As Inveresk welcomed a new crossing over the North Esk River it proved a bridge too far for the Sydney Swans.
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On a day crammed full of historic firsts for Tasmanian and Australian football, Greater Western Sydney just held on to win a UTAS Stadium thriller 11.8 (74) to 10.13 (73).
The Giants won just one quarter and only kicked a point in the last, but it proved to be the winner as their illustrious cross-city rivals kicked six consecutive behinds to fall agonisingly short.
In a bid to commemorate its hosting of a Sydney derby, Launceston not only opened a new bridge but unveiled plans for a radical opera-house-style cultural centre.
And it was the Giants who were singing at the end, acclimatising best to the change of venue and latitude to claim the one-point win, harbour city bragging rights and a date with Geelong - loser of Friday night's qualifying-final against Port Adelaide - in Perth next weekend.
Sydney may have 10 times the Tasmanian membership and dominated support among the COVID-capped mask-wearing crowd officially recorded as 8635, but for the third time in finals it was the apprentice teaching the master as the Giants added to their victories in 2016 and '18.
Missing midfielder Callum Mills (achilles), the Swans omitted Braeden Campbell and recalled Chad Warner and James Bell with co-captain Josh Kennedy's return postponed at least another week.
After playing as a medical sub last week captain Stephen Coniglio, coming back from suspension as Shane Mumford, Sam Reid and Rising Star runner-up Tom Green also returned in place of Xavier O'Halloran, Adam Kennedy, Kieren Briggs and Tanner Bruhn.
An entertaining first half was a tale of two quarters as the teams couldn't be split at the first break before a six-goal-to-two second term saw the team in orange and black take a Giant leap towards victory.
Opposing superstars Toby Greene and Lance Franklin hogged the spotlight, both kicking three as the latter edged closer to 1000 goals and the distinction of being UTAS Stadium's leading marksman.
On a ground where he kicked 13 in a game nine years ago, Franklin was the obvious crowd favourite. Cheered any time he came near the ball, the former Hawk kicked a silky opener, soccered his second early in the second term and bombed his third from 50m.
But it was the five unanswered GWS goals in the 26 minutes between those last two scores which dictated the course of the contest.
Zach Sproule, Harry Himmelberg, Jesse Hogan and a Daniel Lloyd volley of Tim Cahill proportions added to Greene's efforts and when Himmelberg wiped out Buddy's response after the half-time siren, GWS had one foot in the semi-final.
When Sproule's second - a huge bomb from outside 50 - established the biggest lead of the match, 29 points, it looked even more likely.
But Isaac Heeney had other ideas, kicking all four of his goals after the main break and sparking the Swans' fightback.
Luke Parker played a valuable support role, finishing as the game's leading possession-getter with 33, four more than anybody else on the park.
When Jesse Hogan hit the post twice in as many minutes and Greene lost both possession and temper in quick succession - the latter almost certain to earn tribunal scrutiny - the momentum seemed to be turning, but Hogan made amends with another post-siren nerve-settler at the final break.
Heeney added his third and fourth to begin the final term before nerves and misfortune proved the Swans' undoing with a hat-trick of posters as Will Hayward proved wayward while neither Sam Wicks could provide the spark nor Bell ring the changes.
Even Franklin passed up the chance to be the hero on his old stomping ground, missing the target from 45 metres and degrees - difficult, but the sort of scenario made for the man.
The final score came from the fingertips of Harry Perryman who turned another potential winning goal from Justin McInerney into yet another rushed behind.
As players, spectators and journalists contemplated the prospect of yet another point and extra-time, it was somehow apt that the final siren should sound with the ball in the hands of the game's pivotal figure Greene after securing a somewhat debatable free-kick.
If every final is like this one, Tasmania would like some more.
Coaches' comments
The opposing coaches had vastly contrasting emotions as they reflected on the thrilling conclusion to Saturday's game.
Their one constant was in expressing overwhelming pride in their respective team and club.
Giants boss Leon Cameron also heaped praise on his defeated opponents.
"You're never done against the Swans, they always fight it out," he said. "At no stage I thought we were comfortable. We could have put the margin out of their reach but we opened the door up and away they came.
"It was one of those classic games where we had the best of the first half and clearly their last 30 or 40 minutes were very good to try to run us down.
"Clearly, we're elated and over the moon from a win full of courage and character but in those sort of games you don't want a loser and we've got enormous respect for the Swans and what they've done.
"We all know it could have gone either way, they missed a couple of opportunities and in the last three or four minutes they were living in our backline. But (we showed) great courage to hold on at the right time and we pride ourselves on going to the end and winning close finals. But it was a bit hairy there for the last three or four minutes.
"We're ecstatic with the win and I couldn't be more proud of the group. We did a lot right but also did some stuff that needed to be a bit better."
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Opposite number John Longmire also didn't mince his words.
"We're pretty shattered as a footy club," he said. "It's a gut-wrenching way to finish a season.
"I'm just so proud of this footy club the whole way through after we've faced challenges head on and did it again tonight. When we were five goals down we kept coming and gave ourselves every chance to win.
"We're a pretty shattered group at the moment - the players, staff, everyone who has contributed to an incredible experience. The players have been magnificent, they kept their chin up all season, and our families."
Longmire said there would always be regrets from the match.
"I cannot help but reflect on the chance that we might have been there and we let it slip. The last quarter we were two goals seven (behinds).
"I'll take some time to get over the disappointment of today's game but I'm proud of the footy club to ride with the punches thrown at us this year."
Greene light?
The midweek spotlight will undoubtedly again fall on Toby Greene after the volatile Giant was seen to make contact with umpire Matt Stevic when heading to the huddle at three-quarter time.
Greene, who had only recently returned from a two-match suspension for elbowing Patrick Dangerfield, was defended by coach Leon Cameron.
"It's very hard for me to comment on it," he said. "Clearly it's a talking point, all I know is it wouldn't have been intentional. I love the way he goes about things and I'd like to hone in on the positive stuff and I thought his first three quarters were unbelievable."
Hopeful Hodge
Luke Hodge was always one of the more popular players to grace UTAS Stadium and wasn't about to let retirement stop him from being involved in the venue's historic day.
Two years after calling time on his illustrious career, the four-time premiership captain and two-time Norm Smith Medallist made an impromptu involvement when clattered into in the second quarter.
Working as a boundary rider for Channel Seven, the 37-year-old 346-gamer was taken out by a flying Jesse Hogan, but true to form was back on his feet in seconds and even seemed to be looking for a free-kick.
Further finals?
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein was remaining hopeful the state could have hosted more AFL finals next weekend.
Having described the historic maiden finals matches as a "massive coup for our football-loving state", Gutwein confirmed discussions had continued with AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan about week two of the national campaign.
Speaking to ABC Radio before Saturday's match, he said he was "hopeful ... but it's not a done thing".
Although it was confirmed after the match that GWS would travel to Perth to play Geelong, the players will remain in Tasmania for a few days which will include a trip to play golf at the iconic Barnbougle Dunes course near Bridport.
Confirming that any future Tasmanian team would be based in Hobart with blockbuster matches played in Launceston, Gutwein added: "I don't think the two-stadium model is a problem at all to be frank."
The Tasmanian government paid $500,000 for each of the weekend matches.
The second-half of an unprecedented blockbuster weekend of footy finals at UTAS Stadium will see Essendon and Western Bulldogs contest another eliminator on Sunday at 3.20pm.
The winner will play the loser of Saturday night's Melbourne v Brisbane match.