Calling the game on Channel Seven, Alister Nicholson said: “This just isn’t on. You got to call that out. Joel Amartey on the bench with two minutes to go and he has kicked nine.”
“It’s an entertainment product partly, isn’t it. I know teams want to win, but this result is well and truly determined. Leave him out there and let’s have some late theatre.”
Amartey’s previous best goalkicking haul was four goals, but he blew that to bits with his match-winning display against Adelaide.
Sydney trailed by 23 points late in the second quarter and 16 points late in the third, but Amartey sparked a 10-goal run from the Swans to help the ladder leaders secure the 16.13 (109) to 10.7 (67) win.
John Longmire was aiming to protect Amartey from injury.Credit: Getty Images
It marked Sydney’s ninth win on the trot, and lifted them three games clear on top of the ladder.
Amartey was snared with pick No.28 in the 2018 rookie draft, and he’s locked in at Sydney until the end of 2026.
Longmire heaped praise on the 41-gamer. “He can launch at the ball, he can be clean, he’s good at the ground,” he said.
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“He’s a good athlete. He’s added that component this year, he’s been able to play out full games and have a real impact.
“He’s got a great balance. He knows when to have fun and have a laugh and lighten things up. He’s really good at that.
“And then when it comes to the moment to compete, he’s been able to cross the line and get into the competitive mode really well and have a big presence in our front half.”
Longmire was also glowing in his praise of star ruck recruit Brodie Grundy, who racked up 31 disposals, nine clearances and 49 hitouts in his best performance since joining Sydney at the end of last year.
“He was significant. His contested work in the last couple of weeks have been enormous,” Longmire said.
“The longer the games have gone the better he’s gone with that. He had a real presence around the footy. His impact around the ball was big.“
AAP