The Sydney Swans beat Port Adelaide by 31 points in a high-quality tussle at the SCG
THE SYDNEY Swans have wrested their AFL season back on track with a win over ladder leaders Port Adelaide at the SCG on Sunday.The Swans enjoyed a fast start with their best first quarter of the season before holding off two major Port challenges to win by 31 points, 17.16 (118) to 13.9 (87).In a big lift for the under-pressure Swans, Michael O'Loughlin booted four goals and was lively up forward, Luke Ablett impressed through the midfield while Tadhg Kennelly made a fine return from his knee injury.Defenders Leo Barry and Nick Malceski were also superb in defence, providing plenty of run and rebound.After successive losses to the Kangaroos and St Kilda, the heat was on Paul Roos' side to respond against the in-form team in the competition.And in perfect conditions on their home ground, the Swans didn't disappoint their loyal fans with a blistering opening quarter in which they booted 6.4 to 3.1 to grab the ascendancy.Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Davis both slotted majors inside four minutes to get the ball rolling as the Swans signaled their intent and showed they had come to play.Malceski slotted his first at the eight-minute mark while Peter 'Spida' Everitt kicked a long bomb to cap his impressive work around the stoppages in the first term.A pair of O'Loughlin goals capped a dominant first 30 minutes for the Swans, as Port Adelaide struggled to penetrate their own half-forward line.The Power fought back and closed within a kick after booting the first three goals of the second term, but the home side rallied strongly with the final four goals to re-establish their comfortable lead.Ablett booted two long goals after finishing off some dash off half-back, while O'Loughlin and Malceski built on their goal tally as the Swans took a 10.9 to 6.3 advantage into the long change.Brett Ebert tried to keep Port Adelaide in the contest and was lively up forward for the visitors, slotting two goals in the third term to take his tally to four.But goals to Darren Jolly, McVeigh and a clever snap to Amon Buchanan ensured the Swans outscored their opponents yet again and took a 38-point lead into the final change, 13.14 (92) to 8.6 (54).Barry Hall, who had had a relatively subdued afternoon, broke free to kick two majors and the match seemed safe in the home side's keeping.But the visitors made one last-ditch effort in the final term, rattling home four quick goals to cut the deficit to 20 points.However, it was a case of too little, too late. O'Loughlin marked Malceski's long bomb and ran in to boot his fourth to seal the win, while Adam Schneider's crumbing goal was icing on the cake.The Swans now move to a 4-4 win-loss record and travel to Canberra's Manuka Oval next week for a meeting with the Western Bulldogs.Sydney Swans 6.4 10.9 13.14 17.16 (118)Port Adelaide 3.1 6.3 8.6 13.9 (87)GOALSSydney Swans: O’Loughlin 4, Ablett 2, Hall 2, McVeigh 2, Buchanan, Davis, Everitt, Goodes, Jolly, Malceski, Schneider Port Adelaide: Ebert 4, Motlop 2, Salopek 2, Bentley, S Burgoyne, K Cornes, Pearce, ThomasBESTSydney Swans: Ablett, Bolton, O'Loughlin, Kennelly, Malceski, Barry, Buchanan Port Adelaide: Ebert, K Cornes, P Burgoyne, Bentley, Wakelin Injuries: NilReports: NilUmpires: C Donlon M Stevic B AllenOfficial Crowd: 25,423 at the SCG
