Collingwood vs Geelong AFL Grand Final 2011. Slattery Images
Join us for 2011 AFL Grand Final live scores with Collingwood meeting Geelong in a grand final for the first time since 1953. We’ll have live scores and blog from the 2:30pm kickoff this afternoon in one of the best match-ups in years.
Watching Friday’s festivities, as the players reached the steps at Treasury Place, a large banner unfurled in an overlooking tower about 25 stories up: Go Pies! – the thought occurred that this game is truly a hard one to pick.
Michael diFabrizio’s Grand Final preview focused on form and injuries and he drew some interesting comments, but it’s hard to find a clear read on recent events.
Under normal circumstances, any team going into a grand final with two wins against their opponent would be virtually unbackable favourites, but are we ready to give up on the Pies’ chances just yet?
The stats show that Collingwood’s game against Hawthorn in the preliminary was below average, continuing a run of recent poor form, but the key point to not lose sight of is that the Pies went on to win a game that they had all but lost on the stats sheet.
This is a team that knows how to win big games.
The other complexity arises from the fitness questions hanging over key players: Stevie Johnson for Geelong and Darren Jolly for Collingwood.
The clubs are making the right noises about both, but we’ll only know for sure into the first quarter whether they really are fit enough to contribute in a grand final.
Podsiadly and Johnson have been the primary goal kickers for Geelong this season, sharing nearly 100 between them, while Stokes, Varcoe, Chapman, Hawkins and Bartel have contributed a further 127 goals between them.
The spread of goalkickers means Geelong can probably cover for Johnson, but he remains an important part of the Cats’ forward structure, and is always a very difficult player to match up.
An unfit Jolly presents a bit of a problem for Collingwood at centre bounces, where both sides are otherwise very evenly matched in contested footy and centre square take aways.
A further injury cloud for Collingwood remains over Ben Reid. His absence would be sorely felt because of the recent very good form of Tom Hawkins, leaving the Pies to cover two big men in the Geelong forward line.
At the other end, Geelong have problems of their own in containing man mountain Travis Cloke, who was one of the protagonists in last week’s preliminary final in getting the Pies over the line. It’s the sort of raw marking power that wins grand finals.
Man for man, it’s difficult to split these two teams, and the fitness of some key players might ultimately be the deciding factor.
Collingwood remains a team capable of rising to the occasion, but it’s hard to go past the obvious better form of the Cats. Their game plan and dedication to the team ethic have been telling in the run up to the big game. Cats by 3 goals.
lisa
Guest
cats is the best team fo afl at alllllllllll !!!!!!!!
D-Hi
Guest
What a game: what a season for the Cats: sheer class-:consistency, and the will to win won through on the day
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Great call guys, thanks for the contributions.
mds1970
Roar Guru
Geelong now take their lap of honour. They'll be celebrating long and hard through the night and for days to come. Geelong 4.3 8.6 13.7 18.11 (119) Collingwood 4.2 9.3 12.6 12.9 (81) Goals : Geelong - Johnson 4, Hawkins, Bartel, Varcoe 3, Selwood 2, Stokes, Duncan, Ling. Collingwood - Cloke, Krakouer 3, Sidebottom 2, Ball, Johnson, Wellingham, Brown. Thank you for joining The Roar's live blog. The Cattery, Alfred C and myself have enjoyed bringing you the action from footy's biggest day; and I'm sure there'll be plenty of articles with recaps and analysis to come.
Dukes
Guest
Eddie McGuire's tears for sale! http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200658600618#ht_500wt_1287
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Out of their past 126 games, Geelong have won 101 of them, a remarkable feat in the modern age
mds1970
Roar Guru
Captain Cameron Ling and Coach Chris Scott hold up the premiership cup. A great moment for the Geelong Football Club.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
AFL legend, Doug Wade, presents the premiership cup
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Jezza hands out the coach's medal to Chris Scott
The Cattery
Roar Guru
J-Pod receives his first medal, he was the fitness coach only two years ago, debuted at age 28
mds1970
Roar Guru
The Cats players are now receiving their premiership medals. Each has his own story of how he got there, and what obstacles he's had to overcome. We'll hear many of those stories in the next few hours and days.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Tom Lonergan wins his first medal, having lost a kidney back in 2006
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Handing out the medals now
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Bartel wins the Norm Smith medal
mds1970
Roar Guru
Jimmy Bartel takes out the Norm Smith Medal.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Thanks mds, thanks Alfred, thanks to everyone, been a great day for Corio Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula.
mds1970
Roar Guru
Just metres from the celebrating Cats, the Magpie players sit in despair, barely able to move. They gave it their all for three quarters, but were unable to keep it going in the final term. They can be proud of their efforts this year, but it's cold comfort to them right now. And for Mick Malthouse, it's been an amazing career. He'd have loved to have gone out a winner, but it wasn't to be. But his name will long stand in the football record books and history will remember him well.
mds1970
Roar Guru
With the departure of Gary Ablett and coach Mark Thompson, many predicted a fall down the ladder for the Cats this year. But instead they found a new level, a new enthusiasm, a new drive - and it's netted them football's ultimate prize for the third time in five years. Some great scenes of celebration at the moment. They've been joined in the middle by the other players, those who missed selection; they're part of this. James Podsiadly, his arm in a sling, is out there. His pain is temporary, but his glory will last forever.
mds1970
Roar Guru
To my co-blogger, and one of The Roar's most prolific contributors, The Cattery - congratulations. Enjoy the moment - you've got a great team.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Great sights for this legendary team. Great blogging gentleman. I'm off to celebrate!