1. Franklin leapfrogs Matthews
Swans superstar Lance Franklin's five-goal haul against Greater Western Sydney meant he leapfrogged Leigh Matthews into eighth place on the all-time AFL/VFL goalkicking leaderboard. Hawthorn's Matthews booted 915 majors in his 332 games, but Buddy now has 917. They might have been different sizes – Franklin is more than 20cm taller than the famously diminutive Lethal – and played in different eras, but they both knew where the sticks were and will go down as legends of the game. Buddy is contracted until the end of 2022. Next stop 1000.
2. Swans heading for September
They've played in 19 of the past 20 finals series, and they're going to be there again. Sydney's triumph over the Giants officially locked in a spot in the top eight, although exactly where they will finish in the September log-jam remains to be seen. The Swans have done things the hard way this year, with many questioning their finals credentials after a Friday night defeat to Essendon in round 19. Since then, they've beaten Collingwood (home), Melbourne (away) and GWS at Spotless Stadium. No one is doubting them now.
3. Giant injury concerns
GWS already has one of the competition's longest injury lists, and it's getting worse. All-Australian utility Ryan Griffen injured his hamstring in the third term and finished the game icing the muscle. Defender Phil Davis (hip) went down in the second term but did return to the field after half-time – however he was playing up forward. Daniel Lloyd (cut face) and Jeremy Finlayson (ankle) were also ailing, but still playing, by night's end. GWS are already missing Aidan Corr (groin), Matt de Boer (hamstring), Brett Deledio (calf), Toby Greene (hamstring), Tim Mohr (ankle), Josh Kelly (concussion) and Sam Reid (hamstring) among others.
4. Closing in on Coleman
Franklin kept his hopes of winning a fifth Coleman Medal alive by booting 5.4 against the Giants. The Swans spearhead was locked in an entertaining dual with Davis for much of the first half. But when the defender went off injured before the long break Buddy cashed in. It took his tally to 57 – three majors behind Richmond's Jack Riewoldt with one round to play. Meanwhile North Melbourne tall Ben Brown (58 goals) still has two outings before the end of the home-and-away season and must fancy his chances.
5. Sold-out Spotless Stadium
A sold-out Spotless Stadium witnessed Saturday night's thrilling Sydney derby, with a crowd of 21,433 packing the stands. It was just short of the venue's record of 21,924, which was set in the corresponding fixture last year. Where a final would be played if these two teams squared off in September remains a point of conjecture. ANZ Stadium, which hosted the historic Sydney derby qualifying final in 2016, remains an option. More than 60,000 people piled in that night, however, it has not hosted AFL since then and the ground is in rectangular configuration.
