Sydney's rout of Brisbane sets up huge Fremantle test minus Mills

Sydney have moved to within one victory of an unlikely grand final berth after a qualifying-final demolition of Brisbane sent them into a home preliminary final against Fremantle, according to Guardian Sport.

The win came against expectation. The Swans had entered finals with five players suspended by the club for breaching club standards, a sanction many assumed would leave Dean Cox's side too depleted to survive the opening week.

Instead, the players who remained produced a performance that turned that narrative on its head, overwhelming the Lions by more than 50 points.

That margin puts Sydney in rare company. They became the 13th team since 2000 to win a qualifying final by more than 50 points, and history is heavily on their side from here: 11 of the previous 12 sides to do so went on to reach the grand final, Guardian Sport reports.

The euphoria of that win, though, was tempered by a fresh setback. Captain Callum Mills suffered a serious knee injury during the game against Brisbane, adding another significant absence to a squad already missing five suspended players.

Losing Mills is no small blow for a side that has leaned on senior figures to steady it through a turbulent finals build-up. Cox's group now has to find a way to replace both his on-field influence and leadership without him.

What the Swans have shown, according to the report, is a capacity to convert scepticism into belief, with players outside the spotlight stepping into bigger roles as circumstances demanded it.

Fremantle arrive at the preliminary final in a very different position. The minor premiers have their own push for a maiden premiership back on track, and a win over Sydney would take them to within one game of that long-standing goal.

For Sydney, victory would mean a third grand final appearance in five seasons, an outcome that would extend an already remarkable story given the disruption the club has absorbed through September.

The preliminary final will be played at Sydney's home ground, giving Cox's side a further advantage as they attempt to overcome the loss of their captain and reach the last stage of the finals series.