Match

Sydney Swans vs GWS Giants

Commentary / 08 Sep 2018

Pre Game

00:00
Neither side has depended on high numbers of forward 50 entries, with the Swans (15th) and Giants (10th) in that metric differential respectively. Greater Western Sydney makes up for that deficit with a score from 47.1 per cent of entries (ranked first).

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
04:26
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Dan Hannebery)
04:59
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
06:18
The first three intercept marks of the game have all been taken by Aliir Aliir inside defensive 50. The Sydney defender averages 3.5 intercept marks per game, which ranks him fourth in the league in that metric and first at the Swans.
09:18
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
10:13
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Ben Ronke)
10:19
The Swans have been more efficient than the Giants, now franked through Ronke with the first goal of the final. Sydney has scored from all three forward 50 entries, while Greater Western Sydney has managed just one behind from eight inside 50s.
13:09
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Stephen Coniglio)
13:45
The Giants have their first through Coniglio from a forward 50 stoppage. Greater Western Sydney has averaged 17 points pergame from its forward half clearances this season, ranked second of all teams in the league.
15:21
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
16:30
Back to back goals launched from forward 50 stoppages for the Giants as their territory dominance starts to pays dividends. Greater Western Sydney has enjoyed 67 per cent time in forward half this quarter.
18:58
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
22:07
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)
23:49
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
25:09
In the ten minutes since the last goal, Sydney has been stronger out of the stoppages with three of the four clearances. Greater Western Sydney has used the ball more precisely, with 84 per cent kicking efficiency and 15 more marks than the Swans.
26:00
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)
26:37
Giants Interchange - Josh Kelly and is possibly out for the game.
26:59
The potential loss of Josh Kelly to a knee injury would be at huge cost to Greater Western Sydney. The Giants have retained possession from 58 per cent of Kellys kicks into the forward 50 this season (ranked fourth of all players).
27:59
An intriguing term sees the Giants record 10 more forward 50 entries than the Swans but only take a slim 5-point lead to quarter time. In his first game for the season, Zac Williams has recorded nine disposal and a team-high 240 metres gained.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
04:09
Aliir has been a huge thorn in the side for the Giants. He has now taken five intercept marks to go with his three spoils for the Swans.
07:11
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
07:29
Sydney has controlled possession in the early stages of the second term, helped by a kicking efficiency of 71 per cent in comparison to 33 per cent of Greater Western Sydney. The Swans have recorded 24 more uncontested possessions in this time.
08:45
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)
10:59
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Lachie Whitfield)
13:06
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Matt de Boer)
14:18
All three of the Giants' goals have been launched from forward 50 clearance wins, with all coming from throw ins. Greater Western Sydney have been able to apply significant pressure in that zone, with eight forward 50 tackles compared to one by Sydney.
23:50
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
25:26
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Harry Himmelberg)
26:05
Rain is now falling making conditions greasy. Himmelberg has broken the deadlock with a classy pickup and goal, following Williams' forward half intercept. The Giants have won 15 such intercepts compared to eight by the Swans.
27:18
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)
27:56
Greater Western Sydney co-captain Phil Davis has matched Aliir Aliir with four spoils and five intercept marks of his own. Matching up on Lance Franklin, Davis has won a total nine intercepts, the most by any player in a final first half since 2013.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
03:32
Giants Interchange - Zac Williams off due to an injury.
06:54
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Harry Himmelberg)
07:08
Greater Western Sydney has struck first in the second half with a wonderful individual effort from Himmelberg. This is the Giants' fourth goal launched from forward 50 stoppages, and Himmelberg's fifth individual score involvement (also a game-high).
11:41
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
13:04
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
13:14
Greater Western Sydney have transitioned from defensive 50 directly finishing in a goal from outside 50 for Greene. The Giants have successfully transitioned end to end on 31 per cent of attempts, well up on the Swans' rate of just 13 per cent.
15:36
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jacob Hopper)
17:51
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Callan Ward)
19:08
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)
20:36
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)
22:13
Swans Interchange - Dan Hannebery off due to an injury.
22:19
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jacob Hopper)
23:28
Jeremy Cameron has kicked his first after a strong contested pack mark inside 50. The Giants have taken six marks inside forward 50, double the tally of the Swans.
28:29
Sydney's score of just 18 points marks its lowest tally to three-quarter time since 2002.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:38
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
03:03
In just his eighth game for the season and first since Round 20, Toby Greene has again put his name up in lights. The Giants' star has game-high (or equal) numbers in kicks (21), metres gained (557), marks (eight), inside 50s (seven) and goals (three).
05:06
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Harry Himmelberg)
06:06
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Harry Himmelberg)
07:07
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Callan Ward)
07:38
Since Sydney led by a point in the eight minute of the second quarter, the Giants have generated 17 scores to just three to the Swans. In that time the Giants have averaged 121 metres gained per turnover in comparison to 62 by the Swans.
10:46
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)
11:01
Five of Greater Western Sydney's behinds have hit the post tonight. Sydney has hit the post on one occasion.
12:19
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)
14:52
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jacob Hopper)
14:59
That's the sixth 'poster' for the Giants tonight as they roll all over the Swans. This quarter, Greater Western Sydney has won six more clearances, recorded 30 more disposals yet committed two fewer turnovers, and kicked 3.4 (22) to no score.
20:54
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Lachie Whitfield)
22:34
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
23:00
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Luke Parker)
23:19
Sydney has kicked just its third goal for the game and first since the eighth minute of the second quarter. In that time the Swans entered forward 50 on 27 occasions for just two behinds, while the Giants kicked 8.14 (62) from 39 inside 50s.
24:34
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Callan Ward)
26:07
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
27:54
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Dylan Shiel)
28:23
Greater Western Sydney is through to a semi final after a 48-point demolition of its cross-town rivals, with 78 more disposals and six more tackles than Sydney. The Swans only managed to kick 30 points, its lowest score in any game in 30 years.