Player ratings: Sydney Swans vs Essendon Bombers, 2nd Elimination final 2017

What a way to keep the run going, winning 15 from 17 and setting up a semi-final show down with Geelong.

A competitive first quarter was put firmly in the rearview mirror as the Swans rampaged in the second quarter, belting the hapless Bombers off the park.

If ever was a final with the result all but guaranteed in the 2nd quarter this was it.

It's not enough to make a final, you've got to turn up and play and the Bombers just didn't have anywhere near enough to trouble the Swans.

B: Nick Smith, Heath Grundy, Dane Rampe
HB: Callum Mills, Zak Jones, Jarrad McVeigh
C: Jake Lloyd, Josh P. Kennedy, Isaac Heeney
HF: Tom Papley, Lance Franklin, Gary Rohan
F: Kieren Jack, Callum Sinclair, Sam Reid
FOL: Sam Naismith, Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery
I/C: Harry Cunningham, Dean Towers, Nic Newman, George Hewett

	40: Nick Smith	7.5	Another solid game, dealt with Fantasia and Tipungwuti with ease and covered well for fellow defenders.
	39: Heath Grundy	8.5	Another great game. Suffocated Stewart, almost gave him the Tontine treatment, and when Rampe went off he dominated Daniher.
	24: Dane Rampe	7	Didn't have the greatest of games, but giving away 12cm, almost 10kg, superior leap and reach, he did well. A lot of scragging and got away with it, but gave away a few free kicks.
	14: Callum Mills	8.5	Intercept king this fella. 16 disposals at 88% DE, 5 intercept possessions, 9 marks, 4 of them intercepts.
	7: Harry Cunningham	7	Did well enough, one would wonder where Lewis Melican fits back into the team when he's fit again.
	3: Jarrad McVeigh	7.5	Lead superbly from the back again and even more reason the Swans signed him up again! Will play his 300th game this weekend.
	44: Jake Lloyd	8.5	A goal in a masterful performance, 14 marks!
	12: Josh Kennedy	9.5	Another Kennedy masterclass, well on track to his 2nd finals MVP. 29 disposals 18 contested, 2 goals, 4 inside 50s, 8 clearances, 5 tackles.
	5: Isaac Heeney	7.5	Kicked 2 goals, had 13 disposals, bobbed up here and there to do something spectacular.
	29: George Hewett	7.5	Talk about underrated, most people outside of Sydney don't even know who this kid is. Finished with 19, 6 tackles
	23: Lance Franklin	8	3 minutes of brilliance was all it took. 4 goals in a quarter with a badly corked thigh. Too good.
	16: Gary Rohan	7	Will be delighted to get the finals monkey off his back. Copped a knee knock but finished the 3rd quarter strongly with 2 goals.
	15: Kieren Jack	7.5	2 goals, another negating performance and did what he did well. Butchered the ball somewhat but still provided enough run and pressure.
	18: Callum Sinclair	8.5	Gave Hurley a bath, took him to the cleaners in the first quarter with a goal and 4 marks. Finished with 3 goals from 10 disposals, 9 marks - 4 contested, 3 tackles and 4 inside 50s.
	20: Sam Reid	7	When everyone else is having such a good game, you can afford Sam Reid to play a different role. He swung forward and backwards, had 6 marks and 12 disposals, 8 contested. Played more as a tall wingman than a forward.
	35: Sam Naismith	8	Repaid the Swans faith and played a damn fine game. 33 hit outs, negated Bellchambers and taught him a real football lesson (he had 44 hit outs and 3 disposals). Finished with 10 disposals, 8 contested, 2 marks, 6 clearances, 4 of them from the centre square and 5 tackles.
	26: Luke Parker	8.5	A blinder, enough said. 27 disposals, 12 contested, 7 tackles, 6 inside 50s and 7 clearances.
	4: Dan Hannebery	8	With so many players contributing and so much flexibility, it frees Hannebery to do what he used to do best, rotate everywhere.
	10: Zak Jones	8	Another great game from the young defender. He attacks the ball with such aggression that he just smashes through tackles. Finished with 21 disposals and 9 marks.
	28: Nic Newman	6.5	A quiet game but you didn't see much from his opposite number either. Spent a bit of time forward, on the wing, then floating back in defence.
	41: Tom Papley	7.5	He gets a +1 for that goal assist to Towers, which was absurd. If there was an award for team goals, that would be up there for one of the best of the decade.
	22: Dean Towers	9	Career best game, had 14 disposals, 10 contested, 3 goals, 2 marks, 5 tackles and 4 hit outs, including a dominant leap over Bellchambers. 3 intercept possessions, 5 score involvements, 3 clearances and 18 pressure acts. Superb game.
	9: Brendon Goddard	8.5	Career best game for the Swans, superb in defence turning the ball over with impunity, proving completely ineffective as the spare man in defence as the ball repeated sailed over his head. Gave Franklin a corkie, who then kicked 4 goals in a quarter.

Bonus rating: 8.5/10 Umpires performance Ray Chamberlain had arguably his best game of the season and should get his first grand final. Some of his on-field commentary was gold, fantastic character.

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