SYDNEY 2.3 5.4 8.7 14.9 (93) GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 0.2 4.4 6.5 10.8 (68)
GOALS Sydney: Franklin 4, Hannebery 2, Tippett 2, McGlynn, Sinclair, Heeney, Parker, Mitchell, Papley. GWS: Patton 2, Palmer 2, Coniglio 2, Ward, Kelly, Johnson, Mumford.
BEST Sydney: Franklin, Hannebery, Parker, Tippett, Rampe, Kennedy GWS: Shiel, Scully, Whitfield, Shaw, Mumford.
Injuries: Greater Western Sydney: A Corr (ankle), M Buntine (hamstring, replaced in the selected side by Z Williams).
UMPIRES Ryan, Meredith, O'Gorman.
CROWD 37,045 at the SCG.
Sydney remains a red and white town — for now — and for that the Swans can thank Lance Franklin after a night where for long periods it seemed the balance of power was in danger of heading west. The suspicion heading into the ninth derby was that the gap between the two sides has never been narrower - and so it proved.
For years Greater Western Sydney have talked a big game but, apart from round one two years ago, they have not been able to deliver. They came to the party this time and it took some crucial, some might say divine, interventions from Franklin to keep them at bay.
Although they prevailed by 25 points it took until 27 minutes into the last quarter for the Swans to finally finish off their cross-town rival. The victory preserves their unbeaten start to the season and keeps their perfect derby record at the SCG intact while the Giants lost no admirers.
A fond farewell: Former Swans player Adam Goodes thanks the crowd during a lap of honour at Sydney Cricket Ground before the game against GWS.
Twice the Swans kicked out to decent leads only for the Giants to will themselves back into the contest. In the end, the weight of numbers told for the Giants, who had the game played predominantly in their defensive half. The Swans dominated the inside 50 count 67-47 but it was not until the final quarter that they were able to get bang for the buck.
In many respects, this was a most curious game. The Giants won more of the ball but generated fewer entries in their forward 50 however when they were within goal they seemed the more dangerous of the two sides.
The Swans kept probing and probing the Giants defence but it was not until the final quarter that it finally crumbled. That Franklin was the main man to capitalise should come as no surprise. In a low-scoring game, his four goals were priceless, including a ball-burster from outside 50 to start the final term.
The Swans were at their best when they were able to keep the game in close. Dan Hannebery and Luke Parker were again superb, gathering 31 and 30 possessions respectively.
The Giants, however, were damaging once the ball was in space, their extra pace troubling the Swans.
The Swans were the league's heaviest scorers in the first two rounds but they had not encountered the type of pressure served up to them by the Giants. Just ask Ted Richards and Heath Grundy, whose hurried kicks in the opening minutes showed just how hot the contest was.
It took 18 minutes for the first goal of the game; that it went to the Swans was no surprise given how much time the ball spent in their half. The margin blew out to 19 points early in the second but the Giants then showed their hand.
Though their pressure and tackling enabled them to match Sydney in hand-to-hand combat, their weapon was their speed once the ball was in the open.
Cross-town tussle: Kurt Tippett and Shane Mumford jostle for possession. Photo: Getty Images
The Giants, through the likes of Dylan Shiel, Tom Scully and Lachie Whitfield, ran in waves, pumping the ball into an open forward line. Instead of running at the ball, the Giants forwards ran with it.
The strategy was working. The Giants kicked three goals in seven minutes, much to the shock of a partisan Swans crowd. The efficiency the Swans forwards showed in the previous fortnight was gone.
From 35 entries inside 50 they managed only five goals while the Giants were able to generate a shot at goal from almost every second entry.
Apart from the stunning upset two years ago, seldom had the Swans been under siege to this extent in derbies. But for all the desperation and endeavour shown by the Giants, they could not head the Swans.
Each time they drew level, the Swans were able to conjure a goal. They stretched the margin beyond two goals when big man Callum Sinclair crumbed a misdirected spoil from Nathan Wilson into the corridor and was able to snap truly.
This is the problem when the ball spends so much time in your back half - sooner or later a defender will make a crucial error.
