A long goal from captain Marcus Thompson with less than a minute remaining has helped Leopold salvage a draw in a wind-affected clash with South Barwon at Memorial Park, with scores finishing 4.13 (37) to 5.7 (37).
The Lions, who last drew with the Swans in 2014, trailed by 10 points at three-quarter time.
Kicking with the aid of the breeze, the two-time reigning premier attacked hard in the final term but could only manage 1.5 until Thompson seized his opportunity.
Following a ball-up just outside the Leopold 50m arc, Swan Kelly O’Neil took possession of the ball and went to ground as Thompson tackled him.
The umpire deemed O’Neil to be holding the ball, with some of his teammates believing he was taken high.
Thompson calmly went back from 55m and sent the ball through at half-post height to earn two points that could prove the difference between Leopold’s quest for a hat-trick of premierships reaching September.
“Leading into that goal, I had two shots marked on the goal line from about 30 metres out,” he said.
“I was questioning whether or not the old legs had it in me, but I was pretty fortunate and had the breeze right behind my back.
“Good connection and a bit of good fortune, I think, in the end”
The result has Leopold sitting in seventh spot, six points adrift of fifth-placed Bell Park and four points behind South Barwon, which occupies sixth with six rounds remaining.
Despite their current position, Thompson remains confident that the Polders can extend their finals streak to four years.
“We’ve got six games here where we’re going to back ourselves in each and every one of them,” he said.
“And if we can get through this next six games, it gives us a lot of confidence leading into finals, and we’ll see where that takes us.
“It’s an exciting position to be in where we know where our destiny is in our own hands, and if we can get it right, then we’ll be fine.”
It was the first draw in the GFNL since Grovedale and Bell Park couldn’t be split in Round 10, 2023.
In the day’s other results, St Mary’s handed St Joseph’s its third-biggest loss and third-lowest score during Ron Watt’s reign as coach, claiming a 48-point win, 14.7 (91) to 6.7 (43), at Drew Oval.
At West Oval, Bell Park overcame woeful inaccuracy to hold Geelong West by 20 points, 6.20 (56) to 5.6 (36).
Young big Joe McCarthy kicked five goals as Grovedale overcame a more competitive Lara at Burdoo Reserve, 15.11 (101) to 4.9 (33).
Colac kept St Albans goalless to three-quarter time at St Albans Reserve before running out 36-point winners, 11.9 (75) to 5.9 (39).
And Newtown & Chilwell belted North Shore 29.30 (204) to 1.3 (9) at Windsor Park.
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