Much hyped showdown of AFL titans means nothing

Roar Guru

By David Wiseman, 26 Jun 2009 David Wiseman is a Roar Guru

Tagged:: AFL, Geelong Cats, St Kilda Saints

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Geelong and St Kilda players fight for the ball during the AFL 1st Qualifying Final between the Geelong Cats and the St kilda Saints at the MCG. GSP Images

Batten the hatches and prepare yourself. We might only be eight – or nine depending on your maths- years in, but don’t be surprised to hear it labeled as the Match of the Century. The hype and build-up next week is going to be unlike anything ever witnessed before.

If the game can match the expectations, it will be one of the greatest of all time.

Two 13-0 sides locking horns in the ultimate heavyweight showdown – a showdown which, if you think about it, is absolutely meaningless.

Despite the Grand Final-like hype, there is nothing on the line.

They don’t hand out trophies in July (though, in the AFL, a trophy seems to be handed out every week, but you have to ignore that for the time being), just four points, which neither side needs.

If I was Mark Thompson or Ross Lyon, I would be telling my side to treat this game as seriously as an intra-club match in February.

I wouldn’t be placing any of your cards on the table. There is nothing to be gained from winning this match.

In fact, there is more to gain by losing it.

It would be remarkable if St Kilda and Geelong didn’t meet in the Grand Final and you wouldn’t want to show your hand for that match now. Sure the two teams probably know more about the other side than they know about themselves, but they both probably have something up their sleeve.

Most importantly, losing now gets rid of the unwanted distraction that comes with going through the season undefeated. An unwanted distraction that only gets worse during the finals.

Every New England Patriot wishes that the 1 in 18-1 season hadn’t mattered in the game which meant the most. The 16-0 regular season effort is great, but in the scheme of things is worthless.

Geelong, in particular, would know more than anyone how meaningless the regular season is if you don’t win the Grand Final.

For a while, the rest of the season is the future, and then for a moment, it is in the present,

But for the most part, it lives in the past.

And when things are in the past, the way you view them is by the way they ended.

Only one of these two sides can win the flag and the losers aren’t going to get much solace that they started the year 13-0 or whatever it turns out to be.

People can tell you about Grand Finals that happened 60 years ago as if it happened five minutes ago, but no-one ever remembers what happened in Round 14.

That’s because, when all is said and done, it’s not worth remembering.

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The Crowd Says (8) | Page 1 of Comments

Redb said | June 26th 2009 @ 7:52am | Report comment

Stick to the world game.

This wil be an enthralling contest for fans of AFL.

Redb

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Pippinu said | June 26th 2009 @ 9:12am | Report comment

I think it’s a fair enough sentiment you are expressing, but it does understate the psychology of getting one over your main rival (which Hawthorn managed agaisnt Geelong last season when they lost a close game, but came away knowing they could match it with them, but most importantly, knowing what they had to do to go the next step).

What I would have like to have heard is whether we have ever made it all the way to Round 14 with two undefeated sides (bearing in mind both have to win this weekend first in what look like lay down miseres – but they can sometimes be the most dangerous games when players are thinking about the following week).

In terms of not remembering what happens during the home and away season – I’m sure every Don and Scragger can recall Round 21 of the 2000 season.

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Michael C said | June 26th 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment

If we only ever worried about how actions and deeds might be judged or remembered – or not all – in 60 years time, then, a lot of us might as well just ‘give up’.

This game is a ripper to anticipate –

deeper meaning – - – who cares.

Reality though is that often a game like this that is likely to be played with the intensity of a prelim final – can leave both teams with a major injury or 2, and a suspension or 2……and suddenly the door opens for a couple of the other ‘contenders’.

People still talk of particular H&A matches from years past. And probably more so these days that more of those games are able to be seen on tv compared to the past when it was the GF’s that gained the broadest exposure.

(cue a list of the 10 greatest H&A matches – or most memorable).

As Pip said though, for now, Geelong have to overcome Port and the Sainters have a fired up Richmond coming at them. A week can be a long time in football.

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Tom said | June 26th 2009 @ 10:01am | Report comment

This is like writing an article saying there’s no santa claus.

We know its unlikely to make any kind of difference. It still should be a great spectacle.

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BigAl said | June 26th 2009 @ 10:46am | Report comment

David . . . what really matters ? – in the long run we’re all dead !

Just SEIZE THE DAY !

– it’s gonna be a BEAUTY !

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WA said | June 26th 2009 @ 12:59pm | Report comment

“In fact, there is more to gain by losing it.”

Dumbest thing I’ve read in a loooong time.

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Greg Russell said | June 26th 2009 @ 5:23pm | Report comment

I agree with David that in a general sense the Geelong-St K “blockbuster” means little, except if one side gives an absolutely pants-down thrashing to the other.

A good example in the NRL last year is that Melbourne won 16-10 at Brookvale Oval in R22, but clearly that did not have a negative effect on Manly by the time of the GF less than 2 months later.

Having said this, Pippinu is correct that “Hawthorn managed agaisnt Geelong last season when they lost a close game, but came away knowing they could match it with them, but most importantly, knowing what they had to do to go the next step”.

By this logic, next weekend’s clash is important for St K (I can’t imagine that Geelong has any doubts about their ability to beat St K).

Just to put the cat amongst the pigeons, I have a very knowledgeable and wise AFL-loving friend in Melbourne, who notes that in the last 7 weeks the Dogs have won 5 and lost only to St K (by 76-104) and Geelong (by 2 points). He is convinced that they will finish 3rd, get a “home” qualifying final against a Melbourne team (Geelong or St K), win that, and then proceed to make the grand final.

If my friend is correct, then the Geel-St K clash does have a significance: it will enable the winner to avoid the Dogs in the finals.

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O'Neill said | June 26th 2009 @ 9:32pm | Report comment

Yeah i have to agree with most of these comments,

Why get negative about what should be a great game, tell me instead how young Harry Taylor is going to stop king Nick,

Tell me which one of Nic Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes or Leigh (run around packs) Montagna isn’t going to get a kick when Ling shut them down.

Can they stop Ablett, or should they worry about the best decision maker in the comp in Joel Selwood.

Writing tired peices with skeptical overtones just makes you sound like Geoff Lawson.

Keep the pieces coming though i’m uusaully a fan

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