Coming into the season, West Coast and Sydney would have had very different expectations, but both would still have been disappointed with how their year has panned out.
The Eagles, who have been a fixture at the bottom of the ladder over the past few seasons, would have been hoping for more than the single win than they have to date. Less than 12 months ago, the Swans were top of the table heading into the final series, before eventually capitulating to Brisbane in the Grand Final. This ultimately led to Swan’s coach, John Longmire, resigning as the coach and handing the reins to his assistant, Dean Cox. The Swans have dropped significantly in the last 12 months, despite retaining most of their star players.
Win, lose, or draw, this game won’t be able to affect the ladder positions for either team, with the Eagles anchored to the bottom of the ladder and the Swans two games clear of Carlton. However, they are also three wins behind ninth-place Gold Coast. This means that this game could not have less of an effect on the standings on the ladder, but it still needs to be played out anyway.
The Eagles got off to as fast a start as you could hope, kicking their first goal within the first minute of the game through Bailey Williams. The Eagles doubled their lead shortly afterwards through veteran Jamie Cripps. Within the first three minutes of the game, there were already warning signs for the Swans. Things went from bad to worse, as Hayden McLean, Will Hayward, and Dane Rampe all came off second best in a few contests.
The Eagles then kicked their third goal of the game via Jobe Shanahan after they were able to transition the ball quickly from defence to attack. All of this occurred before the Swans could register their first score of the game. That finally came via the boot of Braeden Campbell, but it was only a minor score.
Jobe Shanahan then sprayed a set shot across the goal to restore West Coast’s 18-point lead. As the first quarter drew to a close, the Eagles continued to suffocate the Swans with a similar pressure that saw them push the Crows with last week. With less than five minutes remaining, Elijah Hewett missed a very gettable shot at goal to move the Eagles’ lead to 19 points.
This lead should have been larger.
Hayden McLean then kicked Sydney’s first goal of the game after the first quarter siren, saving the Swans from going goalless for the quarter. As a result, the Eagles carried a 13-point lead into the first break.
Liam Ryan had a great chance to kick the first goal of the second quarter, but his dribble kick rolled through the behinds. Isaac Heeney then got the Swans’ first score of the second quarter, which was also a behind. After feeling the pressure in the first quarter, the Swans’ approach was much more methodical in this quarter, chipping the ball around and not rushing into situations where the Eagles held sway. Nick Blakey then managed a running shot at goal, but he could only manage a behind.
Finally, the Swans had their second goal through Errol Gulden. This cut the margin back down to just five points. Two minutes after Gulden’s goal, Tom Papley gave the Swans their first lead of the game. Lewis Melican then spoiled the ball, rushing it for a behind to tie the game. The Eagles then got the lead back via Jacob Newton and the first goal of his career.
Jobe Shanahan made the lead 13 points again after kicking his second goal, to become the game’s first multiple goalscorer and halt the momentum the Swans were building. Chad Warner kicked his first goal of the game to cut the margin back to just eight points. Tom Papley had a chance to kick his second goal, but the shot stayed to the near side, going through for a behind.
Sydney’s 2023 mid-season draftee, Jack Buller, then kicked his first goal for the game to bring the margin back to just a single point. West Coast ruckman, Matt Flynn, then snagged a goal to restore the Eagles’ lead to seven points, which they carried into half-time.
It was an impressive half by the Eagles, who have learnt to hang with teams now, but the issue has remained that they can not maintain that level for an entire game. It happens to most rebuilding teams. The eventual aim is to obviously develop a game style that can be sustained, and to have players at a level to be able to sustain it, but the Eagles are not there just yet, as the second half would demonstrate.
Within a few minutes of the start of the third quarter, Jack Buller pulled the margin back down to just one point. The game then stagnated for several minutes as both sides struggled to score. Finally, Nick Blakey was able to break the deadlock by dribbling a goal through from 25 meters out to give the Swans the lead again.
The Swans continued to push with Corey Warner kicking a behind from 50 metres out instead of passing the ball off, much to the ire of a few of his teammates, including his own brother. Will Hayward then doubled the Swans’ lead to 12 points after converting his set shot from the pocket.
The Swans continued to build on their lealead,th James Rowbottom kicking his first goal of the game. Jack Buller had a chance to kick his third goal, but it drifted to the near side as it got close to the goal. Tom Papley then kicked his second, pushing the margin out to 25 points.
What did we just say about not being able to maintain the rage for the Eagles?
West Coast were able to conjure their first shot on goal for the quarter through key forward Jobe Shanahan. Unfortunately, Shanahan could only manage a behind, with the Eagles desperately needing a goal. Instead, the Swans were able to move the ball from coast to coast as Will Hayward extended Sydney’s lead to 30 points.
That was pretty much game over, right there.
