Advertisement

Buddy, Swans get on the board as Crows sink

Midfielder Luke Parker kicked four goals in a best-afield display as Sydney crushed Adelaide by 63 points on Saturday to bank their first win of the AFL season.

Boom recruit Lance Franklin also found form in the Swans’ 21.8 (134) to 9.17 (71) victory at Adelaide Oval.

Franklin booted four goals while teammate Harry Cunningham kicked three against the Crows, who remain winless after three games – and all defeats have been by heavy margins.

Sydney’s Parker was a standout and collected 26 possessions to form a dominant midfield with Josh Kennedy (28 disposals) and Jarrad McVeigh, who was also reported for rough conduct.

McVeigh collected Adelaide’s Matthew Jaensch high in a first quarter controlled by the Swans, who skipped to a 6.2 to 2.2 lead at the first change.

Parker kicked two of his goals in the opening quarter and Franklin also scored to set the tone for his best performance in Sydney colours.

Both clubs kicked three goals in an even second stanza but Adelaide lost club champion Scott Thompson, who was substituted in the 18th minute of the term with a corked thigh.

The Crows sorely missed his grunt around the packs and found themselves overly reliant on Richard Douglas (25 disposals) and co-captains Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield (23 possessions) for midfield drive.

Adelaide, who fell 29 points behind early in the second term, launched a third-term comeback and crept to within two points midway through the quarter.

But the Swans emphatically answered the challenge, kicking the next four goals.

And when Parker slotted his fourth major late in the quarter, Sydney established a defining 25-point advantage at three quarter-time.

McVeigh then booted the first major of the last term after a remarkable mark – the first of seven unanswered goals as Adelaide limply folded.

AAP

Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.