Sydney Swans pull off stunning qualifying final upset over Brisbane Lions

AFL Finals Scoreboard

By Andrew McGarry

Final Crows and Bulldogs teams are in

By Dean Bilton

No late changes for either side.

And only one named change each during the week. The Crows have brought Cal Ah Chee in for the injured Zac Taylor, while the Dogs have picked Will Lewis to replace the concussed Matt Kennedy.

To Adelaide we go...

By Dean Bilton

We've got one final left this weekend, and it's down at the beautiful Adelaide Oval. It's a big night for the Crows as they welcome the Western Bulldogs to town fresh off their wildcard win over Collingwood.

Adelaide's 2025 season ended in a horrible straight sets exit in finals, making this the ultimate sudden-death litmus test for Matthew Nicks and his side. The Bulldogs are the underdogs, but come with some momentum and superstars on every line.

Should be a beauty. Winner goes through, loser goes home.

Match report: Swans rally for Mills in AFL finals upset over Lions

By Andrew McGarry

Logan McDonald has fired an understrength and injury-hit Sydney to a thrilling 53-point qualifying final upset over a lacklustre Brisbane.

McDonald brought the energy with a career-best six-goal haul at the SCG to lift the Swans to a 21.15 (141) to 13.10 (88) triumph after captain Callum Mills went down with a knee injury in the opening quarter on Saturday.

Charlie Curnow and Tom Papley also kicked five goals each in a near-complete Swans performance against the reigning back-to-back premiers in front of 37,261 fans.

Bracing for scans to confirm the dreaded ACL tear for Mills, Sydney will host either Fremantle or Geelong in a preliminary final in their improbable premiership push.

The Swans are already without vice-captain Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey, who are among five players serving club-imposed suspensions.

Brisbane will return to the Gabba and host either the Western Bulldogs or Adelaide in a semi-final, as they continue their pursuit of a third consecutive flag.

Papley had shaken off a left calf issue — picked up during warm-up — to pull off an equal career-best haul, leading alongside midfielder Errol Gulden (34 disposals).

Brisbane's usual stars struggled to fire, with Lachie Neale (18 disposals) kept quiet by Swans midfielder James Rowbottom.

Swans forward line had a day out

By Andrew McGarry

Looking at those numbers, the Swans forwards (more than the midfield) had an absolute day out against Brisbane.

The Lions did not seem able to stop the likes of Logan McDonald (six goals), Charlie Curnow (five goals), Tom Papley (five goals) and Hayden McLean (three goals).

That had to be close to a perfect return on the compact ground of the SCG.

Not sure if they can repeat it in two weeks' time, but they have given their team a decent chance of getting to a grand final.

Swans coach Dean Cox says he's "lost for words" after qualifying final win

By Andrew McGarry

Sydney coach Dean Cox has spoken to Fox Footy in the rooms.

Not surprisingly, he's a happy man.

"I'm a bit lost for words," he said.

"Just incredibly proud of the group.

"To lose the captain early, to rally, execute the roles. I couldn't be prouder."

Asked about the players who were out and those that came in, Cox replied:

"We've worked hard on this gamestyle for 10 months, we want to make sure that anyone who comes in can play it.

"They did it in spades today."

Cox called the playing group "special".

"Our ability to ... do it against the odds - and there are no greater odds than today.

"I told them after the home-and-away season, we finished second on the ladder for a reason.

"We've (now) got a game in two weeks that we're excited about."

Tom Papley says he "has belief in the system" after Swans win

By Andrew McGarry

Tom Papley has spoken to Fox Footy after Sydney's incredible performance at the SCG.

Papley booted five goals for the Swans in their big win over Brisbane.

"Geez, they were good tonight!" he said of the crowd of 37,261.

"I'm so proud of the boys.

"My belief didn't change. The (five) boys were out, the system wasn't out.

"Our system is about hard work and belief.

"Those kids who came in, some of them with 20 games or less.

"They're playing against legends who have won back-to-back grand finals. They came in and did the job.

"I just have full belief in our system."

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

By Andrew McGarry

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!

By Andrew McGarry

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?

By Andrew McGarry

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

By Andrew McGarry

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

By Andrew McGarry

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

By Andrew McGarry

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

By Andrew McGarry

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

By Andrew McGarry

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

By Andrew McGarry

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

By Andrew McGarry

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)

By Andrew McGarry

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!!!!

By Andrew McGarry

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.