Updated September 29, 2012 21:59:56
Relive ABC Grandstand's live coverage of the AFL grand final, as Sydney upset Hawthorn by 10 points in front of 99,683 fans at the MCG.
Franklin - 3.4
Gunston - 2.1
Hale - 2.2
Breust - 2.1
Malceski - 2.0
Morton - 2.0
McVeigh -2.0
Kennedy - 2.0
Sewell - 33
Franklin - 24
Mitchell - 24
Burgoyne - 21
Hannebery - 29
O'Keefe - 28
Kennedy - 26
McVeigh - 21
The critics said Hawthorn was the best team all season, but Sydney's famous pressure was matched by admirable poise in a wrenching final term as the Swans took out the premiership by 10 points.
The grand final surprised no one with its intensity - it was a game of bursts, and savage swings of momentum, with first one, then the other team looking down and out, before the Swans won 14.7 (91) to 11.15 (81).
Both teams found kicking for goal difficult in blustery conditions, although thankfully earlier predictions of heavy rain and hail proved unfounded.
There was a symmetry to Sydney's grand final, as Nick Malceski kicked the Swans' first and last goals of the day.
In between there was only slightly-controlled chaos at the MCG, with six lead changes - each more improbable than the last.
After the game, Hawks captain Luke Hodge was gracious in defeat.
"Congratulations to Sydney, you're not only a well-respected side, but you're a well-liked side in the AFL," he said.
"To my team-mates throughout the year I couldn't be more proud of the way you fought back. With the group we've got I know we'll be back next year."
Swans' coach John Longmire, who won a premiership flag in only his second season as a senior coach, praised Hawthorn and his counterpart Alastair Clarkson.
"You're a fantastic club we really admire the way you go about it, we've had some fantastic tussles this year, this was another one - I'm sure there's more to come," he said.
"Thank you to our fans, we saw that much red and white at the parade on Friday we knew we would have big support (today) and we have ... Lastly, I'd like to thank our footballers led by Macca and Goodesy ... never say die is a great attitude, and you did it boys."
By the usual metrics, Sydney should not have won the game - the Swans were beaten at the clearances (by 23), in contested possessions (by 26) and forward entries (by 18).
The missing piece of this puzzle was Sydney's defensive pressure and rebounding out of defence, which kept the Hawks much-vaunted attack quiet for long enough - just - to get over the line.
Sydney had 46 rebound 50s to Hawthorn's 26, and a massive 110 tackles to the Hawks' 84.
The Swans' defensive line absorbed the wave of Hawthorn attacks and more importantly did damage on the way back, with counter-attacking football that created goals at key points during the game.
There were many game-changing moments, but if one encapsulated the reasons behind Sydney's win, it came at the 14-minute mark of the second term.
The Hawks had appeared unstoppable, with goals from Lance Franklin, Luke Breust and Jack Gunston threatening to break the game wide open.
Sydney had regrouped, however, with three on the trot from Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack and Jarrad McVeigh to regain some momentum.
The Hawks needed to stop the flow, and they looked likely to do so, delivering the ball deep inside 50 to a contest.
Standing in their way was 20-year-old Alex Johnson, who corralled the ball and pivoted quickly to turn defence into attack.
He switched the ball to Malceski, who went straight up the corridor and found another Swans' young gun Daniel Hannebery, who booted it long to spearhead Sam Reid, and the 20-year-old bounced the ball clear from 40m.
Within 15 or 20 seconds the Swans had engineered an effective 12-point turnaround, and they would go into half-time 16 points to the good.
There were real and logical reasons why Hawthorn was favourites going into the grand final, and their playing group proved why in the third term.
Goals to Kennedy and Roberts-Thomson had pushed the Swans out to a 28-point lead in the first 10 minutes of the quarter.
Cue the usual suspects for the Hawks, with two goals to Lance Franklin along with majors to ruckman David Hale, forward Jack Gunston and Isaac Smith, as Hawthorn gave a vivid display of the kind of football that had made them the highest-scoring team in the league in 2012.
There was a point the difference at three-quarter time, and the tension switched to the Sydney side of the equation.
Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes had jarred his knee and was struggling to run, ruckman Shane Mumford was limited by a hamstring problem, Jude Bolton was running on empty thanks to partial tears of his knee ligaments.
The bangs and dents of a physical grand final were beginning to take their toll on the Swans, and when Luke Breust and David Hale opened up the final quarter with goals for Hawthorn, a second premiership in five years was on the cards for Alistair Clarkson's men.
