Sydney claimed a win for the ages over rivals GWS at the SCG in an all-time classic AFL finals victory to progress to a home preliminary final.

The Swans booted six fourth-quarter goals, including the final three of the game, to win by six points over the Giants, with tall forward Joel Amartey slotting the match-defining major.

Star Swan Isaac Heeney was instrumental throughout the contest, finishing the game with 30 disposals, 18 contested possessions and three goals, one of which tied the game late, to go with his huge hanger in the third term.

Lively forward Tom Papley was significant, assisting the final two goals of the match to secure a memorable comeback win.

>>ย STAT LEADERS, TEAM METRICS, LINEUPS, HISTORY AND MORE

Here are the key points from Saturday's thrilling qualifying final:

  • Heeney stars with 30 and 3 to steer Swans over the line
  • Swans trailed by 21 points at 3QT and a game-high 28 points at 22:57mins in Q2
  • Defeat sees Giants lose first game under Kingsley when leading at 3QT (were 23-0)
  • Papley with a game-high 4 goal assists, including the tying and winning goals late
  • Warner (11 disposals, 7 contested possessions, 7 clearances, 356 metres gained), Campbell (8 disposals, 1 goal, 3 inside 50s), Lloyd (11 disposals, 1 goal, 329 metres gained) key in the fourth quarter
 2024-09-07T05:20:00Z 
 
 
 
SCG
SYD   
88
FT
82
   GWS
    #AFLSwansGiants
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

Here's how the game unfolded...

4th Quarter

0:00: SWANS WIN! SWANS WIN! AN ALL-TIME CLASSIC AT THE SCG!

1:56:ย SWANS LEAD! A wobbly quick inside 50 goes through Papley's hands before it can be regathered, he gives it over to Amartey who can turn and dribble one through to put the Swans in front. Massive.

2:57:ย SCORES LEVEL! SCORES LEVEL! Papley manages to win an aerial contest over Idun on the wing and hands the ball over to Heeney as the Swans break free. A long kick from the centre of the ground rolls through for a major. 82 apiece!

6:04:ย It's back down to six points after McDonald gathers a smothered attempt on goal from Campbell, but his shot floats to the right for a behind.

7:03: A pinpoint kick from James Jordon near the boundary finds Campbell atop the goalsquare. The former broke away from his opponent and kept the ball in play before setting up his teammate, who made no mistake of the simple set-shot chance. GWS lead cut to seven.

8:12:ย WARD! The recently re-signed Giants veteran gathers the ball in the right forward pocket and weaves himself into some space before slotting a check-side shot and extending his side's lead to 13 points.

11:48 The Giants win a 50-50 ball at half-back and break away through the middle. The ball gets to O'Halloran, whose too far to shoot, and he drops one to the lead of Keeffe. The GWS forward's 30m set shot starts and stays left for a behind.

14:21:ย The Swans get the ball back following a stoppage clearance at half-back and quickly find an unmanned Jake Lloyd on the wing. The veteran flanker takes one, two bounces before getting to 50 and kicking truly on the run. Momentum to the Bloods.

15:23: A poor clearing kick from Callaghan falls the way of Papley 50m from goal on a 45-degree angle. The fiery Swans forward goes back before wheeling onto his right boot and SLOTTING IT from distance. Giants' lead cut to 14.

16:33:ย Peatling gets a free-kick for a high tackle from Mills right on the boundary line. The young midfielder steps off his mark and bends one through with a high snap.

18:11: The first goal of the last comes through Hayward after a frantic few pieces of play, with the Swans forward getting on the end of Papley's over-the-head handball to slot a much-needed major.

SUB MADE:ย Toby McMullin (tactical) has been replaced by Xavier O'Halloran.

3rd Quarter

Pressure and structure set the tone to start the second half as the ball rebounded from 50m arc to 50m arc, but fatigue set in late to see both sides end the third term with three goals.

Isaac Heeney continues to be the difference maker for Sydney but needs help from elsewhere, with Callum Mills stepping up that quarter to keep his side in the contest.

Tom Green has been a wrecking ball in the middle for GWS, while youngster Darcy Jones was lively in that quarter to play his part in multiple scoring chances. Jesse Hogan and Aaron Cadman have three goals, while Sydney's trio of Amartey, McLean and McDonald have just one between them.

Three-Quarter Time
Sydney: 7. 6. 48
GWS: 10. 9. 69

SUB MADE:ย Sydney have replaced Justin McInerney (tactical) with Braeden Campbell.

2:43:ย BANG. Logan McDonald gets an intercept outside 50 on a tough angle and continues in his stride to play on and launch a long-range shot towards goal. Slots it!

4:39: A clearing Buckley hand ball out of defence opens up a Giants counterattack. A long kick from Kelly to the hotspot sees McCartin and Melican fly for the same ball and the ball goes to ground. A crafty Cadman takes advantage of the situation and gets his third with a quick kick on his left while on the ground.

12:43:ย Two goals in less than 30 seconds for the Giants! This time it's Jones who caps off the attack after the the ball landed in his lap from a marking contest that saw three Swans fly at it.

13:06: The Giants get one back through Hogan for his third of the game after Jones lowered the eye and spotted the GWS spearhead 40m out from goal on a small angle.

15:58: All the momentum is with Sydney. Hayward gathers the ball on the boundary and centres it to perfect to Lloyd who is in space on the fat side 20m out. Unfortunately the Swans veteran can't capitalise.

