AFL

Sydney
20.15.135
Essendon
7.12.54
Full Time

Match Tracker

Sydney
Essendon
Q1
4.3.27
3.3.21

    Sydney Events

  • 4 mins - Goal, K.Tippett
  • 9 mins - Rushed Behind
  • 11 mins - Goal, L.Franklin
  • 12 mins - Behind, C.Sinclair
  • 16 mins - Goal, I.Heeney
  • 23 mins - Behind, B.McGlynn
  • 24 mins - Goal, I.Heeney

    Sydney and Essendon Events

  • 3 mins - Behind, J.Daniher
  • 8 mins - Goal, J.Simpkin
  • 15 mins - Behind, D.Zaharakis
  • 22 mins - Behind, D.Zaharakis
  • 26 mins - Goal, M.Brown
  • 29 mins - Goal, O.Fantasia
Q2
7.10.52
5.5.35

    Sydney Events

  • 4 mins - Behind, B.McGlynn
  • 11 mins - Rushed Behind
  • 12 mins - Rushed Behind
  • 13 mins - Goal, I.Heeney
  • 15 mins - Goal, L.Franklin
  • 18 mins - Behind, C.Sinclair
  • 21 mins - Behind, L.Parker
  • 24 mins - Goal, C.Sinclair
  • 26 mins - Behind, K.Tippett
  • 28 mins - Behind, C.Sinclair

    Sydney and Essendon Events

  • 2 mins - Behind, O.Fantasia
  • 6 mins - Goal, C.Bird
  • 8 mins - Goal, D.Zaharakis
  • 19 mins - Behind, B.Goddard
Q3
12.12.84
6.9.45

    Sydney Events

  • 4 mins - Goal, L.Franklin
  • 10 mins - Goal, T.Papley
  • 13 mins - Behind, L.Franklin
  • 17 mins - Goal, K.Jack
  • 23 mins - Goal, G.Hewett
  • 24 mins - Goal, I.Heeney
  • 27 mins - Behind, T.Papley

    Sydney and Essendon Events

  • 2 mins - Rushed Behind
  • 8 mins - Behind, A.McDonald-Tipungwuti
  • 9 mins - Goal, D.Zaharakis
  • 19 mins - Behind, Z.Merrett
  • 21 mins - Behind, M.Baguley
Q4
20.15.135
7.12.54

    Sydney Events

  • 2 mins - Goal, T.Papley
  • 8 mins - Goal, K.Tippett
  • 11 mins - Goal, L.Franklin
  • 16 mins - Goal, B.McGlynn
  • 19 mins - Goal, K.Jack
  • 23 mins - Behind, C.Sinclair
  • 25 mins - Goal, L.Franklin
  • 26 mins - Goal, I.Heeney
  • 29 mins - Goal, L.Franklin
  • 30 mins - Behind, L.Franklin
  • 33 mins - Behind, L.Franklin

    Sydney and Essendon Events

  • 11 mins - Rushed Behind
  • 13 mins - Behind, M.Baguley
  • 15 mins - Behind, M.Baguley
  • 17 mins - Goal, S.McKernan

Scorers

Sydney
Essendon
Goal Scorers Sydney Essendon
Goals and Behinds Franklin (6.3), Heeney (5.0), Papley (2.1), Tippett (2.1), Jack (2.0), Sinclair (1.4), McGlynn (1.2), Hewett (1.0), Parker (0.1) Zaharakis (2.2), Fantasia (1.1), Bird (1.0), Brown (1.0), McKernan (1.0), Simpkin (1.0), Baguley (0.3), Daniher (0.1), Goddard (0.1), McDonald-Tipungwuti (0.1), Merrett (0.1)

Team Statistics

Sydney
Essendon

Statistics

Sydney Essendon
Goals 20 7
Behinds 15 12
Scoring shots 34 21
Goals/scoring shots 59 33
Disposals 439 395
SydneyGoal Scorers
Players D K M H CP T FF FA HO CL
H.Cunningham 13 4 3 9 4 1 0 1 0 0
L.Franklin 21 16 4 5 10 1 3 2 0 0
H.Grundy 22 15 9 7 8 2 0 1 0 0
D.Hannebery 31 15 5 16 17 4 1 1 0 5
I.Heeney 22 13 9 9 11 1 1 0 0 0
G.Hewett 14 8 2 6 8 3 2 1 0 2
K.Jack 20 12 7 8 8 4 0 1 0 0
Z.Jones 15 9 2 6 5 5 2 1 0 1
J.Kennedy 40 14 3 26 16 3 0 0 0 11
J.Laidler 17 5 3 12 9 2 0 0 0 0
J.Lloyd 24 12 6 12 9 0 0 1 0 3
B.McGlynn 14 7 4 7 5 0 3 0 0 1
J.McVeigh 28 19 10 9 3 2 0 0 0 1
C.Mills 16 7 4 9 4 1 0 3 0 0
T.Mitchell 37 21 10 16 5 1 1 0 0 1
T.Papley 14 8 3 6 4 7 3 0 0 0
L.Parker 29 11 6 18 15 3 0 2 1 7
D.Rampe 11 6 3 5 6 4 2 1 0 0
D.Robinson 7 1 0 6 3 5 0 0 0 0
C.Sinclair 16 11 6 5 3 3 1 0 10 2
N.Smith 14 8 6 6 4 2 0 2 0 0
K.Tippett 14 9 2 5 8 5 2 1 14 4
EssendonGoal Scorers
Players D K M H CP T FF FA HO CL
M.Baguley 16 9 5 7 6 5 3 2 0 1
C.Bird 20 11 3 9 9 4 0 1 0 2
M.Brown 23 14 9 9 11 2 1 0 0 1
A.Cooney 17 8 3 9 5 3 0 1 1 0
R.Crowley 26 15 6 11 6 1 0 0 2 2
J.Daniher 15 7 5 8 5 1 1 1 2 1
M.Dea 18 9 9 9 4 3 1 0 0 0
C.Dempsey 24 16 8 8 5 2 1 1 0 1
O.Fantasia 13 6 2 7 7 4 2 3 0 0
B.Goddard 28 14 5 14 9 1 0 0 2 0
N.Grima 13 9 5 4 6 1 0 1 0 0
J.Gwilt 15 10 3 5 3 1 1 2 0 0
M.Hartley 10 7 3 3 2 4 0 2 0 0
J.Kelly 29 13 7 16 7 2 0 2 0 1
M.Leuenberger 12 3 1 9 7 3 2 3 21 2
A.McDonald-Tipungwuti 18 14 7 4 5 2 0 0 0 0
S.McKernan 11 7 5 4 6 2 0 1 5 1
Z.Merrett 24 11 6 13 9 8 3 0 0 4
J.Polkinghorne 12 6 1 6 4 2 0 0 0 2
M.Redman 10 4 2 6 8 6 1 1 0 1
J.Simpkin 8 6 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
D.Zaharakis 33 22 2 11 11 3 2 0 0 7

