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<\/p>\n
Sydney was down key starters, including Joel Amartey, Logan McDonald and Sam Wicks, but kicked the game\u2019s first six goals and didn\u2019t look back while playing a fresh, uncontested style of game. <\/p>\n
\u201cTheir uncontested marking has been a standout – they\u2019re playing a different style,\u201d Lions great Alastair Lynch said on Fox Footy. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t seen the overlap metres gained by hands that we know so well – they\u2019re chipping the ball around.\u201d<\/p>\n
They also pounced on the defensive-half errors of the Bulldogs, who at the other end couldn\u2019t be accurate with their chances. <\/p>\n
But despite the hosts getting out to a 36-point lead in the third quarter, the Dogs didn\u2019t lie down, kicking crucial late goals to ensure Sydney\u2019s four points would be hard-fought. <\/p>\n
The Swans played a terrific front-half game, winning the territory battle convincingly and easily able to control the uncontested game. <\/p>\n
Charlie Curnow, who\u2019s in ripping form, starred with six goals, 10 score involvements and nine marks. <\/p>\n
Sydney is now 8-0 at the SCG this year, with an average winning margin of almost seven goals. <\/p>\n
THE 3-2-1 (what we learned) …<\/p>\n
3. \u2018EVERYONE THINKS\u2026\u2019: SWANS REVEAL \u2018DIFFERENT\u2019 STYLE AFTER SCRUTINY<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t always have to be go, go, go. <\/p>\n
It was something that appeared to creep into Sydney\u2019s game last Thursday, but it was clear the Swans, at the outset, wanted to try and control their forward movements with uncontested marks. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s certainly not their established method towards goal, coming into the round ranked 18th for uncontested marks. <\/p>\n
But as rivals continue to latch onto their scintillating forward handball game, the Swans and Dean Cox know they\u2019ve got to find other avenues in transition – even if it\u2019s not at breakneck speed – if their preferred one is shut off. <\/p>\n
\u201cTheir uncontested marking has been a standout – they\u2019re playing a different style,\u201d Lions great Alastair Lynch said on Fox Footy in the first quarter. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t seen the overlap metres gained by hands that we know so well – they\u2019re chipping the ball around. <\/p>\n
\u201cTypically they\u2019ve averaged 18 marks in a quarter – they\u2019re already up to 20 (with four minutes left).\u201d<\/p>\n
Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall added: \u201cI like it from Dean Cox \u2026 they\u2019re saying \u2018everyone thinks we just play this handball game\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Well, let\u2019s show that we can actually possess it by foot and play a different brand of footy and still get the job done\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
From boundary level, Cats great Cam Mooney explained further at quarter-time. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe were all talking about how Sydney was going to (fix) their handball game \u2026 Well, this week, it\u2019s the marking game; the uncontested game,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey are ranked 18th for uncontested marks \u2026 this is just a little way that they are changing their game. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe know they love their handball game. But if they\u2019re not getting that given to them by the opposition, they\u2019re going to take the uncontested marking game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked at half-time about the apparent change, Isaac Heeney told Fox Footy: \u201cIt\u2019s kind of what the opposition gives us; I think we need to adjust to the trends better than we have in our last month of footy \u2026 we took that into the first quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney thoroughly outpossessed the Dogs, had 20 more forward entries in an emphatic territory battle win, and was a whopping +64 for uncontested possessions. <\/p>\n
Cox\u2019s charges were also +25 for marks, finishing with 97 for the game – 15 more than their season average. <\/p>\n
They mightn\u2019t admit as much in the public forum, but this was yet another Swans flex – a fresh statement to the rest of the competition that they can win another way. <\/p>\n
And it was a statement they had to make, after their flag candidacy was in question following a poor patch of form, particularly from a defensive perspective. <\/p>\n
The Swans\u2019 defence hadn\u2019t been anywhere near up to scratch, conceding 80 points from turnover to the Lions last Thursday, as their defensive shape was repeatedly exposed in transition. <\/p>\n
\u201cI do have some concerns about Sydney \u2026 it is about the bigger picture and whether their style stacks up against the big boys in September,\u201d Fox Footy expert Leigh Montagna said on First Crack. <\/p>\n
From Rounds 8 through 16, the Swans have ranked 14th for points against, 17th for points against from turnover, and 13th for defending ball movement. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not the profile of a team that can win the premiership,\u201d Montagna said. <\/p>\n
But they gave the Dogs very little offensively – granted, poor goalkicking accuracy played a part – in a much more stringent showing on Friday night. <\/p>\n
2. \u2018STORY OF THE NIGHT\u2019: DOGS MATCHUP BADLY EXPOSED<\/p>\n
