Source :- THE AGE NEWS
When it comes to Hayden Young’s game-changing goal after the three-quarter-time siren, there are differing views.
Young called the goal a “fluke” but his coach Justin Longmuir said there was no one he would rather have taking that difficult shot.
“I was pretty lucky to be honest,” Young told Kayo Spots.
“I wasn’t overly confident to be fair, it was a fluke.
The Dockers are one win away from becoming the first Freo team to win an AFL premiership and Andy Brayshaw reminded them of that during the week.
“Andy [Brayshaw] wrote us a letter on our lockers, saying, ‘The first boys to win a premiership will be immortal’,” Shai Bolton told Seven post-game.
Swans coach Dean Cox spoke to the media post-game.
On his side’s season:
“I’m extremely proud and that’s what I said to the players and staff after the game.
“I’m very proud of everyone uniting, galvanising and coming together to try and get our season to the last game, and we fell short.
“To Freo’s credit, they began ramping up late in the third and into the final term.
Fremantle skipper Alex Pearce spoke to Kayo Sports post-game.
On making the grand final:
“It was hard to put into words. The game threw so much at us, and we were down for so long, but we just hung in their and hung in there. I didn’t have a sense of relief, it was just joy and pride. We were able to play our best footy when the pressure was at its highest, we were calm, went through our gears and individuals stepped up in the big moments.
On whether it will sink in that he will captain the Dockers in the grand final next weekend:
“Probably not, well, actually it will. I’m human and I dream. I daydream about what it will be like. But I’m very conscious of that because wanting it doesn’t make it happen and dreaming about it doesn’t make it happen. Playing the footy we did in the last quarter will go along way to getting us the result we want.
On how the team will handle grand final week:
“As boring as it sounds, we will get through this, reset, review the game and look at what we did poorly and what we can improve on and how we were able to play our best footy in the end.
Fremantle ruckman Luke Jackson spoke to Kayo Sports post-game.
On Shai Bolton’s impact:
“That’s why you get players like that in the footy club, they give you that point of difference and I don’t think there is a player like him in the game.
“You can chuck him in the middle for two minutes, and he can change the game.
“He’s one of my favourite teammates and I love playing with him.
On helping Freo to a grand final:
“It’s a dream come true. Winning a premiership with Melbourne was a dream come true, but I grew up supporting Freo, I grew up in Freo, and I love everyone involved in it.
“We have one more to go, obviously. I’m so proud of the club, so happy for everyone back home, and I can’t wait for the week ahead.”
The Swans’ finals fairytale is over after a stunning, 21-point final-quarter comeback by Fremantle – the Dockers reaching just their second grand final in club history.
For three quarters at the SCG in front of more than 45,000 fans, Fremantle had been second best, hustled and harried by Sydney’s physicality.
But in the fourth quarter, Sydney finally succumbed to pressure and goals from Patrick Voss, Mason Cox, Shai Bolton and Isaiah Dudley to win the game by 12 points.
Fremantle’s Shai Bolton spoke to Kayo Sports post game.
On making the grand final:
Special. The whole game we were down. The fourth quarter, we just wanted to bring the way we play and I felt we did that. Now we are into a grand final and I can’t wait.
On the last term:
All these boys were just playing their role. JL always talks about it. If we play our way, I think we will go far.
The Swans players are gutted. Dane Rampe was in tears and consoled by Tom McCartin, while those on the team bench and the coaches box were similarly distraught.
The Swans have given everything they had but couldn’t find the spark they needed in the last term.
Caleb Serong looked to be giving some caring words to Errol Gulden.
The Dockers guys are elated, just overjoyed. They looked gone when they fell four goals behind, but they have run over the top of the Swans.
Embattled coach Justin Longmuir had a lovely smile on his face after looking anything but happy for much of this match.
The Fremantle Dockers are into the 2026 AFL grand final after winning tonight’s preliminary final at the SCG in front of 45,129 fans.
Isaiah Dudley kicked the game-clinching goal after a sharp handball from Murphy Reid deep inside their forward 50 with about 90 seconds to go.
Tom Papley looked to have given the Swans a late chance to force extra time, but his shot bounced into the post.
The Dockers lost their qualifying final but have recovered to make the decider for just the second time in their club’s history.
Last time? 2013, when they lost to… Hawthorn.
The Hawks face the Brisbane Lions at the MCG tomorrow.
