - Power (Jared Polec)
06:44
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Kieren Jack)
09:13
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
10:37
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Dean Towers)
18:11
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Kieren Jack)
19:11
Port Adelaide has won all four centre clearances this quarter however Sydney is doing most of the attacking. The Swans have taken the ball inside forward 50 on five more occasions but have only kicked one more goal.
19:45
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
22:10
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Ollie Wines)
25:00
SCORE GOAL - Power (Hamish Hartlett)
25:35
Another goal from well outside 50 metres for Port Adelaide as Hartlett finally seals the game. From beyond 40 metres the Power have kicked 8.2 (50), compared to 4.3 (27) by the Swans.
26:10
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Charlie Dixon)
27:10
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Paddy Ryder)
28:09
SCORE GOAL - Power (Chad Wingard)
28:59
Port Adelaide has registered 10 individual goal kickers compared to just seven by Sydney. This is up on the Power's 2016 average of eight individual goal kickers per game.
30:17
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Jeremy Laidler)
31:33
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
31:43
Port Adelaide has enjoyed its first win away to Sydney since 2006, winning the final three quarters of the match. The Power were more effective in their forward press, launching 50 points from forward half intercepts compared to 22 points by the Swans.