SYDNEY 1.8 5.15 8.16 11.19 (85)
MELBOURNE Â 4.0 4.1 5.4 7.8 (50)
GOALS Sydney: Franklin 4, Papley 2, Heeney, Lloyd, Jack, Parkr S Reid. Melbourne: Petracca 2, McDonald 2, Hunt, Melksham, Hannan.Â
BESTÂ Sydney: Parker, Kennedy, Hewett, Franklin, Heeney, Jack. Melbourne: Hibberd, Petracca, Oliver, Viney.
REPORT Melbourne: Bugg (striking).
UMPIRESÂ Stevic, McInerney, Fisher.
CROWD 47,464 at MCG.
At stages this season it seemed as if the competition had not only caught up to Sydney but sped right past. Melbourne had appeared to be one such side but on Friday night they became the latest side to fall victim to the red hot Swans.
Sydney are back in the eight and though they are likely to drop out by the end of the weekend, in the form they're in it's only a matter of time before they return.
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Swans make it four in a row against Dees
Sydney are knocking on the door of the top eight with yet another solid victory over a disappointing Demons side.
The quality of Sydney's scalps is growing, as is the manner in which they are winning. Their 35-point victory over the in-form Demons was not pretty - due mainly to inaccurate kicking - but full of merit nevertheless.
The win was marred by an ugly hit off the ball by Melbourne's Tomas Bugg, which floored Callum Mills and ended the young Swan's night prematurely. Bugg had his number taken and is staring at a lengthy suspension.
The Demons started the week in premiership discussions but finished it crashing back to earth with a thud. Capping off a horror night, skipper Jack Viney finished the night on crutches after missing the second half with a foot injury.
So badly were the Demons travelling, Viney's absence would not have changed the result.
This was a smashing everywhere but the scoreboard, though the margin was still considerable. The Demons have won respect this year after finding a harder edge but were hustled and bustled out of the way by the masters of pressure football.
Early on, it seemed the Swans were going to pay a heavy price after frittering numerous opportunities in front of goal. At one point they had kicked an ugly 1.11.
The Swans began like they had finished seven days earlier but received sweet little for their industry. The match-winner last week, Gary Rohan was crippled with the yips with three behinds and one out on the full from his first four attempts.
From seven entries inside 50 the Swans managed six behinds. They also blew what would have been a gimme when Tom Papley floored Bugg in the heated aftermath of the fiery Demon's hit on Mills.
Melbourne, as if on cue, goaled with their first incursion. Well beaten early, the Dees started winning the ball in congestion across half-back and in midfield from which they were able to use their extra pace to good effect.
Unlike their opponent, they got bang for their buck with four straight, including a gem from 55 out on the run by Christian Petracca. It took until after the quarter time siren for Sydney to belatedly break through via Luke Parker.
The Dees were sternly tested in the second quarter - and failed. Sydney, through their old firm of Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery and Kieren Jack, had Melbourne hemmed in their defensive half.
Again, the Dees were let off the hook by wastefulness in front of the big sticks but the weight of numbers - they were minus 14Â for inside 50s and 19 in contested possessions -Â was showing.
The Demons, despite the absence of Viney, controlled the opening few minutes of the second half but it was now their turn to burn goals, most notably James Harmes' miss from close range.
Whereas the Swans were able to generate enough shots not to rue their misses, the Demons needed to make the most from their limited chances.
After stemming the Dees' opening flurry, the Swans regained ascendancy in general play and edged further ahead. First, Reid marked and converted - no mean feat on such a night, then Jake Lloyd kicked truly after getting on the end of a quick chain of handballs. The margin was out to five goals after Franklin bombed one from long range.