The Sydney Swans lost key cogs Nic Newman and Colin O’Riordan before the opening bounce but stood tall in a nine-point defeat to the Gold Coast Suns at Fankhauser Reserve on Saturday.
Losing forward James Rose (head knock) early in the third term added to the Swans’ troubles in the 8.10 (58) to 6.13 (49) loss.
But the absences of Newman and O’Riordan opened the door for Luke Stanford and Jacob Sincock to join five other QBE Sydney Swans Academy stars in a sweep of debuts.
The Suns led at every change but the margin never stretched to more than eight points until midway through the third quarter, while midfielder Jake Brown booted a goal late in the final stanza to give the Swans a glimmer of hope.
It capped a slick passage of play in which the Academy product gloved a searching Aliir Aliir kick on the lead before slamming home a set shot from outside 50.
Development coach Tadhg Kennelly said he was rapt with the side’s efforts in testing circumstances.
“They didn’t make any excuses and I was pretty happy with the way they went about it,” Kennelly said.
“The positivity was great. I was impressed with their ability to hang in there and hang tough and that they didn’t wave the white flag. In the end we should have won the game but it just didn’t quite happen.”
Ruckman Darcy Cameron (24 disposals, 32 hit-outs, two goals) was one of the Swans’ best, while Brown complemented his late goal with 23 touches.
Aliir collected 17 possessions and forward Tom McCartin continued to impress in his first season in Swans colours, leading with gusto in the forward line and finishing with 15 touches a goal.
Kennelly said a long list of players produced strong games.
“Darcy Cameron had a really good game, Jake Brown played well, Tommy McCartin had a good crack on the half-forward line and he looked particularly dangerous in the first half,” Kennelly said.
“Matt Ling played on Aaron Hall in the second half and really shut him out of the game and Jack Maibaum was also very strong for us at half-back.”
The Swans’ eye for goal proved their Achilles heel and a return of six goals and 13 behinds reflected that.
Their waywardness off the boot was a particular concern in the first 10 minutes of the third term as they dominated the territory battle but failed to capitalise on strong entries inside 50.
“If you don’t have that polish and that finish it’s really going to kill you,” Kennelly said.
“If you’re creating all these opportunities and you’re not converting it doesn’t help. So conversion was a key component in not winning the game.”
The Gold Coast threatened to blow the game open midway through the third quarter through two goals in as many minutes.
Hall kicked the first in the 14th minute to chalk up his second goal and hand the Gold Coast a game-high 14-point margin, before former North Melbourne player Eddie Sansbury bagged a major of his own.
The Suns took a 20-point buffer into the final change but McCartin snaffled an exceptional contested grab and made no mistake from a set shot midway through the fourth term to reduce the deficit back to 14 points.
The Swans kicked two final-quarter goals to the Suns’ one as they did their best to remain in striking distance.
The reserves are set for a return to the SCG in Round 5 as they take on the Aspley Hornets in an AFL curtain-raiser next Saturday.
It will proceed the senior side’s match with North Melbourne and Kennelly said the reserves would pounce at the chance to bring in the main show.
“The boys always love getting the opportunity to impress in front of the senior coaches,” Kennelly said.
“That’s always the way if you get a chance at the SCG and with the senior players watching in the first half too.”
Sydney Swans 2.4 4.6 4.8 6.13 (49)
Gold Coast 3.4 5.7 7.10 8.10 (58)
Goal Kickers
Sydney: Cameron 2, Rose 2, Brown, McCartin
Gold Coast: Sansbury 2, Hall 2, Brodie, Baru, Ballard, Ah Chee.
