Gold Coast have claimed a famous first final victory over Fremantle, with retiring club icon David Swallow proving the difference in the end.

A thrilling conclusion to the contest saw the Suns' strong lead evaporate in the final five minutes, only for Gold Coast to work themselves back into a level score.

A free kick to Swallow 50 metres from goal in the dying stages gave the Suns the chance to clinch victory, with his shot sailing through the big sticks before being reviewed and confirmed as touched on the mark, resulting in a behind.

That left the Dockers with nine seconds to get the ball from one end to the other, with the task too much for the home side.

Here's how the entire elimination final unfolded...

AS IT HAPPENED

 2025-09-06T09:35:00Z 
Gold Coast WON BY 1 POINTS
Optus Stadium
FRE   
79
FT
80
   GC
    #AFLFreoSuns
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

MATCH STATS >>> FREMANTLE VS GOLD COAST MATCH CENTRE

Quarter 4

Fremantle: 12.7.79
Gold Coast: 11.14.80

SUNS WIN! SUNS WIN!

0:09 - GOAL REVIEW! Swallow's kick was touched on the mark by Erasmus. Dockers need to go the length of the ground in nine seconds!

SWALLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW! David Swallow converts a set shot from 50 metres after winning a free kick! Suns lead by six!

1:13 - MAC GETS IT BACK. A long kick into attack from Uwland is claimed by Mac Andrew, with the Suns swingman splitting the middle of the big sticks with his set shot from 30 metres out.

3:24 - JACKSON! The Dockers ruckman takes a big grab atop the goal square and kicks truly to get the lead for Fremantle!

7:26 - Treacy makes it a one-point game after the Dockers got out the back through Young and Frederick!

12:30 - VOSS AGAIN! The Prancing Pny cleans up a groundball and slots it to close the gap.

18:24 - It's Shai's time to shine, with Bolton crumbing the marking contest to perfection and having the time and space to run into goal and boot the ball into the crowd. It's back to a 15-point game.

19:34 - A ball towards the forward pocket of the Suns' attack goes over the top and lands with Farrar, who snaps on a tough angle but does so with accuracy.

SUB MADE - Nat Fyfe has come into the game in place of Jye Amiss.

Quarter 3

Fremantle: 8.4.52
Gold Coast: 9.13.67

The Dockers fought back in a quieter quarter to be firmly within reach distance of the Suns, who hold a 15-point buffer. All eyes turn to champions Nat Fyfe and David Swallow, and the potential impact they can have late into potentially their final gam.

2:30 - Almost a carbon copy of the last scoring play, with Brayshaw again finding Dudley inside 50, and the small forward kicks truly from 50 metres out.

4:16 - Brayshaw gets the ball 60 metres from goal and lowers his eyes to find an open Dudley, who kicks truly and reduces the deficit to 20.

6:02 - Some heroics from Luke Ryan amid a quarter struggling to find goals for both sides, with Noah Anderson's long-range effort halted on the line by the Dockers defender's fingertips.

9:23 - Scoring has slowed as the contest heats up and due to some missed opportunities in front of goal, with the deadlock working in favour of the Suns, who sit four goals clear.

18:02 - A spoil comes into the hot spot of the Suns' forward 50, which is collected by Noah Anderson and dished to Ben Long, whose banana shot sneaks inside the goal post for an instant reply by the Suns.

19:26 - Treacy decides to remain on the ground as others fly for a marking contest, and his decision pays off as the ball lands his way before he snaps it through for an early goal.

Quarter 2

Fremantle: 5.2.32
Gold Coast: 8.9.57

Eleven goals were kicked in the second term, seven of which were for the Suns as Gold Coast sailed to a strong lead by half-time. Bailey Humphrey has been a livewire in the front half, while workhorses Sam Collins and Matt Rowell are leading the way further up the field.

0:28 - The Suns get their fourth in a row in the dying stages of the first half as two Dockers jump for a flighted ball in the forward 50 against King, with all three falling to the ground and leaving Connor Budarick as the last man standing to walk into an open goal.

3:12 - A third goal for Bailey Humphrey, this one coming from a forward 50 throw in. He collected the tap and burst through before snapping it between the big stocks.

4:56 - The Suns almost lose a good chance out the back, but Farrar's handball sits up right for Fiorini, who volleys it through for a goal from close range.

6:08 - Nathan O'Driscoll spins out of one tackle but can't get past Davies, who wraps him up and gets a holding the ball free kick his way. The Gold Coast midfielder's set shot from 35 metres is perfect, making it a six-point game in favour of the Queenslanders.

9:55 - Murphy Reid wins a push in the back free kick from a marking contest 40 metres from goal before going back and taking back the lead for the Dockers.

14:15 - The goals fest in the second term continues, with Paddy Voss on the end of another forward 50 entry, converting his second set shot of the night.

15:05 - Budarick gets one off the ground close to goal and it trickles through to make it a double for the Suns in 90 seconds.

16:28 - An instant reply from the Suns, who quickly get it wide to Lachie Weller, whose deep kick lands in the lap of Bailey Humphrey. Quickly playing on, Humprhey converted with a snap.

16:55 - A second goal in 25 seconds for the Dockers, with a short entry into forward 50 grounded, with Murphy Reid crumbing and finding an open Neil Erasmus, who slots it on the run from distance.

17:20 - The Dockers work their way up the wing to find Amiss 30 metres out on a tough angle, but his bending set shot is perfect and doubles the Dockers' goal count.

19:19 - A stellar finish from Bailey Humphrey gets the second quarter started in style, with the powerful Suns gun collecting a ground ball and finding space before snapping from 25m out.

Quarter 1

Fremantle: 1.2.8
Gold Coast: 1.6.12

Both sides have wasted chances in front of goal, but it seems the Suns are at least getting scores from their forward 50 entries, as opposed to the Dockers.

2:16 - An easy chance goes begging, with Michael Frederick running towards open goal and managing to collect the post. The Dockers were out the back and are now rueing the missed chance to remain behind the Suns with quarter time near.

INJURY WATCH - Fremantle forward Jye Amiss has moved to the interchange and is having a lower leg/foot issue assessed by medical staff. He has since ventured down into the club's rooms.

12:00 - A quick, wobbly ball inside 50 from Lachie Weller luckily lands on the chest of Ben Long, who converts from 40 metres on no angle.

16:00 - An energetic opening for the Dockers, with livewire Paddy Voss booting the first goal of the game and running to the interchange in his celebration. The Dockers got forward through Shai Bolton and Andrew Brayshaw before Voss took a mark 35 metres from goal in front of two Suns opponents.

19:49 (remaining) - It took just 11 seconds for the first score of the evening, with Suns skipper Noah Anderson getting out goal side of the centre clearance to get boot on a long-range scoring shot, however it goes right for a behind.

Pre-Game

Fremantle enter the clash as favourites, hoping to bank on their plethora of September experience against a club looking for their first taste of post-season success.

Fremantle have recalled young midfielder Nathan O'Driscoll and livewire Isaiah Dudley for the do-or-die clash, with small forward Sam Switkowski and midfielder Corey Wagner sidelined due to injury.

Gold Coast, meanwhile, have created one of the feel-good stories of 2025, with Suns foundation player and former captain David Swallow selected to play. It will be Swallow's eighth game of the season as young forward Jake Rogers has been dropped in his place.

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