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Reliving the 2012 GF: the Swans' song

Roar Guru
25th September, 2013
4

In front of 99,683 people in a packed MCG, the 2012 AFL Premiership could have been decided by one man that no one even knew was there… until now.

Stuart Dew was a player at Port Adelaide when they won their first premiership in 2004. He was a mature age recruit for Hawthorn in 2008 when they scored an upset win over Geelong in the grand final, and was the midfield coach for Sydney as they upset Hawthorn to win in 2012.

But there was another recruit that Sydney have that may have also have helped them to win the Cup.

The Tigers gave up Mitch Morton at the end of the 2011 season, and Morton made his mark in the qualifying final upset win against Adelaide  for Sydney.

He was a bit up and down in the preliminary final against Collingwood, but he kicked two crucial goals in the second quarter and helped set up a goal to Kieren Jack to tie the scores late in the final quarter of the grand final.

But it wasn’t just the recruits that helped Sydney win, it was its great stock of players.

The first quarter was all the favourites, as the Hawks kicked to what turned out to be the main scoring end in the city end.

After a super tough opening seven minutes, in which both teams tried to break away, Xavier Ellis snapped through the first goal from the middle of a pack. But Nick Malceski for the Swans used the wind to curl through an amazing goal in return.

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Later on, the one and only Lance “Buddy” Franklin delivered with a great use of wind to kick a goal for the Hawks. Late goals from Luke Breust and Jack Gunston put the Hawks in front by 19 points at quarter time, with Hawthorn 4.5 (29) leading Sydney 1.4 (10).

The second quarter turned out to be all Sydney’s. Swans midfield maestro Josh Kennedy made the Hawks pay for delisting him, with a beauty of a long-range set shot for goal.

Adam Goodes and speedster Lewis Jetta gave silver service to Kieren Jack and Jarrad McVeigh, who kicked goals from the goal square to bring the margin back to a point. Sydney’s in and out tall forward Sam Reid then put them in front with a great running goal from 50 metres.

Enter Mitch Morton. The ex-Tiger stepped up to around Hawks defenders to snap a goal, and then moments later step around Josh Gibson and snap through another.

Sydney took the half-time lead, 7.4 (46) to Hawthorn’s 4.6 (30).

After two great goals in the third quarter to Josh Kennedy and Lewis Roberts-Thomson put the Swans in front by 28 points, Hawthorn clawed their way back into the match.

Hawks ruckman David Hale broke the drought with a great set shot goal from outside 50 metres. Franklin, Gunston, and Franklin again kicked goals to bring Hawthorn to within two points.

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Isaac Smith then broke away from the next ball-up and kicked a great running goal from outside 50 metres to put the Hawks in front.

But with only a couple of minutes left in the third quarter, Sam Mitchell brought Jarrad McVeigh to within scoring range after giving away a 50-metre penalty.

McVeigh goaled to put the Swans back in front, taking a 10.5 (65) to 9.10 (64) lead into the final quarter.

Luke Breust put the Hawks back in front within a minute, then Hale really gave the Hawks fans something to shout about with a snap shot through to put the Hawks in front by 11.

After five minutes of rough play, young star Daniel Hannebery kicked a goal to awaken Sydney. Minutes later Morton set up Jack, who kept on hassling Clinton Young before kicking the goal to tie the scores.

The next ball up went straight to Sydney’s forward line, where Adam Goodes roved off the pack and dribbled through a goal.

With under a minute to go the Swans were in front by four points, and the ball was in their forward 50. Hannebery got the ball from a ball-up and handballed to Malceski, who snapped through the first, last and match-sealing goal for the Swans.

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Seconds later the siren went and the Swans had won 14.7 (91) to 11.15 (81).

Ryan O’Keefe won the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground for his tagging job on Sam Mitchell.

It was a great win by the Swans in a great grand final.

But in four years’ time, everyone will want Stuart Dew with them.

 

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