2m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 9:06am
QT: Sydney 6.2 (38) leads Hawthorn 5.3 (33)
The siren goes, and EVERYONE will need to take a breath after that.
I’m not sure how they did all that.
11 goals in the quarter, and speed was the name of the game at the MCG.
Sydney’s 19 inside 50s to 8 translates to just a five-point lead.
Sam Mitchell would be happy with that, but Dean Cox would be hoping his side can stop the Hawks on their surging way when they do go into attack.
Can they keep going? We’ll see.
5m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 9:02am
Swans blot their copybook – with a poster!
More attacking play from Sydney – the ball comes to Tom Papley, but the Swans dynamo hits the post!
That’s Sydney 6.1 (37) to Hawthorn’s 5.3 (33) in time on.Â
8m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:59am
It’s Hawthorn’s turn – again!
It’s not slowing down here!
The Hawks get their turn to push it forward, and now it’s Jsack Gunston who gets the goal.
That is eight inside 50s for 5 goals for Hawthorn!
We’re in time on, but we’ve had 11 goals so far, and you wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two more before the siren.
11m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:57am
Amartey kicks on and Sydney extend the lead
The folks looking after the scoreboard at the MCG are getting dizzy. The Swans have six, with another in a series of surges forward.
They go long to the square, and Hawthorn get pinged for an errant tackle on Joel Amartey.
He slots it, and I can’t really believe what I’m seeing.
13m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:55am
It’s Corey Warner for Sydney
What on earth is happening here!
We’re barely over half a quarter of footy, and the Swans have just kicked their fifth of the night.
It’s like pinball here, as Corey Warner kicks one for Sydney.
15m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:52am
Goal for goal at the ‘G!
The Swans are kicking plenty of goals, but they are not able to stop the Hawks when they go forward.
Another sweeping move finds Dylan Moore, who marks and converts. This is crazy stuff.
17m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:51am
Curnow kicks his second for Sydney
Well, I’m not sure we thought we’d have a shootout at the MCG, but that’s where we are for the moment.
Curnow kicks his second and the Swans are matching the Hawks right now.
19m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:49am
Chol has another, as Hawks hit back
Hawthorn are getting more looks inside 50, but they haven’t converted too many.
They have now, though, as another solid ball to the hotspot is marked by Mabior Chol, who is giving the Sydney defence hell early doors.
He kicks the goal, and the Hawks are back ahead by a point.
22m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:46am
Charlie Curnow puts Sydney in front
That’s two in quick time for Sydney, where has that come from?
They get it through and nice kick to the square where CHarlie Curnow is waiting. He can’t take the mark, but he uses his body well and kicks it as he is slung – and the Swans are ahead!
23m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:45am
Malcolm Rosas grabs one for Sydney
The Swans hit back, putting it together with a nice goal on the run from former Sun, Malcolm Rosas Jr.
The Swans needed that. The pressure is on, but conversion will be key tonight.
25m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:43am
Top defensive pressure from Hawks
The Swans finally got a bit of slingshot footy, and as expected Nick Blakey was involved.
He chipped it forward to Logan McDonald, who wheeled and kicked to Charlie Curnow, but the Swans spearhead wasn’t able to get it, and he was eventually pinged for incorrect disposal.
28m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:40am
Hawthorn flying early
The home crowd are up and about at the MCG, as Hawthorn are hitting their stride.
A lovely move down the left, and a long handball into the centre led to a beautiful ball to the edge of the square where Mabior Chol marked and kicked the goal.
The brown ad gold colours are being waved in the stadium. A solid start for the Hawks.
30m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:38am
Hawks answer quickly!
It’s been an up and back start at the MCG.
The Hawks forced the ball into attack, and after a bit of a ruck in the square, Jack Gunston hooked it over his shoulder for a point.
However the Hawks were quickly back into attack, and Connor McDonald found Josh Ward, who sent it to Cam McKenzie, who bounced it through from 35.
The Hawks lead!
33m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:34am
Swans get the early goal
Sydney won the opening tap and went straight into attack.
