Sydney Swans flying high as North Melbourne's undefeated streak ends

SYDNEY 6.1 8.2 12.3 14.7 (91)
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.2 6.5 7.7 9.11 (65) 
Goals: Sydney: L Franklin 3 J McVeigh 2 B McGlynn D Hannebery G Hewett G Rohan H Cunningham I Heeney J Kennedy T Mitchell Z Jones. North Melbourne: L Thomas 3 B Brown D Wells J MacMillan R Nahas T Dumont T Goldstein. Umpires: Shaun Ryan, Scott Jeffery, David Harris Official Crowd: 38,498 at SCG

Sydney coach John Longmire says the incidence of players milking free kicks needs to be looked at by the AFL, while North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has accused anyone who points the finger at an individual over the furore of being a coward.

Sydney's bruising and sometimes spiteful 26-point win over previously unbeaten North Melbourne at the SCG spilled into some tense post-match moments, with Longmire carefully conveying some of the frustration shared by his players.

Longmire didn't name anyone, but it appeared to have been in regards to Kangaroos small forward Lindsay Thomas, who scored two of his three goals from free kicks after being tackled high.

"I think it needs to be looked at," Longmire responded when asked about players searching for free kicks.

He added: "What do you do? I'm not there to tell the decision-makers what to do. I'm there to coach a team to play a game of footy. That's what I'll do.

"It's a split second decision [to get lower when making a tackle], it's a very difficult thing to do. We gave away a couple of free kicks. But in the end, I didn't have a close look at the replays."

Asked if he would make a call to the AFL about the problem, Longmire said no.

His counterpart Scott said he agreed with Longmire that the problem needed to be looked at.

"But while they continue to get paid, then players will keep doing it," Scott said.

"And there will be cowards out there who single out individuals, but every player in the competition tries to do it. So, until the rules change, then players will keep doing it."

Scott said players were intentionally looking for free kicks because they were being "incentivised" by their claims being rewarded.

It made for a peculiar end to an enthralling heavyweight clash in front of 38,498 fans.

The Kangaroos were aiming for 10 straight wins for the first time this century, but Sydney triumphed with a mixture of brains and brawn, largely nullifying North Melbourne's tall timber forward line with another dominant midfield display, allowing them to set the terms through crucial periods.

After conceding heavily in the first term, down by as many as 31 at one stage, North Melbourne got off the ropes in the second quarter, reducing a 23-point quarter time deficit to just nine points, 8.2.50 to 6.5.41, at the main break.

Sydney had belted the Kangaroos in contested ball in the opening half hour or so, but the hosts found a revived opponent in the second term, as North gained 11 more contested possessions and 10 more inside 50s.

It set the scene for a ferocious third quarter, in which the Swans wrenched back the advantage to secure four goals to one, again putting the pressure on the Kangaroos to respond.

This time, however, Sydney refused to loosen their vice-like grip, steaming to a 26-point win.

Sydney's midfield was outstanding again, with the work of Tom Mitchell, Josh Kennedy and Kieren Jack, particularly, setting up the win. Mitchell had 41 touches, made 10 tackles and was awarded best on ground. Jack made a game high 13 tackles and Kennedy 12. Lance Franklin celebrated Indigenous Round with three goals and six tackles. The Swans' defence stood proudly in the absence of the injured Ted Richards.

For the visitors, Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell led the possessions, while the enigmatic Thomas proved a handful with three goals and Andrew Swallow gathered 12 tackles.

"We were really happy with our pressure around the ball and our pressure on the opposition when they had the ball," Longmire said. "We dropped a bit in the second quarter, didn't have as many tackles and as much pressure on the opposition. They were always going to have a turn, but we were pleased that we got it going again in the third and finished off really strongly."