A host of Sydney Swans charges fired in the Top End to propel their side to a 19-point victory over a plucky Northern Territory Thunder outfit on Saturday night.
The Swans had established a 19-point buffer by three-quarter time, but a gutsy home side would cut the deficit to just two points midway through the final term, before three unanswered Sydney goals secured a 12.13 (85) to 10.6 (66) win.
QBE Sydney Swans Academy star Kyle Martin jagged the first of his side’s final three majors in the TIO Stadium clash, and lightning-quick draftee Zac Foot would extend the lead with a superb goal on the run.
The 18-year-old latched on to the footy on the left wing, took three bounces and threaded a goal from 35 metres out to budge the margin up to 14 points.
And another Swans Academy gun would add to the flurry of goals in the shadows of full-time, with John Pawle snaring his third major of the game on the back of tremendous forward-50 pressure from Ryley Stoddart.
The Swans’ Ryan Clarke (35 disposals, six marks), Kieren Jack (31 touches) and Stoddart (28 possessions, eight marks) spearheaded the Top End mission, and development coach Lloyd Perris spoke glowingly of the trio.
"Ryan Clarke was consistent over four quarters. We were really happy with his effort," Perris told Swans Media.
"Kieren Jack was good out of the middle as well, and Ryley Stoddart down back gave us a lot of drive right from the first bounce."
Perris was full of praise for his side for producing such a strong finish to the game in Darwin's humid conditions.
"I'm really proud of the boys. We were challenged in the last quarter, it was good to be involved in a tight game and for us to get through and respond to their challenge was great to see," Perris said.
"They threw everything at us in the last quarter but we held firm and got the job done."
Foot complemented his brilliant running goal with 23 possessions, and Michael Knoll tallied 31 hit-outs, while Daniel Menzel booted two goals from just five touches.
The Swans’ hard-fought win saw them strike back from last week’s 28-point defeat to the Gold Coast Suns, ensuring third place on the ladder remains their own for another week.
Sydney is now set to face the second-placed Southport Sharks at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday morning.
Sydney Swans 4.4 6.7 8.11 12.13 (85)
Northern Territory Thunder 1.2 4.3 6.4 10.6 (66)
Goals – Sydney: J Pawle 3, J Barling 2, D Menzel 2, J Amartey, Z Foot, C Kilpatrick, K Martin, S Wicks
