An upset to remember
The Sydney Swans only final at AAMI Stadium was a memorable upset victory over Port Adelaide in 2003
While the Sydney Swans have very limited experience playing finals football in Adelaide, the one memory they do have could serve them well going into tomorrow’s Qualifying Final at AAMI Stadium.
The last time the Swans travelled into South Australian territory in September was in 2003, when the Swans took on the highly-fancied Port Adelaide side.
At the end of the 2003 season, the Power had finished three games clear on top of the AFL table, while the Swans had just scrapped into fourth place.
The Swans were ranked 5/1 outsiders heading into the clash, and not many in the football world had given the Sydney side any hope of upsetting the competition leaders.
To make matters worse the Swans went into the game without the services of key players Michael O’Loughlin, Jason Ball, Jason Saddington and Ryan O’Keefe who were all missing through injury.
But the Swans, captained by Stuart Maxfield and supported by the likes of Brett Kirk, Daryn Cresswell, Adam Goodes, Craig Bolton and Barry Hall, posted an extraordinary 12-point win, which is still regarded as one of the biggest finals’ upsets in recent AFL history.
The Swans went into the final with a distinct game plan focused on stopping Port Adelaide’s run through the middle of the ground and to put pressure on their ball-carriers with aggressive tackling.
The tactic worked, and when a frustrated Stuart Cochrane gave away a down-field free kick after tangling with Jared Crouch late in the first quarter, Daryn Cresswell kicked an easy goal to give the Swans an eight-point buffer at the first break.
A desperate effort and tap on by Jude Bolton in the middle of the ground ended with Swans captain Stuart Maxfield streaming into goal to begin the second quarter, and from there the Swans built their lead even further before half-time. Spearhead forward Barry Hall kicked three goals for the quarter, and when Cresswell goaled again following a transfer of play which began with a desperate Leo Barry spoil in front of Port’s Gavin Wanganeen, the Swans took a 40-point lead to the long change.
The Swans held their lead around the six-goal mark for the majority of the third term, but back-to-back goals from Brendon Lade and Chad Cornes in the dying stages had Port Adelaide back to within 24 points and with all the ascendancy at the final change.
The Swans got on the board first in the final term following a great piece of play from Hall which resulted in a one-handed mark and steadying goal to Nick Davis. Minutes later Port’s Byron Pickett came through the middle of the ground like a steam-train and laid a heavy bump on Swans midfielder Brett Kirk which left him flattened on the ground. Many of Pickett’s bumps throughout his career had cut short opponent’s games, but on this occasion Kirk quickly rose back to his feet and continued on playing in an inspired showing.
Port Adelaide kept coming throughout the contest, but the Swans held strong against every challenge and went on to record a famous victory by 12 points. The win was the Swans first ever finals win outside of Sydney or Melbourne, and was made all the more difficult considering Tadhg Kennelly, Stephen Doyle and Brad Seymour had suffered injuries during the game.
Speaking after the match, Cresswell said the victory was a throwback to the way the club used to be played.
“It was a victory for the Bloods today,” Cresswell said.
“We really dug deep, like the old South Melbourne days.”
Nine years on, three Swans remain from the 2003 upset victory over the Power. Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Lewis Roberts-Thomson all played in the memorable victory, and will line up in this year’s Qualifying Final against the Crows tomorrow afternoon.