But as the bounce of the ball began to elude tiring muscles on both sides, Sydney found another effort.
Daniel Hannebery was the first to score, followed by Kieren Jack - the son of Sydney rugby league royalty - and when Adam Goodes chopped a kick into the ground which bounced agonisingly slowly over the line, the Swans were seven points in front again two minutes into time on.
There was still time enough for the Hawks, and they had their chances, but misses from Breust, Gunston and Brad Sewell - whose 33 touches and 11 clearances could easily have made him Norm Smith medallist in a Hawks' win - cruelled their chances.
Finally the ball fell to Malceski, who snapped truly to seal the game.
The victory gave Sydney its fifth premiership (including three as South Melbourne), joining triumphs in 1909, 1918, 1933 and 2005.
Veteran Ryan O'Keefe took the Norm Smith Medal, with 28 disposals and an amazing 15 tackles.
There were enough sub-plots to fill a book.
Canadian rugby international Mike Pyke was an unsung hero, taking vital marks in defence and spelling the injured Shane Mumford in the ruck.
The crowd of 99,683 had an early highlight, with the real running of the grand final sprint, as Sydney's Lewis Jetta raced down the boundary with Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli in hot pursuit.
Jetta proved he had the faster legs and disposed of the ball, with Rioli giving away a cheap free for a push in the back after the ball had gone.
On the Hawks side, captain Luke Hodge had his face cut open in an early contest, and played a brave match swathed in bandages.
Once again for Hawthorn it was a mixed match for Franklin. He showed his superstar status with huge, team-lifting goals, but again his kicking arc was a worry on set-shots, and his five misses could have made the difference.
Hawks forward Jarryd Roughead summed up the heart-breaking game for his team.
"Grand finals ebb and flow, unfortunately for us when the siren went we were gone," he told Grandstand.
"If Buddy had kicked that (third quarter) goal puts us up by three goals ... but they're all what ifs at the moment.
"I think we had 60-odd inside 50s but only six or seven marks. That just proves how good a defensive side Sydney are."
6.50pm: Swans veteran Jude Bolton admits he wasn't sure if he would ever get back to a grand final. The 301-gamer said it felt like the right time to retire, but he will hold off his decision when the emotional wears off. "The fire still burns".
6.35pm: Back in the sheds. Adam White caught up with Ted Richards, who has gone from playing in the Sydney magoos to being named an All Australian half-back and winning a premiership in 2012.
Josh Kennedy (who typifies the type of player Sydney has built its club around) told Whitey he was prepared to see his grandfather John Kennedy Sr deliver the premiership cup onto the field representing Hawthorn.
6.30pm: Gutted Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson had to put the loss into perspective.
"It's like Nadal v Federer, it's two heavyweights having a crack at each other," Clarkson said post match.
"You're going to win some, you're going to lose some. We're shattered but we played against a very good football team.
"It's hard but it's not anywhere near the loss of something like what happened to Jill Meagher last week or a brother-in-law that I lost this year to a brain tumour, or what happened to Jarrad McVeigh's daughter (who died) last year. We need to put it into perspective."
6.25pm: Nick Malceski kicked the first and last goals of the grand final. His final effort iced the contest. Despite his dirty, great beard no Hawks decided to sit on him at that critical stoppage.
6.15pm: It's a much different story in the Hawthorn sheds. The Hawks were the underdogs in 2008, stealing a premiership away from Geelong's dynasty. Four years later, in their first grand final since, it has happened to them. An extremely disappointed Jarryd Roughead told Dan Lonergan a lot could have changed if team-mates Lance Franklin kicked truly at a pivotal point in the third quarter.
"It was really disappointing, to Sydney's credit they took their chances and finished up ahead in the final quarter.
"(Turning point?) it's hard to say, throughout the game it ebbed and flowed. If Buddy had kicked that goal that puts us up by three goals ... but they're all what ifs at the moment.
"In grand finals you never think you've got it ... as I said before, grand finals ebb and flow unfortunately for us when the siren went we were gone.
"I think we had 60-odd inside 50s but only six or seven marks. That just proves how good a defensive side Sydney are, able to disallow marks inside 50. They work well as a group and you can't fault them.
Mark Maclure says: "I think they [Hawthorn] should have won it when they hit the front. They should have powered away."
6.00pm: The Swans gather in the sheds. Plenty of family and friends, but just the winners and their coaches clamp into a tight huddle - so tight the Channel 7 cameraman can't even sneak in. They let out a rousing version of Cheer, Cheer the Red and the White which could have carried all the way across the border.