17:00:ย Heeney is turning this game in favour of the red and white, finding space in the forward 50 before taking an uncontested grab. Got himself a set shot with no angle 30m out and he made no mistake, cutting the Giants' lead to nine points.

17:58:ย That's the start the Swans were searching for, with former captain Dane Rampe launching a long shot from outside 50 on his left after picking his opponent's pocket to get the first major of the second half.

19:37:ย Heeney has started the third term how he finished the second, with a hanger over Giants tall Jack Buckley an immediate highlight in the second half.

2nd Quarter

NOTE: An incident at the first break between Swans livewire Tom Papley and GWS football boss Jason McCartney might earn the ire of the AFL, with the pair colliding as players made their way to their respective huddles.

The Giants have six more scoring shots with the same buffer over the Swans for forward 50 entries. GWS are setting up well when the Swans look to break away from their backline, with the occasion opening allowing the Bloods the needed space in the front half - often leading to a score for the Swans, but it's happening rarely.

Despite having 33 fewer touches (162-195), the Swans have turned the ball over only one less time than the Giants (33-34) in the first half.

Sydney have managed just one mark inside forward 50, while the Giants have had seven to break open the Swans' backline.

After a dominant first term, Tom Green's influence was quelled, but Josh Kelly was just as damaging before the main break across the two terms. Isaac Heeney found the needed level in the second term but is struggling for help from Gulden, Warner, Jordon, etc.

Half-Time
Sydney: 4. 5. 29
GWS: 7. 8. 50

1:52:ย Papley gains possession on the wing and wastes no time as he sees Heeney in the pocket in a one-on-one. The kick is favourable for the star Swan, who takes a nice one-hand grab. He steps around and nails one off his right boot to bring the deficit down to 21 points.

5:38:ย Another free kick is paid to Cadman in the Giants' attacking arc, with Rampe pinged for holding. The young forward goes back and drills it from 50m out on a small angle.

9:56:ย The Swans get one back instantly, with a chain of handbells ending with a scrubbed kick across the surface from McInerney. Hayward manages to gather it and throws it on the right foot 40m out and it bends through for a much-needed major.

10:40:ย A blocking free kick is paid against Blakey right at the hot spot for GWS, with Aaron Cadman awarded the set shot. The former Pick 1 selection makes no mistake and takes the Giants' lead to 27 points.

14:43:ย A spearing ball to the Giants' hot spot from Himmelberg is spilt through Greene's fingers and it's Keeffe out the ball. The big Giant throws his boot at a bouncing loose ball and it goes through for a goal.

17:20: A deep kick forward from Callaghan places Blakey under pressure in the goal square. The All-Australian Swan's handball misses a target and is eventually collected by Ward in the pocket who kicks truly.

17:53: Papley gets Swans fans off their seats with a quick response, booting his first goal of the game from a bending set-shot in the right forward pocket. Made the left-boot snap look simple. Giants' lead cut to seven.

19:14:ย The Giants immediately get a goal through McMullin, who is taken high in a Melican tackle 20m out from goal. The young forward goes back and slots a major with ease.

1st Quarter

The Giants were on top for most of the opening term, with midfielder Tom Green a dominant force at the contest. The Swans had more entries but GWS looked more damaging when in attack, however they were costly in front of goal.

Quarter Time
Sydney: 1. 4. 10
GWS: 2. 5. 17

0:45: A high tackle on Peatling from Heeney gives the former a set shot right in front of goal 20m out. But oh boy, his kick is wide of the mark to the right for a point.

1:54: The Swans break their first-quarter drought through Rowbottom, whose high snap on goal floats through the big sticks after a scrappy contest from both sides for a loose ball.

2:47:ย A missed chance for the Giants, who had the numbers walking into goal, with skipper Greene's attempt from 25m out on a small angle shanked to the right for a behind.

5:40:ย The Swans force the turnover 60m from their goal as the Giants look to break away, with Roberts getting on the end of a Jordon handball and launching from the centre square. His kick starts and stays to the left for another behind.

8:16:ย Hogan doubles his count with a close-range quick-thinking shot that required a score review. Replays showed a gap between multiple Swans' hands and the ball to bring GWS' lead to 12 points,

11:38:ย Daniels finds Greene in space just inside the 50m arc on a small angle but the Giants skipper can't capitalise, scoring his side's first behind of the day.

14:31:ย A long-range attempt from Jordon dribbles toward goal and looks set to secure the Swans' first before it glances the inside of the right goal post for a behind.

16:42:ย The 'Orange Tsunami' is in full force as the Giants go end-to-end, with Coniglio finding Hogan 50m out with no angle. The Coleman Medal winner goes back before quickly moving onto his right foot and slotting the first goal of the afternoon from distance.

NOTE:ย As expected, Sydney's James Jordon is running closely with Giants half-back Lachie Whitfield. Jordon had the upper hand in both games earlier this year.

20:00 (mins remaining):ย We're underway at the SCG, with some push and shove already starting.

Pre-Match

The Swans and Giants have settled on their final squads, with no late changes made for either side. Braeden Campbell (Sydney) and Xavier O'Halloran (GWS) have been named as the subs.

The Swans claimed wins by 29 and 27 points in the two matches between these sides earlier this year, the most recent coming in Round 15 - with Sydney winning just four games since.

The Giants have the upper hand in their previous finals matchups, winning all three September encounters between the two NSW sides.