Fremantle storm into AFL grand final with 27-point comeback against Sydney

Fremantle erase 27-point deficit at the SCG

Fremantle produced one of the great preliminary-final comebacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground, erasing a 27-point deficit late in the third quarter to beat Sydney 12.11 (83) to 10.11 (71) and advance to their second AFL grand final. Trailing heavily after the Swans' early dominance, the Dockers kicked the last six goals of the match, including five unanswered majors in the final quarter, to seal a 12-point win in front of a sell-out 45,129 crowd. The result means Fremantle will contest only the second grand final in club history, with their opponent to be decided by the Hawthorn-Brisbane preliminary final. The comeback carried particular weight for a side that had taken the hard road into the penultimate week after clinching the minor premiership but slipping in the qualifying final against Hawthorn before edging Geelong in a semi-final shootout.

Hayden Young's boundary-line goal flips the night

The pivotal moment came moments before the three-quarter-time siren, when Hayden Young converted a difficult set shot from the boundary line to give the Dockers belief when "all hope looked" gone. Young finished with 28 disposals and was central to Fremantle's midfield dominance alongside Andrew Brayshaw (29 disposals), Caleb Serong (28) and Shai Bolton, who kicked two goals. Coach Justin Longmuir said the club's cautious plan to manage Young through multiple injuries all season had "worked perfectly," noting the midfielder produced a second match-winning performance in as many weeks after also starring in the narrow semi-final win over Geelong. Longmuir revealed he had urged his players at three-quarter time to "risk it to win it" rather than play conservatively, drawing on previous large-deficit fightbacks from the season, including against Sydney.

Late goals from Dudley and Voss close out the Swans

The result was not assured until the dying stages, when Isaiah Dudley ran into an open goal with less than two minutes remaining, capping a dominant final quarter. Patrick Voss produced one of the highlights of the term with a huge fend-off and a checkside goal on the run, while Luke Jackson finished with two majors in an entertaining ruck battle with Brodie Grundy. Captain Alex Pearce, who delivered an emotional on-field interview, praised his team's resilience after an arm-wrestle second half in which Sydney's Tom Papley struggled with a sore knee following a collision. The Swans' brave effort came without injured captain Callum Mills (ACL) and several other stars sidelined, with Dean Cox making two forced changes earlier in the week.

Airlines scramble to move Dockers fans to Melbourne

Within minutes of full-time, Virgin Australia added 11 flights to move Dockers supporters across the country for the grand final, including one that departs at 5am on grand final day. Qantas responded by adding 13 flights amid expectations of a scramble to reach Melbourne. The Dockers will return to Perth on Saturday and watch Peel Thunder contest the WAFL grand final on Sunday, with Longmuir indicating the club will weigh whether any players should be rested from the reserves to keep them fresh for the AFL decider.

Swans gracious in defeat as attention turns to grand final opponent

Beaten Sydney coach Dean Cox showed class by entering the Fremantle rooms after the match to congratulate the victors. Fremantle will now await the outcome of the second preliminary final between Hawthorn and Brisbane to learn their grand final opponent, with kickoff scheduled for the last Saturday in September.