The energy-sapping, emotional rollercoaster of Western Sydney’s 5-4 win over Brisbane Roar last weekend was great theatre, one of the truly great games in Australian football history.
Unfortunately for those of a red-and-black persuasion, it will come back to haunt them on Sunday afternoon.
To back up against premiership winners Adelaide, away from home, after 120 minutes of the most gruelling football imaginable, is too big an ask.
For hat-trick hero Romeo Castelen – who couldn’t hit a cow’s backside with a banjo all season – to do it again… it’s just too much.
And for Dario Vidosic, once a Red, to rise from the bench and score the decisive goal for the second week in a row? Not for me, sorry.
Neither of these sides have won a grand final – Adelaide have lost to Melbourne Victory twice, while the Wanderers have had their hearts broken by the Central Coast Mariners and Brisbane Roar.
But it is Adelaide’s time.
If this was a Melbourne Cup, you would say the Reds have had the perfect preparation.
They’ve had a long time to freshen up for the main event, they’ve run themselves into some serious form, and they would have to be the bookies’ favourite.
Western Sydney meanwhile have toughed it out just to qualify for the big one, but they’re the kind of competitors who, once they’re there, will give it a shake. Include them in your trifectas, you’d say.
But Bruce Djite’s form is irresistible and the sumptuous talents of Sergio Cirio and Isais will prove too much for Western Sydney’s weary legs.
Enthusiasm and adrenaline will pump up the Wanderers early on, of course. But Guillermo Amor is clever and won’t be naive enough to think the match can be won in the first half an hour. Brisbane Roar found that out the hard way.
The Spanish tactician will ensure that Adelaide keep the Wanderers at arms’ length, which Brisbane so spectacularly failed to do despite the cushion of a 3-0 lead.
There was something flaky about this Brisbane side all year, but you couldn’t possibly level the same accusation at Amor’s Adelaide, not since Round 8 anyway.
The Red machine is looking lean, mean and absolutely ready to take home the toilet seat for the very first time.
The grand old Adelaide Oval will be full to bursting, but it won’t see the sort of 5-4 chaos on Sunday afternoon.
They won’t care one jot how it happens either, because this is Adelaide’s year.
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Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
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