THE SYDNEY Swans' finals charge moved up a gear with a percentage-boosting 82-point demolition of a shell-shocked Richmond at a wet SCG.
The 21.13 (139) to 8.9.(57) victory was the Swans' 1000th win in premiership matches on the same day club legend Michael O'Loughlin racked up his 300th AFL game.
The Swans lead at every break, with the contest effectively over by half time courtesy of a 73-point advantage.
The Swans bagged the opening 11 goals of the game, and despite an improved second half by the Tigers, the final result was an accurate reflection of the Swans' dominance.
The winning platform was built on the Swans' winning the centre clearances and dominating stoppages as the home side's trademark tough brand of footy blew away the visitors.
Added to that, Lewis Roberts-Thomson was superb in keeping indefatigable Tiger leader Matthew Richardson relatively quiet, while Kieren Jack was again effective as dangerous midfielder Nathan Foley was subdued by the young Swan.
Goalsneak Swan Amon Buchanan registered a handy haul (three goals), while Adam Goodes, Leo Barry, Brett Kirk and Ryan O'Keefe were impressive. Ruckman Darren Jolly comprehensively won the ruck duels, with the big Swan recording 39 hit-outs to Richmond's 27 as a team.
For the Tigers, Trent Cotchin's goal 20 minutes into the second quarter was his side's first major. After a morale-boosting win over the Bombers last week, it was back to the drawing board for Terry Wallace's men.
On an overcast day, the Swans blew the Tigers away in the first quarter with six goals to none.
The home side started with Tadhg Kennelly in his customary role in defence while Roberts-Thomson matched up on key Tiger Richardson, who played across the ground but drifted into the forward line later in the quarter.
Shane Tuck picked up the Swans' Brett Kirk, while Adam Goodes was shadowed by Tiger Chris Hyde.
The Swans started brightly forcing a litany of Tiger turnovers courtesy of intense pressure.
Marty Mattner and Leo Barry had plenty of run out of defence while Goodes used the ball well and bagged a couple of majors.
The Swans raced to a six-goal lead inside the first 20 minutes as a shell-shocked Tigers outfit struggled to stem the Swans tide.
Incredibly, Richardson missed a sitter from 25m straight in front as the visitors remained goalless at the first change, with the Swans 38 points to the good.
The Swans maintained their pressure and goals in the second term, with Henry Playfair opening his account with a goal from the tightest of angles 50m out.
After defender Craig Bolton kicked a rare goal, Luke Ablett, Jarred Moore and the on-fire Amon Buchanan blew the lead out to 11 goals before Richmond finally got on the board.
The Swans took the match-winning 73-point margin – and a rousing SCG send-off - into the main break.
The third quarter lacked some of the intensity of the first half, with the result clearly out of reach for Richmond. Skipper Kane Johnson going off with a right leg injury further hampered the Tigers' chances of restoring some credibility, though he returned later in the quarter.
Tigers' Joel Bowden's bomb from a set-shot 50m out on a tight angle and Nathan Brown's left foot stab home after a mark in the goalsquare offered some hope. But Paul Bevan found space on the Swans' forward line to kick a goal, and Craig Bird's first for the day slapped the Tigers down once again.
The final quarter saw the Swans pile on the agony with the first two goals of the term as the rain got heavier. The Tigers never gave up, ensuring the margin stayed under 100 points.
The Bloods will head to Perth later this week full of confidence for their Saturday night clash with the lowly West Coast Eagles.
Sydney Swans 6.4 13.7 16.11 21.13 (139)
Richmond 0.2 1.6 4.7 8.9 (57)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Buchanan 3, McVeigh 3, O'Loughlin 3, Bird 2, Goodes 2, Playfair 2, Ablett, Bevan, C Bolton, Malceski, Moore, O'Keefe
Richmond: Deledio 2, Bowden, Brown, Cotchin, Foley, Moore, Schultz
BEST
Sydney Swans: Barry, Bird, Buchanan, Goodes, Jolly, Kirk, Mattner, O'Keefe, Bolton
Richmond: Deledio, Newman, Bowden, Richardson
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: None
Richmond: Johnson (knee)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Jeffery, Schmitt
Official crowd: 26,852 at SCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the clubs or the AFL.
