Sydney’s best first quarter in almost 15 years boosted the Swans to a comfortable 92-point win over Western Bulldogs on Sunday at a sodden SCG.
The hosts kicked a remarkable 9.0 in the opening term – played in driving rain – en route to a 20.12 (132) to 5.10 (40) victory.
Nine goals straight is the club’s most accurate return in a first quarter – and the Swans’ best score at quarter-time since booting 10.5 against Melbourne on August 2, 1997 at the MCG.
Swans veteran Jude Bolton was outstanding with 41 disposals, seven clearances and two goals, while Dan Hannebery (35 touches), Kieren Jack (34) and Rhyce Shaw (30) all had plenty of the ball.
Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford escaped unharmed in his first game since round three, but young gun Luke Parker injured his left shoulder.
Parker was subbed out in the third quarter shortly after being felled by a Matthew Boyd bump.
Sydney held a 47-point lead at the first break and while the likes of Ryan Griffen and Boyd worked hard, ultimately the result was never in any serious doubt.
Showers that soaked Sydney for the bulk of the weekend eased during the second quarter, and the goals dried up too.
Bulldogs tagger Liam Picken snagged two majors in the opening five minutes of the second term before the wet weather stalemate most were expecting broke out.
The Swans still looked the better side in a scrappy second quarter, but clinical kicking deserted them and Lewis Roberts-Thomson slotted their only goal in the second term.
The procession gathered pace in a one-sided third term courtesy of two electrifying goals from Lewis Jetta.
Jetta, who was relatively quiet before halftime, tucked the ball under his arm on the wing and trotted past the 50m arc where he kicked truly.
He slotted another unbelievable goal soon after, this time while corralled between the boundary line and the 50m paint.
The margin was 76 points at three-quarter-time, and the final term held little interest for the bulk of the 13,505-strong crowd.
The Swans threatened to better their biggest winning margin over the Bulldogs – 108 points – but it didn’t eventuate in what was a forgettable 200th game for Bulldog defender Ryan Hargrave.
While the `Dogs showed much promise over the past four weeks, Sunday highlighted the gap between a side expected to play finals and another still in a developmental phase.
Sydney’s seventh win for the season means they are within striking distance of ladder leaders West Coast and Essendon.
The Swans’ top-four aspirations will be put to the test when they meet the Bombers at Etihad Stadium prior to the mid-season bye.