‘Best quarter of football in a final’: Paul Roos reflects on Nick Davis’ 2005 semi-final heroics on SACKED podcast

Sydney’s drought-breaking premiership never would have happened without 20 of the best individual minutes ever played in an AFL final. Paul Roos reflects on Nick Davis’ heroics on the SACKED podcast.

Paul Roos helped the Swans turn their fortunes around with a finals appearance in his first full-season, but it was in his third season – in 2005 – when the club put itself into a position in the second half of the year where it was competing for the flag.

If it hadn’t been for what Roos has no hesitation in calling the best individual performance in a quarter of finals footy, that drought-breaking flag might never have happened.

FULL STORY: THE CALL WHICH CHANGED PAUL ROOS’ LIFE

Having only kicked three goals as a team for the first three and half quarters of the 2005 semi-final against Geelong at the SCG, Nick Davis booted the last four goals of the game from the eight-minute-mark of the last quarter until the matchwinner at the 29-minute-mark.

“I believe it’s the best quarter of football ever played in a final,” Roos said of Davis’ dominance.

“It was an incredible quarter, not even a quarter, it was more like 20 minutes.

“That was just one of the best moments of my coaching (career), not just for me, but for all the coaches in the play.

"I see it, but I don't believe it!"

In the 2005 semi final, Nick Davis was the hero. #AFLSwansCatspic.twitter.com/4covVWAxGR

— AFL (@AFL) July 5, 2018

“We knew we had to score (late). You watch every Sydney player going to exactly the same spot (they needed to). Schneids (Adam Schneider) blocks for Nick Davis, the player that we wanted to have a shot at goal.

“Then Bally (Jason Ball) just taps it down and Davo does his stuff. That’s the value of practice and then we did it again in the grand final.”

Was it your finest coaching hour?

Nick Davis snaps his third goal.

Davis kicks the winner to sink the Cats.

“100 per cent,” he said. I remember even going back to 1999 when I was overseas and I got to go to the San Francisco 49ers. I watched the precision with which they trained.

“So I can even link that moment with Davo’s goal to that two hours I spent at the San Francisco 49ers. They practised things over and over again

“Everything we started with the Bloods’ culture, and the leadership group, and empowering the players, all led to Davo kicking that goal.”

Two weeks later, the Swans won their first premiership since South Melbourne had won in 1933, and Roos was a premiership coach.

Originally published as ‘Best quarter of football in a final’: Paul Roos reflects on Nick Davis’ 2005 semi-final heroics on SACKED podcast