Geelong Cats celebrate win over the Hawks – Slattery Images
The first week of the AFL finals confirmed what many already suspected – Collingwood and Geelong are still the teams to beat in season 2011. After winning their respective qualifying finals, both the Magpies and the Cats secured the week off and can now focus on preliminary final matches in a fortnight’s time.
Since 2006, no team has won its qualifying final and not progressed to the grand final. If history is any guide, the Mapgies and Cats will face off in the AFL grand final this season.
The Mapgies showed grit and determination in overcoming a gallant Eagles team in what proved the best match of the opening week of the finals.
The Eagles pressed hard in the final term and threatened to overrun the faltering Mapgies, but a late goal to Luke Ball sealed victory for the Pies before a further goal to substitute Alex Fasolo after the final siren provided the icing on the cake for Mapgie fans.
The Eagles now head back to Perth, and will face a Carlton side still breathing a sigh of relief after yesterday securing its first finals win in ten years.
The Blues conceded the first three goals of the match against Essendon before piling on the next ten goals, ultimately winning by 62 points.
The Blues are unbeaten in their four interstate trips this year, and will feel confident of upsetting the Eagles.
It is still unclear whether star Eagles ruckman Dean Cox will be right to play after suffering back spasms against the Magpies on Saturday.
If Cox is unable to take to the field, young Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui will likely have to shoulder much of the ruck duties for the second week in succession.
On Friday night Geelong secured its fifth consecutive preliminary final berth, with the Cats turning around an eleven point quarter time deficit to defeat the Hawks by 31 points at the MCG.
The Cats have proved the doubters wrong all season, and continued their run of wins against the Hawks since the 2008 grand final.
The Hawks will be sweating on the fitness of key forward Lance Franklin, who injured his right knee when he landed awkwardly following a marking contest late in the match.
There were some fears that Franklin would face a year on the sidelines following the injury, however scans on his injured knee ruled out any major damage, and the Hawks must now wait and see whether Franklin heals in time to play this weekend.
The Hawks are already missing key forward Jarryd Roughead from an injury sustained earlier in the season, and the added loss of Franklin has the potential to derail Hawthorn’s premiership hopes.
The Hawks face the Swans on Friday night, after Sydney produced the only upset of the opening week of the finals by defeating St Kilda.
The Swans have flown under the radar this year as attention has focused on the key Victorian sides, but the tag of quiet achiever will not bother the Sydney side.
The Swans put St Kilda’s miserable 2011 season to an end with a stirring victory, but will face stiffer opposition against the Hawks, with or without Franklin.
Follow Michael on Twitter @MichaelFilosi
brendon.mccallum1
Guest
i belive the hawks will win and even with buddy out because they have proven that they can kick a wining score with out him also i don't think they should play him again this year because they will be risking him be out all of next year if he hurts his knee
Michael Filosi
Roar Guru
Yes, I made the correction, well spotted. Although strictly speaking the Blues were unbeaten and uneaten while playing interstate this year. And a good thing too, I know I don't like to be gnawed on while away from home.
stabpass
Guest
I am not going to argue whether the ratings were good or bad, but a 4.00 pm start would IMO actually benefit the ratings.The AFL game was pretty well done and dusted by 4pm ( the outcome) , so if people were looking for another sport/channel to watch that offered a outcome unknown or new, then 4pm was perfect. If you were not a Carlton fan, or a masochistic Essendon one, then your trigger finger on the remote would be working. If Carlton V Essendon was a close one, the 86k may have become quite a lot smaller.
bilbo
Guest
86K, up against the AFL final and at 4pm instead of in prime time. Oh, and Channel nine didnt promote it at all after only deciding to air it on Thursday. Pretty good result me thinks.
Tony
Guest
And what did the other code get for their direct telecast of the Storm game?
ChrisH
Guest
What is this pansy double high five as per the picture that's taken hold in the last five or six years. Pat a cake pat a cake...looks really, er...yeah let's just say it doesn't look very hard.
