GREAT ESCAPE

IN a season which has had almost everything, the Sydney Swans added something more last night with a stunning, after-the-siren, one-point win over Essendon. The match-winning goal from Gary Rohan continued Sydney’s amazing revival in which the Swans have won six of their past seven matches to move into the eight.

SYDNEY has completed an astonishing one-point victory over Essendon at the SCG last night, sneaking home via a Gary Rohan conversion from the goal square after the final siren.

The Bombers looked set to complete an epic come-frombehind win, piling on seven consecutive goals to hit the front with 10 minutes remaining. The visitors pushed it out to a 19-point lead but the Swans rallied.

Lance Franklin missed two shots in the ensuing chaos, but his side still managed to kick two goals in the final 80 seconds. The margin was cut to five points when Franklin marked outside the 50m arc, wheeled around and kicked his sixth behind of the night.

Soon after, the Sherrin landed in the lap of Rohan, who had cost Sydney two goals during the Bombers’ preceding blitz, and the flame-haired speedster did not disappoint.

The Swans won 11.20 (86) to 12.13 (85), surging into the AFL’s top eight for the first time this season.

Both sides were guilty of crippling turnovers and inaccurate goalkicking, especially in the opening half.

Swans skipper Josh Kennedy, as has been the case throughout his side’s revival, was inspirational in the engine room and likely to earn the three Brownlow votes.

The Bombers landed in NSW with two worrying records hanging over their heads. The Swans had won the past six meetings between the clubs, while Franklin had averaged a bag of five goals in his 13 clashes with Essendon. They successfully shot down one of the hoodoos — Franklin was held goalless by the Bombers for the first time in his 260game career.

The Swans move to a position where finals are somehow on the cards. It is some achievement, given they opened 2017 with six straight losses.