The SCG has hosted some nerve-shredding finals over the years, but this year’s preliminary final was a jolly romp. By early in the second quarter, it was obvious that the game was being played completely on Sydney’s terms. All the signs were there – a stack of uncontested marks, plenty of space, that Sydney swagger and a febrile crowd. They’ve been tardy starters this year, but they quickly gained the upper hand and never forfeited control.
They went in as warm favourites, with the only real doubts concerning their dire recent record against Port Adelaide. In all their previous encounters, the Power have denied them time, space and, crucially, the corridor. It was quickly evident that the Swans had adjusted their game accordingly. Instead of attacking through the middle, where Port had set up witches hats, they stalked the boundary line, wending their way around the SCG with pinpoint passes. By half-time, they had nearly 50 more uncontested possessions. Their field kicking was sublime.
As always, Port excelled in close and at stoppages, but as soon as the footy was pushed wide and out in space, Sydney completely dominated. This isn’t the dour, contest-to-contest teams of the Paul Roos era. This is a team that attacks, a team with flair, a team that can slam on a lot of goals in a short amount of time. Their goals came from all comers – from the pests, the crumbers, the midfield stars who charged forward, even their running half backs. If there’s been a perceived weakness to this Sydney side, it’s their tall forwards but they presented well, found pockets of space and kicked straight.
At the opening bounce, Port sent their tagger Willem Drew to the 200-gamer Isaac Heeney, an indication of where the star Swan ranks in the hierarchy of All Australians. There were none of the pyrotechnics and vertiginous plunges of a fortnight ago, but he was everywhere for Sydney – taking intercept marks across half back, sharking Brodie Grundy at forward stoppages, out-marking his direct opponent, even taking hit outs at one point. For such an offensive weapon, he’s also prepared to work defensively, to block and to guard space.
He and Chad Warner look for one another at every opportunity, a bit like Scott Pendlebury and Nick Daicos. Indeed, in the first 30 seconds of the second half, an unmarked Warner flushed a running goal from the centre square and the game was as good as done. He was the clear best afield, and so light on his feet as he cut, danced and wove his way through the Port midfield.
Tom Papley was up to his usual tricks. Like so many of his teammates, he had a poor record against Port Adelaide. But when he boots multiple goals, the Swans almost never lose. He bent a goal after the quarter-time siren, barrelled into Willie Rioli, started an all-in brawl, and skulked away with his jumper torn in two. He’s more than a nuisance, more than an energy injector, with his workrate, his overhead marking and his goal-sense all standouts.
Port put up a much better showing than their qualifying final but they were outworked and outclassed. They were too one-dimensional heading forward – bombing and hoping. The Swans are an excellent intercept team and launched so many attacks from deep in defence. Five of their first half dozen goals came from turnovers. Port’s young, makeshift backline defended desperately and admirably but they were under siege all night. Ultimately, they did well to make a preliminary final without two of their best kicks and defenders, but they were beaten by a far superior team.
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And so, Sydney progress to their seventh grand final this century. They were the best home and away team. They got their game back on track after a mid-year rough patch. They won one of the great finals a fortnight ago. And they turned the tables on a Port team that annihilated them just a few months ago. The only sour spot was the injury to Logan McDonald, who finished the night with his foot in a bucket of ice. Now they get an extra day to recover, to prepare and to right the wrongs of their previous three grand final tilts.
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