The Sydney Swans reserves have been defeated for the first time since the end of April, going down by 19 points to the Brisbane Lions reserves in an entertaining game at the SCG earlier this afternoon.
The Swans opened up in fine form, kicking the first four goals of the game through Lewis Broome, Trent Dennis-Lane, Tommy Walsh and the returning Luke Parker, to just a solitary point from the Lions.
The Lions hit back quickly however, with Aaron Cornelius getting the last goal of the first quarter and the first goal of the second quarter, before a quality James Hawksley soccer goal had the Lions back within a kick in the early stages of the term. When Jesse O’Brien slotted a long goal from tight on the boundary line, the visitors had hit the lead for the first time in the match.
The Lions’ lead didn’t last long however, with Parker goaling from the resulting centre bounce, before Broome added his second just seconds later. Tommy Mitchell made in three-in-a-row for the Swans when he soccered through his first of the game in the goalsquare, and within minutes the Swans had re-built their handy buffer.
As they had at the same point in the first term, the Lions responded again in the latter stages of the second, kicking the last four majors of the first half to amazingly take an eight-point lead into the main break after an enthralling opening two quarters.
The quality of the game stepped up another notch in the third term with the Swans and Lions trading goals - with the Swans kicking six straight for the term - but the Lions holding the lead at around the two goal mark for the entire quarter.
The Swans competed well in the early stages of the final term, with goals to Jed Lamb and Bradley Plug bringing them to within a kick, but the Lions had too much in the tank and pulled away late in the last quarter to run out victors in a high-quality battle between the two highest placed teams in their respective NEAFL conferences.
In a pleasing sign for those who entered the SCG gates early, Parker got through the game unscathed and had a major impact as the game wore on, kicking three goals and showing that he has lost none of his hardness around the ball during his four week lay from a fractured collarbone.
Parker was joined on three goals by Dennis-Lane, Broome, and Walsh - who played an important role for the Swans, taking several strong marks leading up the ground and even playing as the second ruck behind Jesse White, who assumed the number one ruck position after Mark Seaby left the game early. It was a tough ask for the Swans’ midfield division going up against the young Lions pairing of Jordan Lisle and Billy Longer in the ruck, with the likes of Amon Buchanan and Todd Banfield at their feet.
Further up the field for the Lions, Cornelius proved a handful - as he had when the two teams met in Brisbane early last year - for the young Swans defence and finished as the leading goalkicker on the field with six.
The Swans reserves have a bye next weekend, before returning to the SCG to face Belconnen on Sunday July 22 ahead of the seniors match with St Kilda.
Sydney Swans Reserves 4.3 7.4 13.4 16.7 (103)
Brisbane Lions Reserves 1.6 8.6 12.12 17.20 (122)
Goals: Parker 3, Broome 3, Walsh 3, Dennis-Lane 3, Mitchell, Moore, Lamb, Plug
