A North Melbourne side desperately short on ruck options has fallen to a 31-point defeat to Sydney at the SCG.

Swan star Isaac Heeney kicked five goals as his side led at every change to win 12.12 (84) to 7.11 (53). 

SWANS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

Going into the game without suspended star ruck Tristan Xerri, the Kangaroos lost Xerri's replacement Callum Coleman-Jones to a calf injury inside the opening 15 minutes.

That left key tall Brynn Teakle to contest the hitouts against in-form Swan Brodie Grundy. 

Grundy won 62 hitouts, helping the Swans to an AFL-record +70 hitout differential (80-10). But despite the considerable handicap, the Kangaroos were able to stay in the contest until the final change.

The Roos thought they had closed within a kick late in the third quarter, only for a Paul Curtis goal to be ruled a behind on review.

Heeney added his fourth and fifth goals as the Swans kicked the first four goals of the final quarter to secure the result and cling on to their faint finals hopes.

Heeney finished with 34 disposals, 13 clearances and five goals as the standout in what was often a dour encounter, as even former Swans co-captain Luke Parker could not contain his old teammate.  

The Roos stayed in the game as their manic pressure stifled the Swans’ ball movement but lacked the polish to make the most of their own opportunities.

The Kangaroos had the game on their terms early as they tackled hard and pressured the Swans into mistakes.

But with skill errors spread across the ground and even the sure-handed Harry Sheezel turning the ball over, the Roos were too often unable to make the most of locking the ball in their forward half.

Luke Davies-Uniacke sparkled on his return from a brief stint on the sidelines due to a concussion and gathered 26 disposals with five clearances, while captain Jy Simpkin (28 disposals) stepped up and gave the Roos a glimmer of hope with a late goal.

Colby McKercher showed promising signs despite some sloppy kicking before Swans’ minder James Jordon was sent to him in the second half, while the Roos paid the price for their wasteful ball use.

Rising Roos midfielder earns a badge of honour

Colby McKercher looms as a critical piece in the Kangaroos’ rebuild puzzle as he makes an impact with his blistering pace and penetrating kicking coming out of defence with the promise of much more to come. The 20-year-old was given an early glimpse of what he might encounter when he makes a more regular move into the midfield as Swans’ tagger James Jordon was sent to him in the second half. McKercher had 13 disposals at the main break while threatening to break the game open each time he had the ball in hand, before Jordon put the clamps on to restrict the rising Roo to 22 touches and a late goal for the game.

Luckless ruck’s horror run leaves Roos short

This might have been the scene for a ruck battle for the ages between a pair of combative All-Australian contenders. But with North Melbourne’s Tristan Xerri suspended, Callum Coleman-Jones and Brynn Teakle were recalled to double team the red-hot Brodie Grundy. The Swans ruck made a strong start and dominated the hit-outs throughout, while the Kangaroos all but gave up on contesting the taps once Coleman-Jones was subbed out at the first break. The former Tiger’s horror run since joining the Roos ahead of the 2022 season continued as he injured a calf in his first game back since rupturing an Achilles tendon on Good Friday last year. The Swans won the hit-outs 80-10, but their bigger concern will have been for the luckless 26-year-old after another injury in just his 32nd game.

SYDNEY                            3.3      7.5      7.9    12.12 (84)
NORTH MELBOURNE        2.3     4.5      5.9      7.11 (53)

GOALS
Sydney: Heeney 5, Buller 2, Campbell, Gulden, McInerney, McLean, Warner
North Melbourne: Harvey 2, Darling, McKercher, Sheezel, Simpkin, Teakle

BEST
Sydney: Heeney, Grundy, Blakey, Gulden, Warner, Mills, McInerney
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, McKercher, Powell, Sheezel

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
North Melbourne: Coleman-Jones (calf)

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Peter Ladhams (replaced Riley Bice at three quarter-time)
North Melbourne: Zac Banch (replaced Callum Coleman-Jones at quarter-time)

Crowd: 31,909 at the SCG