Match

Fremantle vs Sydney Swans

Commentary / 22 May 2021

Pre Game

00:00

The territory battle will be one to watch tonight. This season Sydney concedes an average of almost two minutes of forward half time per game to their opposition. The Swans do capitalise when attacking however, averaging 35.6 points per game from forward half intercepts (ranked first).

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:54

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)

02:15

Sydney is away early thanks to a goal from Tom Papley, from the first foray inside either forward 50 for the match. The Swans have taken three marks to date, while the Dockers are yet to record an effective kick.

03:07

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Lachie Schultz)

03:35

Fremantle has answered immediately via a centre clearance to Nat Fyfe eventually resulting in a goal to Lachie Schultz. This season, the Dockers have been outscored by an average of 1.2 points per game from centre clearance launches (ranked tenth).

06:26

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Oliver Florent)

06:29

Swans Interchange - Tom Hickey off due to an injury.

07:05

A very efficient start for the Swans with two goals from their first two entries inside forward 50. Both goals have been kicked from set shots from outside 40 metres.

07:51

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Josh Treacy)

12:33

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

12:46

Being played in damp conditions, there is little between the teams on the scoreboard or the stats sheet. Matt Taberner continues his career-best season with his first goal of the night. He is one of just two players in the league to have kicked two goals or more in every match this season.

16:04

Lance Franklin has taken his AFL tally to 958 career goals after being infringed by Griffin Logue. Sydney has kicked two of its three goals from free kicks to date.

18:35

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

18:44

Make that 959 career goals for Lance Franklin with his second, this time from outside 50 metres. The star forward has kicked 182 of his career majors from outside the arc.

20:49

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Mitch Crowden)

25:41

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Lachie Schultz)

25:51

Fremantle has transitioned successfully for its first goal launched from defensive 50 for the match. These sides are both ranked in the top two in the league for transition rate to forward 50 from defensive 50 this season.

30:44

Sydney hold a tight four-point lead at the first change after an entertaining quarter. There was little between the sides, with the Swans winning an additional four clearances, but the Dockers recording four more groundballs for the quarter.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:52

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Rory Lobb)

00:57

Nat Fyfe leads all players with four clearances, including three at the centre bounce. Two of these have now directly launched Fremantle's goals.

02:11

SCORE GOAL - Swans (James Rowbottom)

05:22

Nat Fyfe may have set the bar at the centre bounces but Callum Mills has answered immediately, winning the next centre clearance and allowing the Swans to hit straight back with a goal from James Rowbottom. Mills has won four clearances for Sydney.

06:50

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Nick Blakey)

08:27

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)

09:09

The Swans have recorded an additional 16 per cent time in possession than the Dockers to start the second quarter. Sydney has recorded 29 disposals for just two turnovers, far more effective than Fremantle committing four turnovers from just 15 disposals.

10:43

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

12:28

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Chad Warner)

12:58

Callum Mills is starting to assert himself as the most dominant midfielder on the ground. Continuing his breakout 2021 form, the 102-game Swan has recorded game-highs (or equal) in groundball gets (six), disposals (14), metres gained (284) and score involvements (five).

18:06

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Rory Lobb)

18:28

Rory Lobb's second mark inside 50 for the quarter is just Fremantle's third for the match, with all resulting in goals. The Swans have actually taken one fewer mark inside 50 than the Dockers.

22:49

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

23:03

Three goals to Lance Franklin for the match, the latest a long-range effort on the run from well outside 50. The Swans have kicked all eight of their goals from outside 30 metres, including five from outside 40 metres.

24:07

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)

24:18

Although Fremantle has dominated the hit outs (26-eight), predominantly through Sean Darcy, Sydney has won seven more clearances than the hosts. In this quarter alone the Swans have won six more clearances than the Dockers, and have launched four of their five goals from this source.

