AFL Premiership

#1

Moments ago, Sydney Swans have won the AFL Premiership for the first time since 1933!
To contribute, please reply by including the random outburst of text "Go the Swannies!"..

w00t!

GO THE SWANNIES!

Here's a news segment:
QUOTE
Sydney has won its first AFL premiership in 72 years, beating West Coast by four points in a classic grand final.

The Swans somehow recovered from a 10-point deficit early in the last quarter to win 8.10 (58) to 7.12 (54), breaking the longest premiership drought in the league's history.

Sydney defender Leo Barry took a match-saving mark in the frenetic last few seconds and his teammates mobbed him when the final siren sounded.

Showing the spirit they had displayed through the finals, the Swans controlled the first half and recovered from a third-quarter lull to take the match in front of 91,898 fans.

West Coast midfielder Chris Judd was voted best afield.

Sydney captain Barry Hall, who escaped suspension earlier this week, was outstanding with two goals and key defender Lewis Roberts-Thomson was rock-solid.

The premiership followed comments earlier in the season from league chief executive Andrew Demetriou that Sydney had to change its style of play, amid widespread criticism of the Swans' form.

Sydney led by two points at the last change, but suffered a hiccup at three minutes into the last quarter when Luke Ablett kicked across goal.

Eagles captain Ben Cousins intercepted the pass and his goal put West Coast in front for the first time since the opening term.

Three minutes later, Adam Hunter marked on the goal line and put his side 10 points up, although the Swans protested that the kick was touched.

But Sydney rallied and a goal to Amon Buchanan at 18 minutes gave the Swans the lead by a point.

Sydney then kicked four behinds in a row to keep West Coast in the match, but Brett Kirk took a vital mark deep in defence with a couple of minutes left.

West Coast was in massive trouble late in the second term when it trailed by three goals, but Sydney kicked three successive behinds either side of halftime as it failed to break the game apart.

The Eagles could only manage two goals in the first half as the Swans set the tempo of the match and shut down West Coast's forwards.

Sydney seemed to wilt in the third term and West Coast lifted with three goals to set up the outstanding last quarter.

West Coast's Mark Nicoski kicked a goal on the run at three minutes into the match to open the scoring, but Swans ruckman Darren Jolly responded at six minutes.

West Coast midfielder Daniel Kerr, second in the Brownlow Medal count behind Cousins earlier this week, left the field early in the first term.

While he returned after quarter-time, he was well off his best.

The Eagles briefly took control when they rebounded strongly on attack and Darren Jolly ran down the wing for an outstanding goal from 50m.

West Coast then could only manage four successive behinds as they failed to capitalise.

Just when Sydney looked in some trouble, Jared Crouch somehow paddled the ball forward on the wing and Adam Schneider kicked a running goal.

A few seconds before quarter-time, Hall kicked a goal from a free kick and the Swans were in front for the first time in the match.

With Roberts-Thomson superb at centre half-back and Barry keeping Michael Gardiner quiet in the goalsquare, the Sydney defence was all over the Eagles forwards.

Sydney kicked 3.3 to three behinds in the second term to put West Coast under stifling pressure, taking a 20-point lead into the main break.

West Coast small forward Phil Matera was a late withdrawal when he did not recover in time from his groin injury and he made way for Kasey Green, for only his second senior game of the season.
News Source: AAP

#2

GO THE SWANNIES!