While the result of the seventh bi-annual Fibros
v. Silvertails Sydney derby was never really in doubt, the Greater Western
Sydney Giants showed the rest of the league how to take the game to the
defending minor premiers. Let down by some inaccurate kicking which left them
thirty-five points adrift at half-time despite equality between the teams in
terms of the number of scoring shots, the visitors nevertheless departed the
Sydney Cricket Ground with their heads held high.
The diminutive length of the grand old
stadium forces teams to move the footy droit
au but (as they say in Marseille), with the result that whomsoever
dominates the centre corridor gets the bulk of scoring opportunities. Lance
Franklin understands this, and his first goal, the Bloods’ second, was a
sensational long-distance snap from inside the centre square. Isaac Heeney is
also learning quickly, and picked goals like the pumpkins for which his
hometown is famous – his brace either side of Franklin’s stunner propelled them
to a fifteen-point lead after a first quarter played at a more measured tempo
than the frenetic opening stanza witnessed last week at the Adelaide Oval.
Most of the scoring in the second quarter came
via set shots, and it was here that the Cherry-pickers were punished for their
propensity for, in the words of coach ‘Arks’ from the 2002 film Australian Rules, “finessin’” and “buggerisin’
‘round the flanks”. The highlight-reel moment of the quarter belonged to Luke
Parker, who crumbed a marking contest in the forward pocket, lost his footing
(though he never really had it in the first place), dropped the Sherrin, and
soccered it in mid-air. It rolled through and survived a tense score review.
(There was also a bit of good old-fashioned argy-bargy with around five minutes
of regulation time to go, but nowhere near as good as the show put on by
Carlton’s Chris Yarran and Melbourne’s Bernie Vince in the two other games
played the same day.)
The Giants came out firing in the third
quarter. They kicked three goals – two to Cameron McCarthy and one snap from
the flank to Ryan Griffen – and la
albirroja responded with three behinds. Rhys Palmer goaled and the comeback
was well and truly on, though matters were not helped by the limping off with
an injury of the well-hair gelled Dylan Shiel. Then, as if regaining their
proverbial mojo, the Swans slipped into gear. They got numbers back, they moved
the ball well through the midfield, and Lewis Jetta pulled off a slick move on
the wing to goal from outside fifty. After dominating the second half of the
quarter, they went into lemon time thirty-nine points in front.
But la
naranja mecánica weren’t done yet, and piled on some more early-quarter
six-pointers to again threaten a repeat of their upset in the opening round of
last season. Palmer let Tom Scully’s effort roll through, then was ably
assisted by ex-Swan Shane Mumford for one of his own. Stephen Coniglio became
their seventh goalscorer of the day, and Tomas Bugg prevented the frosty-haired
prodigy from Maitland from getting his fifth major by slamming him into the
behind post and into the deep red substitute’s vest. But they again couldn’t
overpower the men in red and white, who right now are looking as if they can
beat anyone in the league on whatever terms they care to offer.
Sydney 15.16.111 – Greater Western Sydney 12.18.90
Goals: Franklin 5, Heeney 4, Parker 2, Bird,
Hannebery, Jack, Jetta, McGlynn (Syd.); Palmer 3, Cameron 2, Griffen 2, McCarthy
2, Coniglio, Scully, Whitfield (Gtr. West. Syd.)
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