magic lifts Swans

DERMOTT Brereton claimed Alastair Clarkson enjoyed coaching against the rigid John Longmire.

“[Longmire] never really throws anything at Clarkson,” Brereton said.

“He’s an astute coach, but he doesn’t throw curve-balls.”

The Hawthorn champion probably had a point. Since the 2012 grand final, Clarkson had navigated the Hawks to nine wins from 12 games against the Swans.

But last night Longmire threw something at Clarkson the Hawks had never encountered. His name was Ben Ronke, 20, and he simply couldn’t be contained.

There was no Buddy and up stepped a nobody. It was spectacular stuff from the young Swan, booting Sydney’s first five — yes, five — goals. At quarter-time Ronke had four kicks for four goals.

The third-gamer was laughing as he went back to slot his seventh goal. He had good reason — Ronke had just gobbled a mark in the goalsquare and was about to seal an eightpoint win to maintain Sydney’s perfect interstate record this season.

Isaac Smith’s cross kick was marked by Gary Rohan, who sent it long to the unknown kid for the matchwinner.

Who was he, fans wondered? Well, he was a kid Calder Cannons plucked from St Bernards, where he once kicked nine goals in a VAFA under-19 game.

Swans recruiter Kinnear Beatson plucked him in the 2016 rookie draft, likening him to a young Kieren Jack, and last night Ronke had Hawks fans pulling their hair out.

Ronke’s first three goals were immediate replies and his fourth came on the quartertime siren, after earning a free kick for taking down the usually-slippery Shaun Burgoyne.

The fifth, kicked seven minutes into the second quarter, came after he marked 55m out, played on, was brought to ground by Ben McEvoy, stood up, steadied and goaled.

After a lifeless third quarter, Ronke collected a ground-ball and levelled the scores early in the final term.

At that stage Ronke had six out of Sydney’s nine goals to go with 10 strong tackles and Clarkson had a new headache.

He became the first player to kick seven goals and lay 10 tackles. Ronke’s sixth major handed him the Swans’ first bag of six against the Hawks since Lockett in 1998.

It was a shame a brilliant contest was witnessed by the lowest crowd between these clubs in 12 years, owing to the shivering temperature.

But we should be used to it — the past five games between these two empires have been decided by 14, five, six, six and now eight points.