Amartey bags five as Swans belt Lions
Adrian Warren |
Joel Amartey has bagged five goals as Sydney blitzed Brisbane early and claimed a convincing 44-point win over the understrength AFL premiers at the SCG.
Sydney kicked the first seven goals of Saturday’s game on their way to a second home victory, winning 15.14 (104) to 8.12 (60).
Brisbane, without the suspended Harris Andrews, Zac Bailey and Darcy Gardiner and the injured Hugh McCluggage, dropped to 0-2 in their season start.
A downside for the Swans was a potential injury for star Errol Gulden who left the field in the final quarter.
The Lions trailed by 34 and 48 at the first two breaks and didn’t kick successive goals until the third quarter, which they won by seven points.
They got within 29 in the final quarter, before successive goals to Justin McInerney and Brodie Grundy and Amartey blew the margin back to 47.
Star recruit Charlie Curnow was well contained by Richard Lester, kicking 0.2, but Sydney had plenty of other weapons.
Amartey kicked and marked with authority and Isaac Heeney and Logan McDonald each booted two goals.
Tom McCartin racked up a career-high 27 possessions for Sydney.
Brisbane won 22 more clearances but lacked the polish going forward.
The Swans early pressure paid dividends as they kicked four of their first five goals from turnovers and piled on the first 31 points of the game.
Nick Blakey goaled from 50 inside the first minute and Sydney added further majors from Malcolm Rosas and Heeney before Brisbane recorded a single disposal inside their forward 50.
Brisbane’s first goal came after the quarter-time siren, when an accurate Charlie Cameron set shot cut the deficit to 34 points.
Brisbane were more competitive and effective in quelling the Swans’ threat In the second quarter but had no more joy offensively, again kicking just 1.3.
Sydney’s haul of 3.5 gave them a 48-point buffer at halftime, even though the Lions were ahead in clearances and contested possessions.
Dayne Zorko tallied a match-high 30 touches for Brisbane and Lachie Neale 28 and Cameron and Bruce Reville both kicked two goals.
AAP