Brisbane Lions v Sydney: Swans prevail in tight affair at the Gabba

SYDNEY 7.1 8.3 12.5 15.7 (97) BRISBANE LIONS 3.3 5.7 10.9 14.10 (94)
Goals: Sydney: L Franklin 5 G Hewett 3 L Parker 3 B McGlynn 2 I Heeney K Tippett. Brisbane Lions: A Christensen 3 D Rich 2 P Hanley 2 R Lester 2 B Keays D McStay D Zorko J Walker R Bastinac.
Best: Sydney: Franklin Parker Hannebery Tippett Kennedy Rampe. Brisbane Lions: Zorko Robinson Hanley Rich Christensen Rockliff. 
Injuries: Sydney: C Sinclair (knee), N Smith (knee), replaced in selected side by Z Jones.
Umpires: Justin Schmitt, David Harris, Andrew Stephens.
Official Crowd: 14,646 at Gabba.

The Swans have ground out a hard-fought win against the Brisbane Lions in wet conditions at the Gabba, prevailing by just three points in a match that remained undecided until the last minute of the game, with Luke Parker, who was enormous with 29 possessions and three goals, finally putting the Lions away.

Just in front: Lance Franklin leads Daniel Merrett to the ball on Sunday. Photo: Getty Images

For three quarters, though, it was Lance Franklin who was pretty much the difference. If there were any lingering doubts, let them be dispelled: Buddy is back, and that's good news for everybody except the Lions today. For AFL fans, the Swans, and Buddy himself – considering his travails last year – it's a joy.

Franklin was on from the beginning. He kicked three goals in the first quarter; the first a regulation affair, the second hammered home from 50 metres with a wet ball, and the third a set kick around the corner from the boundary. He was matched by a newer name in George Hewett, who also kicked three in the first quarter.

It saw the classier Swans to an early 22-point lead, but the Lions were playing well, Dayne Zorko and Pearce Hanley in all the early skirmishes. They made up further ground in the second quarter, despite not making the best of their opportunities, keeping the margin to 14 points.

Swans debutant Aliir Aliir joins his teammates to sing the team song after the game. Photo: Getty Images

Enter Franklin. In the first minute of the second half he out-marked a hapless Daniel Merrett, held him off, got a step on him and slammed the ball through on his left, again from 50 metres with a greasy ball, without bothering to go back on the mark. Even the Lions fans had to applaud that one.

Still, their team was staying in the contest. Ryan Lester, not known for his goal-kicking prowess, kicked a couple; Ben Keays, impressive in his first game, answered a reply by Luke Parker, ditto Daniel Rich to Kurt Tippett's. And when Ryan Bastinac soccered one through, the Lions were just a point adrift, in the game to their necks.

But Franklin intervened again on the stroke of three-quarter-time, kicking his fifth goal after finding free space between Jarrad McVeigh and his opponent, and Ben McGlynn, who played a fine small forward's game, looked like sealing the deal the deal with a goal within the first minute of the last.

Dan Hannebery of the Swans is chaired off after what was his 150th game. Photo: AFL Media/Getty Images

Still the Lions came. Allen Christensen hit back for the home side; when Isaac Heeney re-established a 14-point gap, Christensen did it again. Daniel Rich, poor last week, scooted through another to make the margin just three points until Parker delivered the final hammer blow. A consolation goal to Josh Walker wasn't enough.

The Lions were plucky, and played good football, but there's a gulf in class separating them from the top tier. Their inaccuracy, again, was an issue: not for the first time this year, the Lions bested their opponents for scoring shots, but squandered many gettable ones. If they learn to hit a barn door, they might not be far away.