Braeden Campbell helps Sydney to AFL finals victory 24 hours after grandfather’s death

Braeden Campbell has played through the grief of losing his grandfather to help the Sydney Swans secure a home AFL preliminary final.

The Swans came from behind to defeat the GWS Giants on Saturday, with several players standing up in an incredible fourth quarter but none deserved more plaudits than Campbell.

The 22-year-old started as the substitute and was inserted into the action in the third quarter.

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He stood up in the fourth, kicking one goal from his eight touches in that term.

After the match it was revealed Campbell had lost his grandfather on Thursday.

“Seriously. His grandpa died yesterday,” teammate Tom Papley told Channel 7.

“To come out and do what he did today, it’s unbelievable. He’s won the game for us. Ultimate heart, Bloods spirit. That is just unbelievable.”

Campbell’s sister Hannah is a Swans physio and also worked the game, reuniting with her brother in the rooms where they were warmly embraced by coach John Longmire.

The siblings wore black armbands for the game in memory of their grandpa.

“(Campbell’s) had a tough week, his grandfather passed away. He didn’t do much training, carrying a bit of an injury,” great mate Errol Gulden told Triple M.

“To come on and do what he did was unbelievable. To see him break out like that on the big stage, you just get so much enjoyment out of watching him play.”

Campbell was celebrated in a post-game huddle on the ground by Swans captain Callum Mills prior to Papley’s interview.

His efforts contributed greatly to a 13.10 (88) to 12.10 (82) win set up by Isaac Heeney’s second half.

“To win some big 50-50 moments, be hard and clean after a pretty tough week — injury-wise and what was happening off the field — is a great credit to him,” Longmire said.

“It should be a really proud moment for he and his family.

“They lost a loved one during the week.

“For them to be able to sit down as a family tonight and reflect on how BJ’s grandfather impacted him and the family is a pretty special moment.”

Heeney kicked three goals for the night from 30 disposals, with seven clearances to his name, while Jake Lloyd (one goal, 32 touches), Chad Warner (27 disposals, seven clearances) and Errol Gulden (23, five) also played inspired footy in the final term.

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

Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan had the Giants on-song early with two goals, 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.

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 GWS 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.

Aaron Cadman easily swept up the dropped Sherrin for his third goal as Sydney coach John 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 GWS, while young gun Cadman (three) was also electrifying up forward.

– with AAP