Chris Grant says: "If there is a team you'd love to play with other than your own team, it's the Sydney Swans."
5.57pm: For Jarrad McVeigh it was an emotional moment. Twelve months ago his club rallied around the Swans' midfielder after the death of his baby daugher Luella.
McVeigh was one of the Swans leaders in an intense game, with 21 possessions - 12 of them contested - nine tackles and two goals.
"To get out to a game lead, and then the Hawks came back, then we came back, it was just ebbs and flows. I can't explain it (the feeling), just fantastic, unbelievable," he told Channel 7.
"There's so much belief in these guys, we know if we play our game no one can stop us."
Jude Bolton told Channel Seven he had played the grand final with a partial tear of both his ACL and PCL.
"It (my knee) was good enough to stand up there."
5.55pm: Fellow ruckman Shane Mumford and young forward Sam Reid where almost lost for words when they spoke with Grandstand's Dan Lonergan on the ground.
5.52pm: Myke Pike has a Canadian flag with him on his victory lap. He was on the front page of the Vancouver Sun today. And might be again tomorrow after this outstanding effort today - 16 touches, 6 marks and 29 hit-outs. Chris Grant says the big Canadian was labelled the "worst player in the AFL" by a rival radio station. He is no passenger, he is a premiership player.
5.50pm: The celebrations have extended to the ABC Grandstand commentary box and former Swans premiership player Tadhg Kennelly.
@GerardWhateley: Tadhg Kennelly does Irish jig on desk in celebration of @sydneyswans Premiership on @abcgrandstand pic.twitter.com/OdaIQA
5.40pm: Fantastic scenes as Sydney begins its celebratory lap of honour with their well-earned silverware. Josh Kennedy is embraced by his father John, who won four premierships with the Hawks but was firmly in his son's corner today.And Adam Goodes. What a warrior.
Goodes - 14 touches, 6 tackles and a goal - played on despite jarring his knee early in the second half, but was feeling no pain after the siren.
"This is the best part of the game (celebration), you work so hard to get here, doing this is why you play football," Goodes told Channel 7.
"It (my knee) is 100 per cent, I'm fine I feel on top of the world!
"I won't feel it for six months."
Goodes praised his team-mates who had also played on through injury, like Shane Mumford.
"That's what our group's about ... no matter how sore (you are) or how difficult (it is), just give something for the team."
5.35pm: The spotlight turns to John Longmire and Jarrad McVeigh as they accept the 2012 premiership cup from Swans legend Bob Skilton. Longmire and McVeigh lift the cup high for the pride of the Bloods.
"You're a fantastic club we really admire the way you go about it, we've had some fantastic tussles this year, this was another one - I'm sure there's more to come. Thanks Clarko and your fantastic football team," Longmire said.
"Thank you to our fans, we saw that much red and white at the parade on Friday we knew we would have big support (today) and we have, thank you all.
"Lastly, I'd like to thank our footballers led by Macca and Goodesy ... never say die is a great attitude, and you did it boys."
5.30pm: The Swans players take the stage to accept their premiership medals. Some amazing stories amongst this group.
5.24pm: Ryan O'Keefe wins the Norm Smith Medal. A worthy winner just ahead of midfield team-mate Dan Hannebery.
5.20pm: Hawks skipper Luke Hodge takes the stage to thank all those involved and is very gracious in defeat.
"Congratulations to the Sydney boys. You're not only well respected but well-liked right throughout the comp."
"To my team-mates, throughout the whole year, I couldn't be more proud of the way you fought back.
"It's a disappointing end. With the group we've got, I know we'll be back here next year."
Sydney wins the 2012 AFL premiership! They've upset the Hawks in the big one. The Swans kicked the final four goals and then did what they do best - fight until the death. Red and white everywhere. An amazing performance. A typical Sydney performance. Seven years since their last premiership, and the resilient Swans have done it again.
Franklin - 3.4
Gunston - 2.1
Hale - 2.2
Breust - 2.1
Malceski - 2.0
Morton - 2.0
McVeigh -2.0
Kennedy - 2.0
Sewell - 33
Franklin - 24
Mitchell - 24
Burgoyne - 21
Hannebery - 29
O'Keefe - 28
Kennedy - 26
McVeigh - 21
20': GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 10 points. NICK MALCESKI! He's kicked the first and last goals of the grand final. He is mobbed by this team-mates with 30 seconds left. He sat free off the ball-up and needed just an inch of space to snap the sealer.
