Amartey’s Nine as Swans Survive Crows Scare
After being challenged for a lot of the night, Sydney were able to score 11 goals to three in the second half to run out comfortable 42-point winners in Adelaide.
Joel Amartey (nine goals, 10 disposals) was the only forward that fired in the first half for Sydney, while Errol Gulden (34 disposals, six tackles, 10 clearances) was instrumental in the win.
Mitch Hinge (33 disposals, eight marks, five tackles) was important down back. Rory Laird (34 disposals, five clearances) was his usual self as well, fresh off a training incident on Wednesday.
After a first few minutes in which both teams had control of the footy, it was Darcy Fogarty who converted from a set shot to open the majors column for the night.
Josh Rachele quickly followed suit, and the Crows, despite losing both clearances and hit outs, were leading the game 2.0.12 to 0.1.1
Sydney wouldn’t remain goalless for long. Taylor Adams was able to deliver from 45 metres out, as the former Magpie continued on from last week.
Lachlan Sholl then stepped around a defender to score from a tight angle and better Adams from a few moments earlier, as the shootout continued, 3.0.18 to 1.1.7.
Sydney controlled the territory battle, but the Crows’ pressure was elite. The Crows seemed to have control of the game early, as Dawson put through the Adelaide team’s fourth.
Sydney were able to find a way forward as Jordan put it toward the goal square. Warner was waiting out the back and put it home from the line as the Quarter Time break beckoned.
The Crows led 4.2.26 to 2.3.15 at Quarter Time. Centre clearances, hit outs, and uncontested possessions belonged to the Swans, while the Crows were winning stoppage clearances and had a pressure rating of the charts.
The returning Izak Rankine began the second quarter for the Crows in fine style. The 18-point margin gave the Swans some work to do with three minutes eclipsed.
The Crows defence was also holding up well. In 18 Inside 50’s, the Adelaide defence only gave away five scores. In the air, the Swans forward line looked as if it couldn’t compete with the likes of Keane and Butts.
Aerially, Sydney did get a win when Joel Amartey was able to mark and convert from a set shot to bring the margin back to 12 points, 5.3.33 to 3.3.21.
Rankine’s return certainly hit fever pitch in the second term when his talent shone through. Running through the pack he was able to snap true as Adelaide’s sixth goal was a class above the rest. Adelaide fans were reminded what they’d missed from the former Gold Coast Sun in recent weeks. 14 minutes through the second and the scoreboard read 6.3.39 to 3.4.22.
Brayden Cook was next to enter the major column with a clever toe poke.
In a quarter where the Crows left the Swans shell shocked, Gulden hit Amartey, who marked and goaled from 40 metres to close the margin again.
His third followed quickly from the square after another contested mark. Joel Amartey was the Swans’ most dangerous forward to Half Time and offered Sydney a way back into the contest.
Amartey was everywhere as he snapped his fourth to close the margin to three points, 7.3.45 to 6.6.42. Sydney, as good teams do, fighting back into the contest.
After a quarter that the Crows owned for 20 minutes, three Sydney goals meant the margin was just three points. This, after the Crows led it by 11 at Quarter Time. The Swans sending a dangerous message to the rest of the competition, showing how quickly they can score.
As the third quarter drew on, the Swans had momentum and had four more inside 50s. 12 minutes into the third quarter, the Crows got a goal through Fogarty, which swung the momentum of the game.
Moments later, as tempers flared, Soligo converted from 49 metres and the Crows kicked away. 9.6.60 to 6.8.44.
Déjà vu hit as Amartey kicked his kicked his fifth to draw Sydney back after a brilliant ball was delivered inside 50 from Luke McDonald.
Papley followed McDonald’s lead as Heeney ended the move to draw the margin back to three points, 9.6.60 to 8.9.57.
After McDonald skied a snap, it looked that Keane was going to take a goal-saving mark, however Amartey appeared and put through number six to put Sydney ahead for the first time since the early stages of the first. Amartey found another to give Sydney a nine point advantage.
Mitch Hinge knocked Taylor Adams to the ground after Amartey’s seventh to gift Sydney a goal. The scoreboard now in favour of the Swans 11.9.75 to 9.6.60.
Amartey’s eighth gave Sydney a 21 point lead, and the Crows were fading quickly.
Three Quarter Time came with a chorus of boos, as the Swans kicked six goals to two to lead 12.9.81 to 9.6.60.
As Heeney got the first of the fourth, it became clear that the Swans stars were shining through, as Adelaide’s third quarter collapse turned into a Sydney masterclass.
Papley was next to join the goal scorers list. 14.11.95 to 9.7.61 as the Swans flexed their muscles.
The 14th minute mark would see Amartey’s ninth, as he hunted down a perfect 10.
McDonald went from assister to goalkicker when he slotted his first, having been the kick inside 50 for multiple Swan goals throughout the night.
Ben Keays kicked a goal with a little under two minutes to go, but it was all too little, too late.
Adelaide have three loses in a row, Meanwhile, the Swans have win number nine a row, having only dropped one game all year, Richmond at the MCG.
Adelaide: 4.2 7.4 9.6 10.7.67
Sydney: 2.3 6.6 12.9 17.11.107
Goalkickers:
Adelaide:
D. Fogarty, (2), I. Rankine, (2), B. Cook, J. Dawson, B. Keays, J. Rachele, L. Sholl, J. Soligo
Sydney:
J. Amartey, (9), T. Adams, (2), I. Heeney, (2) L. McDonald, T. Papley, C. Warner
Best:
Adelaide:
D. Fogarty, M. Hinge, R. Laird, I. Rankine, L. Sholl
Sydney:
T. Adams, J. Amartey, B. Grundy, E. Gulden, I. Heeney
Next up for Sydney it’s the battle of the bridge as they take on GWS next Saturday. Adelaide have a bye before they take on GWS on the night of Saturday the 29th of June in Round 16 at the Adelaide Oval.