Eagles and Blues apply CPR to AFL Finals

The 2011 AFL Finals series has been a bit of a snooze-fest. So much so that while watching Hawthorn and Sydney on Friday night, my biggest interest in the game was trying to figure out why there are so many seagulls at the MCG these days. (Do more people spill their chips than in the past?)

Now, it is possible I feel this way because AFL fans were spoilt in 2010. Kind of like a kid that gets a Playstation 3 for Christmas one year followed by socks and underwear the next year, maybe I just feel let down in comparison?

In the 2010 finals series, by the end of week two there had been three games decided by less than a goal. Had the Blues not made a late charge in the first semi-final on Saturday night (which interestingly was played the day after the second semi) we would have had none this year.

But it’s more than just the difference on the scoreboard. It’s the intangibles and aesthetics of the contests that have been less than engaging.

This season it feels the games have had less tension, have been less thrilling and had fewer “finals moments” than in previous years.

Last year there were plenty of storylines.

This included the controversy of Cameron Ling’s disallowed goal against St Kilda, the sustained brilliance of Chris Judd’s third quarter against Sydney, and the interest of a perennial underdog claiming a rare finals win when Fremantle defeated Hawthorn.

Thankfully Saturday night’s three-point thriller between West Coast and Carlton applied some much needed CPR to the finals.

There was Chris Judd playing a final against his old side, Josh Kennedy’s bravery in coming back on after a heavy knock, Carlton’s stirring comeback, and demonstration of some of the aspects that make AFL so unique as there were bizarre bounces of the ball in crucial situations.

Even the fact that the umpiring decisions had the consistency of coagulated rice pudding kept me interested. Sometimes bad umpiring can be exciting umpiring (I’m not advocating this to be a normal thing by the way. That is, unless we can think of some sort of bad umpiring drinking game).

With two weeks to go in season 2011 those at AFL house will be hoping for some similarly engaging contests to ensure eyes are on the AFL finals and not elsewhere.

This week Collingwood play Hawthorn and Geelong battle West Coast. The winners will claim a place in this year’s grand final.

The juggernaut that is Collingwood will start as favourites against the Hawks. Despite both teams being successful in the last few years it is the first time the two sides have met in a final since 1978.

Collingwood have been off the boil the last few weeks but will have their number one side all available for selection for the first time since halfway through the year.

The Magpies involvement in September will get people watching. You either love or hate the Pies, there is no in between, as they are simultaneously the league’s hero and villain.

In Hawthorn’s favour is their game plan of chipping it around and controlling the football. The longer they can hold onto the ball and control the tempo of the match, the more chance they will have.

The Hawks also have two of the game’s most exciting players in Buddy Franklin and Cyril Rioli. If those two get going it will be like pouring popping candy into a bottle of Coca-Cola.

If this occurs Bruce McAvaney is sure to add to the spectacle by getting more excited than William Shatner in an over-acting contest. His man-crush on Cyril would reach new heights.

Geelong will be attempting to beat the Eagles for the first time ever in a final. The last time the two clubs met at the business end of the season was the 1994 grand final. The Eagles triumphed that day by a massive 80 points.

Back then though Billy Brownless was a keg on stilts, Malcolm Blight had just started to go crazy, and the Eagles were basically a Western Australia representative side.

This weekend Geelong will start as firm favourites as they aim to get one step closer to winning their third premiership in five years. Will they affirm themselves as a Golden Generation or show themselves to be more like the Golden Girls, with their best days behind them?

West Coast will be attempting the incredible feat of going from wooden-spooners to grand finalists in the space of just one season. There is part of me that hopes they pull off this against-the-odds story. On the other hand, I live in WA and fear I would never hear the end of it from the ‘Chardonnay Set’.

Me being ribbed aside, the Eagles have exceeded all expectations to get where they are. A loss would be a reality check, but a reality check that they’re the fourth best team in the land.

Considering where they finished last year and the fact that they’ve now won a final, it is all gravy from here.

The storylines are arresting and the games are shaping up as real blockbusters. I’m hoping that I’ll be counting memorable moments and not seagulls.