Experience and composure under pressure – plus some poor first half conversion in front of goal from their opponents - has helped the Sydney Swans to a solid 21-point win over Greater Western Sydney at the SCG.
The Giants were gallant in defeat, but couldn't keep up with the Swans as they sealed the 16.15 (111) to 12.18 (90) victory.
Dan Hannebery – winner of the Brett Kirk Medal after 34 possessions and a goal - Jarrad McVeigh, Rhyce Shaw and Heath Grundy were among the old heads to keep the Swans cool against the plucky Giants.
Third-gamer Isaac Heeney kicked four goals – three of them in the first half – in another classy performance, and the 18 year-old product of the Swans' academy continues to impress coach John Longmire.
"He was a bloke that wouldn't have been playing AFL football (without the academy), so that’s a fact. It's good to be able to bring him in through the talent pool," Longmire said after his side's third straight to start the season.
"He's hard, he competes well, he's composed as well, so not only was he able to hit the scoreboard tonight he was able to set a few up."
Lance Franklin had Joel Patfull as his shadow for the night and while the former Lion battled manfully against the three-time Coleman medallist, the star Swan finished the match with five goals.
"They're a much improved team and they're going to be hard to beat this year," Longmire said.
"They're a team that can kick goals and plenty of them in a row, we saw that last week with nine in a quarter, so to be able to hold them off and answer with some scores of our own was important to do."
GWS matched the home side's intensity for most of the match but turned the ball over consistently because of poor decision-making and skill errors by both hand and foot.
The Giants started the opening term with promise but couldn't finish off their work on the scoreboard. Star forward Jeremy Cameron was the worst offender with 1.3.
At the other end the Swans made the most of their opportunities. Heeney finished beautifully on his left foot for the game's opener, while Franklin and Hannebery both goaled after capitalizing on GWS mistakes.
It was more of the same after quarter-time as GWS kicked 2.7 in the second quarter alone. A goal from Rhys Palmer got the Giants to within 14 points, but four on the trot for the Swans gave them the edge once again.
"Obviously bad kicking for goal is bad footy," Giants coach Leon Cameron said after the match.
"We've got to make sure our goalkicking is better and finishes off the hard work the lads are doing up the ground."
Just as they did against Melbourne last week, the Giants came out a different side after half-time with three quick goals, but they unlike round two they couldn't maintain their dominance thanks to more costly turnovers, especially in the defensive half.
The Giants outscored the Swans by nine goals to six after half-time, but they'll rue a terrible first half of goalkicking in the first Sydney derby of the season.
SYDNEY SWANS 4.3 10.6 14.12 16.15 (111)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.6 3.13 7.15 12.18 (90)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Franklin 5, Heeney 4, Parker 2, McGlynn, Jetta, Jack, Hannebery, Bird
Greater Western Sydney: Palmer 3, McCarthy 2, Cameron 2, Whitfield, Ward, Scully, Griffen, Coniglio
BEST
Sydney Swans: Hannebery, Franklin, Heeney, R Shaw, McVeigh, McGlynn
Greater Western Sydney: Whitfield, Smith, Palmer, H Shaw, Ward, Scully
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: TBC
Greater Western Sydney: TBC
SUBSTITUTES
Sydney Swans: Dean Towers replaced Isaac Heeney in the fourth quarter
Greater Western Sydney: Nathan Wilson replaced Anthony Phillips in the third quarter
Reports: Shane Mumford (GWS) for rough conduct on Kieren Jack in the second quarter
Umpires: Rosebury, Findlay, Ryan
Official crowd: 31,966 at SCG
