Add CategoryWATCH: The incredible final two minutes from the SCG
In case you missed the incredible ending to that game, here it is.
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Posted:
2024-08-09 08:35:59
Original link:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-09/afl-round-22-sydney-swans-collingwood-magpies-scg-live-blog/104207876
A late Errol Gulden goal has launched Sydney to a thrilling three-point win over Collingwood to snap the Swans' three-game AFL losing streak.
After trailing at every break, the Swans dug deep and surged to life in the final term in front of 37,584 fans to scrape together a 13.11 (89) to 12.14 (86) victory at the SCG on Friday night.
A 21-point three-quarter time deficit was quickly shaved to two points in 10 minutes courtesy of goals from Will Hayward (three goals), Logan McDonald, Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney, before Gulden kicked the match-winner.
It marked the league-leading Swans' first win since Round 18, and marked a swift response to their 112-point loss at Port Adelaide last Saturday.
Speaking after the game, Swans co-captain Luke Parker described the win as "one for the ages", while Heeney was visibly emotional after playing a huge role in helping his team arrest its recent slide.
"I'm actually a bit emotional to be honest," Heeney told Channel Seven after the game.
"You get patches in the season where you grind for it, and the last six weeks have been like that.
"Hopefully we can start to roll into the end of the season nicely now.
"We've always got that belief, last week was a bit of an outlier."
Meanwhile, 11th-placed Collingwood's premiership defence is almost certainly over.
Craig McRae's side, which sits outside the top eight by four points, must defeat premiership favourites Brisbane and 11th-placed Melbourne to keep their finals hopes alive but other results will need to fall their way.
Warner (two goals, 33 touches) was outstanding for the Swans, while Heeney (one, 32) produced an electric fourth-quarter performance to haul his side over the line.
A Hayward goal got the Swans' machine humming early in the first quarter, courtesy of a free kick from Collingwood's milestone man Jeremy Howe in his 250th match, for tackling without possession.
But the Magpies responded with five of the last six goals of the term to lead by 13 points at the first break and condemn the Swans to their 13th first-quarter defeat of the season.
Luke Parker helped put Sydney ahead with his second of the night to ignite a three-goal chain in the opening 10 minutes of the second term.
Collingwood forward Beau McCreery rebuilt the Magpies' lead with their only goal of the quarter, earning a three-point buffer at half-time.
Bobby Hill then extended their advantage to 21 points with two goals within 10 minutes in the third term, before Sydney flicked the switch in the final quarter.
Pies veteran Steele Sidebottom wound back the clock with an impressive midfield display, collecting 21 touches, 10 contested possessions and six clearances.
Nick Daicos faced close attention from Sydney tagger James Jordon all night but managed to shine with 25 disposals and seven clearances.
Meanwhile, Collingwood's Lachie Schultz could be in trouble for a dump tackle on Heeney that left the Sydney star dazed in the first quarter.
AAP
Check out our live blog below for a recap of all the action as it happened.
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That'll wrap us up for tonight's AFL action, what a night it was at the SCG.
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McRae claims home ground bias on 50m penalty controversy
Collingwood coach Craig McRae has sensationally claimed umpires would've paid a 50m penalty to his side in the final seconds, had the game been played at the MCG tonight.
McRae was asked about a final-minute play which saw Sydney's Tom McCartin overrun the mark following a mark to Dan McStay 65m out from Collingwood's goal.
"I reckon if it was at the MCG it would've been paid. There's definitely a home ground advantage," he told reporters.
"I thought it was a 50m penalty to the letter of the law."
McRae said he expects the AFL to come out and admit to the umpiring errors in the coming days.
"Deliberate tonight, that was a bit of a circus. Umpires don't always get it right, that's fair," he said.
The Pies coach admitted he and his side was hurting after coughing up a 27-point lead to the Swans.
"It hurts. It really hurts. To play well and then let a game go like that, it hurts," he said.
"I'm sure fans at home are hurting and we're no different. It means a lot to a lot of people.
"We sat and reflected and it doesn't feel comfortable right now sitting in this chair because there's a lot of stake in these games, isn't there?"
Longmire 'proud' after remarkable Swans comeback
What a difference a week makes in footy!
Sydney coach John Longmire beaming as he heads to the podium to chat to reporters in his post-game press conference.
"Really proud of what the players were able to do," he says.
"Sometimes you just need to find a way and that last quarter was as good a quarter as I've seen.
"A couple of those blokes in the last quarter, they just played enormous quarters, and across the board you just see everyone lift.
"Sometimes it's just as simple as winning your contests. We hit the front with four minutes to go, and I think we played it pretty smart."
Did Collingwood get robbed in the final seconds?
It'll be interesting to see what Collingwood coach Craig McRae has to say about this moment.
Dan McStay took a mark 65m out from goal and Tom McCartin looked to have run well over the mark, but the umpires were lenient and deemed that he'd simply gone forward due to the momentum of getting to the marking contest.
Here's the moment, let us know what you think!
Kangaroos great David King adamant that it should've been a 50m penalty to the Pies there.
Had that happened, surely McStay would've kicked the goal from around 15m out directly in front to win the game.
Sydney's star trio in the final quarter
Sydney goes as far as Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Errol Gulden take them.
Heeney and Warner each picked up 14 disposals in the final term, while Gulden added four.
It was a tough evening for Gulden, but he fought hard and eventually kicked the game-winner at the death.
Very fitting for Sydney that this trio kicked the final three goals of the match.
Swans fans absolutely over the moon
Chris your blogging of the game... amazing