One minute left: Jetta has a shot from 50, it falls short. Players dive in from everywhere. It's locked in Sydney's forward 50.
Two minutes left: Savage takes a goal-saving mark deep in defence but Birchall is taken down by a desperate Marty Mattner on the outer wing.
17': Brad Sewell snaps... and misses to the right. Handy point. Sewell snaps... and misses to the left. The margin is now four points. Sydney out on its feet at the back.
16': Sydney is desperately defending its lead. Smothers, tackles, one percenters all along the broadcast wing. Hawthorn just wanted to get it forward, but the Swans won't allow it.
15': Franklin takes a great grab on 50, opts not to go back and finds an unmarked Jack Gunston in the pocket. He hits the post!! Swans lead by one goal neat.
14' GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 7 points. ADAM GOODES YOU ARE A FREAK OF NATURE! On almost the same patch of grass that Leo Barry took his famous mark in 2005, Goodes crumbs off the contest and rolls home a fantastic goal. How is he doing this? Mike Pyke also took a great mark to stop Hawthorn escaping their defence in the build-up.
13': GOAL SWANS - Scores level. Kieran Jack comes from nowhere to pick Clint Young's pocket an level the scores from the goal-square. Outstanding lead-up work by Mitch Morton, when he was battling two Hawks. Little efforts like that win grand finals.
12': Just like the weather in Melbourne today, it is the calm before the storm. Some inspiration acts of courage out there. Luke Hodge and Adam Goodes in particular are jumping around with no regard for their bodies. So too the midfield warriors from both sides. Mike Pyke is also in bad shape.
11': The official attendance at the MCG is 99,683. A whisker away from the 100,000 mark.
10': Sydney's Alex Johnson comes off the field with an arm/wrist injury.
9': GOAL SWANS - Hawks lead by 6 points. Take a bow Lewis Jetta. Didn't go in hard enough in the third term but put his body on the line and Dan Hannerbery picks up the scraps to level a fantastic and timely goal for Sydney. Meanwhile, there is no reasonable explanation as to how Adam Goodes is still running and having an impact on this game. Other than he isn't from this planet.
6': Swans use their sub. Shane Mumford OFF, Luke Parker ON. Sydney desperately need some run.
4': Buddy Franklin wins a high tackle free-kick from right in front but misses. Three goals from eight shots on goal for Franklin. If he splits the middle there the Swans' heads would definitely have dropped.
2': GOAL HAWKS - Hawks lead by 11 points. It is haling at the MCG. David Hale. The big man snaps his second goal and the Hawks are getting reward for their forward entries. Hawthorn now has seven of the last eight goals and is threatening to run away with it. Sydney's tank is emptying and fast.
1': GOAL HAWKS - Hawks lead by 5 points. Cyril Rioli is showing what he can do in big games. His vision combined with Luke Breust's speed for a goal inside the first 60 seconds of the quarter.
Morton - 2
McVeigh -2
Kennedy - 2
Sewell - 26
Franklin - 20
Mitchell - 17
Shiels - 17
Hannebery - 21
Kennedy - 21
O'Keefe - 20
McVeigh - 19
Well, the stage is set. Sydney's lead got as high as 28 points before Hawthorn hit the go button with five consecutive goals. Brad Sewell and Lance Franklin were outstanding for the Hawks in the third term. Ted Richards is struggling to keep up with Buddy. Sydney's run stopped, especially off half-back. It'll just be a battle of wills in the final term.
20': Hawthorn lays siege to the Sydney goal but the siren and a fantastic contested mark by LRT rescues the Swans. Swans lead a point.
18' GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 2 points. Silly from Hawks veteran Sam Mitchell. Gives away a 50 metre penalty and Swans skipper Jarrad McVeigh makes Hawthorn's pay with a perfect shot on goal. Couldn't have come any later. The gold and brown train was leaving the station.
16': GOAL HAWKS - Hawks lead by 4 points. HAWTHORN BURST FOOTY! They're kicking goals faster than I can type. Isaac Smith sprints out of the centre bounce and kicks the Hawks into the lead! Amazing scenes. The minor premiers have finally awoken from their slumber, especially in the middle. Sydney now the ones left shell-shocked.
16': GOAL HAWKS - Swans lead by 2 points. Lance Franklin lets loose with a booming goal from outside the arc. This is typical of the Hawks.
