Charlie Curnow Shines as Sydney Dominates Richmond
Charlie Curnow has made history for the Sydney Swans, kicking eight goals to lead his team to a commanding 114-point victory over the Richmond Tigers. The Swans delivered a stunning performance, securing a final score of 25.20 (170) to 8.8 (56) in front of 38,013 fans at the SCG on Saturday.
Curnow was instrumental in the first half, scoring six goals, while Isaac Heeney added five. This powerful display allowed the Swans to dominate the Tigers and set a new record for the highest-scoring first half of the year. They managed to kick 15.7 (97) to 7.4 (46) at halftime, surpassing Adelaide’s previous record of 14.6 (90) against North Melbourne in round 11.
Despite facing several injuries, the Swans showcased their strength and depth, with Curnow reaching a new club best by surpassing his previous seven-goal haul from round seven against the Western Bulldogs. The 29-year-old also narrowly missed his career-high of 10 goals against West Coast in 2025 when he was playing for Carlton.
Key Performances and Tactical Adjustments
The Swans’ ruckman Pete Ladhams contributed one goal and 28 hitouts, holding his ground in the absence of a sore Brodie Grundy. Midfield stars Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner performed well without injured captain Callum Mills (calf). Key forward Hayden McLean, who returned to the lineup after missing time due to injury, marked his 100th game with four goals.
Saturday’s match marked the first time this season that coach Dean Cox opted to play four tall players in attack. “I thought they played well. It’s something we’ve been speaking about for a little bit. Do we go ahead with it? When do we do it?” Cox said. “To Hayden’s credit, he’s been in the (AFL) team once and been playing really well for the VFL team and took his opportunity.”
A Disappointing Day for Richmond
Richmond, led by Jacob Hopper with 25 touches and Jasper Alger with three goals, struggled to match the intensity of the Swans. Coach Adem Yze admitted the Tigers were outclassed. “We got taught a footy lesson today from a really powerful team,” Yze said. “We probably took a couple of steps backwards today. It felt like the last month we’ve been playing the right way. Today just wasn’t good enough, and when I say it wasn’t good enough, it wasn’t as good as them.”
Richmond started strongly, scoring the opening goal within a minute through an unmanned Alger. However, the Swans quickly responded, with James Jordon kicking a goal from outside the 50-metre arc. Curnow then took control, helping establish a 20-point lead by quarter-time.
A Dominant Performance
Curnow kicked two goals in the opening two minutes of the second quarter, prompting coach Yze to make tactical changes. He shifted 20-year-old defender Luke Trainor off the two-time Coleman Medal winner and assigned Ben Miller to mark Curnow. Despite these adjustments, the Tigers could not withstand the onslaught.
Sydney continued their dominance, kicking eight goals to three in the second half, taking a 51-point lead into halftime. This performance ensured a decisive victory, marking another significant win for the second-placed Swans.
