Sydney livewire Tom Papley has booted six objectives in a 44-point AFL trouncing of Richmond which leaves the Tigers sinking right into a deep gap.
Papley’s career-high scoring was instrumental in Sydney’s 18.14 (122) to 11.12 (78) triumph of their Friday night time Gather Round fixture at Adelaide Oval.
The Swans led by 28 factors early within the third time period earlier than the Tigers rallied to creep inside six factors.
But Sydney completed with a Papley-propelled flourish, booting the final 5 objectives to safe a 3rd win of the season.
Richmond are in strife with only a solitary win and a next-up date with flag fancies Melbourne.
Sydney’s Nick Blakey coated the lack of injured tall defenders Paddy McCartin and Tom McCartin with aplomb, gathering a team-high 30 disposals.
“To do what we did I thought was just magnificent and Nick was part of that, he was fantastic,” Swans coach John Longmire mentioned.
“Just the ability to come out of the blocks, go hard, get challenged, for them to come within a kick – and then to kick away again the way we did was outstanding.”
Chad Warner (26 disposals, one purpose), backman Jake Lloyd (25 touches), Errol Gulden (25 possessions) had been additionally outstanding whereas all of Papley’s half-dozen strikes got here within the second half.
Swan Joel Amartey kicked two first-quarter majors earlier than straining a hamstring.
Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt (4 objectives) was an attacking risk and teammates Liam Baker (35 touches), Jacob Hopper (32) and Tim Taranto (34) had been busy.
The Swans began brightly to steer 4.4 to 2.2 at quarter-time earlier than Amartey’s recreation ended a minute into the second stanza when he hobbled off with a left hamstring damage.
Sydney quickly skilled extra unhealthy luck: a Lloyd long-shot was denied a purpose when replays confirmed the ball flicked a flapping piece of promoting fabric on a purpose publish which wasn’t tied down correctly.
The Swans managed three objectives – together with one from AFL debutant Corey Warner – to Richmond’s one for the quarter and had been 21 factors up at halftime, 7.5 to three.8.
The Swans skipped 28 factors clear two minutes into the third time period earlier than a Richmond revival.
The Tigers kicked 5 of the following seven objectives – Sydney’s two in that interval had been Papley stunners: an excellent roving purpose adopted by a working bomb.
Richmond snuck inside six factors and trailed by seven after scoring seven objectives to 4 in a 3rd quarter which included a late flashpoint.
Tiger Shai Bolton was penalised for a kick-in-danger close to Gulden, who pushed the Richmond star – Bolton responded with a swinging strike which, luckily for him, solely landed on the Swan’s shoulder.
Papley then once more took centre stage within the final quarter with three extra objectives as Sydney powered to victory.
“We have just got to get better, first and foremost, our smarts and ball execution inside 50,” Richmond coach Damien Hardwick mentioned.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
