Sydney Swans defeat Brisbane Lions in AFL finals match

FT: Sydney 21.15 (141) beats Brisbane 13.10 (88)

That's it! The siren sounds at the SCG and an improbable victory for the Sydney Swans is complete!

The "SYDNEY" chants are ringing around the ground, and well they might after this afternoon.

From the beginning, Sydney had the intensity and the effort, and they never really looked back.

Brisbane did not lead for a minute of play, and as much as this is a shocking scoreline, you can't argue with it from a Lions point of view.

This doesn't change anything with the off-field concerns Sydney faces, plus the likely end of Callum Mills' season, and the odds are still strongly against the Swans winning a flag in 2026.

But for the momentum, and the belief that this gives the club and its players, this is just an amazing result and it turns the finals upside down once more.

Just extraordinary stuff.

Logan McDonald has five and six now for the Swans!

Well, when it's your day...

Logan McDonald has slotted his fifth goal of the day to bring a huge roar from the crowd.

And now he's marked deep in the left forward pocket, and drilled a beauty through for his sixth!

The Sydney fans are happy, fair to say.

Who knows where this finals series is going?

Wow! Safe to say I didn't see this coming. Playing again next week will help the Lions maintain match fitness.... won't it?.... Andrew?

- Mike

Mike,

After the first three games of this weekend's finals, I'm not going to make ANY predictions about anything for the rest of the season.

I would have thought this game was pretty much an open goal for the Lions, but they have not been in the hunt.

Now they have to pick themselves up and rebound for next week against either the Crows or the Bulldogs.

They SHOULD have enough for either of those sides, but who knows?

Logan Morris kicks his first for the Lions

The Lions have kicked their third of the quarter, after a free kick to Logan Morris in the right forward pocket that didn't look like it had a hell of a lot to it.

But after a very quiet day, the Brisbane spearhead kicked a beauty to bring it back to 48 points.

We're approaching time on in the final term, and the Swans are more than comfortable at this point.

Now Curnow has five! Swans rolling at the SCG

The energy levels are all with the Swans right now, and they are showing no signs of easing off.

They outwork the Lions in forward 50, and it's Jesse Dattoli finding Tom Papley, who chips the ball goalwards for Charlie Curnow to take it and tap it home from the goal-line.

He has five, joining Papley. The Swans lead is back to 53 points, with half the final quarter to go.

Conor McKenna gets one for the Lions

Brisbane are not putting the cue in the rack here, and they are still trying to make inroads.

They surge the ball inside 50, there is a scramble, and a reverse handball over the back goes to Conor McKenna and he slots the Lions' 11th of the day.

Sadly for Brisbane, Sydney has 18 majors to this point.

Four for Curnow and Swans have the answers

If the SCG crowd had a moment's concern after that Brisbane goal, it quickly was answered by Charlie Curnow kicking his fourth.

Swans by 52.

Lions reply through Oscar Allen

One of the few bright spots for the Lions today has been Oscar Allen, and the Brisbane forward has benefited from a brilliant rocket of a kick from the midfield.

He marked on the right edge of 50 and booted his fourth!

The lead is back to 46 points, but it's still a mountain to climb for Brisbane.

Hayden McLean puts the lead beyond 50 points for Sydney

The final quarter is underway, and the Swans have made the quick start.

It wasn't pretty, they had a three on two in the goalsquare, and Hayden McLean finally dribbled it home to make the lead 52 points.

3QT stats

Inside 50s: 53-41 Sydney

Clearances: 33-27 Sydney

Centre clearances: 15-7 Sydney

Contested possessions: 111-90 Sydney

Uncontested possessions: 143-132 Brisbane

Marks inside 50: 12-4 Sydney

Tackles: 45-33 Sydney

Tackles inside 50: 6-5 Brisbane

These stats are overwhelming, particularly centre clearances and contested possessions, but the fact that the Swans have 12 more tackles than the Lions despite leading by 46 points is a stunner.

3QT: Sydney 16.13 (109) leads Brisbane 9.9 (63)

Sam Draper gave Brisbane a bit of hope with a late goal at the SCG, but then the Swans just shook the Lions off with two goals in the dying minutes of the quarter.

They roared downfield and Errol Gulden kicked one on the run to bring the crowd to their feet.

And then Charlie Curnow dribbled another one home. Braeden Campbell missed a chance to kick a third, but it doesn't really matter.

A six-goal-to-four quarter from Sydney means the lead is out to 46 points.

The record final quarter comeback in VFL/AFL history is 28 points. As someone famous once broadcast, I see it - but I don't believe it.

Tom Papley has five!!!!

The Sydney Swans are sensing this is their time, and they are lifting!

A huge tackle from Tom Papley on Noah Answerth gets a holding the ball call. The crowd roars ...

Papley goes back - and his kick sneaks through!

That's five goals for Papley, and a 38-point lead for Sydney.

Big problems for the Lions. Huge problems.

Big goal to Sydney as Papley has four!

Sydney had a chance there for another goal, but Logan McDonald missed.

But the Swans pounced again, a turnover in the middle leading to a kick inside 50 to Tom Papley.

His kick lasered through - that's his fourth!

Papley does a mini-Hulk celebration, flexing and roaring to the Swans fans in the stands.

The lead is back out to 32 points, approaching time on in the third.

Logan McDonald kicks his fourth, and Sydney steadies

An important 60 seconds there for the Swans, as they broke downfield and kicked long to a contest, and benefited from the umpires finding a free to Logan McDonald for an arm grab/chop.

The Lions protest, McDonald converts for his fourth goal, and the lead is back to 25.

Halfway through the third quarter, and this game is still right in the balance. A good five minutes from the Lions, and we could be nearly level pegging, you sense.

Oscar Allen has three, and Swans are wobbling a little

Here we go!

The Swans defence has been under pressure here, and they are starting to make mistakes like the Lions did in the first half.

A collision in the centre square between two Swans led to a Lions attack, and a kick to Oscar Allen inside 50.

The former Eagle marked it and slotted the goal, for his third!

The lead is back to 19 points, and there would be warning lights going off in the Sydney box right now.

Conor McKenna brilliance sets up Jarrod Berry for Brisbane

The Lions needed SOMETHING here in the third quarter, and they've just got it!

Kai Lohmann managed to keep the ball alive and going forward for Brisbane inside 50, it bounced ahead and Conor McKenna raced in and clipped the ball Gaelic or soccer-style perfectly to the square, where Jarrod Berry was alone to kick the goal.

The Irishman McKenna has been in some brilliant form, and that was no exception.

The storm has abated in Sydney

Conditions are calmer at the SCG, thank goodness.

It's better for everyone concerned.

Will this mean more ability to hit targets?

Swans get quick reply from Tom Papley

Sydney weren't hanging around!

They got an immediate centre clearance, James Rowbottom hoofed it forward to a contest, it fell to Tom Papley, and the dynamic Swan kicked his third!

Back out to 30 points.