The Swans on Friday night extended their post-bye win streak to four, overcoming a spiteful Demons outfit, lead by serial pests Tomas Bugg and Jordan Lewis.
On a night when the Demons' finals credentials were put to the test, they spectacularly failed, with Tomas Bugg knocking out Callum Mills in a disgraceful act in the first 4 minutes.
With the Swans temporarily sliding into the eight, the Demons were left to count the cost, having played three consecutive 6-day-break games and losing Jack Viney to a foot injury late in the first half.
Pre-game
Zak Jones and Jarrad McVeigh returned to the side at the expense of Callum Sinclair (omitted) and Will Hayward (hamstring), while an air of uncertainty swirled around the Demons.
The game
The Swans burst out of the blocks early, with Kennedy, Parker and Hannebery busy in the middle, while Rohan, Reid and Franklin caused all sorts of problems for the Demons defence.
Rohan had two early marks and shots on goal, but it wasn't long before the match descended into chaos, with Tomas Bugg knocking out Callum Mills with a disgraceful coward punch 60 metres off the ball on the wing.
What could possibly make that hit worse? The ridiculous decision from the umpire to give Tomas Bug a free kick after Papley bumped him while running to the interchange.
The hit light a fire under the Swans and they dominated play onwards, leading in possessions and marks, while keeping the pressure on the Dees.
The game should have been over by the 15 minute mark of the first quarter, with an exceptionally uncharacteristically inaccurate Swans blowing chance after chance to kick their first goal.
The Swans blasted the first 6 behinds of the game before the Dees countered with a goal of their own, predictable if anything.
They continued their wasteful ways, even though Rohan was taking a bag of marks inside forward 50, he kicked three points.
The Dees made the most of their chances, and after a difficult shot on the boundary for Reid, the Dees banged through 3 goals in 4 minutes before the Swans got back one of their own.
Luke Parker got one back for the Swans on the first quarter siren, slotting a long bomb, their 10th shot of the quarter, returning 1.8.
Against a better side, at least a more disciplined side, the Swans would have been in trouble, but they bounced back from their goal kicking woes to take the lead in the second quarter.
Melbourne were flat and never regained the ascendency, and could do little to quell the rampant Swans.
Sydney kicked another incredulous score, 4.7 for the quarter, while Melbourne kicked just the 1 behind, struggling to get the ball past the centre circle, let alone inside 50, and when they did, Grundy, Rampe and Melican easily rebounded.
This is one game where the Swans should have rampaged to victory, but instead of kicking 15.5 for the half, they kicked 5.15 and kept the Demons in it.
Heeney bagged a great goal from the pocket when all others around him were missing.
The Swans had the last goal of the half through Papley to take a 20 point lead into half-time, despite kicking just 5 goals.
It was always expected that the Demons would lift at some point, and they came out firing at the start of the 2nd half, with the first four scores, including a goal to McDonald.
Where the Swans were wasteful in the first half, the Demons were similarly wasteful at the start of the second, and Sydney made them pay.
The Swans answered with the next three goals of the quarter through Sam Reid, Jake Lloyd and Lance Franklin.
The Swans never looked like losing the game, despite a clash over the ball involving Zak Jones, and quite frankly a ridiculous deliberate out of bounds decision.
The Demons started the last quarter like they did the third and for several moments, there were flashes of Essendon in the back of most Swans supporters minds.
Despite the fast start, the Swans rallied and controlled the play like they had done all night, chipping it across the field and playing on only when they had the overlap.
Franklin capped off an emphatic Swans victory with his 330th goal at the MCG, one of his two in the last quarter, to lead the Swans to a commanding 35 point victory.
Luke Parker was by far the best player on the ground and looked to have returned to his spectacular best, and was well supported by Kieren Jack, Dan Hannebery, Jake Lloyd, Lance Franklin, Zak Jones and Isaac Heeney.
It was great to see the boys sing the song with gusto, perhaps not as much as last week with their last gasp win, but to see Callum Mills up and about was a great sign and hopefully he'll be available for the Suns next Saturday.
Medical room
Callum Mills was struck unconscious in the first 4 minutes by Tomas Bugg. Dan Hannebery received treatment for a corked thigh.
Zak Jones, looking more like Rocky Balboa than a professional footballer, received treatment for cuts around his right eye after a head clash with Max Gawn.
Tribunal
Lance Franklin should escape sanction for an accidental high bump in the second quarter on Mitch Hannan.
Zak Jones may have a case to answer for a high bump in the third quarter against Mitch Hannan.
Next up
The Swans face the enigmatic Gold Coast Suns on Saturday afternoon at the SCG.
The Suns stepped up sensationally for Ablett's 300th game, yet you don't know what you're going to get with them, and this could be one of those games where they simply fail to leave the coast, or they turn up to win.
| Sydney Swans | ||||
| 1.8 | 5.15 | 8.16 | 11.19 | 85 |
| Melbourne Deemons | ||||
| 4.0 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 7.8 | 50 |
Goals: Franklin 4, Papley 2, Parker, Heeney, Jack, Reid, Lloyd
Best: Parker, Jack, Grundy, Franklin, Lloyd, Jones, Newman
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