1. Swans continue strong start
While it is only May, the Swans have signalled their premiership intentions with six wins from their first seven matches, equalling their best start to a home-and-away season since 1998, when they were also 6-1 after seven weeks. Perhaps most impressively, the red-and-white were able to overcome a sluggish start against an inferior opponent to power away in a devastating second half.
2. Hartley shows plenty of ticker in battle with Franklin
It was third versus 17th at the SCG so the pre-match discussion was less about the likely victor and more about how many goals would Lance Franklin kick against the Bombers. Some were hoping for a 13-goal repeat. However, Michael Hartley had other ideas. While the Swans' spearhead looked in good touch – including evading three opponents with a blind turn and head fake in the third term that had the crowd gasping – Hartley did a solid job keeping Franklin to three goals by three-quarter time before the Bombers were overrun in the final term. Franklin finished with six.
3. Heeney lights up SCG
In what was for the most part a scrappy affair featuring plenty of misdirected disposals, it was Issac Heeney that provided the crowd something to cheer about with a career-high five goals, in addition to 22 touches and nine marks. The second-year Swan has kicked four goals on three previous occasions, most recently against Adelaide in Round four.
Isaac Heeney and Lance Franklin combine for eleven goals. Picture: AFL Media
4. Second-half fadeouts back at Bomberland
By the 15-minute mark of the second term, the match had already featured five lead changes as the Bombers more than held their own against their highly fancied opponents. And with the visitors producing strong second halves in the past two weeks, where they kicked 9.5 and 7.5 in losing efforts, there was some prospect of Saturday's game at the SCG being a close affair. However, as was the case earlier in the season, Essendon were overrun after the main break as the Swans piled on 13 goals to two.
5. Grima provides unlikely assist
In the third term, Essendon's Nathan Grima attempted clear the footy away from his own defensive goal square, with Tom Papley and Kurt Tippett lurking. Unfortunately, all Grima managed to do was slap the ball onto Tippett's boot, with Papley in the right place at the right time to toe-poke the footy over the line for the Swans' ninth goal.