15': GOAL HAWKS - Swans lead by 8 points. Here they come. Hawthorn kick its third goal on the trot, this one courtesy of a lovely drop punt by Jack Gunston. The Hawks have also activate their sub - Xavier Ellis OFF, Shane Savage ON.
13': GOAL HAWKS - Swans lead by 16 points. Sam Reid lines up a shot at goal but tremendous rebound by Hawthorn's Grant Birchall delivers Franklin a much-needed one on one. He takes the mark, plays on, wheels onto his favoured left and sends home a big goal. The charge is starting. Buckle up.
12': GOAL HAWKS - Swans lead by 22 points. David Hale boots the Hawks' first goal in almost 42 minutes from a free-kick in the ruck. You can't give a mug an even break, says Mark Maclure. Have the Swans left the window open? They still look to be tremendous shape.
9': Kennedy hits the post. Wow, that could have really sunk the Hawks. Sydney's pressure all around the ground, but particularly locking the ball in their forward line is outstanding. The Swans lead the tackle count 72 to 47.
7': GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 27 points. Adam Goodes has done the PCL in his knee. Yet he is still out there making a contest! This time his hard work leads to a shot on goal for LRT and the popular swingman doesn't disappoint. His 25th goal of the season. A huge boilover brewing at the MCG.
3': GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 21 points. The speed of Lewis Jetta again kills the Hawks. The Sydney livewire breaks free from the stoppage, finds Jack and then Josh Kennedy stretches the lead with a running goal. Seven straight goals by the Swans.
1': Jarryd Roughead with an early shot on goal. It drifts wide. Not sure the Hawks can afford to leave their run too late.
Mark Maclure: Atrocious second term by the Hawks. Are they up to the fight? The margin is not that big, both of these sides can blow away that deficit with their ability to play burst footy. It has to start in the middle for Hawthorn. Brad Sewell and Sam Mitchell ned to win the ball for Hawthorn or they are going to get smashed. Mitch Morton's story is amazing.
Chris Grant: Sydney's completely dominating Hawks on the outside. Players like Shaw, Johnson, Jetta and O'Keefe. We're set for a great second half. A bit of mind game. Can the Swans continue what they did in the second quarter? They need to do it for the rest of the game. Mumford and Richards clearly not fully fit.
Tadhg Kennelly: John Longmire has brought that outside run for the Swans. Sydney are trying to get the ball outside the stoppage to isolate the lack of Hawthorn's speed at the stoppage. Sydney are just working harder.
Ellis
Franklin
Breust
Gunston
Morton - 2
McVeigh
Kennedy
Reid
Jack
Malceski
Sewell - 18
Franklin - 14
Young - 12
Mitchell - 11
O'Keefe - 14
Hannebery - 13
Kennedy - 12
McVeigh - 12
What a turnaround. Sydney kicks six straight goals in the second term to turn a 19-point deficit into a 16-point advantage at the main break. The red and white faithful rise at the MCG. A simply superb effort by the Swans in that quarter. They got back to what they do best, winning the hard ball and forcing it forward. A hobbled Adam Goodes typified Sydney's determination to offer a contest at all times and, together with Mitch Morton, was vital to Sydney's well-earned lead.
Down back Rhyce Shaw and Alex Johnson have been brilliant reading Hawthorn's forward entries and kick-starting Sydney's attack off half-back. Brad Sewell has been a warrior for the Hawks with 10 contested possessions. But is not getting much help from his team-mates. Ryan O'Keefe has eight tackles, two clearances and six contested possessions.
Sydney finished the half with 24 inside 50s to Hawthorn's 29. The Swans had just seven at quarter-time. Hawthorn's kicking efficiency is at 67.7 per cent, compared to Sydney's 74.9.
Hawthorn won 21 of 22 second quarters this season, kicking an average of 33 points in each. Now, in the biggest game of the year, they return one point to their opponents' six goals.
19': Lance Franklin hooks a set shot out on the full. Shades of last week against the Crows under pressure. Young does likewise under pressure on the boundary line. Maclure says Hawthorn are playing a selfish brand of footy. No teamwork at all.
18': Marty Mattner is smashed by David Hale and Luke Breust. A preview of the NRL grand final with that tackle. Hawks trying to stay competitive. Adam White reports Luke Hodge and Cyril Rioli come to the boundary absolutely gassed.
17': GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 16 points. Another goal for Morton, another goal assist for Goodes. Six goals to nought against the best side in the competition this quarter. This is remarkable stuff by the Swans. They are overwhelming the Hawks all over the ground. The minor premiers are shaken and are screaming for the half-time siren.
15': GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 10 points. It's all one-way traffic at the MCG. Goodes on one leg still makes a contest in front of goal and dishes it out to Mitch Morton, who snaps another goal for Sydney. Hawthorn beat Sydney at its own contested game in the first term, now the Swans are belting the Hawks in their trademark burst footy.
12': Hale kicks a behind - Hawthorn's first score in nearly 18 minutes!
12': A strapped up Goodes is back on the field but he looks limited. This could be a telling blow for the Swans.
10': GOAL SWANS - Swans lead by 5. Sam Reid finally gets over his case of the fumbles and sends one through from 50. Great rebound by the Swans. Rhyce Shaw cuts off a Hawthorn entry and get it going the other way straight through the corridor. Sydney leading the inside 50s 10-4 this term. Swans moving the ball very well against the Hawks defence.
9': Adam Goodes goes to the boundary and is getting some attention on his left knee. It appears he injured it in the marking contest that setup McVeigh's goal. He has been brilliant early for the Swans.
5': GOALS SWANS - Hawks by 1. What a response by the Swans. The City End is the scoring end. Jetta and Goodes work in tandem on the outside and McVeigh marks in the goal-square. They just don't know how to give up, Sydney. Hawks stopped in their tracks. Quarter-time halted their momentum.
4': GOAL SWANS - Hawks lead by 7. A controversial but nevertheless important six-pointer for Sydney. LRT should have been pinged for holding the ball after a great tackle by Ellis, but the ball falls for Goodes, who sets up Kieran Jack for an easy mark and goal. Hawks players and fans not too happy.
1': GOAL SWANS - Hawks lead by 13. Josh Kennedy kicks a very important goal early in the second term with a set shot. Follow me boys, he says.
A fantastic finish to the first quarter by the Hawks, who lead by 19 points at the first change. We know they are capable of this trademark burst footy and the Swans are saved by the siren. The Hawks lead the Swans 43-31 in contested possessions, taking away Sydney's bread and butter. Lance Franklin is looking ominous and Ted Richards is struggling with his ankle injury. Inside 50s favour the Hawks 18-7. Not great signs for the Swans.
X Ellis
B Franklin
L Breust
J Gunston
Franklin - 10
Mitchell - 8
Sewell - 7
O'Keefe - 8
Shaw - 7
Hannebery - 7
19': GOAL HAWKS - Hawks lead by 19 points. Superb finish by Jack Gunston lurking on the half-forward line. Find the ball uncontested and snaps truly to bounce the Sherrin through for a second goal in a minute for the favourites. Hawthorn making the Swans pay for their profligacy.
19': GOAL HAWKS - Hawks lead by 13 points. Luke Breust take a bow. Fantastic work on the broadcast wing, pushing the ball forward, running hard and finishing it off with a tidy little grubber.
18': Lewis Roberts-Thompson with a crunching tackle on Hodge, who is already sporting a bandaged head, and wins a holding the ball free-kick. But LRT misses! Both sides struggling with their set shots early.
17': Jetta takes off on an electric run on the outer wing. Rioli gives chase. I thought we had already done the grand final sprint? Fantastic moment. Craig Bird gets a free-kick but his shots fades wide.
16': GOAL HAWKS - Hawks lead by 9. Lance Franklin takes an uncontested mark and kicks a beauty from right on 50 at a tight angle. Worked it around wonderfully and the Hawks get some much-needed reward on the scoreboard.
15': Fantastic grab by Daniel Hannebery over Hale!
15': Bullet dodged by the Swans. Heath Grundy caught holding the ball but Jarryd Roughead opts to play on and kicks a behind. Chances going begging early.
15': Ryan O'Keefe starting to make his impact on the contest. Sam Reid also takes a great mark on the lead ahead of Ryan Schoenmakers. The play breaks down with Alex Johnson kicking a behind.
14': Plenty of stoppages on the outer wing. Sydney attempt to run it out but the Hawthorn zone is all over it and send it back for ruckman David Hale to take a strong contested mark over opponent Shane Mumford. But Hale misses from point blank range. Inaccuracy hurt the Hawks last week.
12': Free-kick to Liam Shiels against Craig Bird, but the Hawk utility's shot on goal goes across the face and is rushed for a behind by the Swans. Hawks lead inside 50s 9-4. Hawks by two points.
10': Some fantastic build up by foot from the Hawks ends with Cyril Rioli dishing it off Franklin, who steadies, lines them up and... hits the post! Two shots, two behinds for Buddy.
