THE Sydney Swans have bounced back to form and ruined Barry Hall's SCG farewell with an impressive 39-point victory over the Western Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
Hall was outstanding for the visitors, finishing with five goals, but the Swans' 2005 premiership captain played a lone hand in the Bulldogs' 16.18 (114) to 11.9 (75) loss that all-but finished their season.
Coming into the match, the Swans had lost four of their past five games and slipped out of the top eight following St Kilda's 103-point victory over Adelaide on Friday night.
But they have now jumped up to sixth place, albeit with Essendon and Fremantle still to play in round 18.
Adam Goodes was at his brilliant best, finishing with a career-high 34 possessions, 10 marks and two goals, while Kieren Jack, the returning Jude Bolton and Craig Bird (career-best four goals) all stood out.
Apart from Hall, the Bulldogs had too few contributors on a disappointing afternoon, with Andrew Hooper their other multiple goal-kicker with two.
Despite more than 260mm of rain falling in Sydney this month, already the wettest July since 1950, the SCG was in surprisingly good condition for the opening bounce.
Both teams started poorly before Adam Cooney's scrappy kick ended up in Hall's arms, much to the crowd's disdain.
As he did 467 times as a Swan, Hall kicked truly to give the Bulldogs the ideal start as boos rang out around the ground.
The Swans then held sway for the next 15 minutes, but Hall's second goal cut the deficit to three points at quarter-time.
The Dogs started the second term with intent, but only managed two behinds before the Swans again took over.
Jarrad McVeigh, Bolton and Bird all kicked goals as the Swans opened up a 20-point lead.
The Bulldogs did answer the challenge, with Hooper kicking two quick goals before Hall marked and slotted a booming goal from outside 50m.
The spritely Hall then took a mark on the boundary, leapt to his feet and nailed a superb goal from a tight angle as the Dogs trailed by seven points at half-time.
But from then on it was all the Swans, who repeatedly kept the Dogs stuck in their back half courtesy of a suffocating press, marching to a match-winning 27-point lead at the last change.
Key match-up
Barry Hall had to contend all day with both Ted Richards and Heath Grundy for company. Grundy began the game on the former Swan, but it took only two minutes for Richards to take his place as they kept Hall on his toes. Despite his advancing years, 34-year-old Hall showed his class and finished with five goals. Grundy was able to limit the veteran after half-time, while the Dogs weren't able to give enough service to their in-form key forward.
Betting
The Swans started the match as $1.61 favourites, with the Bulldogs listed at $2.60. The home side started well and by late in the opening term had shortened to $1.56, while the Dogs drifted to $2.74. Midway through the third term, the bookies had already decided the match was over when the Swans led by only 22 points with plenty of the game remaining, putting them at $1.11 to the Dogs' $7. But they were right on the money.
Toyota AFL Dream Team highlight
Sydney Swans: Adam Goodes played his best match for the year with a season-high 150 Dream Team points while Kieren Jack returned to form with 119 points.
Western Bulldogs: Daniel Cross dominated the first quarter with 64 Dream Team points (10 possessions, five marks and six tackles) but was stretchered off in the eighth minute of the second term and took no further part in the game. In his absence, Matthew Boyd stepped up with 117 points.
Next four
Sydney Swans: Bye, Essendon (ES), Richmond (MCG), St Kilda (ANZ)
Western Bulldogs: West Coast (ES), Bye, Essendon (WB), Port Adelaide (AS)
Quarter by Quarter
First quarter
It was the perfect start to Barry Hall’s last match at the SCG as he kicked two goals in the opening term, including the first for the match. The Swans dominated play, winning the possession count (106 to 83) and inside 50s (20 to 10) but couldn’t capitalise on the scoreboard. Sydney’s wettest July in 61 years was causing headaches for both sides as players continually slipped over and fumbled the ball. Sam Reid was lively up forward for the Swans with three marks and a goal while Adam Goodes was the club’s other goal kicker in the low-scoring term. For the Bulldogs, Daniel Cross was leading the way in the midfield with 10 first quarter possessions, five marks and six tackles.
Swans by three points
Second quarter
The second quarter started horribly for the Bulldogs as Daniel Cross was stretchered off with concussion. The Swans capitalised in his absence, kicking the first three goals of the term through McVeigh, Bolton and Bird before Ryan Hooper steadied the ship for the visitors with a much needed major. The Swans got out to a 20-point lead midway through the term but the Bulldogs lifted as Hall kicked his fourth goal for the match, giving his side the lead at the 27th minute mark. The Swans responded almost immediately and had five shots on goal in as many minutes but only Ben McGlynn could kick truly.
Swans by seven points.
Third quarter
In a dominant third quarter, the Swans piled on 28 points and restricted the Bulldogs to just one goal. It was a defining quarter for the Swans and one which may go a long way to deciding this year’s top eight. Heath Grundy was given the job of curbing the star of the first half, Barry Hall, and the move worked until the 26th minute when Hall’s first touch of the term resulted in a goal from the boundary. The Swans were controlling the game as Goodes (27 touches to three-quarter-time), Bolton (five tackles) and Jack (eight clearances) lifted the club to a 27-point lead.
Swans by 27 points.
Fourth quarter
Bulldog Ryan Griffin had a chance to give his side a much needed fast start to the fourth quarter but missed his set shot on goal from 35 metres out. Craig Bird made the Bulldogs pay dearly, kicking his fourth goal of the match only moments later as the Swans raced out to a 32-point lead. The Bulldogs hit back through Liberatore and Jones but the Swans weren’t going to let this game slip. Goodes finished with a season-high 34 disposals and two goals to lift the Swans back into the top eight.
Swans by 39 points.
Sydney Swans 2.4 7.10 11.14 16.18 (114)
Western Bulldogs 2.1 7.3 8.5 11.9 (75)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Bird 4, McGlynn 2, McVeigh 2, Reid 2, Goodes 2, Roberts-Thomson 2, Bolton, Malceski
Western Bulldogs: Hall 5, Hooper 2, Grant, Liberatore, Jones, Giansiracusa
BEST
Sydney Swans: Goodes, Jack, Bolton, Bird, Grundy
Western Bulldogs: Hall, Boyd, Ward, Higgins, Dahlhaus
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Jayden Schofield (illness) replaced in selected side by Tom Liberatore, Daniel Cross (concussion).
SUBSTITUTES
Sydney Swans: Luke Parker replaced by Nick Malceski in the third quarter
Western Bulldogs: Daniel Cross (concussion) replaced by Tom Liberatore in the second quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Stevic, Mollison
Official crowd: 19,449 at SCG
