Sam Reid took a massive step forward into the Sydney Swans midfield on Saturday night and was the catalyst for a remarkable AFL recovery.
Trailing Fremantle by 48 points at half-time at Domain Stadium, Swans coach John Longmire threw Reid onto a wing – and the move had stunning effects.
Ninety minutes later the Swans were only three points behind and were finishing full of running.
The Dockers kicked one last goal and claimed a 14-point victory to remain unbeaten after four rounds, but the defender-turned-midfielder turned what was looking like an ordinary game, personally and for his side, into something the Swans can build on as they look for consecutive grand final appearances.
Reid, at 196cm and 95kg, had 17 touches in the second half to lead the Swans back into the contest.
He threw himself into a couple of ruck contests around the ground and delivered the ball into the Swans' attacking 50m area five times after half time.
Longmire said it was the performance he has been waiting for.
"He had a very good second half. He played a bit on the wing, he played forward and back," Longmire said of the 23 year old. "He was able to take his marks and was clean taking his marks.
"We have always had high hopes Sam could take that next step as a player and he was able to impact the ball in the air significantly as well as on the ground. He was able to win some important balls – I just thought his second half was a really good start to where he needs to go as a player, as far as his impact on the contest.
"He has it in him. He is tall, he's agile and he's quick. So he needs to take those steps forward as a player and we've been trying to work with him.
"We genuinely believe he can play a number of different roles for us. Today he was able to play through the midfield. That size and that pace and marking ability, it adds another dimension to us.
"We've tried it at different times before and it hasn't worked. It worked a bit better tonight."
The move of 61-gamer Reid into the midfield was only one change that the Swans made.
They also started moving the ball forward with much more efficiency than they did early in the game and starting sticking some of the tackles that they let slip in a disappointing opening half.
It almost resulted in a remarkable victory.
After being so convincingly outplayed in the opening half, the Swans had 84 more disposals than Fremantle in the second half (15 of those were contested). The Swans also had eight more tackles, eight more clearances, seven more inside 50 entries and outscored the Dockers 7.9 to 3.5 after half-time.
"The best advice would be to not get 50 points down," Longmire said.
"It's probably the thing to come out it, isn't it? You can't afford to give anyone starts. You have to get things right from the very start, against any team – let alone the best teams.
"In our game we obviously got a lot of things right in the second half – and came back hard on an opposition that is absolutely flying and so there were things to come out of it.
"We pushed back and pushed back well, but some things we can work on to get that first half better.
"We got beaten by 14 points; it's round four. They are a good team, in good form and their first half was excellent."
The Swans are back at the SCG next Saturday where they will host the Western Bulldogs.