Match Details

Sydney
Essendon
START TIME
4:35PM
WEATHER
Haze
VENUE
SCG
Umpires
Mathew Nicholls, Jack Edwards, Craig Fleer

Sydney v Essendon: Lance Franklin kicks six as Swans overpower Bombers

SYDNEY 4.3 7.10 12.12 20.15 (135) ESSENDON 3.3 5.5 6.9 7.12 (54)
GOALS Sydney: Franklin 6, Heeney 5, Jack 2, Tippett 2, Papley 2, McGlynn, Sinclair, Hewett. Essendon: Zaharakis 2, Bird, Simpkin, Brown, Fantasia, McKernan.
BEST Sydney: Heeney, Kennedy, Franklin, Parker, Mitchell Essendon: Zaharakis, Goddard, Brown, Merrett, McDonald-Tipungwuti
UMPIRES Nicholls, Fleer, Edwards.
CROWD 29,527 at SCG.

The Swans have made their first 6-1 start to a season in nearly 20 years, but it took a half-time blast from coach John Longmire to stun them into action against a competitive Essendon at the SCG.

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Buddy, Heeney help Swans blitz Bombers

Sydney's star forward Lance Franklin and his eager apprentice Isaac Heeney combine for 11 goals as the Swans shore up a top-three spot.

Not every victory can be a work of art, but if Sydney felt they were below par in their three-point win in Brisbane last round, it's unlikely they would feel much better with their scrappy first half return in the eventual 81-point triumph over the battling Bombers.

The partnership between Isaac Heeney and Lance Franklin in the front third was a feature. Franklin was at his menacing best on his way to six goals, Heeney took some cracking contested marks and nabbed five majors, and the pair linked exceptionally well. But instead of team synergy propelling the Swans, their ascendancy for much of the game, particularly early, came down to pieces of individual brilliance. The lopsided scoreboard at full time betrayed a contest in which Sydney were well below their best for extended periods.

Fine form: Lance Franklin was back to his best for the Swans on Saturday.
Fine form: Lance Franklin was back to his best for the Swans on Saturday. Photo: Getty Images

"That first half our contested ball and our uncontested footy wasn't great," Heeney said.

"I think they had more possessions than us in the first half. They definitely cracked in. But we know the footy we can play can beat most sides in the comp. We have confidence in each other. And it definitely flowed on after a bit of a ribbing from Horse [Longmire] at half-time."

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The Swans' 7.10.52 to 5.5.35 lead at the main break was indicative not only of their struggles with themselves, but also a willing Bombers outfit that, despite losing Jonathan Simpkin early to a hamstring problem, showed desire through their intensity around the ball and defensive pressure. When David Zaharakis scored his second goal, in the ninth minute of the third term, they were only 15 points off a lead they had held for brief periods in both the opening and second quarters.

However, the gulf in class and experience between the sides told as the match neared its conclusion and, finally, the 29,527-strong home crowd relax as Sydney streaked away, piling on 11 of the last 12 goals.

All smiles: The win was Sydney's sixth from seven games.
All smiles: The win was Sydney's sixth from seven games. Photo: Getty Images

"Our intensity and the way we played the game in the first half was just about as good as we've played all year," Essendon coach John Worsfold said.

"That was really promising. The guys were upbeat at half time and ready for the contest. However, Sydney to their credit took away any opportunity we had to continue to play that way."

Josh Kennedy was outstanding for Sydney with 40 disposals and a season high 11 clearances, while Tom Papley scored two goals and made seven tackles. Dan Robinson was out of the game early with a shoulder dislocation. For Essendon, Zaharakis, James Kelly and Brendon Goddard topped the possessions, while Zach Merrett made a game-high nine tackles.

"I thought our defensive efforts in the first half probably weren't where we needed them to be," Swans coach John Longmire said.

"They were getting a few uncontested marks and once we really started to work together in that aspect we were able to get on top in the second half.

"We didn't have a lot of good players in that first half, probably apart from Isaac. In the second half we had plenty of good players, everyone jumped on board, which was great."