NAB Cup: Rd 1 v Sydney
Click here to view the photo gallery
CARLTON will face Brendan Fevola's Brisbane Lions in a NAB Challenge match on Friday, after falling to the Sydney Swans at Blacktown Olympic Park on Saturday night.
A new-look Swans outfit ended the Blues' NAB Cup campaign, winning by 12 points - 2.7.11 (71) to 0.8.11 (59) - in front of a sell-out crowd of 9732 at the new AFL venue in Sydney's west.
The ground withstood its AFL debut but did not escape teething problems. A horn from a passing train was mistaken by umpires for the quarter-time siren. Both teams headed for their huddles and coaching staff made their way onto the ground, forcing red-faced officials to hurriedly try to clear the ground.
After a few seconds of confusion, the game resumed until the real quarter-time siren, which was greeted with ironic cheers by sections of the crowd.
The Swans led at every stage, but there was some encouragement for the travelling squad. Mitch Robinson's two first-quarter goals offered hope the Blues can fill the void left by their power forward.
Heath Scotland chipped in with a couple of goals and with 23 possessions was one of the best in blue.
Despite dominating the possession stats, Brett Ratten's men were let down by poor goalkicking.
"At half time we'd squandered so many opportunities," said Ratten after the game. "Probably most of the stats we dominated except for the score. It was very frustrating."
The Swans held a two-point lead at the first two breaks, with Marty Mattner's supergoal bomb in the first quarter a highlight.
The home side extended its lead to 17 points in the third quarter, with draftee Lewis Jetta's pace, intelligent roving and accuracy causing havoc.
The Blues fought valiantly in the final term but the Swans were full of running and held off last year's seventh-placed side to earn Paul Roos his first win in the NAB Cup as a senior coach.
Sydney Swans 1.1.2 1.3.2 2.6.8 2.7.11 (71)
Carlton 0.2.3 0.3.9 0.6.9 0.8.11 (59)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Nine-point goals: Jetta 1, Malceski 1 Goals: McGlynn 2, Dennis-Lane, Jetta, Kirk, McVeigh, Rohan
Carlton: Nine-point goals: Nil Goals: Robinson 2, Scotland 2, Carrazzo, Yarran, Henderson, Thornton
BEST
Sydney Swans: Jetta, Malceski, J Bolton, Kennelly, McVeigh, McGlynn, Dennis-Lane
Carlton: Judd, Hadlee, Robinson, Thornton, Bower, Davies, Scotland, Carrazzo
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Nil
Carlton: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Kennedy, H. Ryan, Stewart
Official crowd: 9732 at Blacktown Olympic Park