The wave of momentum continued to crush the West Coast Eagles in the final quarter, with Tom Papley kicking the first goal of the fourth, to extend the lead to 37 points. Jobe Shanahan kicked his third goal of the game for the Eagles. This would be the Eagles’ final goal of the season, as the Swans banged through six unanswered goals to push the lead out to 67 points by the final siren. Swans goal-scorers included Isaac Heeney, Jack Buller, James Rowbottom, Errol Gulden, Hayden McLean, and Nick Blakey.
Unable to maintain the rage
In the Eagles’ last two games, the team that has occupied the bottom of the league for the better part of the last three years has finally shown signs of steady improvement. A big part of these performances has been the pressure they have applied to their opponents.
Two weeks ago, the Eagles pushed the ladder-leading Adelaide Crows right into the final quarter before going down by just nine points. That same pressure and intensity around the ball was also on display in the first half of their game against the Swans.
However, the Eagles were unable to maintain the intensity for all four quarters, the Swans managed to kick 13 goals to just one in the second half. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the Eagles lost a key part of their structure in the second quarter, as we’ll detail below.
The other factor is that this team, particularly without some vital senior talent, is in its infancy in their rebuild. They don’t have the cattle to execute for an entire four quarters just yet, and as they become better and more competitive, you’ll likely see less fade outs like the one we witnessed in this game.
The Swans are battle-hardened, having come off a pseudo-successful run over the last few years, but West Coast are still a list in transition, and stringing together four quarters of high intensity is a bridge too far for teams in that boat.
For now, at least.
Another key injury
As previously mentioned, the Eagles seemed to fall away after losing a key part of their structure through injury. This time, it was Reuben Ginbey who came off second worst after his knee hit the head of his teammate, Matt Flynn. Ginbey, who has been impressive in defence for the Eagles, tried to valiantly soldier on before eventually being subbed out of the game for Tyler Dewar
Ginbey certainly wasn’t the only person to feel worse for wear during the game. Dane Rampe, Will Hayward, and Hayden McLean all appeared hurt during the first half when the Eagles were pushing the Swans to breaking point. However, all three Swan players managed to play out the game, with young forward Angus Sheldrick subbed out of the game for tactical reasons in the third quarter.
Halftime change
In the first quarter, the Swans were mere moments away from going goalless. However, in the second half, the Eagles only managed to score 1.3 for the entire half, including the third quarter, where they only scored a single behind.
On the flipside, the Swans were unstoppable in the second half. After only managing ten shots at goal in the first half, the Swans kicked away from the Eagles, scoring 13 goals and kicking just five behinds in the second half.
While this could partially be because the Eagles were forced to shuffle the magnets after Ginbey’s injury, it was also caused by the Swans’ star players, such as Tom Papley, Isaac Heeney, Errol Gulden, Callum Mills, and Nick Blakey, getting their hands on the ball more often and in more dangerous positions.
Blakey, Gulden, and Papley managed to kick seven of Sydney’s 18 goals, and they all racked up 20 possessions or more. An impressive effort in essentially a dead rubber game.
It was weird to watch this Sydney team find form like this – too little, too late, really. You have to wonder whether missing finals in 2025 will be a blessing in disguise for the Swans, as they get their extended break, start pre-season early, and will get a clean run at it in 2026. The post-game interview with Errol Gulden was exactly what you’d ant to hear from the young star. he is already talking about righting the wrongs of this season, and sounds determined not to revisit the feeling of missing finals.
His presence in this Sydney team was sorely missed through the first half of 2025, and it is painfully obvious that the club looks a lot less clunky with him in the side. I wouldn’t mind a stray 20 on him for the 2026 Brownlow.
Warner’s lights lowered again
One of the biggest disappointments for Sydney this season has been the form of Chad Warner. Warner signed a big extension with the Swans earlier this year, reportedly turning down a move that would secure him big money, and see him back in his home state of Western Australia.
Unfortunately, since signing, Warner’s form hasn’t matched his form from last year, which saw him earn a spot in the All-Australian side for the first time in his career. Against the Eagles, Chad Warner only managed 17 disposals and a goal while giving away three free kicks.
There were signs of life late in the piece, as Warner was part of the feast that all Swans partook in during the fourth quarter, but he is another who will be looking to quickly put an ordinary 2025 behind him and start thinking about redemption in 2026.
The Lizard slithers forward?
This could have been a very big day out for Nick Blakey, as he shfted forward and peppered the goals, finishing with 2.3 for the evening. Some have openly wondered whether Blakey could be one of those punishing swingmen in the game, using his talents at either end of the ground, but in recent seasons, he has made a home in defence exclusively.
Could the move of Blakey forward change that in 2026? Even if it is a part-time measure?
The Swans will get Logan McDonald back for next season, as well, giving them more potency up forward, but as a third forard, Blakey could wreak havoc with his pace, ability to read the ball, and excellent recovery at ground level. It will be interesting to see how the Swans attack this coming off-season, as some intelligent recruitment could see the side gain some valuable flexibility heading into next season. And if that results in The Lizard getting off the chain as an occasional half-forward, it could spell big trouble for the opposition.