The Hawks had a stoppage in defensive 50, but Tom Papley was tackled in the back. They weren’t happy about it, but Papley slotted the kick.
Swans lead by six.
36m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:32amWe are underway at the MCG!
Can the Hawks knock off the Swans at home? (Getty Images/AFL Photos)
Here we go at the MCG. Will it be a fast and furious game, or will are we in for a slugfest? Stick with us to find out.
40m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:28am
Recent results for Hawthorn vs SydneyR1, 2025: Hawthorn by 20 (SCG)R8, 2024: Sydney by 76 (MCG)R2, 2023: Sydney by 81 (SCG)R6, 2022: Sydney by 41 (Launceston)R13, 2021: Hawthorn by 38 (SCG)R8, 2020: Sydney by 7 (SCG)
These recent results make an interesting read. The Hawks have split the last four games with the Swans in Sydney, and lost in their second home in Launceston, as well as the second-most recent encounter at the MCG.
The Hawks would fancy themselves at headquarters tonight, however — and if we take Sydney’s last 11 games overall at the MCG, they have only won three.
43m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:24am
Hawks the favourites but no easy game
G’day Andrew. A Hawker through and through but I always fear in recent years we have a tendency to somehow lose when we are ‘favourites’. Any possibility you could talk up Sydney’s chances?
– Phillip
Phillip,
I’m sorry for you it looks like a Hawks win from here, but there are no guarantees. You can check out the Swans’s recent record at the MCG in a minute or two (it’s not great). But the Hawks would want to get off to a fast start and keep going. If Sydney are in with a show with a quarter to go, look out.
48m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:20am
Hawks back home for first time in 202651m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:17amBlakey, McInerney the keys to Swans’ slingshot footy
Sydney has had a more than solid start to the year, playing a recognisable brand of slingshot footy.
Looking at the way they have played, two names really stand out — Nick Blakey and Justin McInerney.
“The Lizard” has been in fine form, with nearly 1200m gained in two matches, plus a combined 15 score involvements, as his trademark bursts out of the backline set the Swans up in attack.
Justin McInerney has been a key to the Swans’ success – can he keep it going in the absence of Errol Gulden and Isaac Heeney? (Getty Images/AFL Photos)
McInerney doesn’t get as much profile as Isaac Heeney, Errol Gulden and Chad Warner, but he has been a crucial transition player through the midfield. He’s had a total of 54 disposals in the opening two rounds, with a whopping 21 score involvements inlcuding five goals.
It has to be said, however, that Gulden had 876m gained and 17 score involvements in the game and two-thirds before his injury.
The good news for the Swans is it hasn’t been a narrow group of people taking part.
Riley Bice had six rebound 50s, seven score involvements and 574m gained against Brisbane, and he will be vital again tonight.
In all, five Swans had seven score involvements against the Lions — two of which, Gulden and Heeney, won’t be out there tonight.
The question is, will the Hawks allow the Swans to move the ball that quickly at the MCG? Only time will tell.
58m agoThu 19 Mar 2026 at 8:10amHawks happy to control the ball
It’s been a couple of very different games for Hawthorn so far.
The Hawks could not get the job done against GWS in Sydney.
Hawthorn did not have control of the game, losing clearances, contested and uncontested possessions.
But against an average Essendon outfit last week, the Hawks did as they pleased, racking up 69 inside 50s and a mammoth 23 marks inside the arc.
The Hawks will be hoping for a repeat of last week from Jack Gunston with another six marks inside 50 and five goals (Getty Images/AFL Photos)
If you give Hawthorn that sort of time, space and momentum, they’ll do damage.
Jack Gunston (six) and Nick Watson (four) led the way with marks inside 50, but Mabior Chol, Josh Weddle, Conor Nash and Jack Ginnivan all contributed. The other key stat was their 157 marks (count ’em) and 295 uncontested possessions.
If Sydney is to have a chance tonight, they have to force the contest and not allow the Hawks to chip it around.