Michael Filosi
Roar Guru
Good point Seanoroo, Adam Goodes is an unebelievable player. One of his teammates was interviewed on radio yesterday (can't remember who it was) and said that Goodes may play 400 AFL games. In any event, fantastic player. I wrote another Roar article last year on why I feel he's the most complete player in the game. Check it out at... http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/07/30/who-is-the-most-complete-player-in-the-afl/
Hazey the Bear
Roar Rookie
I'm guessing you fixed that typo pretty quick, eh Michael?
Matt F
Guest
Lewis and Mumford have both been cleared of any charge. Big boosts to both sides.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
I'm hoping for a couple of good semis, but when it's all said and done, it will be the woods playing the Cats in the grand final, and appropriately so.
Brian
Guest
That ain't so Buddy loss is particularly painful cause Roughead injured, they would be similar if Naitinui was out as well as Cox
seanoroo
Guest
I just want to give a quick wrap to Goodsey, arguably the most influential player in the comp over the last couple of months and about to play his 300th (looks as fit as a 22 year old). Go the Bloods, just stoked to see em play one more week.
Michael Filosi
Roar Guru
Buddy is the bigger name player, but if Cox doesn't play this weekend, he will be just as big a loss for the Eagles as Buddy is for the Hawks. After the Eagles played out of their skins against the Pies, do they have another big effort left in them this weekend? I sure hope so. As for Carlton fans saying post-match "Bring on the Cats," I think that their first finals win in a decade might be getting to their heads a bit. Got to keep the faith though I guess.
Macca
Guest
I agree there, plus Kennedy seemed to have one of those days where he almost took a number of marks but just didn't quite do enough, the experience will be good for some of there young blokes but it will also take a lot out of them. Anyone know what Dane Swan's efficiency was, seemed to get a lot of rushed kicks and hanballs to no one.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Or did Carlton's loss to St Kilda followed by an easy romp against Essendon leave them underdone for Finals intensity football? :)
Redb
Roar Guru
I thought West Coast were unlucky with Cox going down, they were on top in the middle. A great game full of finals intensity.
Macca
Guest
Did West Coast's massive intensity take too much out of it compared with the blues having the game won by half time?
Nathan of Perth
Guest
They're nuts; mark it in, this coming weekend is going to be war in the west. Tackle count was 73 to 100 in the Coll v WC game. Both teams are up and hungry, this will be a cracker.
Macca
Guest
"but Eagles play Subiaco FAR better than they do Melbourne" Very True Nathan. I really think it will be a cracker game, both teams liking the open spaces with potent forward lines. Reb - As a blues supporter I would say it is far from a forgone conclusion. Didn't hear a "we are Essendon" chant on the Tele, maybe the effects mike couldn't pick it up, or maybe the 3 Essendon fans left by three quarter time just weren't loud enough!!
Matt F
Guest
I can't confirm the Rioli injury theory. It's just something I've been told. Though Hodge is also supposed to be carrying an injury as well and he's still playing well so it could have just been an off night. That's the problem (or beauty from a Swans fan POV) about Goodes. Gibson will be able to contain him when he's up forward but will get killed around the ground while Lewis/Burgoyne will struggle against him up forward. I suggestedd Gibson because, from memory, he played a little bit in midfield for the Roos when he was there so he might not be too bad around the ground (though I could be completely wrong there.) Though given the tall tall options in our forward line it would leave your defence very undersized if Goodes took him around the ground. Lewis might also get suspended. Like Mumford, the incident itself is very minor, if anything at all, but carry-over points are an issue. To be honest it would be wrong for either to be suspended for those "incidents." Seaby/Pyke will replace Mumford if he's suspended. Seaby's career has almost been ruined by the sub rule and I'd be stunned if he didn't seek a trade in the off-season. A club like Richmond should look at him in the off-season.