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Sport
Martin Pegan

Swans deliver GWS an AFL derby thumping

Sydney stayed on course for an AFL finals berth after a 73-point win over cross-city rivals GWS. (Brendon Thorne/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Sydney have thumped GWS to continue their charge towards an AFL top-four spot with a 73-point victory at the SCG.

The fast-starting Swans swept aside the lacklustre Giants with another blistering opening on home turf then cruised to a 17.10 (112) to 5.9 (39) triumph on Saturday.

The Swans (13-6) were too slick for their crosstown rivals early then controlled the ball and territory with 416-301 disposals and 68-36 inside 50s to secure their fourth consecutive win while hardly getting out of third gear.

Isaac Heeney helped spark the Swans with a mark of the year contender when he jumped onto the back of Lachie Whitfield and got a lift to soar higher then went back to slot the Swans' opening goal.

The high-flying forward ended with 3.2 that could have been more damaging but for missing some simple shots on goal, while Tom Papley again looked sharp with two majors to go with 19 disposals and four clearances as part of his growing midfield role.

Sam Reid continued his resurgence with three goals for Sydney but Sam Taylor was one of few Giants defenders to win their match-up although Lance Franklin booted three second-half goals that unusually included a snap off his right boot.

Young guns Errol Gulden (33 disposals, two goals) and James Rowbottom (23, one) shone bright for the Swans with the ever-reliable Callum Mills (27, one) also dominant.

But it was Luke Parker (game-highs for 34 touches and six clearances) who claimed the Brett Kirk Medal awarded to the best afield in Sydney derbies played at the SCG, the fifth time he has earned the honour.

"It's good to have an experienced head out there at times. He's been to a lot of stoppages and understands the flow of the game. He was good today," Swans coach John Longmire said about Parker.

It was another explosive start from the Swans, who have now averaged 48 points in the opening term in their past three matches at the SCG, as their spread of goalkickers stretched the Giants' defence.

The 19-point lead at the first change set up the Swans for their first victory over the Giants on home turf since round 3, 2018, as they pushed to a 31-point advantage at the main break.

The Giants (5-14) have now lost four in a row and look entrenched in the bottom-four.

Toby Greene made the most of limited opportunities to kick two goals, while Josh Kelly (25 touches) and Whitfield (22) offered outside run and carry but lacked enough support to match the Swans.

"I know where he sits in my mind, I absolutely love him, he's a star on and off the field," Giants coach Mark McVeigh said about whether Taylor has earned an All-Australian jacket.

"There are very good people in the right positions to be able to select that. He's severely dominating games.

I'd hate to think if he wasn't playing how many goals they would've kicked. He's a star, an absolute star."

With tall defender Leek Aleer making his debut for the Giants, Harry Himmelberg returned to the forward half and had an immediate impact with the opening goal of the match after only two minutes but the Swans took control from there.

Giants co-captain Stephen Coniglio was a late withdrawal before the match due to soreness, while Swans former captain Josh Kennedy spent the entire match as the medical sub.

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