Match

Sydney Swans vs Carlton

Commentary / 05 Mar 2026

Quarter 0

00:00
In 2025, Carlton had a hitout-to-advantage rate of 31 per cent at centre bounces, the highest percentage of any team.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:54
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Brodie Kemp)
04:46
Both teams were able to generate a mark from their first inside 50 entry, but neither team was able to kick a goal. It has been a scratchy start for both teams by foot, with both sides kicking at just 50 per cent efficiency.
05:35
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Charlie Curnow)
06:08
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Brodie Kemp)
07:28
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Charlie Curnow)
08:07
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Will Hayward)
08:23
The Blues have started well with three scores from their first four inside 50 entries, resulting in 2.1.13. It was a major problem for Carlton in 2025, who averaged a score from 41 per cent of its inside 50s, ranked 16th.
09:30
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Zac Williams)
13:14
Both sides are transitioning the ball end to end strongly. Sydney have chained the ball from defensive 50 to inside 50 on 40 per cent of occasions, while Carlton have moved the ball from end to end on 33 per cent of occasions.
17:08
Carlton, highly regarded as a contested side over the last few seasons, lead the contested possession count by nine. In 2025, the Blues averaged nine more contested possessions per game than their opposition, ranked second.
24:38
Carlton lead the uncontested marks 24 to 14. It will be an area to monitor, as when Sydney took 86 or more uncontested marks in a game last season, the won eight games and lost just the one.
26:28
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Joel Amartey)
28:27
The siren has sounded to end Q1.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:52
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Chad Warner)
06:17
Jacob Weitering has started strongly for the Blues with 10 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency and a match high four intercept possessions.
06:44
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Will Hayward)
08:57
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Joel Amartey)
09:12
Sydney finally opens its goal account for the evening through Joel Amartey. Chad Warner has enjoyed an explosive start to the quarter with four disposals and 200 metres gained already in the term.
12:16
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Callum Mills)
14:13
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
14:20
Sydney have enjoyed a territorial advantage in the second quarter, leading inside 50s by three and enjoying 59 per cent time in forward half. The Swans have generated four scores from seven entries, a scoring rate of 57 per cent.
17:30
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Malcolm Rosas)
17:48
After recording a pressure rating of 184 in the first quarter, the Swans have turned up the pressure in the second term, registering a pressure rating of 199. They lead the tackle count 15 to seven for the term and by 12 for the match.
22:25
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Ben Ainsworth)
23:00
Swans Interchange - Isaac Heeney off due to an injury.
23:03
After four scores from its first five inside 50s, Ben Ainsworth's long range goal for Carlton was only its second score from its last 19 entries. Taking a mark inside 50 has continued to be an issue for the Blues who have just taken the two, compared to Sydney's four.
26:52
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Marc Pittonet)
29:10
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Will Hayward)
29:28
The siren has sounded to end Q2.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:28
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Ashton Moir)
03:03
Ashton Moir's run down tackle on Nick Blakey leads to the Carlton defensive half intercept and the resulting chain ends in a goal to Moir. It was only Carlton's second goal from intercept, who trail Sydney 2.2.14 to 2.4.16 from this score source.
03:17
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Marc Pittonet)
04:47
Carlton only leads the clearances by two, but have outscored the Swans 3.2.20 to 0.2.2 from this score source.
05:17
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Justin McInerney)
07:21
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Justin McInerney)
07:41
After conceding the opening two goals of the quarter, Justin McInerney has responded with the next two goals for Sydney to restore parity for the term. McInerney has been important with 15 disposals, three score assists and two goals.
09:26
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Logan McDonald)
11:28
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
12:38
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
12:52
Sydney has kicked four goals from its last five entries over the last nine minutes to hit the front. Errol Gulden has had eight disposals and 253 metres gained over this time period and has been involved in all four scoring chains.
15:32
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Charlie Curnow)
17:34
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Joel Amartey)
18:06
Sydney now has the last six goals of the match from just eight inside 50s. Three goals have come via stoppage chains, including two from centre bounce, and three have come from defensive half chains.
22:26
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Elijah Hollands)
25:21
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Matt Roberts)
25:48
Sydney has been dynamic from stoppage in the third term with eight clearances resulting in four goals.
27:12
Blues Interchange - Lachie Fogarty off due to an injury.
28:25
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Justin McInerney)
30:20
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Marc Pittonet)
30:38
Mark Pittonet has kicked three goals for the blues tonight, a career-high. It is only the third time in 81 games that the big ruckman has kicked multiple goals in a game. Both of Pittonet's goals in this quarter have come via a forward 50 stoppage.
31:34
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Errol Gulden)
32:32
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Matt Roberts)
33:39
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
34:03
Sydney's third quarter score of 10.1.61 is more than Carlton's entire match score of 8.5.53. It is Sydney's best quarter since the third quarter of Round 15, 2023 when they kicked 11.5.71 against West Coast.
35:05
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Justin McInerney)
36:43
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
38:31
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Charlie Curnow)
39:49
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Chad Warner)
40:56
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Cooper Lord)
40:59
The siren has sounded to end Q3.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:27
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Brodie Grundy)
05:53
Swans Interchange - Errol Gulden off due to an injury.
05:54
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Chad Warner)
06:40
The Swans have now kicked 14 of the last 16 goals of the match. Over the time period, the Swans have amassed 17 more inside 50s than the Blues and have totalled 49 more uncontested possessions.
07:46
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
11:09
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Joel Amartey)
13:00
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
15:34
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Errol Gulden)
17:46
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Angus Sheldrick)
18:20
Sydney has kicked 5.1.31 from 28 midfield intercepts compared to Carlton's 1.3.9 from 25 intercepts from this zone.
20:43
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Charlie Curnow)
21:53
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Ben Ainsworth)
24:07
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Liam Reidy)
24:34
The Swans evened up the contested possession count over this amazing run of goals, leading the count by six since the five-minute mark of the third quarter. This is significant given Carlton led this area by 23 up to that point of the match.
25:32
SCORE GOAL - Swans (James Rowbottom)
26:01
Sydney have now outscored Carlton 18.4.112 to 4.4.28 since the five-minute mark of the third quarter, leading the inside 50 count 38 to 18 over the time period. The Swans have outscored the Blues by 41 points from intercept and 38 points from stoppage over the time period.
26:38
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Chad Warner)
30:44
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
31:26
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Matt Roberts)
31:31
The siren has sounded to end Q4.