Match

Melbourne vs Sydney Swans

Commentary / 25 May 2025

Pre Game

00:00
Sydney has lost seven of their nine matches at the MCG since the 2022 Grand Final by an average losing margin of 35 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:42
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Max Gawn)
02:33
Gawn kicks only his second goal of the season with a left foot snap. Narrm has had the first two clearances and the first two inside 50's of the match.
05:44
In game 100, Joel Hamling appears to have a forward negating role on Steven May.
08:18
Brodie Grundy leads hit-outs to advantage (2-0) against Max Gawn, but Gawn has already a clearance, an intercept mark and a goal.
09:17
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
11:10
Narrm are dominating the clearance count (7-2) early in this game, with two of those clearances resulting in the only two scores of the match.
14:41
Since Round 6, Narrm have had the best contested possession differential in the competition. They lead contested possessions (21-12) in the opening term.
14:59
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
15:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
16:20
Narrm have scored four time times from seven inside 50 entries, while Sydney are yet to score from their three inside 50 entries.
18:23
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Peter Ladhams)
20:44
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
21:10
Narrm scored 62 points from intercepts last round, their second most in a game over the last two seasons. They lead scores from intercepts (13-6) in the opening term.
22:31
Clayton Oliver averages five tackles per game in 2025. He has already laid six tackles in the opening quarter.
24:49
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
25:57
In his first game of 2025, Callum Mills has started well. Mills has had seven disposals, of which three have been contested.
27:29
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Peter Ladhams)
29:21
Narrm were on top in the clearance battle early in the match, but Sydney has won six of the last eight clearances, led by Heeney, Chad Warner and Sheldrick.
32:57
Both teams had a pressure rating of above 2.00 in the opening term, well above the competition average for pressure.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:37
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Harvey Langford)
02:31
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
02:46
Isaac Heeney was just the second player to have 38-plus disposals and at least eight shots at goal in a game last round against Carlton. He's on track for another big game today.
04:28
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
04:41
Christian Petracca celebrates game 200 with his first goal of the day. He's had nine disposals and four contested possessions.
06:43
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
07:00
Due to the pressure, both teams have had five rushed kicks inside 50 with no apparent target. Jake Melksham has been the forward 50 target on three occasions for Narrm, the only player on the ground to be targeted more than once.
07:50
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
08:22
Narrm lead inside 50's (6-1) in the second quarter. Christian Petracca has been involved in all four of Narrm's scores this term.
10:34
Joel Hamling celebrates game 100 with a goal. Hamling is opposed to Steven May, who is yet to take a mark and only has two disposals.
13:51
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Salem)
14:54
Narrm are owning territory in the second quarter. They have spent 82% of the quarter in their forward half, leading inside 50's (12-2). Despite the discrepancy, both teams have kicked two goals this term.
17:25
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
18:07
Narrm have kicked all three of their goals this quarter from intercepts. They lead scores from intercepts (33-13) in the match, including four goals from forward half intercepts.
19:17
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kade Chandler)
19:54
Narrm are well on top in this game but are spurning chances, kicking (3.5) to Sydney's (2.0) this term.
19:55
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
22:08
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
22:31
Narrm have got the yips in front of goal. Max Gawn gave up the opportunity of a set shot 30 metres out, handballing to Jake Melksham who shanked the shot.
23:36
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
24:31
Despite leading inside 50's (19-4) and shots at goal (10-2), Narrm only lead the quarter by 13 points.
26:53
Narrm have had 31 more disposals than Sydney this term. Sydney have six players with less than two disposals this quarter, while Narrm have none.
28:22
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
28:43
Narrm have now kicked (3.8) for the term, including (1.4) from set shots.
31:04
Kysaiah Pickett was influential for Narrm in the second term. He had eight disposals, including five ground ball gets, three clearances and five score involvements.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:29
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
00:54
Narrm erase the goal kicking yips with a goal from the first centre bounce clearance of the second half. Kysaiah Pickett has a game-high seven score involvements and three goals.
02:25
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Nick Blakey)
04:23
Chad Warner averages just 19 disposals and 0.3 goals against Narrm, his lowest averages against any team. He's had limited impact so far in this game.
06:24
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Max Gawn)
07:41
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
09:44
Both of Sydney's third quarter goals have come from 50 metre penalties.
11:27
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Caiden Cleary)
12:29
Sydney average just 5.5 contested marks per game, the least in the competition. They lead contested marks (8-5) in this match.
