In arguably the team’s best performance of the year, the Sydney Swans outclassed Adelaide at home to win by 77 points – Adelaide’s worst defeat at home since 1994.
Everything seemed to go right for the travelling side, as Jesse White made the most of his recall to senior football booting three goals, including a goal of the year contender.
The Swans set up the victory with dominant second and third quarter demolitions where they piled on 13 goals to two, and had 24 inside-50s to Adelaide’s five in the second term alone.
Dan Hannebery was unstoppable in the victory, collecting an equal career high 42 disposals (28 in the first half), one goal and three Brownlow Medal votes, while Ben McGlynn and Mitch Morton kicked three goals each.
Sydney Swans 4.4 10.9 17.12 19.13 (127)
Adelaide 1.4 3.4 3.9 6.14 (50)
GOALS: Morton 3, McGlynn 3, White 3, Bird 2, Bolton 2, Hannebery, Parker, K. Jack, Everitt, Mitchell, Goodes
CLUB CHAMPION VOTES: Dan Hannebery 49, Jarrad McVeigh 41, Ryan O’Keefe 41
CROWD: 38,374 at AAMI Stadium
LADDER POSITION: Third
Round 12 - Bye
Round 13 v Port Adelaide
After sitting out the first 11 matches of the season, new recruit Kurt Tippett made his eagerly anticipated debut for the Swans in his former home town against Port Adelaide.
It didn’t take the 202cm, 104kg key forward long to make an impact as he took a strong contested mark and kicked a goal within 40 seconds of the game commencing.
Unfortunately it was mostly downhill from there for the Swans, as the club suffered an 18-point loss to a rejuvenated Port Adelaide side, who fought back in the last quarter after trailing for most of the afternoon.
To compound the loss, Adam Goodes suffered what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury, adding another big name to the Swans’ ever growing injury list.
Sydney Swans 4.1 5.2 6.4 8.6 (54)
Port Adelaide 1.2 3.5 5.6 10.12 (72)
GOALS: Tippett 2, Goodes, Jack, Mitchell, Morton
CLUB CHAMPION VOTES: Kieren Jack 29, Josh Kennedy 24, Dane Rampe 20
CROWD: 16,096 at AAMI Stadium
LADDER POSITION: Fifth
