Suns' youngster Hayden Jolly swooped on a loose ball in time-on of the second half and slammed through a superb snap off his right boot to seal a historic 0.4.1 (25) to 0.3.4 (22) win.
Experienced signings Campbell Brown, Daniel Harris, Nathan Krakouer and Josh Fraser led the way, but certainly weren't required to carry their younger teammates.
Harley Bennell, the no.2 pick at the 2010 NAB AFL Draft, put in a blistering first half, while first pick David Swallow was prominent around the stoppages throughout.
The Swans had plenty of their own youth on display and new coach John Longmire would have been delighted with the performances he received from Dan Hannebery, Lewis Jetta and Byron Sumner.
Jude Bolton, Jarred Moore and Marty Mattner were also in excellent touch for the Swans.
Rugby league convert Karmichael Hunt started in defence as expected for Gold Coast and did not look out of place, spending time pitted against the likes of Adam Goodes, Lewis Johnston and Josh Kennedy.
Former Kangaroo Harris celebrated his return to the elite level with the Suns' first goal in AFL company in a first half dominated by both defensive units.
Mark Seaby slammed through a set shot from long range to register the only other major score of an engrossing first half that ended with the Swans up by just one point.
The arm wrestle continued in the second half with young Swan Jed Lamb scoring an impressive long bomb before a goal to Brandon Matera set up the big finish by Jolly.
Sydney Swans 0.1.1 0.3.4 (22)
Gold Coast 0.1.0 0.4.1 (25)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Nine-point goals: Nil. Goals: Goodes, Lamb, Seaby
Gold Coast: Nine-point goals: Nil Goals: Harris, Jolly, Matera, Dixon
BEST
Sydney Swans: J Bolton, Moore, Richards, Mattner, Jack, Seaby
Gold Coast: Swallow, Brown, Bennell, Harris, Krakouer, Fraser, Hunt
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, Wenn, Hay
Crowd: 10,000 at Blacktown Olympic Park
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
