The Sydney Swans have staged an astounding final-quarter comeback to keep their season alive with a thrilling nine-point victory over Sydney University at Giants Stadium on Saturday.

The Students led by 27 points after booting the opening goal of the final quarter, and to make matters worse for the men in red and white, gun midfielder James Bell limped off with a hamstring injury just moments later.

But the Swans would charge to six unanswered goals to clinch a 15.11 (101) to 14.8 (92) win in an elimination final for the ages.

Sydney speedster Justin McInerney put the Swans ahead at the 22-minute mark of the last term with a stellar individual goal, collecting the footy in the midfield, taking two bounces, forcing past an opponent and launching from 48 metres out.

Swans ruckman Sam Naismith was excellent in the final term, winning some crucial contests, kicking a critical goal and setting up mid-season draftee Cody Hirst for a goal of his own, which extended the lead to eight points late in the game.

The victory has set up a preliminary final clash with the Brisbane Lions at South Pine Sports Complex next Sunday.

Sydney development coach Jeremy Laidler said he watched on with immense pride.

“It was pretty special for the boys,” Laidler said post-match.

“As a coach you sit back and admire those things. It was amazing for our young team to execute that sort of skill and show that talent. The effort and intensity they showed in the last quarter was stuff we couldn’t question. It was great to sit back and watch. Just the way they executed parts of the last quarter was pretty pleasing.”

The game was far from over as McInerney exploded from a stoppage on the right wing to snare his brilliant go-ahead goal, but the 19-year-old didn’t let that stop him from treating the crowd to a wild celebration.

Laidler had high praise for McInerney’s clutch goal.

“The way he took the game on, backed his ability and backed his class to kick that goal was pretty special,” Laidler said.

“He was a massive spark in the third quarter as well as the last quarter.”

Sydney midfielder James Rose was one of his team’s best on his way to 28 disposals, 10 tackles and two goals.

The South Australian slotted back-to-back crumb-and-snap goals in the opening term and won a stack of possession at the scrimmage.

“James Rose had a tag on him pretty much all day but he fought through it,” Laidler said.

“The resilience he showed to push through that and still have such a dominance on the game is a real credit to him.”

Towering Swan Hayden McLean was also prominent in a match stamped with 18 disposals, nine marks and three goals.

With Naismith (47 hit-outs) and Michael Knoll (26) splitting the ruck load, McLean was the Swans’ primary tall target inside 50.

The 20-year-old led with gusto all day, churned through plenty of kilometres and took some impressive contested grabs. 

Laidler says the youngster has thrived in his first season as a Swan.

“Hayden’s been really good since he came back from playing senior football,” Laidler said.

“I think he’s grown a fair bit and learned a bit about himself. He has a real presence in games, he’s getting rewarded for the time he puts in on his craft, he’s a really good kid and he’s a big sponge.”

The Students booted the first two goals of the game, but the Swans would run in the next three en route to a nine-point quarter-time buffer.

QBE Sydney Swans Academy star Sam Thorne jagged his team’s first with a crumb-and-snap goal midway through the quarter, before Rose’s pair of majors followed. 

Sydney University posted five second-quarter goals to Sydney’s three, but it was a young Swan’s six-pointer that demanded a spot on the highlights reel, with first-year draftee Zac Foot kicking a beautiful goal on the run from just inside 50.

Just one point separated the sides at the long break before Hirst began the third term with dazzling touch, swooping on a ground ball deep inside 50, motoring away from his opponent and threading a goal off a classy left-foot snap two minutes in.

And Sydney Academy member Marco Rossmann extended the Swans’ lead to 11 points shortly after.

The Students then asserted their authority on the match, piling on seven of the next eight goals over the third and fourth terms.

They led by 21 points at the final change after paining Sydney’s coaches’ box with consecutive goals late in the third stanza.

But there was nothing but smiles among the Swans’ brains trust as Sydney raced to the final six goals of the game to bag a remarkable comeback victory.

Laidler says his charges will relish the opportunity face the undefeated Lions in next Sunday's preliminary final.

“We really look forward to playing against the Lions,” Laidler said.

“We’re up for the challenge and we can’t wait for it.”

Sydney Swans 3.4 6.8 9.10 15.11 (101)

Sydney University 2.2 7.3 13.7 14.8 (92) 

Goals – Sydney: H McLean 3, C Hirst 2, J Rose 2, Z Foot, M Knoll, J McInerney, S Naismith, M Rossmann, S Thorne, R van Huisstede, S Wicks