Buku Khamis said he learned from his matchup with Charlie Curnow earlier in the year, but the dual Coleman medallist had his way with the Dogs\u2019 stopper once more on Friday night. <\/p>\n
In the first half alone, Curnow kicked four goals, took six marks and had six score involvements to cap his highest-rated half as a Swan. <\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s spearhead finished with six goals in arguably his most convincing display as a Swans player. <\/p>\n
Khamis\u2019 poor positioning in the back half was key to him being outmarked on multiple occasions. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s having a tough night, Buku Khamis,\u201d Jason Dunstall said in the second term on Fox Footy. <\/p>\n
Jordan Lewis said at half-time: \u201cI think the story of the night \u2026 (we) interviewed Buku (pre-game) about his positioning and where he wanted to be \u2026 that was the intriguing thing that we watched in the first half.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack Riewoldt added: \u201cThe contested marks is the aspect he was able to get Khamis early on. <\/p>\n
\u201cPlayed in a poor position here (for Curnow\u2019s first goal) \u2026 just in the wrong spot. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe spoke about playing to his strengths – I\u2019m tipping standing in front, trying to wrestle Charlie Curnow isn\u2019t one of Buku\u2019s strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lewis chimed in: \u201cYes, a lot falls on Buku and his positioning, but he needs more help from his teammates in that back six.\u201d<\/p>\n
Khamis was ultimately moved forward late in the second half. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, ruckman Tim English was deployed deep in defence, prompting curiosity from the Fox Footy panel at the SCG. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat message is Luke Beveridge sending by playing Tim English at full back?\u201d Dunstall posed. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a vote of no confidence in the ruck.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, defensive-half turnovers and inaccuracy proved costly from the get-go for the Dogs, who were -9 for front-half turnovers caused by quarter-time. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe story of this first quarter has been simple, basic turnovers through the middle of the ground for the Western Bulldogs, and they\u2019ve paid the price,\u201d Alastair Lynch said. <\/p>\n
At half-time, Riewoldt said: \u201cThey\u2019ve had their chances, but they would be ruing their shots on goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lewis said: \u201cThey resurrected momentum (in the second term), but once again, easy opportunities forward of the ball with chances to actually lift the morale of the group just went missing.\u201d<\/p>\n
1. DOGS STRUCK DOWN AS MIDFIELDER IN MRO \u2018TROUBLE\u2019<\/p>\n
Connor Budarick\u2019s interrupted year continues, with the rebounding Bulldog ruled out of the match at half-time with an ankle injury. <\/p>\n
Defender Nick Coffield later joined him on the sidelines after copping a brutal knee to the back of his head. <\/p>\n
Budarick got awkwardly tangled in an Isaac Heeney tackle in the second quarter and was in immediate pain. <\/p>\n
He had to be assisted down to the Dogs\u2019 rooms before communication came through at the main break that he\u2019d take no further part. <\/p>\n
It comes after Budarick – who\u2019s been an important back-half asset for Luke Beveridge – missed time with a hamstring strain in April. <\/p>\n
Coffield, on the other hand, was on the receiving end of an inadvertent Chad Warner knee, which made heavy contact with the Dog\u2019s head. <\/p>\n
After initially staying out on the field, Coffield made his way to the bench before being officially ruled out with concussion. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bulldogs midfielder Matt Kennedy is set to come under heat from the Match Review Officer after a bump on Sydney\u2019s Caiden Cleary. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think he is (in some trouble). He elected to bump, rather than brace,\u201d Midweek Tackle\u2019s Jon Ralph said at half-time. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe might suggest that Caiden Cleary drags the ball in, so what else was he supposed to do, but it\u2019s certainly hip to the head, here. <\/p>\n
\u201cDoesn\u2019t try and win the ball, doesn\u2019t try and stop to brace. I think he breaches his duty of care.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Christian\u2019s \u2018impact\u2019 grading will determine whether it\u2019s a fine or suspension for Kennedy. <\/p>\n
Re-live Sydney vs. Bulldogs in our blog below!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sydney has resolidified its top-two position on the ladder, palming off the Western Bulldogs 13.12 (90) to 7.13…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":776519,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-776518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/776518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=776518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/776518\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/776519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=776518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=776518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=776518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}