Round eight of the 2025 AFL season has seen the 30th Sydney Derby take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground in front of more than 39,000 fans.
After a shaky start to the season for the Sydney Swans, with several key players out injured including star mid-fielder Errol Gulden. The majority of the experienced forward line were also absent from the field, with the likes of Tom Papley, Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey on the bench. The remaining 23 managed to secure a win against their rivals.
In a pre-match interview, Swans midfielder James Rowbottom said his team’s list of injuries were no excuse.
“It’s obviously a challenge to have a fair few of our best 22 out but… we’re after our best footy regardless of who’s on the field.” Rowbottom said.
Goal inaccuracy and a vastly disparate free kick count added fuel to the fire, with several on-field altercations taking place throughout the match.
The contested mark was taken by the Swans’ Joel Hamling in the fourth quarter, who made his club debut this year after a collective 12 seasons across three different clubs. 
Swans faithfuls have been torn between hope and backing their team and facing the looming reality of having a brand-new coach and a lot of long-term injuries from their stars.
Other firsts include Swans mid-fielder Chad Warner being awarded the Brett Kirk medal in his first home game since announcing his two-year contract extension with Sydney, and Dean Cox’s first derby win as head coach, securing the team’s third win of the season from eight games.
In his post-match press conference, Cox emphasised the importance of his team pushing through the adversity and commended the team’s efforts to stay competitive across all four quarters. He indicated a focus on continual improvement and refining their skills throughout the season.
Long-time Swans supporter Alice Baker is hesitant to write off the 2025 season citing previous seasons where the team has made unlikely comebacks.
“There’s still hope… with 12 players out and a first time coach. Errol [Gulden] is running again!” Miss Baker said.
“In my opinion Will Hayward is carrying the team at the moment [and] he’s going to single-handedly bring us to finals.”
Additional reporting: Skyla Yorke