8': GOAL SWANS - Scores level. WHAT A GOAL! Nick Malceski, who only has four majors this year, snaps an unbelievable goal from arguably the toughest pocked on the MCG. The Swans fans behind the goal are both stunned and jubilant. Nice response by the underdogs. Typically physical and intense all around the ground.
7': GOAL HAWKS - Hawks lead by six points. The pressure finally tells. Xavier Ellis, who has just come off the bench, reacts first from a Mumford tap right in front of the sticks and snaps the first goal of the grand final.
6': Luke Hodge gets the first free-kick of the afternoon for a high tackle. The Hawks skipper is bleeding from the right eye and Swans midfielder Josh Kennedy also has claret coming from his ear. Two hard nuts going at it early.
5': Adam Goodes has had a fantastic start for the Swans. He is everywhere. The Sydney co-captain comes up with a fantastic tackle of Isaac Smith as the Hawks go forward again.
4': Sydney, with its typical forward tackling pressure, has the Hawks locked in their defensive 50. Lewis Jetta attempts an audacious snap from the pocket but it is rushed through by Isaac Smith who was manning the goal-line.
1': Nervous start for both sides but Hawks get their hands on it early in the middle and Lance Franklin takes his first mark of the game on the edge of the forward 50. But his shot of goal goes through for a behind.
A full house at the MCG, according to boundary rider Adam White. An amazing atmosphere. The ground has held up well after plenty of rain. The wind had died down. Luke Hodge wins the toss and decides to run towards the City End.
Finals tip and Norm Smith medal winner:
Mark Maclure - Hawks, Josh Gibson
Tadhg Kennelly - Swans, Dan Hannebery
Chris Grant - Hawks, Sam Mitchell
Gerard Whateley -Hawks, Brad Sewell
Drew Morphett - Hawks. No tip for Drew as he is on the official voting panel.
2.26pm: John Kennedy Sr and Bob Skilton bring out the premiership cup before Marina Prior belts out a fantastic version of Advance Australia Fair. Here we go!
2.21pm: The sun is shining at the MCG and even a bit of blue sky. Melbourne weather - it's anyone's guess. Here is hoping we are in for just as wild and unpredictable grand final.
2.20pm: Kennelly says Adam Goodes, Josh Kennedy and Ted Richards are the three key men for the Swans.
2.15pm: Paul Kelly wraps up with another quality tune and here come the teams. Sydney the first out on to the field. Hawthorn waits in the race with the premiership cup sitting enticingly jut a fingertip away from Brad Sewell and his team-mates before Luke Hodge leads them out.
2.07pm: Geelong premiership winners Cam Mooney and Brad Ottens tell Adam White they want the Swans to win. Ottens is even wearing a Sydney scarf. Footballers have very long memories... Listen here.
2.05pm: Injured Hawks defender Brendan Whitecross tells the Grandstand team he still feels part of the team despite going down with an ACL injury against Collingwood in the opening week of the finals.
"We've worked really hard for four years now since the 2008 grand final and I hope the boys get over the line," Whitecross said.
"I feel very much a part of the side."
Whitecross, who admitted to being the pest of the Hawks side, said the atmosphere in the dressing rooms was too intense for him.
"It's too quiet for my liking," he said.
"They boys are pretty focussed and pretty serious down there.
"I think they are ready to go."
1.55pm: Hawthorn premiership player Chance Bateman chatted with Adam White before the opening bounce. Listen here.
Whitey also caught up with Olympic champion Sally Pearson, who is about to enjoy a lap around the MCG with her fellow London medalists. Listen here.
1.48pm: Mark Maclure says it is a disgrace how few AFL players come to watch the grand final. The Blues legend says they should be keen to experience it to help motivate them to one day get there themselves. Kennelly said the first time he went to a grand final was when he realised how big the occasion was. He went on to win a premiership medal in 2005.
1.42pm: Both sides are facing the elements out on the 'G for their 'warm-ups'. Good luck, lads. Lots of rain and hail expected soon!
1.40pm: The weather is getting really wild at the MCG. The Auskick goals are being blown over. The flags are almost being ripped from their poles. Mark Maclure says the weather could slow the contest down further and help a hobbled Mumford.
1.37pm: The PM (a Bulldogs fan) has had her say.
