On an emotional night which saw the final appearances of Michael O'Loughlin, Leo Barry and Jared Crouch, the Swans were pipped by the Brisbane Lions by eight points: 14. 8 (92) to 15. 10 (100).
After conceding a 26-point lead at half time and falling 38 points behind in the third term, the Swans twice dragged the lead back to just one point in the final quarter.
But Justin Sherman's bomb in the shadows of the final siren sealed the game for the Lions, who have also booked a home final against Carlton.
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Swans legends including Bob Skilton and Paul Kelly had joined almost 28,000 fans at the SCG to farewell the three 2005 premiership heroes, but the visitors failed to follow the script.
The Lions’ seven-goal second quarter took the emotion out of the contest; when they booted the first two majors of the third, it looked all over.
Five Swans goals in 11 minutes cut the margin to eight points and renewed their hopes, but they couldn’t overhaul their more polished opponents.
Sherman was outstanding for the Lions with three goals and 18 possessions, Simon Black racked up 24 telling touches while Mitch Clark gave his opponent Darren Jolly a lesson in the ruck. Jonathan Brown also booted three goals.
For the Swans, Ryan O’Keefe battled gamely through midfield for 26 touches, Barry was important in defence and Adam Goodes (three goals) starred in the second half. The retiring O’Loughlin finished with four goals and Jesse White kicked three.
The contest couldn’t have started any better for the Swans after Jolly found Goodes from the first bounce and his pass hit O’Loughlin 35m out on a difficult angle.
The retiring champ kicked truly and made no secret of his delight.
However, the Lions weren’t overawed by the pre-game pomp and ceremony, quickly finding their groove through goals to Clark and Sherman.
They could have led by far more, but for Brown’s three successive misses, and the Swans capitalised.
Thornton added his first after Barry’s trademark kamikaze run through midfield and Goodes’ snap put the home side in front, before a late roving effort from Scott Harding left the Lions a point up at quarter time.
The second term opened in the same fashion as the first – an O’Loughlin goal repaid in double by the Lions.
With the visitors dominating possession, the Swans needed a lift and White provided it, running around opponent Lachie Henderson and slotting a running goal from the boundary line.
It proved a momentary distraction for the Lions.
Goals to Brown, Ash McGrath and Matt Austin sent the visitors out to a 20-point lead as they eyed the prospect of hosting a final in the first week.
Luke Ablett pulled one back for the Swans but it was to no avail, as further goals to Stiller and Brown gave the Lions seven for the term and a 26-point lead at half time.
The vistors resumed their onslaught immediately after the break with Black and Polkinghorne pushing the lead out to 39 points.
White was moved to full-forward in an attempt to spark the listless Swans and it paid immediate dividends.
The home side piled on five goals in quick succession – with White slotting two – to draw within two kicks, before a Brown steadier settled the Lions in the shadows of three-quarter time.
Swans co-captain Brett Kirk laid down the law to his teammates at the last change and they responded with the first two goals of the final term to cut the lead to one point.
Another long bomb from McGrath kept the home side at bay as the clock ticked into time-on.
With three minutes left, Goodes stood tall to take a courageous mark and the resultant goal left the Swans one point down.
But Black’s centre clearance found a running Sherman in the Lions’ forward 50 and his cool finish was enough to seal the win and a home final for his side.
Sydney Swans 3.5 6.6 11.7 14.8 (92)
Brisbane Lions 3.4 10.8 13.9 15.10 (100)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: O’Loughlin 4, White 3, Goodes 3, Thornton, Ablett, Kirk, Jack
Brisbane Lions: Brown 3, Sherman 3, McGrath 2, Clark, Harding, Brennan, Austin, Stiller, Black, Polkinghorne
BEST
Sydney Swans: O’Keefe, O’Loughlin, Goodes, Shaw, Barry, White
Brisbane Lions: Clark, Black, Sherman, Power, Brennan, McGrath
Injuries
Sydney Swans: Nil
Brisbane Lions: Drummond (quad)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Kennedy, Wenn, Jeffery
Official crowd: 27,933 at the SCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
