THE SYDNEY Swans got their season back on track with a 91-point thrashing of a youthful Essendon with Michael O'Loughlin the star bagging six goals.
A second-half surge from the Swans blew the young Bombers away 21.17 (143) to 7.10 (52) at ANZ Stadium in Homebush.
The Bombers worked back to within 12 points late in the third term before the Swans blitz. From there the Swans slammed on 13 unanswered goals to end the match on a high.
In other good news, Nick Malceski got through the game in his comeback game following a knee reconstruction in pre-season.
However, an injury to Tadhg Kennelly, who left the ground in the second quarter with a dislocated left knee cap, was one dark cloud.
O'Loughlin was a constant danger at full forward while Henry Playfair played arguably his best AFL match, also finishing with three goals.
Darren Jolly, Leo Barry and Amon Buchanan were also prominent while big names Adam Goodes and Brett Kirk were again outstanding.
The Swans started with the breeze at their backs on a blustery, sunny day.
Malceski started on the bench after a miraculous recovery from a knee injury and the attacking defender got a touch of the ball within seconds of coming on was greeted with a huge roar from the crowd.
The Swans were all over Essendon early on in the first quarter with goals to Jarred Moore, O'Loughlin and two from Darren Jolly.
Essendon was kept to just 0.2 in a dismal first term for the Bombers.
A 27-point advantage looked like a potential blow out but that didn't happen. The Bombers hit back with four consecutive goals before two late Sydney goals stretched the half-time margin to 16 points.
A speccy by O'Loughlin early in the second half cleaned up Bomber Henry Slattery in the process. And the inspirational Swan was able to pick himself up and, kicking with no angle from 50m out, didn't miss.
Leroy Jetta's remarkable kick off the ground through the legs of two Swans defenders in the goalsquare kept the visitors in the game but the Swans lifted their intensity and goals from Kirk, Playfair, Buchanan and O'Keefe in just eight minutes saw off the Bombers going into the final quarter.
By the final quarter, the Bombers looked a beaten side while Sydney cruised and picked up their first win since round four and the Marn Grook trophy.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or the clubs.
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney Swans 4.5 6.11 13.15 21.17 (148)
Essendon 0.2 4.7 7.9 7.10 (52)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: O'Loughlin 6, Playfair 3, Jolly 3, O'Keefe 2, Moore 2, Barry, Buchanan, Kirk, Jack, Richards
Essendon: Hill 2, Welsh 2, Jetta, Lloyd, Neagle
BEST
Sydney Swans: Jolly, O'Loughlin, Moore, Barry, Kirk
Essendon: Hill, Welsh, Reimers, McVeigh, Fletcher, Stanton
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Kennelly (dislocated knee), Bird (elbow)
Essendon: TBA
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Armstrong, Avon, McBurney
Official crowd: 34,904 at ANZ stadium
