Sydney coach John Longmire is hoping a hamstring problem for key midfielder Josh Kennedy wasn't serious after Lance Franklin celebrated his 200th AFL game with a nine-goal blast in a 71-point AFL win against St Kilda.
The Swans went outright first with a 19.13 (127) to 8.8 (56) win over the last-placed Saints at the SCG on Saturday, but Brownlow Medal fancy Kennedy limped from the field five minutes into the second quarter.
Franklin kicked 9.4 and took his tally for the year to 61, jumping to the lead in the Coleman Medal ahead of former teammate Jarryd Roughead, who couldn't add to his 55 due to suspension.
His former Hawthorn teammate Kennedy has played 127 consecutive games and not missed a match for Sydney since joining the club before the 2010 season.
"He felt tight at the back end of the first quarter so he went out and tried to get going again at the start of the second," Longmire said.
"He was still a bit tight in his hamstring so we subbed him off.
"I'm not sure what will happen from here, but hopefully it's just tightness and he'll be OK."
Franklin logged a career-best 13 marks and his goal haul was his best in a Swans jersey, eclipsing the six he managed against Carlton.
It was his biggest bag since his career-high 13 against North Melbourne in 2012.
A fatiguing Franklin couldn't convert three chances in the final quarter to reach double figures for just the second time in his career,
"I could have kicked a little bit straighter late, but I was a bit dead in the legs, and I couldn't get the actual 50. I was buggered," Franklin said.
"You're obviously going to find it a lot easier when the ball is coming in like it was today and the midfielders were on top all day and I was able to get on the end of it.
"It was a great team performance by the boys."
Nick Riewoldt, who kicked three goals for the Saints, notched the first major of the game, but Sydney kicked the next four in a five-minute barrage to take control.
Longmire said Craig Bird, Dan Hannebery and Sam Reid picked up minor knocks, but was pleased with the professionalism of his side.
St Kilda coach Alan Richardson felt his team competed reasonably well after a poor first quarter, but said they were out of their depth.
He tried Sam Gilbert and Luke Delaney on Franklin and also double teamed the Swans spearhead.
"He's obviously an outstanding player, but he was almost unstoppable, for us, anyway," Richardson said of Franklin.
Ten players tallied over 20 touches for Sydney, with Luke Parker notching a game-high 33.
Jack Steven led the way for Saints with 31 disposals, and Jack Newnes was another solid performer.
Share
