‘Extraordinary’ Swans’ ‘massive shot’ to engineer September miracle
Sydney has found themselves in the box seat to make a third grand final in five years after stunning the world, and Brisbane, on Saturday afternoon and booking a home preliminary final shot.
Without three of their stars, Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey and Chad Warner, as well as Riley Bice and James Jordon, the Swans thrashed the Lions at the SCG, despite losing captain Callum Mills to a knee injury in the first quarter.
Swans players sing the song after knocking off Brisbane. AFL Photos via Getty Images
The two favourites to win the premiership going into the finals were Fremantle and Brisbane, who both lost qualifying finals and will now need to advance through the semis and then win prelims on the road to qualify for the grand final.
Sydney, as well as Hawthorn, are now holding home court and get the week off to rest.
Geelong champion Jimmy Bartel won’t rule out the Lions or Dockers, but says the Swans are in position for a stunning grand final appearance.
“The extra layer of travel is a big factor (for Brisbane and Fremantle),” Bartel told Nine’s Today.
"The advantage for Brisbane and Freo is they have home finals this week. We always seem to underestimate the qualifying final losers and maybe overestimate the elimination final winners, but they're two really good sides Adelaide and Geelong.
“I can’t imagine Freo playing as badly as they did, where so many players were down. I expect a pretty strong showing from them and the same from Brisbane. They’re too good of a side to serve up a performance like they did on the weekend.”
Bartel said the Swans still have enough talent to overcome the loss of key players, as they showed on Saturday.
"It was an extraordinary win by the Swans, one of their greatest ever wins outside of premierships, but so many stars out, Callum Mills going down early, it looked like an ACL injury, but there's plenty of talent on the park led by Errol Gulden, Charlie Curnow was magnificent, Tom Papley was the fire starter," he said.
"There's a stack of talent still there and the way they play their footy will always challenge sides, but what a huge, huge win.
“They get the week off now and are straight into a prelim at the SCG, and they’ll be a massive shot to win that. The Lions did this last year, they lost the qualifying final and won the grand final still.”
Sydney will play the winner of Fremantle versus Geelong, while Hawthorn hosts either Brisbane or Adelaide in preliminary finals.
