A golden kick from Cyril Rioli helped the Hawthorn Hawks beat the Sydney Swans 75-70 at the SCG to win their sixth consecutive game.
Rioli kicked the 52-metre goal with 77 seconds remaining to snatch victory from the Swans.
The SCG was a sell out with 42,314 fans witnessing one of the best games of the season. The lead went back and forth, changing nine times.
The Swans fired out of the blocks in the first quarter, putting 28 points on the ladder leaders. It started when Gary Rohan kicked a remarkable goal in the fourth minute off a bouncing kick by Lance Franklin in the 50-metre zone. Rohan would go on to kick a career-best four goals. The Hawks hit back with a goal from Jack Gunston, who kicked two for the night, when he took advantage of a Swans turnover.
Having trailed 19-28 at the first break, Hawthorn redeemed themselves by kicking two goals in four minutes to take the lead in the second quarter. Luke Parker was outstanding for the Swans as the Sydney team fought back, winning 35 possessions and kicking a goal.
Despite his efforts the Hawks had gained an 11-point lead as the teams went into the fourth quarter but the Swans came back, with Tom Papley scoring two goals, to take a seven-point lead but it didn’t last.
Trailing by 7 points and with barely four minutes left on the clock the Hawks passed to Shaun Burgoyne who kicked from well out to score his 250th career goal and put the game on a knife-edge. It was left to Rioli to break the hearts of the home team and fans with his monster kick. – Jesse Mullens
Photo of the Swans and the Hawks playing at the SCG from the AFL Twitter feed.
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I am the sports editor for the Macleay Newsroom. I enjoy cooking and watching sport intently.
