By Joanna Guelas
Charlie Curnow has reached new heights for Sydney, kicking eight goals to power the Swans to a 114-point demolition of Richmond.
Curnow slotted six first-half goals and Isaac Heeney kicked five all up as the Swans outclassed the Tigers 25.20 (170) to 8.8 (56) in front of 38,013 fans at the SCG on Saturday.
Despite a raft of injuries, Sydney pulled off the highest-scoring first half of the year, kicking 15.7 (97) to 7.4 (46) at halftime to outdo Adelaide’s 14.6 (90) against North Melbourne in round 11.
It was the perfect way for the second-placed Swans to return to the winners’ circle, after suffering their first defeat in eight games last round to Geelong.
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Sydney (10-2) are a chance of returning to the top spot of the ladder if reigning premiers Brisbane deny leaders Fremantle (10-1) a record-extending 11th straight victory at the Gabba later on Saturday.
Swans winger Justin McInerney was ruled out of the game with a rolled ankle at three-quarter time, but the club said the move was precautionary.
After their Dreamtime at the ‘G victory over Essendon, Richmond fell well short of their first back-to-back wins of the season and remain second-last (2-10).
Curnow reached a new club best, eclipsing his seven-goal haul in their round-seven win over the Western Bulldogs.
The 29-year-old just missed his career-best of 10 goals against West Coast in round 19 in 2025 when playing for Carlton.
Swans ruck Pete Ladhams (one goal, 28 hitouts) held his ground in the absence of a sore Brodie Grundy, while usual midfield stars Heeney and Chad Warner fired without injured captain Callum Mills (calf).
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Key forward Hayden McLean — in his second game of the season, squeezed out after Curnow’s arrival — marked his hard-earned 100th game with four goals.
Jacob Hopper led Richmond with 25 touches and Jasper Alger slotted three goals, with Sydney simply a class above.
Richmond started hot, needing less than a minute to nab the opening goal through an unmanned Alger.
Swans tagger James Jordon thundered home from outside the 50-metre arc as a response, before Curnow burst to life to help set up a 20-point lead at quarter-time.
Tigers midfielder Hopper was denied a first-quarter major after the goal umpire deemed the ball was touched by Swans defender Will Edwards.
Hopper and his Tiger teammates had celebrated the goal, believing the ball had missed Edwards’ fingertips and gone through his legs.
A score review found there was insufficient video evidence to reach a conclusion, leaving it to the goal umpire’s original call.
Curnow kicked two goals in the opening two minutes of the second quarter, before Richmond coach Adem Yze shifted 20-year-old defender Luke Trainor off the two-time Coleman Medal winner and gave Ben Miller the task.
The Tigers couldn’t withstand the onslaught, and Sydney slammed through eight goals to three to take a 51-point buffer into halftime en route to a dominant victory.
AAP
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