Malcolm Rosas bags seven as Swans defeat Melbourne Demons in front of Sydney Sweeney
For all the rumors about Sydney tracking Charlie Curnow and the high price they paid to capture him, it had been overlooked that they had brought in a second gun over the summer and this dude had only cost them the proverbial bag of crisps.
Malcolm Rosas Jr. was traded to the Swans with the 62nd pick from picks 51 and 69 in last year’s draft by the Gold Coast Suns. Little has been said about it.
This will probably stop now.
His career-best seven goal kicks revealed his cover; Now everyone can see the bargain they got and the gem the Suns gave up for almost nothing.
Somewhere in Carrara, seller’s remorse was starting right now.
Rosas jnr scored the first goal of Sunday’s 17-point win over Melbourne at a sun-baked SCG, setting off a frantic opening quarter penalty shootout in which the lead changed hands seven times.
In a stunning six-minute spell just after the quarter, he took the lead back for Sydney with his third goal, then opened the game with two more goals to take an unassailable lead and announced himself to the home crowd of 40,673 – a number that included, not for the first time, actress Sydney Sweeney, who was back in Australia to shoot a film.
Even Sweeney may have noticed how Rosas Jr. provides what he has missed in the three years since his last visit to his namesake AFL club: an extra dynamic at forward 50, another live link who can take the pressure off Tom Papley and keep opposition defenders on their toes with his skill and movement.
The Demons’ appointee for the 24-year-old wasn’t doing a very good job of that, as he was constantly finding space and making them pay every time; Sydney were outscoring them five to two in the second term.
Rosas Jr. arrived at the club hoping to continue Sydney’s proud tradition of First Nations stars and was particularly keen to emulate Lewis Jetta’s blistering pace. He got off to a good start and in one afternoon surpassed his entire season goal tally.
His performance helped the Swans return to the top of the AFL standings – and given Melbourne’s recent form, this 19.17 (131) to 17.12 (114) result was no mean feat and was another impressive manifestation of Dean Cox’s game plan, but miscue in front of goal prevented them from ending the contest much sooner.
The Dees were left behind in an early rotation after Brody Mihocek injured his hamstring while trying to tackle Sydney defender Lewis Melican – although they stayed in close enough contact to make the home side sweat until the end and put together four late goals to force a nervy finish, they still could not mount a sufficient response to make up for the damage they had suffered earlier.
Rosas Jr.’s goal number six, a clever strike from the top of the goal square nine minutes into the final quarter after parrying an opponent, should have been Dees’ death – but it was to their credit that the Swans’ moment of rest did not come until Joel Amartey’s fourth goal in the final minute of the game.
More to come
