What a day? 28C, Sunny with little cloud. A perfect for the beach.

But the footy is on. First away game in Melbourne, and a good chance of a win against the Roo?s who, except for last week?s win over West Coast, have struggled so far this season under their new coach.
Goodes loses the toss, the ball is bounced and the small crowd goes silent. It would?ve been noisier at the beach. The waves would make more noise.
In a tightish opening contest, gopher/might mouse opens our account with a behind, which is matched soon after by the Roos. Sydney are playing a very open and fast brand of footy, where the Roo?s are chipping it around looking for the safer options, but making too many mistakes. Each time the Swans score the Roos reply never allowing the swans to open up any sort of gap. Some interesting umpiring decisions helped keep the Roos in the game, but ended the quarter with a 2 point break. A mark to Goodes in the dying minutes would?ve had the swans in front, but the Umpire saw it differently, and it wasn?t to be.
After the break the Roo?s stuck to their game plan, and manned up, forcing the contest into a tight scrappy affair, the skills of the swans in the first quarter were now under pressure and mistakes were made. However, neither could take the initiative and break the game open. The highlight of the quarter was Boomer Harvey breaking from the centre bounce to kick an easy goal. Bradshaw was making himself present with some strong body work and marking. LRT, was showing his class in defence, with a great rugby style tackle in the forward pocket, and a classy one handed mark on the wing. The swans had their chances to grab a lead, but 4 points in a row weren?t going to help. McVeigh/Jack and at times McGlynn were making life hard for Harvey, but he still managed to stamp himself on the game. A late goal to Goodes reduced the margin to a point at half time.
Some class by Goodes, and some express speed by Wells lit up the start of the second half but both could only manage a point each. It was left up to Mattner to run nearly the entire length of the ground for a great solo goal to outdo Harvey?s earlier effort. But it was still not enough, Wells went forward with immediate effect, scoring the first consecutive goals, to open up the game a touch. Who would?ve know that at the 10 minute mark of the 3rd term, the scoring would dry up. The roo?s never score another goal. Bradshaw brought the game back to almost even, then a brilliant left foot snap by young Hannebery arrested the lead. Step in the relatively quiet White for the Mark of the Year (so far). He duly went back and nailed the shot, followed by some good body work by Kirk to get the 4th goal in a row, and almost seal the Roo?s fate. Hannebery must have had d a Red Bull at half time, he was everywhere, racking up 12 possessions for the term. Bradshaw continued to be a target up forward, whilst Goodes had gone into the middle with great effect.
3 goal lead at 3 qtr time and the Roo?s are looking a bit rattled, and tempers flared at the end of the term.
Lewis Jetta was bobbing up every now and then for a touch, and nearly everyone of them was pure class. The boy has what it takes, he just needs to kick his first AFL goal. Just when you think he?ll nail his first, he lets you down. Next week Jetta!! Whether the heat was getting to them or not, but both teams seem a bit tired. Goodes continued his hard work, Hannebery was racking up more touches, and Mattner was back after hobbling off earlier to snaffle the ball as two roo?s took each other out.
Just when I was looking at Kennedy in the centre square, thinking he?s been quiet, he receives the ball, after Mumford contests the bounce then follows it up forcing a turn over, for Kennedy to score from just on 50. The Swans couldn?t really bury them on the score board, but they had done enough and the defence held the Roos to a solitary point in the last term, to record a comfortable 40 point win.
With McGlynn being a quieter than usual due to injury, Bradshaw, and Mumford were the start trades today, while Hannebery and Jetta showed us what the future holds.
The back line was pretty solid, with LRT, Kennelly, Craig Bolton and Shaw combining well. McVeigh, although not damaging got back and helped out in defence. Goodes had brilliant moments, mixed with ordinary disposal.
Ruck duo Seaby and Mumford continue to perform beyond our expectations. Mumford in particular is getting better each week. He?s rucking, marking, tackling, putting himself in the right places at the right time.
The forward line seems to be slowly untangling themselves, and finding their own space and learning each other?s whereabouts.
Kirk had a massive 15 tackles, and Jude had nine, showing the old timers still have some grunt left in them.

Sydney Swans 3.2 6.6 11.11 14.16 (100)
North Melbourne 3.4 6.7 8.11 8.12 (60)

GOALS
Sydney Swans: Bradshaw 4, Goodes 2, Mattner 2, Hannebery, Kirk, O?Keefe, White, McGlynn, Kennedy
North Melbourne: Edwards 2, Wells 2, Hale, Thomas, Harvey, Adams

BEST
Sydney: Hannebery, Bradshaw, Goodes, Mumford, LRT, Kennelly
North Melbourne: Harvey, Adams, Rawlings, Anthony, McIntosh, Bastinac
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Sydney Swans: McGlynn (quad tightness)
REPORTS Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Schmitt, Jeffrey
Official crowd: 23,646 at Etihad Stadium