WESTERN Bulldogs defender Jason Johannisen has capped a remarkable comeback, booting a goal in the dying seconds to give his side a thrilling four-point win over the Sydney Swans at the SCG on Saturday.
Johannisen, playing his first game since round four after suffering a severe hamstring injury, kicked a set shot from 45 metres out straight in front to give the visitors a memorable victory 13.5 (83) to 11.13 (79).
Lachie Hunter, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis and Liam Picken were fantastic midfielders for the Bulldogs, while forward Jake Stringer finished with three goals.
Gun forward Lance Franklin was outstanding with five goals for the Swans, while their star onballers Luke Parker, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery were also very good in one of the best games of the season.
The Bulldogs kicked the opening goal of the game when defender Shane Biggs floated forward, but it the visitors failed to capitalise on their positive start, and goals to Franklin and co-captain Jarrad McVeigh gave the Swans a nine-point break at quarter-time.
Dogs’ stars Stringer and Bontempelli had just four touches between them in the first term but sparked their side early in the second, with Stringer booting two quick goals and Bontempelli one in the space of four minutes to put their side in front.
The Swans’ band of midfield stars lifted again with Parker, Hannebery and Kennedy all prolific, and twin goals to Franklin - the second of which gave him 50 for the season - again put the home side on top and they took a 10-point lead into the main break.
A sensational effort off the ground from Parker 90 seconds into the second half that came straight from the Euro 2016 finals had the crowd on their feet and handed the Swans their biggest advantage of the game, but from there it was the Bulldogs who produced some inspired footy.
Stringer’s third after a strong mark in the goalsquare was the first of five unanswered goals to the visitors, and Tom Liberatore’s second for the night, a brilliant snap in heavy traffic helped The Bulldogs to a handy 13-point advantage with a quarter to play.
A quick goal to ruckman Will Minson after a costly 50-metre penalty against Hannebery silenced the Sydney crowd early in the last term but the home side’s biggest names then took control of the game, with Parker and Franklin the stars of the show.
First-year defender Marcus Adams was no match for Franklin who kicked another two goals, the second of which gave the Swans the lead, but they couldn’t finish off the Dogs who rallied from nowhere to snatch the four points.
SYDNEY SWANS 2.5 6.7 8.9 11.13 (79)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.2 5.3 11.4 13.5 (83)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Franklin 5, Parker 3, Sinclair, McVeigh, Hewett
Western Bulldogs: Stringer 3, Liberatore 2, Bontempelli, Roughead, Redpath, Minson, Jong, Jonannisen, Hunter, Biggs
BEST
Sydney Swans: Parker, Franklin, Kennedy, Hannebery, Jack, McVeigh
Western Bulldogs: Hunter, Bontempelli, Roughead, Johannisen, Picken, Daniel
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Stevic, Schmitt, Findlay
Official crowd: 33,386 at SCG
