AFL 2005 Grand Final Sydney vs West Coast

In one of the all-time classic Grand Finals, Sydney overcame a 72-year premiership drought and a resurgent West Coast to bring the flag to the Harbour City for the first time. The Swans looked fairly comfortable at half-time after West Coast had suffered through a poor opening hour, with a dysfunctional forward line clearly missing 2005 mainstays Phil Matera (a late withdrawal with a groin injury) and Quinten Lynch (controversially overlooked) and an ankle injury that looked to have ended Daniel Kerr's day early. The Eagles found life in the third quarter, trimming the margin back to just two points at the final change. From there the finish was a frenetic arm-wrestle, with goals to Ben Cousins and Adam Hunter giving West Coast a 10-point lead that was slowly whittled back by Sydney until an Amon Buchanan goal gave the Swans back the lead. In the final moments Dean Cox took a mark and pumped the ball inside 50 metres, where Sydney's Leo Barry drifted across the front of the pack and took a clutch mark that was destined to be repeated countless times in highlights packages. The siren sounded as Barry slowly went back to take his kick, sending the Swans' players into raptures.