Australian Rules: Epic final settled by single point at MCG

Patched-up Eagles star Chris Judd is off and running during yesterday's AFL final. Adam Pretty / Getty Images

West Coast Eagles 12.13 (85) Sydney Swans 12.12 (84)

They had to withstand a second-half onslaught from the defending champions but the West Coast Eagles held on to claim their third premiership in an epic grand final yesterday.

Like last year's showdown when Sydney won by four points, it went down to the last movement and, despite the fact no Melbourne side was involved, Victorians were treated to a classic conclusion to the AFL season.

The Western Australians threatened to have the game wrapped up with time to spare after racing out of the blocks. They dominated possession and led by 29 points at one stage but the Swans clawed their way back to trail by just one point with seven minutes to play. At that time, momentum was with the defending champions but West Coast managed to stem the flow and the two sides traded goals to leave the 97,431 spectators at the McG transfixed.

Sydney got to within one point three times in the final quarter but just couldn't get their noses in front. In fact, they led for only three minutes of the match, when they opened the scoring with a rushed behind.

It was destined to be a close match considering the last four games between the two sides had been decided by an aggregate of just 11 points. The last time they met, three weeks ago, Sydney prevailed by one.

Sydney made a jittery start and uncharacteristic mistakes, even one from Brownlow Medal winner Adam Goodes, handed West Coast two of their opening three goals. Even Barry Hall missed a sitter before Michael O'Loughlin scored Sydney's first goal 18 minutes into the match - their only one in the opening stanza.

The Eagles continued to dominate possession in the second spell and added another four goals to Sydney's three to take a 25-point lead into halftime. But whatever Sydney had at halftime worked. They quickly seized the initiative despite the fact Hall had a miserable afternoon with the boot and the hooter to signal the end of the third quarter couldn't come soon enough for West Coast.

When Goodes scored just 14 seconds into the final period to narrow the gap to five points, it looked like Sydney would complete an amazing comeback. But West Coast are made of sterner stuff and refused to yield to claim their first title in 12 years and third in the history of the club.

Eagles midfielder Andrew Embley won the Norm Smith Medal as best afield for his 26 disposals, six marks and two goals. Quinten Lynch kicked three goals for West Coast, while Nick Davis and O'Loughlin kicked three apiece for the Swans.

1Q: 4.2 (26) to 1.4 (10). HT: 8.7 (55) to 4.6 (30). 3Q: 10.10 (70) to 8.11 (59). FT: 12.13 (85) to 12.12 (84).