Steady return: Sydney defender Rhyce Shaw bursts clear from Suns rival Campbell Brown. Photo: Getty Images
Sydney defeated Gold Coast by 36 points for the first win of their pre-season campaign on Saturday night, but the result was soured by news young defender Alex Johnson is likely to need a knee reconstruction.
The Suns rallied in the final quarter, but six consecutive goals in the second term meant the reigning premiers eased to a 11.14 (80) to 6.8 (44) win at Blacktown Oval.
Any positives from the game were overshadowed by Johnson's suspected anterior cruciate ligament tear, with the 21-year-old carried off on a stretcher after going to ground in the 12th minute of the opening term.
Johnson, a regular member of the Swans' back six during their successful 2012 campaign, was reeling in pain and unable to get to his feet.
He emerged after half-time in good spirits, limping up a set of stairs and laughing with teammates in the stands, but scans are expected to confirm his season is over.
The Swans can ill afford to lose Johnson, given fellow rebounding backmen Marty Mattner (hip) and Nick Smith (knee) are yet to return and remain in some doubt for the start of the season proper on March 30. With the exception of Johnson's injury and a tepid first quarter, in which the hosts kicked the only goal, there were positives aplenty for Sydney.
Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes returned from the serious knee injury he suffered in last year's grand final, while Josh Kennedy (22 contested possessions, 12 clearances) and Jarrad McVeigh (35 disposals, eight clearances) were dominant in the engine room. Goodes moved well and kicked two goals, playing 2½ quarters before he was substituted for Shane Mumford.
Rhyce Shaw (calf), Nick Malceski (calf) and Mumford (ankle) also survived their first games of the year.
Malceski kicked two stellar goals in the second term as the Swans seized control of the contest.
Jaeger O'Meara, who was unable to make his AFL debut last year due to the league's age restrictions but has already been nominated as a future captain of the Suns by skipper Gary Ablett, was the standout in a losing side. Harley Bennell and O'Meara both tallied 24 possessions for Gold Coast, but the visitors struggled to generate meaningful entries into their forward line.
■ Brisbane will have to travel for the AFL pre-season final against Carlton, despite the Lions being the only unbeaten team.
Brisbane beat Collingwood by 34 points on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium and will play the Blues next Friday night at the same venue.
''Etihad Stadium was chosen as the location for the grand final as the Gabba was not available to the AFL as Brisbane's home ground, due to cricket commitments,'' the league said. ''The largest possible crowd would be drawn at Etihad Stadium ahead of any potential game at Metricon Stadium [on the Gold Coast].''
Trailing by a point at half-time, the Lions kicked clear at the start of the third and fourth quarters at the same ground and won 12.16 (88) to 7.12 (54).
Brisbane and Collingwood were unbeaten going into this match with the winners guaranteed of going into the final against the Blues.
Midfielder Daniel Rich starred for the Lions with 26 disposals and Rohan Bewick kicked four goals in front of only 12,093 fans.
The Blues' superior percentage meant they secured the other final berth, despite losing to Adelaide on Friday night by three points.
Brisbane welcomed back captain Jonathan Brown, Rich and Daniel Merrett for the match.
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