Grand Final 2005

At the start of the fourth quarter the Sydney (formerly South Melbourne) Swans were up by just 2 points. The Eagles continued to apply the pressure they'd poured on in the third quarter, forcing the ball into their forward pocket. Then, for reasons unknown, after taking a clean uncontested mark, Sydney's Luke Ablett kicked across the Eagles' goal square, missed his team mate and gave the Eagle's Ben Cousins an easy mark and shot at goal from just 15 metres out. Cousins didn't waste the opportunity; he made the 6-pointer and the Eagles finally regained the lead. Two minutes later the Eagles kicked another goal, increasing their margin to 10 points and Sydney fans everywhere were reeling in shock.

Sydney's Barry Hall had been closely marked all game and had been relegated to a support role, but halfway through the fourth quarter the big man's strength showed through and he took a mark 50 metres out frfom goal. This was a crucial kick for Sydney but Big Bazza came through, the ball sailed through the goal posts and the Swans were back in the game.

Ten scrappy, hard fought minutes later, the Eagles had managed to add just 2 points to their total while the Swans had added only 1. It was the Swans' Amon Buchanan who kicked the next goal to put his team back in front by just 1 point. As the clock ticked down the Swans kicked and missed four more times, increasing their margin by only 5 points. They really needed another goal to give them some breathing space but it wasn't going to happen.

The Eagles never gave up and drove the ball back down to their end of the field. With the ball in their forward pocket the Eagles desperately needed a goal and they fought hard for every loose ball, every mark, every possession. The Swans knew just how important a goal was and they fought just as hard to prevent the Eagles from getting a clean possession and a chance at goal.

The entire Footy world held its breath when a kick from an Eagle boot sailed towards goal, but the ball fell short, was grabbed by a Swan and run over the line. The Eagles got 1 more point to their total but what they really needed was that 6-pointer. The Swans kicked the ball back into play and more hard, scrappy fighting ensued. The Swans couldn't clear the ball and it stayed inside the 50-metre line, within easy kicking distance of the Eagles' goal.

With just seconds left on the clock the Eagles were determined to kick a goal. This was the 2005 Grand Final and victory was within their reach.

And I was watching the game.

And I was barracking for the Swans.

And we all know my record, don't we?

We all know what happens to the team I'm barracking for when I'm watching the game.

A boot found the ball, sending it skywards. When it fell back to earth it was right in front of the Eagles' goal square and barely 15 metres out. A solid pack of players waited below for their chance to make history.

If the Eagles could take the mark, or even just get a possession and clear the ball, the Grand Final was theirs. The Swans knew this and were determined to make sure that didn't happen. Of the 18 players the Swans are allowed to have on the field, I think 15 of them were in that pack.

Countless hands reached for the ball as it came back down, but it was the Swans' Leo Barry who flew out of the pack and took the mark. Despite having a dozen Eagles players land on top of him, Barry hung on and the pack crashed to the ground. As the umpires blew their whistles and tried to sort out the mess the final siren sounded.

The 2005 Grand Final was over, and after a 72-year drought the Premiership Cup will once again grace the Swans' locker room, at least until next year.