2014 AFL finals preview: Sydney Swans vs Fremantle Dockers

Have some Purple Haze. No need for nerves.

Good luck to both sides. Hope it's a good match and the rain stays away. I'm too nervous to even have a drink with the game!

A few more ill-informed comments here about the COLA, as if a 9.8% boost in your salary cap automatically wins the premiership for the team. Very wet day in Sydney this morning, so it's difficult to judge which team will win – not that Sydney is a bad wet-weather team, but it will be the team that adjusts to the weather the best. Wet weather is a skill leveler, but still feel that the Swans should win – they're playing at home, generally, have the better team, and have a very good finals record at ANZ Stadium (7-1). The Swans had a relatively bruise-free match last Saturday, Fremantle had a tough match against in the heat against Port Adelaide – depends on which team is the fittest and can slog it out in the wet for the longest period. Overall, since 2004, 41 of 54 matches involving interstate teams have been lost by the traveling team (76%), so that's one statistic that can't be ignored. Fremantle have won 2 of 7 interstate finals, both against Geelong (2012 and 2013). History is not on their side, but Fremantle do have a good enough team to do the job. Whichever team loses should be good enough to make it back to at least the Preliminary Final, although might not be ideal to face up to Port Adelaide in the semi-final, should they win their Elimination Final.

Remind me what happened in 2012 Graeme? I think Franklin may have played for Hawthorn, and Tippett spent most of the year concussed down at Adelaide? And who won the flag that year? Now last year, Tippett missed 10 rounds with suspension and the Swannies still finished where? Turn it up Graeme, you'll have to do better than that.

Sydney only have a superior forward line because they dodged the definition of Accommodation Allowance to get Franklin & Tippett. Without either the Swans are barely Top 8. They should be ashamed of themselves, they're the embarrassment to the honest clubs of the AFL!!! Hope Freeo roll them, would be justice!

You need to add Pearce and Mzungu to the rotating mids. The way the game is played, you'd never compare them as you have Peter. You will never find your tall forwards doing the defensive work Freo's forwards do. Freo's attack comes from mobile flankers and wingers overlapping a held Sydney defence. Sydney's defence needs to cover Hill, Pearce, Sutcliffe and Duffield as much as they cover Pav, Ballas and Walters. The two teams play so differently that you can't just stand them against each other and count the most won positions.

Hill for me Johno...Capital X

Very few kicks more accurate than Johnno. There seems to be this idea that height is better than speed and tenacity. The only tall key forwards to kick 4 goals against Freo have been Buddy and Nick Riewoldt ( and they used speed, not height) and Shulz, who kicked 4 of his goals when our only tall was called to Westhoff because Johnno was crook. Sydney's height will not be a factor.

The underestimating is happening again!

Sydney has the seventh best midfield in the 8. They have Essendon covered. Perhaps Hawthorn too... I'd love to know how many games the top heavy forward line have clicked in...with desperately slow and lumbering Tippett and Reid and Goodes anchored by age and thespian distractions...

Maybe the Freo fans can help me here. The midfield is likely to be Sandilands, Mundy, Fyfe, Barlow. Swans will be Pyke, Kennedy, Parker, Jack. Likely that Crowley/Hannebery line up on the wing to take that contest away from the midfield. Rotating mids would be McVeigh, Malceski, McGlynn and maybe Hanners, to Freo's Neale, Mayne, Hill and maybe Crowley. Is that right? Intriguing midfields and hard to pick them apart. The ruck is the obvious one. Fremantle will win a lot of taps with Clarke helping out, but the question is whether that will have an impact as the Swans have had this issue for several months. If the potency of the forward lines comes down to Franklin, Tippett, Reid and Goodes, up against Pavlich, Tabener, Ballantyne and Walters, then again it is hard to pick a clear winner. The others who chip in, Pearce, Barlow, Mundy, Mayne and Jack, McGlynn, Cunningham and Parker, make the forward lines impossible to dissect. This is why I believe it is going to be a battle of defences. The result will come down to a couple of goals either way. I am tipping the Swans but won't be disappointed to lose to Fremantle.

What's interesting is that I think Sydney have the slight edge in all 3 of the defense, midfield and forward line. (Sorry just my opinion). But to me that just makes Freo more dangerous. They thrive off shutting down great units and making them not so great. They strangle the confidence out of teams until they themselves become the superior. It will be a question of whether Freo can bring their best pressure or not, and whether Sydney will be able to withstand it.

Yeah but this time last year Geelong were crappy, and relied on that 'mythical' home ground advantage and had the single forward target in Hawkins. Swans are top of the table, Coleman medalist plus tippet and Goodes and are premiership favourites. As stated before, swans have a superior midfield, a forward line that Fremantles backs can't handle and a solid defence. (Which will be enough to stop an ageing Pav, the little rat Ballantyne and whatever other no name that will stumble in)

Interesting stat for Fyfe, for the 3 times he's been suspended he's returned against Sydney. He also debuted against Sydney in Sydney helping break Freo's SCG hoodoo in the game, in which he was fined for making contact with an umpire. He played on and beat O'Keefe in that match Not sure that the Swans have a player who can match up against him

Yeah - Freo should never have beaten Port with McP out and Johno hobbling about. Freo's important 3 - Fyfe, Sandi, Walters..... Sandi = first use of the ball, Fyfe = clearances and mid field drive, Walters = X Factor. Johno while very good down back can be replaced. that said Freo seems to win no matter who is injured or suspended. Go Figure

The last game i saw buddy play he kicked 6 goals and took some of the most freakish marks that i have ever seen admittedly is was against the so so bulldogs;together with Goodes and Tippett they have a formidable forward line together with an awesome midfield. I hope they win as i am hoping for a best ever grand final between the Swans and Hawthorn who together will provide perhaps the best ever GF.

You do realise Freo beat Geelong in the exact same fixture last year, in Geelong, without Johnson yes? And Ibbo plays an identical game to Johnson, just slightly smaller (but he has his advantage in that he is more fleet footed than johnson and a more accurate kick imo)

I wish I could be that optimistic

The appeal has gone out of the game with the initial injury to McPharlin, and then the hammer blow with Johnson out. Who, is arguably Freos most crucial man, or in the 3 most important It took the game from a 60/40 split in Sydney's favout, to now, I would suggest 90/10 in Sydney's favour A great pity, for Freo were building beautifully, and with a full list, had a real Flag chance, but now it is gone Swans by 45