Match

Sydney Swans vs GWS Giants

Commentary / 28 Aug 2021

Pre Game

00:00
Sydney has played only one game at this venue, and that was back in 2012 against Hawthorn. The Swans kicked the last six goals of that game to win by 37 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:11
GWS has been a fast-starting team this season and is ranked second in the opening ten minutes of games. The Giants have only been outscored four times this season in the first ten minutes of a game.
02:27
The opening shot at goal for the Giants (a miss) was sourced from a defensive half clearance. GWS averages 6.8 points per game from defensive half clearances (ranked No.1), but only 18.7 points per game from defensive half intercepts (ranked second-last).
03:44
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
03:50
The opening goal of the game to Tom Papley and the Swans was sourced from a defensive half chain. Sydney is ranked No.1 at scoring from such chains and averages 33.6 points per game from this source.
08:01
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
08:12
The first score for the Giants came from a chain started with an intercept in the defensive 50. GWS averages only 6.7 points per game from this source (ranked last).
10:43
When these two teams met in Round 5, Toby Greene kicked seven behinds before registering his first goal late in the game. Greene has kicked the first goal for GWS today and has been involved in both early scores.
14:58
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
15:16
The second goal to Toby Greene and the Giants was sourced from a forward 50 stoppage. GWS averages 7.6 points per game from this source (ranked fifth).
17:42
Jake Stein has recorded five intercepts and four marks for GWS early in this game, which already equal career bests for the young Giant.
17:58
SCORE GOAL - Swans (James Bell)
19:09
Sydney has an early 6-2 lead in forward half intercepts, with the last goal coming from this source. The Swans average 34 points per game from forward half intercepts (ranked No.1).
19:54
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Matt de Boer)
23:24
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
24:01
Lance Franklin had not kicked a goal in either of his previous two finals against GWS but has kicked one in the first quarter today. Franklin averages 3.5 goals per game at this venue, which is his best return at any ground where he has played more than two games.
25:40
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
30:10
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Tim Taranto)
30:22
After not attending a centre bounce in Round 22 and kicking a career-high four goals, Tim Taranto returned to the midfield in part last week and recorded a career-high 11 clearances. His last kick combined both, with a forward 50 clearance and goal.
31:53
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Hayden McLean)
32:36
While the Giants had the edge in contested possessions (43-38), the Swans moved the ball more effectively resulting in a 19-11 lead in inside 50 entries. Five of the seven defensive 50 chains for the Swans resulted in an inside 50 entry (the AFL average is 21 percent).

