"Best player in the AFL", "Absolute gun" - Fans in awe as high-flying 23-year-old fires Sydney Swans to victory against Western Bulldogs
Sydney Swans defeated Western Bulldogs in what went down as one the most exciting games of the season so far. Swans' Chad Warner was key to the club’s success, putting up a Brownlow-worthy standout performance.
Warner put up four goals, 25 disposals and a brilliant mark, leading the Swans to their seventh straight win this season. The 23-year-old has been on a remarkable run this season, putting up numerous notable performances. Fans were still recovering from his highlight reel in the Swans match against Carlton Blues, but Friday’s game against the Bulldogs has enhanced his reputation further.
After his performance tonight, there is no doubt Warner will continue to be a terror to opposition teams in future games. It is hard to see the Swans leaving the top spot on the ladder anytime soon.
The game itself was a thing of beauty. The Bulldogs had an electric start in the first quarter, scoring the first goal of the match in its first minute. Marcus Bontempelli took possession of the ball in the center square before passing it to midfielder Ed Richards, who delivered it to Sam Darcy. Darcy didn’t waste this opportunity, scoring the first goal of the match and securing an early lead for the Dogs. This was shortly followed by a goal by Tim English, resulting from a 50m penalty in favor of the Bulldogs.
It didn’t take long for there to be another 50m penalty, only this time it was awarded to Sydney’s Joel Amartey. This gave the Swans another goal and Amartey followed this up with a second goal after outpointing Bulldog defender Liam Jones. The Swans continued with this momentum, securing another goal from Hayden McLean to put them in a six-point lead.
The Swans took a while to catch up but were able to make a comeback and reduce the deficit. Through the rest of the match, the lead alternated sporadically between both sides, leaving fans at the edge of their seats. Ultimately, the Swans emerged victorious with an 88-102 victory.
Fans were blown away by Warner's performance, referring to him as the best player in the AFL.
One fan hilariously admitted he'd give up his left kidney for Warner, while another one claimed no one loved the 23-year-old Swan as much as her.
Western Bulldogs left in shambles after three concerning injuries
The Bulldogs lost more than just the game tonight as three injuries left them dented. Anthony Scott was subbed out of the game with a concussion after clashing heads with the Swans’ Harry Cunningham three minutes into the first quarter as they both dived down to grab hold of the ball.
A second injury followed, forcing Bulldogs’ Aaron Naughton off the ground in the second quarter. The injury resulted from a tackle by Lewis Melican which led to Naughton’s knee getting caught beneath him awkwardly. His injury was obvious as he clutched his leg in pain, leaving a concerned Melican to alert the medical team.
Another injury concern arose in the third quarter, with Ed Richards forced to undergo a SCAT test in the rooms. Richards was forced off the game after failing the concussion test, making it the third injury for the Dogs in a single game.
These injuries could leave the Bulldogs vulnerable in future matches, especially in their next game against the Collingwood Magpies.
Richards was possibly the best player for the Dogs in the first half, so losing him early in the second half was certainly costly. The injuries caused the Dogs to slow down significantly, allowing the Swans to overwhelm them in the second half and secure a 14-point victory.