World Footy News

Teams	1st Qtr	2nd Qtr	3d Qtr	Final
Hawthorn	4.5.(29)	4.6.(30)	9.10.(64)	11.15.(81)
Sydney	1.4.(10)	7.4.(46)	10.5.(65)	14.7.(91)

Goals :
Haw : Franklin 3, Roughead 2, Gunston 2, Hale 2, Breust 2, Ellis, Smith
Syd : McVeigh 2, Malceski 2, Morton 2, Jack 2, Kennedy 2, Hannebery, Reid, Roberts-Thomson, Goodes

Norm Smith Medal : Ryan O'Keefe, (Syd), 28 disposals and 15 tackles.

Att : 99,683

Premierships : 1909, 1918, 1933, 2005, 2012

In a see-sawing final quarter Hawthorn had kicked out to an early lead, only to see the Swans pegging back the lead then first levelling the scores before pushing ahead by a first a point, then a Goodes goal to lead by 7. 3 Consecutive misses including a poster from Gunston and 2 (snaps) by Sewell (who had battled valiantly all day with a game high 33 disposals) saw the Swans leading by just 4 points with just minutes remaining. The Swans surged forward, there ensued a stoppage and large pack from which Malceski snapped the match sealing goal, after kicking the Swans first he closed the deal with the last. Hawthorn could rue several posters, and other misses including Franklin who finished with 3 goals 4 plus one very much across the face and out on the full at a crucial time kicking to the Punt Rd end just before half time. Roughead also finihed with 0.3 while Hale squared his ledger with 2.2 after his 2 first half misses. The Hawks inaccuracy cost them, and for the Swans, with the frees ledger sitting 9-22 against, there might have been an grudging excuse had they lost. In the end it was a classic contest irrespective.

Of interest to Canadian footy fans - Mike Pyke finished with 16 disposals and 6 marks and 29 hit outs. The Swans headed into the last quarter with substitute player Luke Parker still to be brought into the game - and shortly into the last made the call of removing a tall. That they replaced big Shane Mumford (6 disposals, 2 marks) was a massive show of faith in Pyke who rucked out the last quarter. Including a key late pack mark (that led to Adam Goodes scrabbling a goal to put the Swans up by 7) as well as a couple of vital contesting efforts in the play that saw his mid-air hack at the ball marked by Jetta who went back with about a minute and a half remaining to drive the ball to the teeth of goals - from where the pack developed that lead to Malceski's match winner.

After the Swans had surged to a 28 point lead midway through the third term, Hawthorn had shown courage to fight back, take the lead just before 3/4 time but conceded a 50m penalty (against Sam Mitchell for a sloppy return of the ball) and late goal to Jarrad McVeigh who regained the lead for the Swans. The first 2 goals of the last quarter came to the Hawks The Swans kicked the last 4 goals of the game, against the Hawks 5 behinds. Goals first to Hannebery on the run to get back with 6; then Jack in the goal square to tie up the scores, followed by Goodes and finally Malceski.

Kieren Jack manages to go one better than his dad (Balmain legend, Garry Jack) did for Balmain in the NRL (losing to Canterbury in 1988 and Canberra in 1989). Jude Bolton has been revealed to have played on through the finals with a partially torn PCL and more significantly a partially torn ACL - and is facing a knee reconstruction and the question would be posed as to whether he's played his last game. Nick Malceski as well headed in for his LARS knee reconstruction in early March 2011, was walking within 4 days and now has a premiership medallion to fully validate the decision. Rhyce Shaw who missed out at Collingwood almost 10 years (the 2003 50 pt loss to Brisbane) ago has tasted the ultimate success and was congratulated by brother Heath after the game - however, the emotion of Mark and Jarrad McVeigh's embrace across the fence during the lap of honour was palpable. (Read Mark's tribute ). Mike Pyke as well has 'stuck it up' his detractors (chief of whom perhaps 'BT' - Brian Taylor, although in part tongue in cheek at times, becoming a bit of a running 'gag' on Ch.7 during the season - so much so that even Swans president Richard Colless passed a message via Ch.7 boundary riders back to 'BT' from the rooms after the game.). Pyke was interviewed on the ground post match by Cameron Ling - and perhaps Pyke doesn't know the Canadian for 'Lingy' as Pyke said it with perhaps a hint of Aussie twang? Mitch Morton spoke of having to earn the trust of his teammates to finally get a game, and the surreal feeling he had as a premiership player 12 months on from leaving Richmond. Adam Goodes has been reported to have suffered a torn PCL early in the contest - through which he played out the game and continued to compete strongly, including kicking a vital late goal. Meanwhile, Swans stalwart Kenny Williams again led the Swans song back in the rooms - premiership cup in hand.

At the last break the Swans hold the lead by the narrowest of margins. Hawthorn had the better of the third term but only after conceding early goals to the Swans who had stretched their lead to effectively 5 goals.

Around the ground Hawthorn gained ascendancy, including increased output from Roughead. Meanwhile Pyke's influence was to some degree nullified. Jetta as well was unable to influence proceedings as he had in the 2nd with some stunning ball use (vision). Jetta actually provided one of the highlights of the first half with 4 bounces running out of defence tailed at all times by Rioli in the on field chase that commentators had been dreaming of.

The Swans will come home to the scoring (city) end - however, 2 early goals to Hawthorn at the start of the last quarter gives the Swans the challenge to arrest the momentum.

At half time it had been a game of two quarters with Hawthorn holding a quarter time lead of 19 points, however, having been a tad wasteful kicking to the 'scoring end'. The second quarter saw the Swans kicking the vital first goal to keep in touch - only to kick 6 straight for the term to Hawthorn's solitary behind. A 16 point lead at the half the result of a 35 point turn around.

To half time Canadian Mike Pyke is arguably the best 'Big' on the ground with 9 disposals and 5 marks as well as 10 hit outs. Hawthorn's David Hale with 2 behinds has had 13 hit outs. In fact, Hale and Roughead have 13 disposals and 5 marks between them and both ruck duos have had 20 hit outs each. Mumford has been largely ineffectual with 1 kick and mark. Aerially, Pyke has either marked or contested strongly bringing the ball to ground.

Medium forward Mitch Morton brought back memories of North Melbourne's Glen Freeborn in the 2nd term in the '96 Grand Final (when as a fringe player he kicked 3 goals to help turn the game). Morton, lucky to be in the right place at the right time come the end of the season kicked 2 crucial 2nd quarter goals to extend the Swans lead heading into the main break.