For the first time in over a decade, the AFL season gets underway outside Victoria, with Sydney hosting Melbourne in the first match of Opening Round. Live from 7:30pm AEDT!
The Swans (8th last year, 12-10-1, 110%) have the Demons to thank for two-thirds of their new-look midfield with ruckman Brodie Grundy and young midfielder James Jordon running out against their old side for the first time.
The Demons (4th last year, 16-7, 125.2%) dealt with a rollercoaster off-season including a drug ban for Joel Smith plus Clayton Oliver’s much-publicised health issues, with the superstar midfielder returning just in time for tonight’s match.
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MATCH CENTRE: Sydney Swans vs Melbourne Demons live score, stats and more
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER UPDATES
The Demons owned territory to start the game as the ball stayed in their forward half.
Teammates turned enemies Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy were both busy early around the ground in an exciting matchup.
Oliver Florent kicked the first goal of 2024 with an epic long bomb banana goal to ignite the SCG, but Jack Viney responded with Melbourne’s first from a deep forward 50 stoppage.
“It’s already an issue, the contested possession — +11 so early in this game,” Channel 7’s Matthew Richardson noted of the Demons’ midfield dominance, led by Viney and Clayton Oliver.
An epic Nick Blakey play — evading several Demons then nailing a razor sharp kick inside 50 to Isaac Heeney — set up Sydney’s goal.
Both clubs had opportunities for the next few minutes, with the Swans playing more of a high-possession kicking game and trying to control the tempo. Melbourne’s inability to convert its inside 50 changes, which plagued it last year, again hurt Simon Goodwin’s side.
Tom Papley kicked a freakish long-range dribble goal from outside 50m to extend his side’s lead to 10 points, with the star small forward lauded by Channel 7 caller Brian Taylor as Sydney’s “ignitor.”
The Swans led 3.3 (21) to 1.6 (12) at quarter-time.
It was a sloppy start to the second term, with costly turnovers for both sides.
After several repeated inside 50s, Justin McInerney finally capitalised for Sydney with the first goal of the period to open up a 15-point advantage.
It appeared Alex Neal-Bullen finally kicked Melbourne’s first goal of the second term with a snazzy finish on the run from distance, but a goal review found it was touched by Errol Gulden.
The game had begun a real arm wrestle in the third quarter, where neither side could get any fluent play or good looks at goal.
Ed Langdon kicked a goal on the half-time siren to finally end Melbourne’s inefficiency in front of the big sticks.
The Swans led by seven points at the main break, 4.3 (27) to 2.8 (20).
After an almost first half with plenty of chances, Bayley Fristch made good on his first opportunity in the first minute with a snap goal to get the Dees within one point.
The Swans had repeated looks at goal for the ensuring minutes but were suddenly the more wasteful side.
After missing from point-blank range moments earlier, Hayden McLean made amends with Sydney’s first goal of the third term to increase the hosts’ lead to 10 points.
Opening Round sees four matches being played in New South Wales and Queensland across the weekend of March 7-9, before next week’s Round 1 which begins with the traditional Richmond vs Carlton opener over the weekend of March 16-19.
The teams playing in Opening Round will have bye weeks between Rounds 2-6.
Sydney vs Melbourne gets underway at 7:30pm AEDT from the SCG.
Watch live coverage on Fox Footy and streaming on Kayo from 6:30pm AEDT.
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