33 points up, two players down, Jack Ziebell winning the ball in the midfield, it was all in front of them. Three quick goals and the Kangaroos were right back in the match.
When Jy Simpkin snagged his first of the match it looked like they might just run over the top of us, but two massive moments, decided the match. Simpkin spraying a dribble kick from directly in front, and then playing on and missing from 35 metres out.
Jared Polec's ridiculously good goal from on the boundary with less than two minutes set up the thrilling finish, with the Swans holding on and surviving by the metaphorical bell. Just 1 second more and North Melbourne would have had a shot on goal, directly in front.
What the youngsters did - 11 players with less than 50 games experience, and 18 with less than 100 games - was phenomenal. They didn't shirk the physical stuff, they worked as a team, and ran their legs off, and then some. Nick Blakey and Tom McCartin were absolutely superb in our forward line.
Who would have thought two 19-year-olds would lead the line and do a convincing job of it?
B: Dane Rampe, Lewis Melican, Callum Mills
HB: Colin O'Riordan, Aliir Aliir, Jake Lloyd
C: Isaac Heeney, Ryan Clarke, George Hewett
HF: Will Hayward, Sam Reid, Oliver Florent
F: Nick Blakey, Tom McCartin, Luke Parker
FOL: Callum Sinclair, Zak Jones, Tom Papley
I/C: Jackson Thurlow, James Rowbottom, Jordan Dawson, Robbie Fox
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