PRIOR to this season, Harry Cunningham had just six AFL games to his name. But the boy from the NSW sporting capital of Wagga Wagga has been a revelation in the Sydney Swans' midfield in 2014.
Cunningham has not missed a game, has regularly been among the Swans' best players and was one of just 10 players to poll votes in the NAB Rising Star award.
Now the 20-year-old, who was rejected by Greater Western Sydney after spending time with the Giants' academy, is preparing to play in a Grand Final.
Performance against North Melbourne
After getting the better of Fremantle dynamo Stephen Hill in the Swans' qualifying final win over the Dockers, Cunningham was handed the big job of keeping Kangaroos veteran Brent Harvey under control. He did that brilliantly in the first half, limiting Harvey to just six disposals while gathering six touches of his own.
The young Swan didn't just do the defensive things well. He also pushed forward and had two shots at goal in the second quarter. The first, a set shot from around 40m out on a slight angle, hit the outside of the post; the second was a snap that missed its target by a metre or so.
Cunningham kept Harvey on a short leash during the early stages of the third quarter. The North star then snuck forward and kicked a goal, but his tagger stuck to his guns. At three-quarter time it was Harvey 12 touches to Cunningham's 10.
In the last quarter, when it was clear that the game was over and the Swans were in the big dance, Cunningham still refused to let Harvey out of his sight. And he kept winning the ball himself, even playing a role in the passage of play that led to Craig Bird booting the last goal of the match after the final siren.
The final disposal tally was Harvey 19, Cunningham 14.
High point
There were just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter when North's Nick Dal Santo sent a rushed kick outside the Roos' defensive 50. The ball headed to a contest between Cunningham and Harvey, and it was the former who took an impressive contested mark.
Cunningham then bombed a long kick deep inside 50, which was marked by Luke Parker in spectacular fashion. Parker kicked a goal and handed the Swans a 36-point lead.
Low point
The missed shots at goal in the second quarter. If Cunningham had nailed those two kicks, he would have been among the best half-dozen players on the ground at the long break.
The stats sheet
| KICKS | HANDBALLS | DISPOSALS | TACKLES | GOALS | BEHINDS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Q2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Q3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Q4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 7 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
What they said in the rooms
"It's good to see a bloke come off the rookie list and be able to do what he did on one of the best players that's played the game and do it for four quarters. He's done it for a couple of weeks now. He's a quality player and he's just a young kid that's grabbed his opportunity.He worked hard, jumped off the rookie list and is doing a good job for us and playing a role." - John Longmire
"Harry has been sensational. He's probably been one of our most consistent performers all year with some of the roles he's played. He's a real team-first player and he's been critical to our success. It's great for him and I'm sure he's got another big week ahead for him." - Dan Hannebery
How will he fare in the Grand Final?
Cunningham is sure to get another defensive job in the decider. If the Swans play Hawthorn, expect him to shadow Isaac Smith or Brad Hill. If the Sydney Swans take on Port Adelaide, look for him to be given the task of quelling Jared Polec, Ollie Wines or Matt White.