26:28

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)

28:14

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Sam Wicks)

30:37

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (James Aish)

32:08

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Sam Wicks)

34:03

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (David Mundy)

34:48

Sydney has increased its lead to 15 points at the main break through greater precision and efficiency. The Swans conceded an additional 10 hit outs but still won two extra clearances for the term, launching four of their five goals from stoppages.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:54

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Dylan Stephens)

04:39

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Caleb Serong)

04:51

Dockers Interchange - Matt Taberner off due to an injury.

06:30

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Rory Lobb)

06:49

Two quick goals to start the second half to Fremantle and it has cut the margin to four points. The Dockers (57 per cent) have owned possession for 32 per cent more of the term to date than the Swans (25 per cent), helped by seven additional marks.

12:49

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Lachie Schultz)

14:30

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Rory Lobb)

14:36

Rory Lobb looks to be the most dominant tall forward on the ground. Since quarter time he has taken three marks inside forward 50, with two contested, and kicked four goals. This tally equals Lobb's highest in his career and is the highest in his 38 games at Fremantle.

19:01

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Sam Switkowski)

19:35

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Lachie Schultz)

20:01

Fremantle is dominating field possession this quarter, and in particular the last ten minutes. In this time he Dockers have recorded the only nine forward 50 entries, enjoying 94 per cent time in forward half over the same period.

21:22

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rushed)

24:57

Fremantle's forward half dominance has been set up by its defence winning back possession behind the play to set up repeat entries. The Dockers have won 11 midfield intercepts for the term, six more than the Swans (five).

27:08

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (David Mundy)

27:31

Since Sydney pushed its margin to 21 points at the 25-minute mark of the second quarter, the Swans have only recorded 23 disposals inside their forward half, while the Dockers have recorded 60.

29:59

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Adam Cerra)

30:40

Fremantle's ability to control possession and gain territory this quarter has been too much for Sydney. The Dockers are averaging 129 metres gained for every turnover this term, significantly further than the Swans at 70 metres gained per turnover.

32:06

Fremantle flipped this match on its head, turning a 15-point deficit into a 13-point lead. The Dockers won five additional clearances, controlling play with an additional 19 per cent time in possession, on their way to 4.5 (29) to the Swans' single behind.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

04:17

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)

04:20

Isaac Heeney has given Sydney hope with an outstanding individual effort. Coming into this match, Heeney was averaging a career-high two goals and seven score involvements in games played interstate this season.

05:46

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Liam Henry)

06:29

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

06:59

We are set for a grandstand finish at Optus Stadium, as Lance Franklin's fourth goal pulls the margin back to two points. The Swans have already won six more groundballs than the Dockers to start this quarter, led by Callum Mills with three individually.

10:03

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

10:10

The Swans are in front after Lance Franklin kicked his fifth goal for the match. With 5.0 (30) tonight, Franklin now has a total of 13.1 in two career matches at Optus Stadium.

14:17

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rushed)

18:01

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Josh Treacy)

18:45

In just his fourth AFL match, Josh Treacy has put Fremantle back in front with his first career goal, from outside 50 metres. This is the Dockers' first goal from the distance for the match, while the Swans have kicked four goals from outside 50 metres.

20:30

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)

23:15

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

23:30

Lance Franklin looks like he may be the difference in this match, now with 6.1 (37) for the game including 3.1 (19) in the final quarter. The champion forward has been a one-on-one target for the Swans on ten occasions, winning five of those contests.

25:24

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Nat Fyfe)

25:45

Fremantle's champion Nat Fyfe has quickly responded to Franklin's challenge, winning his 13th clearance to put the Dockers in front for the fifth occasion for the match. His personal best clearance tally is 14, on two occasions across his 196-game career.

29:58

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Lachie Schultz)

31:32

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)

32:05

Fremantle has won a classic topsy-turvy match against Sydney by two points. Eventually weight of numbers paid dividends, with the Dockers winning two more clearances and nine more intercepts on their way to 24 additional forward 50 entries than the Swans.