Hello and welcome to Zero Hanger's live coverage of Friday night's preliminary final between the Sydney Swans and Port Adelaide Power at the SCG.

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We have reached the penultimate weekend of the 2024 AFL season, with the loser bidding farewell to their premiership aspirations while the winner advances to the grandest stage of all, the grand final.

 2024-09-20T09:40:00Z 
MATCH IN PROGRESS
SCG
SYD   
85
Q3 BREAK
45
   PORT
    #AFLSwansPower
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

3rd Quarter

A four-goal term that saw the Swans extend their lead to 40 points, with Warner booking two majors to almost have this one out of reach for the Power.

Port Adelaide found some momentum but again couldn't capitalise as their forward 50 entries struggled to find tall targets who are lacking to have an impact in the air.

Three-Quarter Time
Sydney: 13. 7. 85
Port Adelaide: 6. 9. 45

2:20: Warner is having some fun now, ducking and weaving through a pair of Power defenders to heap more pain on the SA side after grabbing an intercept in attack and kicking truly.

INJURY NOTE: Logan McDonald is down in the rooms with a suspected ankle injury.

4:14: A mirrored missed chance for Florent following his recent behind, with his shot from the left flank going to the near side for a minor score.

5:20: Dixon finally gets a look after the Power go end-to-end, clunking a mark in the goal square to bring the deficit back under six goals.

SUB MADE: Jackson Mead (tactical) has been replaced by Francis Evans for the Power.

5:50: Florent almost gets the SCG crowd on its feet, with his on-the-run shot on goal glancing the right goal post.

6:24: Bergman tries to break a Hayward tackle in his own defence 50, but the Swan is too strong and brings him to ground to win a holding-the-ball free kick. His set shot from 35m out starts and stays right for a behind.

7:20: Any momentum for the Power is snapped as McInerney finds Papely in the goalsquare with a centring kick. The Swans gun kicks his third with some comfort.

9:24: Georgiades gets one back for the Power after the travelling side went end-to-end, with the Port Adelaide forward marking ahead of Rampe 20m out straight in front.

10:22: A missed chance for McInerney who was running into goal 25m out uncontested after getting on the end of a handball chain from the wing, with his kick skewed to the right.

11:31: Roberts gets the one-two with Hayward on the wing and moves the ball 60m into attack by foot, with his kick perfectly placed for an Amartey mark 35m out. The big Swan goes back and slots his third for the night.

12:56: The Swans stop a Power transition in the middle of the ground and attack immediately, with Parker marking inside 50. His set shot from 35m out on no angle starts straight but fades right for a behind.

17:55: Wines launches from outside 50 on a 45-degree angle but again it's to the near side for a behind.

19:26: The perfect start for the Swans, with Amartey winning a free kick atop the 50m arc before handing it off to Warner on the run. The gun midfielder makes no mistake from distance.

2nd Quarter

AFL MRO: The likely outcome for Dan Rampe’s high hit on Zak Butters

The Power haven't been without chances going forward, but the Swans' defence is standing tall throughout.

Port Adelaide lead clearances, inside 50s and the contested possession count, but they've struggled to turn those advantages into major scores.

Five players have at least a dozen disposals for the game, all are Swans (Gulden, Heeney, Blakey, Florent and McInerney).

Half-Time
Sydney: 9. 1. 55
Port Adelaide: 4. 6. 30

0:00: Rioli gets a chance to bring the scores down to 20 points with a set shot from 50m out on a 45-degree angle after the half-time siren. His kick starts left, fades right and looks good but ultimately falls short and is punched over the line for a behind.

2:43: The Power get a much-needed major with minutes left in the opening as Rioli spins and slots one from 15m out.

7:54: McLean makes it another for the Swans, whose tall forwards are leading the way so far tonight. A pinpoint pass from Gulden to McLean's lead 35m from goal sets up a ninth goal for the half.

9:43: Another for the Swans, with Papley collected high by Wines as he picked up a ground ball 30m from goal straight in front. The fiery small forward splits the middle with his set shot and it's a 27-point game.

12:20: Heeney too strong for Burgoyne in a forward pocket one-on-one contest, setting himself up with a set shot from close range. The star Swan takes a breath and then steps onto his left foot with a perfectly curled kick.

13:44: Blakey's bullet ball to the hotspot sees Amartey get first hands to it but it's fumbled, only for Bergman to be pinged for chopping. The Swans forward goes back and slots his second for the evening to make it a 15-point game.

15:16: An immediate response from the Power through their skipper, who gets on the end of a Drew handball from the centre clearance and slots one from 50m out.

15:40: The Swans move the ball across the field with Cunningham open on the wing. He runs towards attack and finds McDonald over the back. The youngster's 30m set shot is pinpoint.

17:54: Boak's clever kick finds an open Georgiades on the lead 45m from goal on a difficult angle. The young Power forward's shot starts right, hangs left and then clips the right goal post.

19:17: The first score of the second stanza goes to the Swans, with Heeney breaking free at a throw-in, but his snapping shot is rushed over by Aliir.

1st Quarter

A quarter both sides can be happy with as pressure and turnover scores look to be leading the way.

The Power would be a few more points behind if it wasn't for Aliir Aliir's strong defensive efforts in one-on-ones and the air.

The Swans are getting good run from the back half and are managing to stretch Port Adelaide's defence on the counterattack.

Quarter Time
Sydney: 4. 0. 24
Port Adelaide: 3. 2. 15

0:00: A turnover on the wing sees the Swans take advantage and Heeney finds Papley in the pocket with just seconds on the clock. The small forward's bending post-siren shot just curls past the preferred side of the goal post to give his side a lift heading into the first break.

0:45: Drew with a chance on goal on a tight angle but he spends less time than he had to compose himself. A behind brings the Swans' lead down to three in the final minute of the quarter.

NOTE: A high bump on Zak Butters from Dane Rampe afforded the Power a down-field free kick and could even earn the ire of the Match Review Officer.

8:04: A poor kick across the ground from Melican out of the hot spot is collected by Boak, he palms it off to Burton on the run and the Power get their second major of the night.

9:47: A real scramble in Sydney's forward 50 after McLean was dispossessed before Bergman coughed up his ground-ball get, with Parker gathering and giving it off to McDonald who snaps truly from 20m out.

10:22: A chance for the Power but Narkle's wobbly kick from the boundary is punched over the line by Melican.

12:00: Amartey gets the early step on Aliir and his lead is acknowledged by McInernery for a chest mark near the same spot as Lloyd's set shot. The Sydney tall forward drills his kick too.

13:11: A turnover by Boak out of defensive 50 lands in the lap of Rowbottom, who acts quickly to find Lloyd 40m from goal on a 45-degree angle. The veteran Swans splits the middle with his set shot to level scores.

15:23: Rozee gets the hands from Boakl after Ratugolea's big mark 60m from goal. On the run, the Power skipper's long shot on goal is shanked OOBOTF.

19:06: A free kick for blocking off the ball as the Swans exited defensive 50 sees Burgoyne awarded with a set shot 30m out straight in front. He makes no mistake with a calm kick and the Power get the first for the night.

20:00 (mins remaining): We're underway at the SCG, with the toss won by Port Adelaide, who will kick to the Clive Churchill Stand end to start proceedings.

Pre-Match

Teams head into the opening bounce as named, with Robbie Fox (Swans) and Francis Evans (Power) named as the tactical sub.

As documented in the build-up to tonight's mouth-watering match, Port Adelaide aren't favoured to win despite having claimed the scalp of the Swans in their past eight meetings. Their most recent battle resulted in a 112-point victory for Ken Hinkley's side, but more recent form seems to favour the home side.