Sydney recruit Jai Serong sealed a two-point Swans win in a dramatic and gripping finish against St Kilda at the SCG.
St Kilda led for from the 22-minute-mark of the first quarter until Serong's snap from 30 with 14 seconds to go, with Isaac Heeney feeding him the footy from a centre stoppage.
The goal averted a potentially controversial finish, with St Kilda's Ryan Byrnes wrapped up in a tackle to cause the stoppage. Swans players fiercely protested with the umpires that he should have been pinged for holding the ball, appearing to hold off tackling him momentarily to give him prior opportunity.
With 14 seconds to go, De Koning won the crucial ruck tap against Brodie Grundy, but Sydney won the centre clearance, sending it forward, with Amartey having a shot after the siren and extending the margin to two points.
Chad Warner got the margin back to within a kick in the last five minutes with a long range set shot after key forwards Charlie Curnow and Logan McDonald both missed opportunities.
The Saints' recruits all played an important hand.
Jack Silvagni took what looked to be a game-saving mark in the goal square at full stretch to prevent a Nick Blakey goal with less than two minutes to go, capping a strong showing back in defence after a brief cameo forward last week.
That shot came off the back of a quick transition play after Marcus Windhager took a mark inside 50 for St Kilda and looked set to run the clock down, but the umpire adjudged the kick to him did not travel 15 metres, forcing him to rush a kick which was turned over.
De Koning kicked two goals, and, in tandem with Rowan Marshall, competed hard against potential All Australian ruck Brodie Grundy to help the Saints win clearances by 10.
Liam Ryan was the star of the show with five goals, but it was Sydney's recruit, Serong, who stood up when it mattered most, with the starring moment following a statement start to 2026.
He has proven a valuable addition to Sydney's line-up since coming across from Hawthorn where he was used in just 10 games across four seasons, averaging 19 disposals and five marks this year as one of the underrated finds of the 2025 AFL Trade Period.
