Swans smash Giants in Sydney AFL derby

Sydney have scored a season-high 89-point victory over Greater Western Sydney to end the AFL finals hopes of their crosstown rivals.

Adam Goodes of the Swans as they run away from the Giants

Sydney has ended Greater Western Sydney's hopes of a maiden AFL finals with a crushing 89-point win. (AAP)

The Swans' big guns fired and the Giants barely offered a shot, as the latest Sydney AFL derby produced an 89-point rout that ended GWS's hopes of a maiden finals campaign.

Kurt Tippett kicked five goals and Brett Kirk medallist Josh Kennedy gathered 35 possessions on Saturday, as the Swans secured a 20.13 (133) to 6.8 (44) win.

A Spotless Stadium AFL ground record of 19,507 witnessed the Swans dominate three of the four quarters on their way to a seventh win in eight Sydney derbies.

Even with their season on the line, GWS weren't able to match the pressure and intensity of the Swans, who were much more clinical in their goalkicking, despite trailing in disposals at quarter-time and at the main break.

The win lifted the Swans to fourth above the Western Bulldogs, who play West Coast on Sunday in Perth.

It was both their highest score and biggest winning margin of the season and extinguished any faint finals hopes the Giants had.

Swans' coach John Longmire purred over a dominant display by his team while Giants' counterpart Leon Cameron delivered a scathing review of his side's performance, branding it as non-competitive.

"When 44 players ran out on the ground today, 22 turned up and 22 thought it was too hard," Cameron said.

Tippett and Kennedy apart, Sydney had plenty of strong performers including swingman Sam Reid, who snared 10 marks in what Longmire rated his best performance of the year.

The absence of injured stars Lance Franklin, Tom Mitchell, Gary Rohan and Luke Parker didn't hinder the Swans.

"We've lost six players with injuries in an extraordinary seven-day period. Blokes went down left, right and centre this week," Longmire said.

"We even had a few in the team that were a bit sore at different times as well, but coming out and playing like that was a real credit to the leaders and to everyone.

"It was as strong a performance as we've played across the board - it was terrific."

Topping off a strong Swans effort was three goals from debutant James Rose, who played the last quarter as a substitute.

Kennedy racked up 30 or more disposals for the eighth straight game.

"He was fantastic, he was so hard and just so clean around the contest and running as good as I've seen him, too," Longmire said.

He rated Tippett's performance as probably his best for the club in his combined forward-ruck role.

Tippett, who kicked 5.3, tallied 21 touches, 20 hitouts and eight marks.

"His ruck work has been really good for us, so it's not just the goals he's been able to kick," Longmire said.

Tippett booted three first-quarter goals as the Swans scampered to a 22-point lead at the opening break and never let that margin drop below three goals for the remainder of the game.

The Swans kicked the first four goals and 27 points of the third quarter and slammed on 13 goals to three after halftime.

Defender Heath Shaw tallied 32 touches and was a standout in a beleaguered Giants side.

"It would be wrong for me to say the season's long and we're tired because that's not an excuse," Cameron said.

"They were too hard, they were too good, too fanatical and you can't sugarcoat this one."


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Source: AAP


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