Lance Franklin’s booming left foot obtained Sydney underway earlier than Dane Rampe led a rampant Swans outfit in a 49-point dominance of Gold Coast to start their AFL season.
The guests gained 16.14 (110) 9.7 (61) at Heritage Financial institution Stadium on Saturday evening, turning into simply the second crushed grand finalist in seven years to win their opening sport.
Twelve totally different Swans kicked objectives however none managed greater than two, whereas Rampe (25 touches) defied the slippery, humid circumstances to have 20 disposals at halftime.
Chad Warner (30), Jake Lloyd (28) and Dylan Stephens (27) took up the slack after that.
That unfold sparked a team-wide show of strain that rattled the Suns early, with factors from turnovers killing Stuart Dew’s males.
The competition was successfully over inside 20 minutes, the Swans kicking the sport’s first 5 objectives and Franklin the opening pair.
The 36-year-old, in his 19th and closing season, marked over the top of Sam Collins and boomed the opener excessive into the stands.
Then his set shot straightened to ship Sydney on their method, Franklin overtaking Barry Corridor to maneuver to 3rd on the membership’s goal-scoring chart in a glowing first 10 minutes.
He remained closely concerned in a dominant time period for the hosts that was tempered by two late Suns objectives.
David Swallow’s snap then skipped by means of to start the third time period and abruptly Gold Coast had been solely 15 behind.
The host’s stepped up their strain however had nothing to point out for it, Harry Cunningham and Isaac Heeney’s objectives had been heavy blows for the Suns to swallow.
Tom Papley added to his spotlight reel with two pearlers, his first purpose off the skin of his proper foot in site visitors and the second on the run to open the third time period.
Logan McDonald then bumped into an open purpose and launched the ball into the stadium roof in an emphatic act that all-but broke the hosts.
Oliver Florent caught Gold Coast’s protection napping so as to add one other and Errol Gulden skipped a significant by means of to make it a 48-point lead.
Again for his first AFL sport since 2021, Ben King needed to wait till the third quarter for his first kick.
However from deep within the pocket it was lengthy and straight for a Suns purpose in entrance of 13,648 followers.
He then put his physique on the road to deflect a free ball in the direction of Ben Ainsworth for the primary of his two final-quarter objectives.
Suns ruckman Jarrod Witts battled arduous whereas it took Touk Miller (29 touches) and Matt Rowell (28) till the third time period to get their arms on the ball with any authority and Sam Flanders (16 disposals) additionally kicked two objectives.
Franklin could have a case to reply after making excessive contact on Collins within the closing quarter.
