Player ratings: Sydney Swans vs GWS Giants, Round 5, 2021

Bugger! 2-point loss after a pulsating final minute. Three entries, a snapshot that was marked on the line, and Jordan Dawson should have had a set shot from 50 metres out with a little over 20 seconds remaining in the match.

Another match for the Swans where they had to grind it out, and they almost did it, but the injury toll is starting to stack up. We've lost three of our best players in the last two weeks - Isaac Heeney and Dane Rampe to hand injuries, while Tom Hickey has a suspected PCL rupture.

Sam Reid more than held his own, sensational even, but with Hickey and Reid out of action, Mumford smashed and bashed his team to victory.

It was telling that the final blow was Josh Kelly roving a Reid hit-out before the defenders could react. It was one of the few times the defence was beaten in a stoppage, who had held firm the entire game.

Will Hayward was terrific in his return to the senior team, booting three majors, while Lewis Melican was solid, if not unreliable with the ball - a reverse on normal form, normally very good with the ball and suspect on defence.

His two major mistakes of the game lead to the first and second-last Giants goals of the match, very costly mistakes in a low-scoring affair.

The Swans are going to have to find a way to crank up the pressure and get speed into the game when teams are going to park the bus and play the counter punch.

B: G. Hewett, L. Melican, T. McCartin
HB: H. Cunningham, J. Dawson, J. Lloyd
C: J. McInerney, O. Florent, C. Warner
HF: S. Wicks, W. Hayward, L. Parker
F: E. Gulden, L. Franklin, S. Reid
FOL: T. Hickey, C. Mills, T. Papley
INT: L. McDonald, J. Kennedy, B. Campbell, N. Blakey, D. Stephens (sub)

2021/5

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Justin Mitchell

Justin is a passionate AFL and Sydney Swans supporter, and football blogger since 2016. All articles are of his own opinion. You can reach him by twitter and Facebook at @theswansblog

Melbourne, Australia https://theswansblog.com

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