Blog log from R8 of 2025: Sydney vs Western Sydney

McInerney clears from the first bounce, Francis dives on the lead in front of Taylor to mark 30m out on a slight angle but kicks to the right. (Q1 0:49)
Heeney marks a shank inside 560 by Wicks in a contest with Green 40m out on a slight angle, and delivers the perfect drop punt for the first goal on a bright day at the SCG. (Q1 2:19)
Campbell’s weaving run ahead of Cadman up members wing ends up at 50m on a slight angle for a snap that bounces to the left. (Q1 4:57)
Heeney intercepts at half back and starts a rebound around outer side, Cleary is on the end of the slingshot to goal from 15m despite a dive by Taylor. (Q1 6:03)
Ash is late and smashes Rowbottom from behind on members wing, 50m penalty and some argy-bargy, mark brought to 40m on a slight angle for the goal. (Q1 8:44)
Sydney’s rebounds are at full pace, Chad Warner sprints to the front half and passes to McLean 40m out on a slight angle, another goal Sydney, another scrap afterwards. (Q1 12:48)
Hayward leaps in front of Fonti to mark in the pocket 15m out and checksides another goal for the rampant Swans, whose midfield is bashing up little brother as usual. (Q1 16:45)
Fonti marks behind the centre, plays on past Heeney and passes to Jones 45m out in front with good vision. Jones delivers a lovely set shot for a much-needed GWS goal. (Q1 20:30)
GWS have a lot more energy after the next bounce with Bedford mowing down Grundy at CHB, eventually Callaghan passes to Cadman just inside CHF, he goals with another booming kick! (Q1 23:04)
Ash gives away a free for insufficient intent 25m out, Corey Warner takes the free with a checkside but misses near side left. (Q1 24:44)
Chad Warner passes to the pocket for Heeney to mark in front of Bedford but his screwing set shot from 30m is narrow to the left. (Q1 31:09)
Greene drops the knees in possession to draw a high contact free on Bice 45m out on the boundary but misses near side right. (Q2 1:22)
McMullin blazes across the face from the HFF. (Q2 4:17)
Chad Warner mops up an errant Roberts kick in at half back and starts and attack that ends with his brother Corey at CHF, but the kick is a shank for no direct score. (Q2 5:00)
Blakey marks unopposed at true CHF for Sydney and delivers a trademark effortless set shot straight over the goal umpire. (Q2 6:30)
Himmelberg passes from the centre to Cadman 30m out in front. Cadman’s set shot is another peach, his second goal. (Q2 10:08)
Jones roves 35m out and gets tackled, lets a snap go on the spin but it skews to the left. (Q2 11:32)
Himmelberg kicks backwards from the HBF but misses his target, crumb sits up for Hamling who misses the soccer from 10m. (Q2 13:01)
Callaghan wobbles a chaos ball to the HFF, Bedford reaches it first but gets smashed with a Melican clothesline, free paid 45m out on a slight angle which Wehr takes and converts. (Q2 15:06)
GWS have been bullied all game, Greene 0.1 from two touches, Hogan nothing from three touches, but they are only two goals down. (Q2 16:45)
Hogan’s very quiet day starts up with a mark 30m out on the flank, but he shoots near side right. (Q2 20:01)
Heeney roves at half back and puts an arm out to fend Ward simultaneously, ump pays a red hot HTB free plus 50m for the inevitable squabble afterwards, charity goal Giants! (Q2 21:46)
Rowbottom snaps high and just across the face for a point from a stoppage 40m out on the flank. (Q3 2:40)
Hayward and Cleary apply frontal pressure on members wing to force a turnover, Francis marks 40m out on the flank and boots a popular goal. (Q3 6:18)
Chad Warner is tackled at half forward and gives to McInerney whose pressured snap skews left from 40m. (Q3 7:29)
Corey Warner shoots from 45m, it drifts across the face to the behind line where Hamling marks over Buckley but hits the post. (Q3 10:16)
McInerney flashes in at full pace to shark an Idun handball at half forward but holds his head in his hands after he shanks the snap from 25m to an empty goalface, just a point. (Q3 11:32)
Hogan takes a classic pack mark four deep 25m out on a slight angle, he sneaks in the drop punt for his first goal. (Q3 15:29)
McMullin catches McInerney HTB 30m out on the flank but misses near side left. (Q3 20:11)
Corey Warner delivers a goal and a Papleyesque celebration after a rove and feed by McLean at the hotspot. (Q3 23:33)
Greene marks in front of Francis 45m out on a slight angle. His influence today has been minimal, and he tugs this one across the face to the left. (Q3 28:00)
Blakey scoots through the centre in classic fashion, has to give off to Florent who gets to CHF and shoots to an empty square… wide right and no leg break in the shonky turf. (Q4 1:41)
Chad Warner snaps high and wide from a stoppage in attack, lands near the behind post for Hamling who goes quickly back to Jordon 25m out in the pocket, big goal Swans. (Q4 3:44)
The Giants made a mammoth effort to almost get level by half time after getting pantsed in Q1, but the Swans have almost throttled them out of this one. (Q4 4:31)
Stringer performs a magic trick with a snap goal after roving a Greene contest in the pocket 20m out, that is just the tonic the Giants needed! (Q4 6:31)
Hogan gets a snap off under pressure from 25m on a slight angle off the right but it’s to the left. (Q4 7:49)
Jones marks 45m out in front after a careful rebound by the Giants through the Swans zone, but his set shot falls into the left goalpost. (Q4 13:34)
Jones gets another chance after the kick in but floats his snap across the face from 40m on a slight angle. (Q4 13:49)
Francis marks on a short lead 40m out on a slight angle after some frenetic play befitting a derby. He passes inboard to Jordon a few yards on who converts. (Q4 17:17)
Heeney kicks from the centre after the next bounce to Hamling to mark in the pocket 25m out despite heavy contact by Buckley. Hamling kicks his first senior goal, the sealer! (Q4 19:17)
Thomas roves at half forward and passes wide to Stringer 50m out on the flank, the Package goes back and roosts a sensational set shot for his second goal! (Q4 24:12)
Whitfield kicks towards Cadman near the hotspot from the centre, crumb falls over the back into the lap of Stringer who snaps his third goal of the quarter! (Q4 27:58)
Lloyd passes to Sheldrick 40m out on a slight angle after the next bounce, that was GWS’s last unlikely chance snuffed out with only three minutes left. Sheldrick goals. (Q4 29:32)
Green screws through another low-percentage snap from 40m out after the Swans can’t rebound past half back, Giants are still hanging tough! (Q4 31:15)
2:07 left and still three kicks in it, miracles happen but probably not today. (Q4 32:03)
Grundy hoofs it forward from the next bounce, Idun intercepts and switches to members wing, Himmelberg kicks to the boundary for Hogan 45m out. Hogan hits the near right post. (Q4 32:43)
1:14 to go, not enough. (Q4 33:01)