SYDNEY Swans Academy overcame a second quarter challenge from AFL Sydney’s Under 22 side to produce another dominant win in the NSW/ACT Women’s Summer Series. After keeping AFL Canberra’s Under 22s to just one behind last week in a triple-digit annihilation, the Swans only conceded two more behinds in Round 2, running out 12.6 (78) to 0.3 (3) winners.

It took just 86 seconds for the Swans Academy to put through a major when skipper Frances Walsh saluted with a hard-running effort to get on the end of one. AFL Sydney almost levelled the scores a minute later before Peggy Stanbury‘s set shot drifted. Form there, the Swans built an early lead through Miriam Pullinger and Emma Haley, the latter of which was a ripping goal from the pocket.

Despite some chances from AFL Sydney forwards late in the term, only one additional behind could be added as the Swans’ defence was incredible on the last line, clearing the ball consistently. The likes of Ashleigh Barlow and Emma McCallum stood tall, while the run of National Academy member Charlotte Tidemann cut up their older opposition.

AFL Sydney came to play in the second term as back-to-back Moyston Medallist Hannah Woolf moved on-ball and the team kept the Swans to just one major despite losing Megan Mifsud to injury early before the former soccer player returned to start the third term. Lolita Savala was the sole goalkicker for the Swans in the game as the lead only increased by eight points at the main break to be 4.3 (27) to 0.2 (2).

The spectators at Henson Park had a game on their hands until the third term, when the Swans really went to work and blew the opposition away. Haley’s early strike was brilliant, and when Aurelia Russell took it up a notch, she set up Eliza McLeod then kicked one herself and handed another off to Grace Parsons with an incredible purple patch through the premiership quarter. By the final break, the difference between the teams had ballooned out to 64 points.

AFL Sydney never threw in the towel and even had a rare shot on goal from Lucy Yates that unluckily pushed to the right for a third behind, and that came either side of goals to Hynes and Savala, the latter of which was with a bit of luck one-on-one charging towards goal just connecting with her boot. By the final siren, the Swans had ran out 75-point winners, but with the exception of the third term, AFL Sydney had kept them to six goals across three quarters.

Tidemann and Russell were clear standouts for the winners, running exceptionally well between the arcs and turning defence into offence, while McCallum in the back half was sublime. Ruck Amaia Wain again dominated her opposition with her athleticism, while Haley was busy in the front half, and Walsh continued to battle on throughout the fourth quarters.

Looking to AFL Sydney and it was the usual suspects who stood out. Sophie Kavanagh, Woolf and Emma Juneja were outstanding at different points, while Mifsud had a profound impact when on the field. Lauren Bull and Olivia Morris did well behind the ball, while Holly Wickham was lively throughout the match too.

Next weekend the Swans Academy take on the Giants Academy to determine who will win the overall series, while AFL Sydney heads in as favourites against AFL Canberra to try and notch up the first win of the three-game round-robin tournament.

AFL SYDNEY 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 (3)
SWANS ACADEMY 3.1 | 4.3 | 10.6 | 12.6 (78)

GOALS:
AFL Sydney: Nil.
Swans Academy: E. Haley 2, L. Savala 2, F. Walsh, M. Pullinger, E. McLeod, A. Russell, W. Orsini, G. Parsons, A. Barlow, G. Hynes

RMC BEST:
AFL Sydney: S. Kavanagh, E. Juneja, H. Woolf, M. Mifsud, L. Bull, O. Morris
Swans Academy: C. Tidemann, A. Russell, E. McCallum, A. Wain, E. Haley