IN THE closing stages of an epic contest at AAMI Stadium, with Port Adelaide demonstrating great courage to snatch a five-point lead, Sydney coach Paul Roos knew it would take an extra-special effort to win the game.
Port's Danyle Pearce was running into an open goal when, against all odds, Martin Mattner lunged and forced him off balance, and the young Power player managed only a behind.
The Swans worked the ball downfield and Tim Schmidt, playing just his 17th game in five seasons, earned a free kick and goaled to level the scores. About four minutes later, Kieran Jack applied a superb tackle, like his famous father once did in rugby league, and prevented Peter Burgoyne from clearing for Port, which eventually led to Jarrad McVeigh sealing an 11-point victory.
This was football at its best, and fears that a contest between two sides known for their negativity against each other would merely develop into an arm wrestle, were unfounded.
The sides kicked 14 goals between them in the first quarter, continued the open-running style in the second, and showed their more predictable game in the second half when no one won an easy kick.
Such was the emotion in the last quarter, when Port kicked the first three goals — including two from Daniel Motlop — that coach Mark Williams ran to the boundary line to further stir up his players in an effort to get them over the line.
But throughout this period of sustained Port Adelaide pressure, when Sydney struggled to get the ball out of defence, heroes emerged, and given the fact a loss would have seen it slide on the ladder, its desperate last 15 minutes may well be remembered as the precious moments that made its season.
Until the last quarter, Adam Goodes was reasonably well contained by Port's Kane Cornes, before breaking the shackles with nine crucial touches. So did Jude Bolton, while Brett Kirk stood even taller with 12.
There were some outstanding individual efforts as Port threw everything at Sydney, but ultimately it was the Swans' amazing self-belief against a wave of momentum that carried them to victory.
Port was dealt a cruel blow when Brett Ebert, who had produced his best game for some time with six goals, suffered an ankle injury 20 minutes into the last quarter, and was carried off.
The home team led by six points at that stage, and there is no doubt his absence hit the Power hard.
Roos and Williams have always enjoyed their coaching battles, and interestingly both persisted with key match-ups.
Roos left Leo Barry on an almost match-winning Ebert because he didn't want to break up other key match-ups, while Williams persisted with Troy Chaplin on Ryan O'Keefe for 85 of the 126 minutes.
O'Keefe, who had earlier given Tom Logan a lesson, continually hurt Port throughout the match and played a significant part in the win.
So too did Jarred Moore. Playing just his 18th match at senior level, he kicked three goals, including one in the last term.
The last-quarter flurry largely erased some fabulous moments earlier, like Michael O'Loughlin's two goals within a minute in the third quarter to give Sydney an 18-point lead — the biggest in the match — plus the magnificent pressure applied by Port's forwards, especially early in the second term.
There were moments many would like to forget too, like Port's dismal shots at goal, including a "shocker" from Justin Westhoff, who redeemed himself with quality play in other areas, and a poor kick in the last line of defence by Nick Malceski which gifted Ebert his third goal in the opening quarter.
But after such a stunning last term, no one cared.
PORT ADELAIDE 6.1 9.5 11.7 14.10 (94)
GOALS: Sydney: Moore 3, O'Loughlin 2, Buchanan 2, O'Keefe 2, McVeigh 2, Jolly, Kirk, Bevan, C Bolton, Schmidt. Port Adelaide: Ebert 6, Tredrea 3, Motlop 2, Lade, P Burgoyne, Gray.
BEST: Sydney: Kirk, O'Keefe, Moore, Goodes, J Bolton, Jack. Port Adelaide: Ebert, K Cornes, Salopek, Cassisi, Brogan, C Cornes.
UMPIRES: Margetts, Rosebury, McInerney.
CROWD 25,013 at AAMI Stadium.
THE UPSHOT
Port is in strife at 3-6 after squandering another lead and
losing — and it plays Fremantle next week.
TALKING POINT
Yes, the interchange rule … again. At one stage early in
the last quarter Sydney had six on the bench. Port coach Mark
Williams was right on the line in the last quarter … making
sure there were no mistakes?
HOT AND COLD
Sydney's Brett Kirk was inspirational in the last quarter with
12 disposals, while Port's David Rodan had his worst game for some
time — just six touches.
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