The undermanned Swans outfit, who were further hindered by the loss of Patrick Veszpremi in the first quarter with a suspected hip injury, trailed at every break.
The first term was tight with Matthew Laidlaw scoring the Swans’ only goal.
After trailing by 17 points at the first break the Swans managed three goals in the second quarter. But Eastlake piled on five to increase the margin to 27 points at half time. Laidlaw kicked the first two minutes into the quarter and kicked their second a minute later. Top-up player Michael Moss added the third, kicking the ball out of the air and through for a goal. The young Swans were trying hard and the halftime scores would have been closer had they not hit the post a number of times.
Five minutes into the third quarter another of the Swans’ top-up players, Hayden Nicholls, goaled after the Swans had continuously attacked since the start of the term. A minute later Nick Malceski kicked his first from outside 50 metres before top-up player Sam Daniel added two. Malceski kicked another before the end of quarter, narrowing the margin to 12 points.
In the last quarter the Swans managed just one goal, Malceski’s third, after a free kick and two 50 metre penalties. Eastlake kicked six of their own to bring the margin to the final 52 points.
Malceski was the Swans’ best player, playing on ball and at half forward. Leo Barry, fullback, Taylor Gilchrist, half back, and Ryan Brabazon, on ball, were also good. Top-up players Tye Armitage and Ryan Bottin-Noonan were also named in the best. Armitage spent time forward and on ball and Bottin-Noonan played in the backline and in the ruck.
The Swans Reserves will now face Tuggeranong, who are the only team below them on the ladder, on Saturday 15 August at ANZ Stadium at 3.50pm.
Final score:
Sydney Swans – 1.2 (8) 4.6 (30) 9.11 (65) 10.13 (73)
Eastlake – 4.1 (25) 9.3 (57) 12.5 (77) 18.17 (125)
Goals:
Laidlaw, Malceski 3; Daniel 2; Moss, Nicholls 1
Best:
Malceski, Barry, Gilchrist, Brabazon, Armitage, Bottin-Noonan
