A JOEL Amartey goal with less than two minutes on the clock has completed a stunning comeback from Sydney as it trumped Greater Western Sydney by six points in an epic qualifying final on Saturday afternoon.

Trailing at every change, the minor premier looked destined for defeat before Isaac Heeney launched from the centre square to level the scores. Amartey then kicked the match-winner to claim the gritty 13.10 (88) to 12.10 (82) victory at the SCG.

SWANS v GIANTS Full match coverage and stats

John Longmire's men will host a preliminary final in a fortnight, while the Giants face a semi-final against the winner of the Brisbane and Carlton elimination final on Saturday night.

It is the first time the Swans have defeated their local rivals in September.

The ever-reliable Heeney was the hero for Sydney, kicking three goals, collecting 30 disposals and clocking up seven clearances. He also took an absolute screamer that could have been a Virgin Australia Mark of the Year contender had not been in a final.

Defender Jake Lloyd (one goal, 32 touches), Chad Warner (27 disposals, seven clearances) and Errol Gulden (23, five) also came to life in the final term.

Tom Papley, playing his first match since sustaining a medial ankle ligament injury in round 19, booted two goals for the Swans.

Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan had the Giants on-song early with two goals in the opening term, before a desperate James Rowbottom made it seven points the difference at the first change.

After a quiet build-up to the match, tensions finally boiled over in an all-in melee when Giants skipper Toby Greene was too slow to give the ball over to Papley for an after-the-siren free kick on quarter-time.

Papley then hit the scoreboard in the second term, but the Giants broke out to a 21-point lead after kicking three unanswered goals.

The popular Swans forward could come under fire after making contact with Giants head of football Jason McCartney at half-time.

Spurred on by a determined Heeney, Sydney began to regroup in the third term.

After claiming a spectacular mark on the back of Giants defender Jack Buckley, Heeney kicked his second of the match in a bid to lift his team.

But another Hogan goal kept the Swans at bay.

The home side's woes continued when defender Tom McCartin dropped in on Lewis Melican as the latter attempted to mark the ball, with Aaron Cadman easily sweeping up the dropped Sherrin for his third goal as Sydney coach Longmire watched on in frustration.

The Swans opened the final term with three successive goals, before Heeney levelled the scores.

Hogan was sensational for the Giants, terrorising the Swans defenders all game to kick three goals and take eight marks.

Tom Green (32 disposals, 10 clearances) and Josh Kelly (27, six) did the heavy lifting through the middle for Greater Western Sydney, while young gun Cadman (three) was also electrifying up forward.

Jesse picks up where he left off
Recently crowned Coleman Medallist Jesse Hogan wasted no time in asserting himself in the game. The reborn forward kicked the opening goal of the match with a long-range bomb from just outside the centre square, and followed up for the Giants' second goal with a brilliant crumbing kick from a pack in the goalsquare minutes later. Hogan's hot start was key to the Giants' early dominance, with the spearhead finishing with an equal game-high three goals.

No love lost between local rivals
It's always a little spicy when these two sides meet, and this game was no different. Tensions were high throughout a fiery opening term and they finally spilled over on the quarter-time siren when Tom Papley earned a free kick after Toby Greene collected him high. Papley took his kick - which fell well short of the goals - before an all-in melee erupted between the sides, with Greene and Papley in the thick of it.

Heeney hits new heights
Isaac Heeney hit new heights in more ways than one as he single-handedly tried to drag his side into the game. He's one-handed pluck and subsequent goal in the second term was special, but the fan-favourite followed that up with a grab that would rival the Goal of the Year finalists. But it wasn't just his high-flying antics that lifted the side, with Heeney key in the Swans' superb final-quarter comeback. The ball magnet finished with  an equal game-high three goals along with 30 disposals (18 contested) and seven clearances.

SYDNEY                                      1.4    4.5    7.6     13.10 (88)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY     2.5    7.8    10.9    12.10 (82)

GOALS
Sydney: Heeney 3, Hayward 2, Papley 2, Amartey, Campbell, Lloyd, McDonald, Rampe, Rowbottom
Greater Western Sydney: Cadman 3, Hogan 3, Ward 2, Jones, Keeffe, McMullin, Peatling

BEST
Sydney: Heeney, Lloyd, Warner, Rowbottom, Papley, Cunningham
Greater Western Sydney: Green, Peatling, Hogan, Ward, Whitfield, Cadman

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Braeden Campbell (replaced Justin McInerney in the third quarter)
Greater Western Sydney: Xavier O'Halloran (replaced Toby McMullin at three-quarter time)

Crowd: 43,189 at the SCG