Sydney’s season was meant to be dead and buried by now. The club-imposed suspension of five players for breaching club standards was thought to have weakened the side to such an extent that a straight-sets finals exit was all but guaranteed. But while the spotlight was on the absent players, a galvanised group of those who remained – one still sprinkled with stardust – dialled up the heat to stun Brisbane and surge into a home preliminary final.
The emotion-charged triumph made the Swans the 13th team to win a qualifying final by more than 50 points since 2000. Eleven of the previous 12 teams then earned a spot in the decider. But for all of their newfound momentum, Dean Cox’s side have to overcome the loss of another pivotal player after captain Callum Mills sustained a serious knee injury against the Lions. The Swans have turned doubters into believers with the way their players have stepped up in the face of adversity. But it would be another chapter in a story for the ages if they can beat the minor premiers to reach a third grand final in five seasons.
