The Gold Coast Suns have again made history, claiming their first-ever AFL finals victory with a thrilling win over Fremantle in Perth.
After a slow start, the Suns came out firing in the second quarter before the Gold Coast held firm against a late Dockers fightback in the second half.
Veteran David Swallow proved the hero, calmly slotting the winning goal in the dying minutes to seal the Suns’ place in the next round.
It was a fitting moment for the club’s inaugural co-captain, whose loyalty and resilience have defined the Suns’ journey.
“To be honest, I thought I lost us the game a couple minutes earlier,” Swallow told Channel 7 post-match.
“To have that moment, then it was reversed, I don’t know, it was a bloody good game.
“It’s been an extraordinary week. The boys played unbelievably tonight. I had a small part in the end and got a little bit lucky. It’s pretty cool.”
Coach Damien Hardwick hailed Swallow’s match-winning kick as a “fairytale moment”.
“He is Gold Coast. He’s the fabric of the place. What he’s given our football club, it’s just reward,” Hardwick said.
“For him to kick the winning point that got his club over the line, he’s served since he was 17 years of age, 15 years here.
“‘Witta summed it up best when he said ‘Dave stayed when others moved on’. Dave committed and stayed the course, so it’s a great reward for him”.
The win propels the Suns into a semi-final showdown against their Queensland rivals the Brisbane Lions on Saturday, with hopes of extending their fairytale run deeper into September.
