AFL 2026 LIVE updates: Leaders Fremantle take on second-placed Swans in Perth

Tom Papley kicks his second goal and it’s thanks to a beautiful assist from Errol Gulden. The Swans are managing Papley’s minutes carefully but when he’s on, he’s emptying the tank.

Fremantle are still goalless, with ten behinds. Incredible stuff. A case of the yips has broken out at Optus Stadium. This won’t last.

It’s almost comical as Murphy Reid takes his shot and the ball just goes badly wide from a relatively straight forward shot.

The issue is the Swans have still not pulled away and Fremantle will come back, they have no choice.

That’s the half and Chad Warner will be extremely disappointed to have not kicked a goal after snapping far too low withhis last chance.

Fremantle 9 Sydney 33

Fremantle defender Alex Pearce has been a shining light with three crucial intercept marks and he has played a big role in keeping Charlie Curnow quiet, largely.

Freo are still goalless somehow.

Fremantle 7 Sydney 27

Fremantle have had 10 inside 50s to the Swans 15 so far, but the visitors have done far more with their opportunities.

Tom Papley, Charlie Curnow and Tom Hanily all kicked goals for the Swans but they could have had more.

Their pressure has really upset Fremantle’s rhythm and the Swans have really taken a leaf from the Giants’ blueprint.

We are really early days here, Fremantle will come back. But so far so good for the Swans- where was this pressure in their Grand Finals?!

Fremantle 5 Sydney 24

The Swans have really impressed so far in Perth and Tom Hanily kicks their third goal.

The question I have is can the Swans keep up this pace? Highly doubtful. But similarly, Fremantle are having to chase them all over what looks like a slippery field.

Fremantle are held goalless and that’s the quarter.

Fremantle 5 Sydney 24

I have never seen pressure like this from the Swans in three years of covering them. They are absolutely relentless in their tackling all over the field. Jai Serong has two. The heart rate monitors of both teams are going to be exploding.

Charlie Curnow is given a fairly soft free kick for a rustle on the hair from Luke Ryan on Chad Warner, but takes the ball straight in front and gets his first goal and the Swans’ second.

Fremantle 5 Sydney 17

This is shaping up to be a perfect match of styles, with both teams looking to rebound quickly through their rapid defenders Nick Blakey for the Swans and Jordan Clark for Fremantle.

The Swans have had their opportunities but haven’t capitalised at all, kicking four behinds.

This is being played at an extreme pace and has to slow up into the next quarter.

Fremantle 4 Sydney 10

The Swans certainly missed their small forward or the man that Isaac Heeney affectionately called “a menace”. Papley returns from injury with the first goal for the game.

The Swans are looking very confident and a great start from a team that have won their last four outings against Fremantle.

Fremantle are looking more nervous with the Swans pressure really cranked up, particularly from the forward line.

Fremantle 1 Sydney 10

For so long Jai Serong had operated in the huge shadow of his superstar brother Caleb.

Since Jai has moved to Sydney, he’s earned a fair share of the limelight with the Swans including kicking the game winner against St Kilda. The wingman has played 15 out of 16 games and has provided amazing value after being traded from Hawthorn for third and fourth round picks.

Serong has been a shrewd bit of business and will be desperate to prove a point to his brother Caleb tonight at Optus Stadium. We’re almost ready to go.

Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox will be on familar terrority back in Perth where he was an outstanding ruckman with the West Coast Eagles.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir knows Cox well, coaching him for four years as an assistant at the Eagles and then the two men worked together on the coaching staff.

The two men have stayed in touch and remain friends. The tactical battle will be fascinating, do the Swans revert back to the run and gun, or use the patience they showed against the Bulldogs?

Fremantle have the best rated defence in the AFL, how can the Swans forward line break them down? Cox will have to decide how much time to use star midfielder Isaac Heeney, who is just the body profile to cause them problems.

This is a game of some really intriguing match-ups, and it all starts in the ruck contest with Fremantle’s Luke Jackson going up against Sydney’s Brodie Grundy.

It’s barely believable to imagine that just over two seasons ago, Grundy was appearing in the VFL as a sometime forward while at Melbourne.

Now he’s in Sydney and, at 32, is playing some of the very best football of his career. Jackson presents another challenge altogether, given his follow-up work and athleticism. Whoever wants this early contest will set the tone.

The Giants provided a bit of a template for the Swans in terms of rigid defence, pressure in the midfield and a big forward causing havoc. Keep an eye out for the Swans’ human clamp James Jordon and who he goes to: will it be star midfielder Caleb Serong?

Sydney’s James Rowbottom will also look to curtail the elite running ability of Fremantle’s Jordan Clark from halfback.

Finally, who do Fremantle send to Charlie Curnow? Alex Pearce is the likely man, with Brennan Cox battling with the in-form Hayden McLean.