Before the start of the year, everyone would have had this game pencilled in as an easy win for Sydney. To be fair, last year the Eagles just won just a single game for the entire season, and they weren’t expected to do much better this year. However, just three games into the season, and the Eagles have already doubled their last season’s win tally.
On the flip side Sydney, who were expected to climb the ladder this season after the high-profile acquisition of Charlie Curnow, have had a faltering start to their year, picking up a comfortable win against the Blues in Opening Round and the Lions the week later, before running into the Hawks.
Still, if Sydney wants to be viewed as the real deal this season, they shouldn’t be running into issues putting away the Eagles. For the Eagles, the game is essentially a free pass having, won their last two games, so their fans will be relatively forgiving even if they don’t turn up for this one.
Funny I should say that. The Swans wasted no time putting their foot down in the game, kicking 11 goals in a row before the Eagles could finally kick one of their own. While there were signs in the first quarter that the scoreline would be lopsided, Sydney well and truly put the game to bed by the main break. In the end, the Swans pushed their lead well into the triple digits, crushing the Eagles by a final margin of 128-points.
Charlie Loves the Eagles
The Swan’s key acquisition, Charlie Curnow, has had plenty of knockers so far this season. His output is undoubtedly down on what many would have been hoping for, given his prodigious talent. Many of his defenders will point out that while Curnow’s goal scoring is down, he has brought his fellow forwards, Joel Amarty and Logan McDonald, more into play since the start of the season, as he largely attracts the top defender and has occasionally been double teamed. Still, there have been mounting calls for the two-time Coleman medalist to find the scoreboard more often in his new colours.
If Charlie were going to find the goals against any team, the Eagles would be the number one selection for him to do it against. Not only are the Eagles bereft of key defenders, but Curnow has historically dined out against them over the years. Against the Eagles, Curnow has averaged 3.625 goals per game, including 19 goals against the Eagles in 2023.
It took Curnow just four and a half minutes to kick his first goal of the game, and he continued toiling away the entire night. By the end of the game, Curnow was the Swans’ equal leading goal kicker with four, alongside Isaac Heeney.
The Eagles Failed to Make the most of their chances
Even though the final score blew out well past 100 points, the game wasn’t all as one sided as the scoreboard suggested, especially at the start of the game. The Eagles seemed to hang around, but they weren’t able to take advantage of their early opportunities.
While West Coast didn’t get the best shots at goal, largely due to the Swans impressive team defence, the Eagles certainly didn’t help themselves, scoring seven behinds by the time they got their first goal of the game, and frequently turned the ball over going through the middle of the ground with poor ball use. By the end of the first quarter, the Eagles had only two less scoring shots than the Swans but trailed by five goals. Bad kicking is… you know how the rest goes.
Grundy’s Ruck Dominance
In all the talk about how Max Gawn may just be the best ruckman to play AFL, people seem to have forgotten about Brodie Grundy’s ability to influence games. The former Pie and Demon was a force through the middle for the Swans during the game. Grundy’s stat line is almost unbelievable for a ruckman. Not only did he dominate the stoppages with his ruckwork, but he was close to reaching 30 possessions for the game, which is basically midfield-like numbers. Grundy also kicked a goal, laid five tackles for the game, and led the side with nine clearances.
Sure, the stats might be taken with a grain of salt, considering the fact that he was rucking largely against former Giant, Matt Flynn, as well as Archer Reid and Cooper Duff-Tytler, both of whom are children compared to Grundy.
Grundy will likely face a stiffer challenge next week when the Swans take on the Suns, as he will be forced to face off with Sun’s ruckman Jarrod Witts, who is also having a career season so far this year.
Eagles Throwing Around the Magnets
Over the last few weeks, the Eagles have won on the back of some of their younger talent. Top draft picks Harley Reid and Willem Duursma have largely led the way through the middle with Duursma now getting increased game time through the middle as a part of the Eagles young central core of exciting players.
Duursma’s shift wasn’t the only one that the Eagles have been playing around with, especially during this one-sided blow out against the Swans. The Eagles were very quick to move Jobe Shanhan, one of their key forwards down back in an attempt to stem the flow of Sydney goals to no effect.
Eagles’ captain, Liam Baker, also got thrown into the middle during the fourth quarter as they continued to search for something that could stop the one-way flow of possession. Former Blue, Matt Owies played most of the game in the forward line, but occasionally found himself drifting back to help out his teammates.
Harley Reid was also moved around during the game, but was largely locked down by James Jordon the entire night. Jordon has established himself as one of the premier taggers in the game, holding Reid to just 17 touches for the game and forcing Eagles’ coach Andrew McQualter to move him around to help him shake the tag. Sadly, it had no effect.
Sore Spots
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Swans. Before the game, the Swans lost recruit Malcolm Rosas to calf awareness. Rosas was replaced by Harry Cunningham, who played his first game since round 24 2025, which was also against the West Coast Eagles. During the game, the Swans also lost defender Lewis Melican in the second half after suffering an injury to his back.
The Swans will also lose young midfielder Angus Sheldrick after he was involved in an incident with West Coast’s Reuben Ginbey. Ginbey, who had a rough night trying to stop Charlie Curnow, copped an a forearm to the head from Sheldrick after the two squared up against each other during the fourth quarter. Despite seeming intending to bump Ginbey, Sheldrick raised his arm while Ginbey stayed low, causing the high contact. Amazingly, the Seans were taking a free kick at that point and the umpire missed Sheldrick’s indiscretion. This also led to David King comically calling for Harley Reid to be dragged, despite the fact he was not involved in the free kick being given away. Given that the Swan’s don’t have high profile lawyers, like the Blues, and Sheldrick doesn’t have the historic basketball record of a Scott Pendlebury, he’s unlikely to get away without punishment.
The Road Ahead
The Eagles head to Norwood Oval next week for Gather Round to face off against the Cats, before returning back to Perth for the Western Derby against Freo in Round Six. Meanwhile, the Swans host the currently undefeated Suns, also at Norwood Oval, before finally returning to Sydney in Round Six to face their cross-town rivals in the Greater Western Sydney Giants at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
