With a historic second weekend of 2014 finals action in the history books, it brought up another set of seven untold stories.
1. Semi final upsets may change the need of top four
For the past seven years, getting top four was a requirement to be a premiership contender.
With Port Adelaide and North Melbourne both registering upsets at the weekend, perhaps in 2015 there will be a change in mentality from coaches and clubs towards the vaunted top four.
North and Port both came into their respective semi-finals with better form lines and a healthier list then Geelong and Fremantle. While it has never proven until this year, the concept of winning form being better form is one that seems to make sense.
Perhaps in the modern game going from outside the four can be a positive for finals teams being able to play off the desire of needing to win to stay alive.
Both North Melbourne and Port Adelaide played like their lives depended on winning, something they each showed a week earlier in elimination final wins.
Perhaps 2015 will be the year that clubs do not speak of top four, but rather being fit and determined going into a finals campaign.
2. Ollie Wines’ first two seasons are as good as the draft era has ever seen
Since going to a national draft over the past 25 years, it is hard to find a player that has had a better first two years in the AFL.
Some experts jumped on the Wines bandwagon after a typically tough performance in helping drag Port Adelaide to a semi final win, however those on the Wines bandwagon for the past two years know this young man has shown toughness and quality for two years.
Wines is one win away from recording a somewhat remarkable milestone of playing 50 games before the end of his second year. This highlights already both his consistency and durability in being able to adapt to AFL and AFL finals football at such a young age.
While Wines’ game at the weekend was outstanding considering the circumstances, it shouldn’t have been a shock. This guy is made for AFL football and the big moments.
3. Josh Caddy would be a massive addition to the Gold Coast Suns
One of the real positive takeaways from a disappointing finals campaign for Geelong was the performance of Caddy, showing he was born for the big stage.
Caddy was probably Geelong’s most consistent player over their two finals and showed a real toughness at the contest that thrived in finals football. He showed exactly what Gold Coast were lacking when Gary Ablett was out late in the season and their finals charge flamed out.
Blessed with some real pace and ball-winning ability in youngsters Dion Prestia, Harley Bennell, Jaeger O’Meara and David Swallow, the real hard at the contest midfielder is the only thing missing. Caddy would give the Suns just what they need.
4. Decision making should be analysed more than ball winning
For experts and fans, the ability to quickly recite statistical data is a given. However more than ever the need to go away from possession stats and analyse decision making is paramount.
The difference between winning teams and losing teams on the weekend came to decision making from young players at pivotal moments.
Lachie Neale had a 30-possession game, yet on two crucial occasions chose to take the ball himself rather than allow teammates Stephen Hill and David Mundy to take the ball when they were in better positions.
It is easy to praise players for their possession output, but the outcome of the Fremantle game may have been different if Neale had made better decisions and gone a shepherd to allow his team a better avenue to goal.
5. Todd Goldstein is the best ruckman remaining
It has taken Goldstein longer than it probably should have to get the plaudits as a premier AFL ruckman but after his 2014 season there should be no debate.
His performance in last week’s semi final was everything that is great about his game. He hits the ball to advantage, follows up at ground level, moves to the right spots around the ground, and is not afraid of taking on the big moments.
His last-minute mark was the deciding factor in an epic final-quarter and showed both the improved skill and confidence in the best ruckman standing in the 2014 finals.
6. MVP, MVP, MVP
Over the weekend the AFLPA MVP was in action, the Brownlow medal favourite was in action, and the coaches association winner was in action.
It was the coaches choice that proved to be the MVP of the MVP candidates. Joel Selwood and Nathan Fyfe each had good games, but they were not in the same class as Robbie Gray, who single-handedly turned the fortunes of the Port Adelaide season.
Four goals in a stunning third quarter burst is not getting the praise it deserves – this was one of the greatest finals quarters of all time, eerily reminiscent of Nick Davis’ heroics in the 2005 semi final.
History tells us what that quarter meant a premiership two weeks later. Positive omens again for Port Adelaide.
7. The messiah that is Cameron Ling
Ling announced last month that he was going to remain in the media for the immediate future, turning back a widely speculated move to coaching.
One part of this story that has not been told is the passion Ling has for Geelong. After another disappointing finals campaign for Geelong, Chris Scott finds his finals record at a paltry 1-5 since sweeping to a premiership in his first year as coach three years ago.
For a club that has prided itself on September success for a decade, three weeks of gut-wrenching finals exits may start to weigh on Geelong heavyweights.
Scott has done an outstanding job of rejuvenating the Geelong list, however his performance in finals has not backed up what the Cats have done in the premiership season. For that reason, another underwhelming finals campaign in 2015 may start talk about whether Scott can take Geelong to another premiership.
The talk could very quickly turn to Ling being seen as the messiah to return Geelong to the premiership holy land.
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