The Swans were cruising to victory, only for the Cats to come charging back with three consecutive goals late in the game, reducing a 29-point deficit to 12 before the rampant hosts blew it out again. Two came from Geelong’s best player Jeremy Cameron, who attempted to lift his team after spending much of the game up the ground.
The Swans’ midfield were outstanding once again. After five goals in 10 minutes a 35-point deficit had been reduced to just five by half-time thanks to Sydney’s gold-plated engine room, Chad Warner, Isaac Heeney and Errol Gulden.
Errol Gulden starred in the Swans’ engine room.Credit: Getty
The addition of All-Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy and the hard-bitten Taylor Adams made the gold plating even thicker, with Grundy not only strong in the ruck but at ground level, where he plays as an extra big-bodied midfielder.
“He had 21 contested possessions and was a large part of helping us change momentum,” Longmire said.
Warner made mistakes at times in his relentless drive to take the Swans forward, but it was his drive which was pivotal to them taking control of the game. It was fitting that he sealed the game, winning a race towards goal to chip through the posts amid pandemonium.
It took almost an hour for the Swans to wake from their post-bye slumber.
The crowd roared when the ever-energetic Tom Papley marked to put the Swans in front late in the third term, kicking truly from outside 50 metres.
The foundations shook when Papley kicked a goal from even further out a minute later, extending the lead.
He kicked four goals and increasingly imposing inexperienced forward Joel Amartey three with some strong marks.
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“He’s led that forward line really well,” Longmire said of Papley. “They’re pretty young and he’s done a really good job to focus on the team.”
The coach was particularly happy with Amartey’s game.
“They’re a particularly structured, well-oiled defence and have been for years,” Longmire said.
“When you get that opportunity to make a big contest you’ve got to take it and he did that.”
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