Swans smash Pies by 80 points in AFL

Lance Franklin has made a triumphant return to the AFL as Sydney monstered Collingwood by 80 points in a horror start to the Pies’ season.

Franklin finished with four goals and the Swans piled on 10 straight goals between the first and third quarters on their way to a 18.25 (133) to 7.11 (53) win on Saturday at the SCG.

Compounding the Pies’ woes was an ankle injury to champion midfielder Dane Swan in the first five minutes, which could sideline him for several weeks.

And their misery might last beyond Saturday after another of their prime movers after Steele Sidebottom was reported for a bump on Dan Hannebery.

Franklin, who missed Sydney’s 2015 finals campaign because of a mental health issue, kicked a goal inside the first 40 seconds and nailed three long-distance shots in the second.

One of the senior figures in a youthful Swans side, 29-year-old Franklin had a fifth major goal scrubbed for an off-the-ball incident involving a teammate.

But he moved into 20th on the leading goal-kickers list with his second goal and finished the evening on 710, which is the most by any current player.

He had plenty of support with Luke Parker, Tom Mitchell, Jake Lloyd and Kieren Jack running riot and their three AFL debutants contributing, with lively small forward Tom Papley kicking three goals.

The Swans led by as much 90 in the final quarter and would surely have won by a three-figure margin had they kicked more accurately.

Collingwood were so inept in the first half that Franklin had outscored them 25-10 by halftime, and two other Swans, Mitchell and Papley, had also contributed more than the entire Collingwood outfit.

The Pies’ service to their forwards was so poor that spearhead Travis Cloke didn’t record a disposal in the first half.

One of the few bright spots for Collingwood was from former Giants midfielder Adam Treloar.

MORE

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!