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:09
The Swans are ranked second for kicking efficiency differential this season, but in the opening quarter, the Giants led in this measure (70 percent to 60 percent).
01:01
Sydney has an early 6-1 lead in centre bounce clearances, but at this point is yet to register a goal from this source. Both teams on average break-even at centre bounce clearances.
02:38
A second goal to Lance Franklin who looks dangerous with Sydney now having twice as many inside 50 entries. The Swans lead 15-8 in midfield intercepts with this contributing to the inside 50 imbalance.
06:23
Sydney had the first six inside 50 entries of the quarter and scored one goal during this period. The first inside 50 entry for GWS has resulted in a shot at goal for Zach Sproule.
07:01
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Zach Sproule)
08:26
Toby Greene has four score involvements from his four disposals, with the Giants relying heavily on his creativity forward of centre.
09:27
Five disposals and five score involvements now for Toby Greene, including three goals. Greene averages 8.4 score involvements per game which is ranked No.1 in the AFL.
10:00
Swans Interchange - Colin O'Riordan off due to an injury.
11:37
GWS has now scored 14 points from chains started with an intercept in the defensive 50. This is already double its season average and its most in any game since Round 6 when it scored 19 points.
13:06
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Harry Himmelberg)
13:18
Three goals from forward 50 stoppages now to the Giants. This already equals the best return this season to GWS from this source.
14:26
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Daniel Lloyd)
14:43
The Giants now lead 24-1 in points scored from stoppages, despite clearances being relatively even at 19-15. GWS has scored four goals from four inside 50 entries this quarter.
16:50
Since the seven-minute mark of this quarter, GWS leads contested possessions 12-3 and has kicked four goals during this period of control.
19:12
Five goals in a row to the Giants in a burst making the most of contested possession dominance (24-15 this quarter), with the goal to Jesse Hogan coming from a contested mark.
22:19
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (James Rowbottom)
23:03
GWS has scored 3.1 from shots at goal beyond 40 metres out. Sydney has scored 0.3 from its equivalent shots at goal. In addition to having more inside 50 entries, the Swans also lead 29-18 in forward 50 disposals.
25:34
Sydney is ranked second during time-on this season, outscoring its opposition by an average of 8.3 points per game during this period. Today the Swans currently lead 10-6 during time-on.
25:57
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Luke Parker)
26:50
Tom McCartin has been an important roadblock for Sydney. On top of his five intercept marks, he has already recorded an equal career-high 11 spoils.
28:00
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)
28:09
Lance Franklin kicked a total of nine goals from 13 shots at goal against the Giants in their two matches this season. He has kicked three goals from three attempts today, and the Swans are again finishing the quarter strongly.
30:57
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)
32:11
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Harry Himmelberg)
32:15
A crucial late goal to Harrison Himmelberg and the Giants caps a six-goal period for GWS. The Giants have been very efficient, and lead forward half kicking efficiency 67 percent to 58 percent and lead 4-1 in forward 50 marks during the second quarter.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:11
The Swans have won 13 out of 14 games this season when they have won the third quarter. They have won only two of the eight games when they have not won this period.
01:11
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Zach Sproule)
02:07
A great start to the third quarter for the Giants with another long-range goal from the impressive Zach Sproule. GWS has now scored 4.0 from its set shots at goal.
03:51
Tom Papley has had a game-high six shots at goal with a return of 2.0 and four misses. Papley also has a game-high eight forward 50 disposals and continues to be a threat for the Giants.
05:28
GWS has never lost a game when leading at halftime by more than 21 points. When these teams last met, the Swans overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to win.
06:47
The Swans have won 14 out of 16 games this season when they have had more kicks than their opposition, and have won only one of the six games when they have been behind in this measure. GWS currently leads 127-112 in this count.
08:52
The Giants have marked only 16.4 percent of their inside 50s this season (ranked last). Today, GWS has taken seven such marks from 28 inside 50 entries.
09:20
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jesse Hogan)
11:00
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jesse Hogan)
13:10
The Swans have scored a goal from 24.9 percent of their inside 50 entries this season (ranked second). Today Sydney has scored only six goals from 42 inside 50 entries.
14:04
An important goal to Isaac Heeney and it came from a forward half intercept. Sydney leads 17-8 in these intercepts but only 14-7 in points scored from this source.
16:59
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Oliver Florent)
18:53
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Daniel Lloyd)
20:36
A brilliant set shot at goal from Isaac Heeney capped a passage of play that started with a defensive 50 clearance. Sydney has now scored 36 points from defensive half chains and only 16 points from forward half chains.
24:34
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
24:50
Isaac Heeney has now recorded a game-high nine disposals in the forward 50 and a team-high six score involvements which include two goals and two assists.
24:59
Giants Interchange - Isaac Cumming off due to an injury.
26:49
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Josh Kelly)
26:58
After an accurate first half from the Giants, they have scored 1.4 from six shots at goal this quarter with one shot failing to score. The Swans have conceded a shot at goal accuracy of 44 percent this season, which is the lowest percentage in the AFL.
29:03
Jesse Hogan has now taken a career-high six contested marks, five forward 50 marks and recorded a game-high seven score involvements.
29:17
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jesse Hogan)
29:26
A crucial late goal to Jesse Hogan and the Giants after the Swans had kicked the previous three goals. GWS edged Sydney in the third quarter for contested possession (36-28) and inside 50 entries (14-10), but was let down by forward half kicking efficiency of 50 percent.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:50
The last time a team came from 19 points or more behind at three-quarter time to win a final was Hawthorn against Geelong in the 2013 Preliminary Final when 20 points down at the final change.
01:00
Swans Interchange - Hayden McLean off due to an injury.
03:19
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
05:17
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jacob Hopper)
05:30
The behind to Jacob Hopper came from a forward half stoppage. GWS now leads 21-1 in points scored from this source, which is effectively the difference in the game.
07:01
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
07:19
Isaac Heeney has now kicked the last three goals for the Swans, and again it came following a forward half intercept. Sydney leads 20-11 in these intercepts and 22-14 in points scored from this source.
09:15
Isaac Heeney had kicked five goals in nine finals games before today but has now kicked four goals in the second half to bring the Swans right back into the game.
11:26
Sydney leads the contested possession count 21-11 this quarter, with this leading to a 8-3 advantage for inside 50 entries.
11:54
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Hickey)
13:49
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Sam Wicks)
14:02
Giants Interchange - Tom Green off due to an injury.
15:41
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (James Bell)
15:51
Giants Interchange - Sam J. Reid off due to an injury.
15:54
Sydney leads 13-9 in forward 50 marks which includes a major 12-4 advantage in uncontested marks. The Swans have scored 5.5 from its set shots at goal compared to the Giants 5.2.
18:21
The contested possession advantage for the Swans this quarter is driven by a 20-11 dominance in ground ball gets. In the first three quarters, GWS led this count 78-60.
21:03
Some repeat forward 50 stoppages here for the Giants have gone unrewarded. It was a goal from a forward 50 stoppage (to Josh Kelly) that separated these teams in Round 5, and three goals today to GWS from this source have been crucial.
22:49
Swans Interchange - Oliver Florent off due to an injury.
23:08
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
24:27
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)
24:40
The Swans lead 8-1 in shots at goal in the final quarter but have returned only 2.6 from these opportunities, with four of these set shots and three attempts hitting the post.
25:34
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
28:00
The Giants have managed to hang on for a one-point win. Despite conceding a 45-65 inside 50 count to the Swans, a flurry of goals in the second quarter from stoppages proved crucial. GWS now leads 3-0 in finals contests between these teams.