The Moment: Sydney’s masterclass of skill exposes Port’s inefficiency with the footy in the AFL Finals

Port couldn’t score from its midfield dominance. Sydney, however, did the opposite, and in the most vital of times on Friday it proved the difference. Go behind the moment that should strike fear into Geelong and Brisbane.

Hayden McLean’s double-handed fist pump after his goal in the second quarter told the story.

Sydney’s third key forward roared in delight as he turned to take the celebrations from his Swans teammates. His accurate set shot capped off a stretch of four straight for his side to open up a 33-point lead.

But it was also a dagger through Port Adelaide’s faint hopes as it wrapped up a stark 45-second passage of play that summed up Friday’s preliminary final.

In the first half, the Power dominated the stoppages. Jason Horne-Francis, Connor Rozee and Zak Butters all had their moments bursting through the contest and putting their side on the front foot.

It was incredibly silky to watch. They had an extra yard of pace on each of their red and white opponents, streaming towards goal with open pastures ahead of them.

GO BEHIND THE MOMENT WITH LACHLAN MCKIRDY AND MATT TURNER IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

The difference in ball movement was stark. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

But it was at that point their authority ended. They worked so hard to create the space in front of them that they looked aimless once they had to make a decision on how to use it.

Kicks were sprayed deep inside 50 to the delight of Sydney’s defence. Tom McCartin, Lewis Melican, Nick Blakey and Dane Rampe took turns diffusing the Sherrins that floated toothlessly through the air in their direction.

Time after time, they could sit under the ball and take easy, uncontested marks. Port Adelaide’s forwards weren’t presenting any meaningful options, and more often than not, the Swans rebounded with ease.

The inefficiency wouldn’t have been so obvious if Sydney hadn’t been so lethal going the other way.

John Longmire would have been concerned early as Aliir Aliir, who was in Sydney colours the last time the Swans defeated Port Adelaide in 2016, commanded the air around his goal. He had three marks in the first quarter and was single-handedly nullifying the hosts’ best attacks.

But a simple magnet move from Longmire, playing veteran Luke Parker as a tagging high forward on Aliir, unlocked Sydney’s attack.

First, it allowed the Swans’ oft-maligned talls to get involved in the game. McLean, Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey took turns either presenting up the ground or creating a contest inside 50.

Amartey and McDonald both got on the scoreboard early, while McLean’s marking across the ground was critical for Sydney’s ability get the ball out of their defensive half.

The Swans’ big forward dominated the game. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/Getty Images

The concern for Port Adelaide was that once they started to turn their attention to the talls, the Swans’ small forwards got in on the action. Tom Papley kicked a stunner right on quarter time, while Heeney’s inimitable marking ability created a goal out of nothing from the pocket.

Yet, the best was to come. With attention spans growing shorter and shorter, it was kind of the Swans to produce the perfect TikTok length, bite-sized showcase of how they won the game.

With nine-and-a-half minutes to go in the first half, Rozee burst from a centre bounce, took two bounces of his own and blasted the ball inside 50. It wasn’t to the advantage of any of his forwards, no Port Adelaide player could get a run at it and Blakey took a simple intercept mark.

What followed was a procession of uncontested marks down the line that the Power couldn’t get near. Blakey found Justin McInerney, who then targeted Harry Cunningham before McDonald presented well to get the ball in their forward half.

He found Will Hayward, who honoured the gut-busting run of McInerney who then got it in the hands of Errol Gulden. Six easy marks from six easy kicks that ensured the ball was in a dangerous position with their most dangerous ground kick.

Gulden lowered the eyes and made no mistake, finding McLean in acres of space who grasped the ball safely as he slid across the ground.

It was a hammer blow for Port Adelaide. They had five more inside 50s, 13 more contested possessions and 17 more clearances, yet they trailed by 25 points at the main break.

Half time loomed as a chance for the Power to get back on track. Chad Warner’s running goal only 32 seconds into the third term gave further voice to the SCG crowd as their place in the grand final was all but secured.

The match wasn’t as simple as Port Adelaide’s inefficiency going forward.

Sydney’s pressure was immense across the ground. Even when they were a couple of metres behind out of a stoppage, they worked tirelessly to lay tackles and give the Power no time to think.

But footy can be a simple game sometimes. A key part of the Swans’ supremacy in 2024 was their forward movement as the best attack in the competition this season.

And the masterclass they produced on Friday night will give them confidence that it can lead them to their first premiership in 12 seasons.

Originally published as The Moment: Sydney’s masterclass of skill exposes Port’s inefficiency with the footy in the AFL Finals