Sydney Swans coach John Longmire used both Kieren Jack and Nick Smith as Gary Ablett's minders. And the duo did a good job, as even though Ablett finished with plenty of the footy, it was often under pressure and in parts of the ground where the 2009 Brownlow Medallist could do minimal damage. Jack also managed to sneak forward and kick a goal in the third term.
2. Sydney Swans' 2012 flag goes on display
The rain failed to dampen the Sydney Swans' day of celebration at the SCG, with the unfurling of the 2012 premiership flag. In front of AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and a crowd of 20,372, the flag was taken on a lap of the SCG by club members, staff, sponsors and board directors, while the new scoreboard showed highlights of the premiership-winning season.
3. Milestones aplenty in the Swans' nest
Jude Bolton chalked up two more milestones against the Suns. He made his 303rd Sydney Swans appearance, moving him to equal-second with Michael O'Loughlin on the club's all-time list, behind only Adam Goodes (321). Also, Goodes and Bolton played their 290th game together, moving past Richmond's Kevin Bartlett and Francis Bourke with only Adelaide's Andrew McLeod and Tyson Edwards (307) having played more games together. Defender Ted Richards also reached a significant mark, contesting his 150th game for the Swans. Stuck in the seconds in 2010, Richards fought on to become an All Australian and a premiership player in 2012.
4. The alternate Stawell Gift
In the final term, Gold Coast's 205cm, 98kg, beanpole Zac Smith gathered the footy and sprinted towards goal, with the 198cm, 104kg, Shane Mumford giving chase. Two bounces later, Smith finished off some hard running with a great goal, managing to evade Mumford's determined chase. Both pose little threat to Usain Bolt's Olympic sprint crown, but showed a lot of effort at the end of a tiring match played on a wet ground.
5. Suns still chasing back-to-back wins
It was a difficult first trip to Sydney for the Gold Coast Suns, who were chasing consecutive wins for the first time in their short history. But in teeming rain, they made a good fist of things to lead by one point at quarter-time before the defending premiers asserted their control. It was by far Gold Coast's best round two result, having previously been thumped by 119 points in 2011, and 92 points last year.