15:35
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
16:27
The Swans have scored from 80% of their forward 50 entries this term, while the Demons have scored from 33%.
17:04
Nick Blakey had just 158 metres gained from his eight first half disposals. He's already had 237 metres gained from his five disposals this term.
17:32
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
18:00
Kysaiah Pickett has been the best player on the ground. Pickett has had 16 disposals, four clearances, four goals and nine score involvements.
20:40
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
20:55
Narrm have won the contested possession count in all three quarters, with a positive differential of 25 for the match. Max Gawn has a game-high 13 contested possessions.
21:30
The competition average for inside 50's is 52. Sydney have only had 23 deep in the third term.
22:31
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Salem)
22:50
Narrm are out to game-high lead of 34 points and are threatening to run away with this game.
23:38
Demons Interchange - Ed Langdon off due to the blood rule.
23:54
Narrm have scored 49 points from turnovers in this match after 62 points from the same source in round 10.
24:46
Taylor Adams has entered the game, playing his first game since Round 0.
24:54
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
26:52
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
27:36
Narrm's dominance is starting to tell. They continue to dominate inside 50's (14-8 this term) and contested possessions (34-21 this term).
28:24
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
29:04
Demons Interchange - Charlie Spargo and is possibly out for the game.
29:11
Kysaiah Pickett has had 11 score involvements, eight more than any Sydney player.
30:33
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Braeden Campbell)
31:30
Chad Warner has lifted in the third term. Warner has had a team-high seven disposals and three clearances for the quarter.
33:41
Narrm average 55 tackles per game in 2025. They've had 64 approaching three quarter time. Clayton Oliver has a game-high 11 tackles.
35:32
Since quarter time, Narrm has had 22 more inside 50's, 68 more disposals and 26 more contested possessions.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:55
Caleb Windsor had a career low six disposals last round against Brisbane, but has bounced back today with 20 disposals and seven inside 50's.
02:44
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Harrison Petty)
03:08
The clearance count is locked at 31 apiece, but Narrm have scored 36 points from clearance wins, while Sydney has only scored 12.
04:35
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
04:58
Historically, Sydney have been Kysaiah Pickett's most difficult opponent. He is changing that narrative today. Pickett is up to 13 score involvements from his 23 disposals, four more than any player on the ground.
05:36
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Callum Mills)
06:23
Callum Mills kicks a classy snap in his first game since last season's qualifying final, keeping Sydney's slim hopes alive.
08:25
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Caiden Cleary)
09:13
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Harry Sharp)
09:38
Demons Interchange - Harvey Langford off due to an injury.
09:43
Harry Sharp kicks a great running goal, set up by 200 gamer Christian Petracca, who has had two goals assists and a goal in his milestone match.
11:33
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Clayton Oliver)
11:58
The Demons are averaging 90.6 points over the last five rounds, after averaging just 61 points in the games prior. They've eclipsed the 100 point mark again today.
14:16
Sydney lost the contested possession count in the opening three quarters but lead (19-12) in the final term. Since coming on as the sub, Taylor Adams has had six contested possessions.
16:02
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
16:13
Isaac Heeney has been a bright spark for the Swans in a difficult day. Heeney has had 22 disposals, 12 contested possessions and three goals.
17:12
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
17:38
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
17:58
Narrm average 30.4 points per game from stoppages this season. They've scored 43 points from stoppages today.
21:05
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Harry Sharp)
21:34
Narrm have now surpassed their previous best score of 108 this season.
23:44
The average points from turnovers per game is 47 across the competition. Narrm have scored 62 and 70 points from that source in the past two weeks.
26:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
27:29
This is now Sydney's biggest score conceded all season, with their previous worst of 117 coming against Gold Coast.
28:23
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Caiden Cleary)
29:53
Narrm average 55 tackles per game this season. They've had 87 tackles today, and have maintained a pressure rating of 1.92 throughout the match, well above the competition average.
32:24
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Chad Warner)
33:34
Angus Sheldrick has battled hard for the Swans. Sheldrick has had a team-high 26 disposals, 11 ground ball gets and nine inside 50's.
34:54
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
35:19
Narrm had a goal kicking accuracy of 35% in the first half but have improved that with 68% accuracy in the second half.
36:28
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Hayden McLean)
38:09
13 of the games 31 goals have come in the final quarter.
38:49
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Braeden Campbell)
39:58
It was a complete domination by Narrm at the MCG, recording their highest score of the season. They had double the number of scoring shots (36-18) and won the contested possession count by 27.