?@JuliaGillard: Swans had a sensational season. Can never write off Hawks with stars like Buddy Rioli & Hodge, but Swans to triumph in #AFLGF cliffhanger.JG
1.35pm: Former Sydney premiership player Tadhg Kennelly joins the Grandstand team and says Swans ruckman Shane Mumford suffered a hamstring complaint in training. He has been declared fit, but could it hamper the big man in tough conditions? Meanwhile, could Swans veteran Jude Bolton be playing his last game? Bolton is going into today's decider with torn ligaments in his knee, as reported by Channel 7 and confirmed by Bolton's wife.
1.31pm: No late changes for either side. Shane Savage is the sub for the Hawks and Luke Parker for the Swans. Savage in particular has proved influential coming off the pine this season, and could play a big role in the final quarter, barring any unforseen, early injuries.
1.25pm: Hawthorn legend John Kennedy is favouring family over club. He tells the Grandstand team he hopes son Josh can win a premiership with the Swans today even if it comes against Hawthorn, the club John and his father represented with such distinction.
@GerardWhateley: John Kennedy Jr compelling listening on @abcgrandstand Family over club for the father with son Josh today.
1.15pm: Grandstand's Patrick Dangerfield (yes we are claiming him) goes back-to-back in the grand final sprint. The Crows speedster absolutely smashes the field with Sydney's Harry Cunningham second and Hawthorn's Angus Litherland third.
1.05pm: Things warming up at the MCG. Not weather wise but out on the field. Tim Rogers and the long kick competition has entertaining the crowd as they roll in, while the grand final sprint is moments away.
12.52pm: Afternoon all. Raman Goraya here reporting for duty. Just in - pictures from inside the Sydney rooms show an upbeat Shane Mumford stretching and listening to music. The chances of the Sydney ruckman missing out today look very unlikely. Gotta love grand final rumours.
12.45pm: Shane Mumford is said to be testing his hamstring amid rumours he is in danger of missing out on the grand final. He would leave a big hole in the Sydney lineup.
12.40pm: ABC footballer of the year Patrick Dangerfield reveals how close he was to leaving the Crows and entertained the Grandstand team with his range of impressions. Have a listen:
12.15pm: The Pre-Match show is underway - Listen here
"I hope it stops raining," Isaac Smith told Grandstand.
11.45am: We have the first reports of rain at the MCG ....the sun just failing to hold out until the afternoon.
11.30am: We're just over half an hour away from the AFL grand final pre-match show which features the ABC's AFL player of the year, Patrick Dangerfield.
11.20am: The Hawks will wear a black armband in today's game to honour long-time staff member Scotty Finlayson who died last week.
11.00am: The atmosphere outside the MCG is already building with fans milling around ... including a certain Olympic gold medallist.
10:30am: The sun is out in Melbourne this morning, but forecasters remain convinced rain, wind and quite possibly hail will arrive in four hours' time when the game gets underway.
Grandstand's coverage from the MCG begins at 12.10pm. You can stream online here.
Grandstand's Dan Lonergan caught up with plenty of the Hawks and Swans at the grand final parade. You can listen to interviews with Lance Franklin, Cyril Rioli, Luke Hodge, Lewis Jetta, Josh Kennedy, John Longmire and more here.
On Friday, Gerard Whateley and Matt Clinch joined Francis Leach and Kelli Underwood to preview the 2012 AFL grand final.
Grant Birchall
Josh Gibson
Benjamin Stratton
Martin Mattner
Ted Richards
Rhyce Shaw
Matt Suckling
Ryan Schoenmakers
Shaun Burgoyne
Nicholas Smith
Heath Grundy
Alex Johnson
Jordan Lewis
Sam Mitchell
Xavier Ellis
Daniel Hannebery
Kieren Jack
Lewis Jetta
Jack Gunston
Lance Franklin
Isaac Smith
Ryan O'Keefe
Sam Reid
Craig Bird
Cyril Rioli
Jarryd Roughead
Luke Breust
Lewis Roberts-Thomson
Adam Goodes
Jarrad McVeigh
David Hale
Luke Hodge
Brad Sewell
Shane Mumford
Josh P. Kennedy
Jude Bolton
Paul Puopolo
Liam Shiels
Clinton Young
Nick Malceski
Mike Pyke
Mitch Morton
Tom Murphy
Max Bailey
Kyle Cheney
Tommy Walsh
Tony Armstrong
Trent Dennis-Lane
Tags: australian-football-league,
sport,
melbourne-3000,
vic,
australia,
sydney-2000,
nsw,
hawthorn-3122 First posted September 29, 2012 10:29:32
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