Swans survive thrilling Magpies’ fightback to reach grand final with one-point win

That was quite something, wasn’t it? A game we will never forget, and a win that has set up a tantalising grand final between Geelong and Sydney next week.

Thanks so much for you company tonight. I will be back on the blog tomorrow night for the Brownlow (yes, don’t forget the Brownlow is on tomorrow night!), and then ABC Sport will be filled to the brim with grand final content all week. It’s going to be massive.

Thanks for you company, we’ll see you again real soon.

Could Lance Franklin end a year in which he kicked his 1,000th goal with his third premiership, and first as a Swan?

We should all just count our blessings we get to watch this man play on the biggest stage of all one more time.

The legendary Swans midfielder conceded in his race to be fit again by the end of the season, so got to use tonight as a chance to say goodbye to the Sydney fans. And what magnificent send off it was.

A champion player, whose input over the coming week will be invaluable for his young teammates.

This one is probably more for the Swans fans.

How about those marks from Lance Franklin and Tom Hickey, and the spoil from Callum Mills? Complete desperation from those Swans players. And yet that ball so easily could have spilled to a Collingwood player at any stage for a shot at the win.

The margins were so ridiculously fine.

The Swans are through to another grand final, with one of the most captivating teams they’ve put together for many a year. This is a young team, one whose best years may still be ahead of them, but one that stood up to a gigantic occasion and found a way through.

The first half was scintilating from Sydney, their football far too good for Collingwood to handle. The question was going to be how they would respond to the Pies challenge – it may have been by the thinnest margin possible, but they stood their ground. Defiant to the last moments, players young and old stood up in the most critical of moments and delivered a win for the ages.

They’re just one win away.

What more can you say? They will talk about this Collingwood team for generations. From six goals down to within a point, no other team in the competition could have done what Collingwood did tonight.

Their season ends one step short of a grand final, but this has been a season beyond their wildest dreams. Craig McRae’s boys are destined for big things, but even if they go all the way at some point in the future, I’m not sure the year wil be as special as this one.

What an unbelievable football team. They have brought more magic to this season than any other side.

Are you kidding me? What have we just witnessed at the SCG tonight?

The Swans have done it! Against a surging tide they’ve held their ground, somehow. Just.

Sydney will play Geelong in a grand final after maybe the best preliminary final we’ve seen this century.

By a point! The Swans will win!

51 seconds to play, stacks of time for Sydney.

Another big contested mark! More seconds burned! Swans inside 50 now!

He outmuscles Howe to take the grab on centre wing! And now the Swans will kill some time.

Oh my goodness, who else can’t breath? Too much time for the Swans to hold possession! They have to score!

Collingwood are steamrolling over the top of the Swans! Florent just had to rush the behind! Instead he hacked it out, Mihochek smothered, it fell to Sidebottom and it was slammed straight back through.

THREE POINTS IN IT. 2:42 TO PLAY. ALL COLLINGWOOD RIGHT NOW.

It’s a NINE. POINT. GAME.

4:01 on the clock! A fumble from Parker at half-forward was enough for the Pies to break. Josh Daicos found WHE with a clever squaring kick, and even though he dropped the mark he had time to turn and snap.

Elliott nearly broke through for a shot on goal but Gulden stripped him. Holding the ball. Swans try to slow it down again.

He had enough of it for the umpire to blow for the mark, and the Pies respond again! 5:25 on the clock, Collingwood need three goals to win it.