Swans outclass sloppy Hawks

Sydney 19. 5 (119) def. Hawthorn   7.12 (54)

An in form Sydney outfit has outclassed a sloppy Hawthorn side by 65 points in a forgettable match at the MCG.

Returning for their first match at the Peoples Ground since their enthralling four point victory in last seasons Grand Final, the Swans looked a class above for much of the night, splitting the game open in the first term, opening up a 29 point lead, going on to win by 65 points.

For the visitors, who are fast regaining the selfless form which piloted them to a flag last season, rugged midfielders Jude Bolton, Brett Kirk and Nic Fosdike had a field day, while the forwards Hall, Davis and O’Loughlin cashed in on their onballers tidy work.

Hawthorn, inexperienced, lacked the polish of their counterparts, the turnover tally clicking over at a rapid rate, the Hawks struggling to find a leading target coming up from half forward. Jordan Lewis was a busy contributor through the centre, while acting captain Sam Mitchell was as prolific as ever.

Sydney began the match with the look of a side looking to inflict a quick kill, and kill they did. They stormed out of the blocks with a five goal to none first term, and looked a class above the inexperienced Hawks for the duration of the quarter.

Nick Davis looked like a man on a mission with two goals for the term, while the ever deadly forwards Barry Hall and Michael O’Loughlin loomed large on the horizon. The work around the stoppages from the renowned grunt onballers Luke Ablett and Jude Bolton was admirable, while for the Hawks Jordan Lewis played a lone hand in the midfield with ten disposals.

One blow for the visitors was the loss of promising wingman Nick Malceski, who limped off with a hamstring strain.

Sydney went into the break leading by a handy 29 points, the margin threatening to blow out to an unassailable lead by half time.

The Swans began the second term as they had the first, O’Loughlin signalling his intentions to end the match as a contest with an early goal where he was able to strut in for his second major for the night.

The quarter provided the baby Hawks, treading water for much of the night, with some relief, finally broke their 33 minute draught in scoring their first goal for the evening through the ever reliable Mark Williams, who marked in front of Leo Barry to register his sides first.

As a spectacle, the match began to deteriorate, with both sides lowering their standards, the stoppages seemingly never-ending, and the clanger count keeping the statsmen busy. Hawthorn went into the break 21 points in arrears, and with plenty of work to be done to find their form from the first month of the season.

But it was not all rainbows and butterflies for the Swans, with concerns for two of their senior statesmen, tagger Jarred Crouch off with a collarbone injury and Barry Hall left badly winded following a knee to the solar plexus.

Sydney came out revved up and controlled the third term, the quarter living up to its premiership moniker.

In a seven goal to three blitz, the Swans extended their half time buffer to 40 points at the final change, with the hard-working midfield duo of Jude Bolton and Brett Kirk ran amok, while quicksilver veteran Paul Williams motored around the MCG as if he was back in his freewheeling Collingwood days.

Despite their best endeavours, the Hawks were again unable to find a target in attack, and may have to wait a few years yet until young tyros Lance Franklin and Jarred Roughead are mature enough to show their wares on a weekly basis.

The final term petered out with traffic travelling all the way of the Red and White, the rampant Swans thumping home five goals to the Hawks one, running out convincing 65 point victors.

The Swans return to Canberra’s Manuka Oval next week to take on the Kangaroos on Sunday, while Hawthorn find no respite, set to face the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome.

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!