I’m not for one moment suggesting the impact of Lance ‘Call me Buddy’ Franklin should be seen for anything other than what it is – match-winning.
A huge portion of the focus this week leading into the grand final will centre around Bud meeting his mates in the decider, just 12 months after he helped them win the whole thing.
But let’s not forget another pair who changed from one flock to another four years earlier than Bud, and the significant impact both have had on the Swans.
CATCH UP ON THE LATEST AFL HIGHLIGHTS
Josh Kennedy and Ben McGlynn both made the move from the Hawks at the end of the 2009 season. Both saw brighter horizons in Sydney after a season where each had played just three senior matches apiece.
For Kennedy in particular it was a massive move considering his family tradition at Hawthorn, while for McGlynn, after just 44 senior matches in four seasons at the club, he was looking to give his career a much needed shot in the arm.
For both, the move proved to be perfection.
While they haven’t and won’t ever get the headlines of Franklin, and they won’t win a match off their boot like Buddy is capable of, the importance of the pair to the Swans is paramount.
Kennedy arrived at a time when the Swans midfield was about to be reshaped. Brett Kirk was close to retirement, Jude Bolton and Ryan O’Keefe still had a few seasons in them, but were closer to the end than the start of their careers, and youngsters like Dan Hannebery, Kieren Jack and even to an extent Jarrad McVeigh, were working their way into the roles in the middle.
Kennedy became a leader. Swans fans would marvel at Kennedy and the work he would do. The rest of the AFL world took some time cotton on to how good he was, but a best-on-ground performance in the elimination final that year against Carlton had everyone taking notice.
And they have done so since as he regularly dominates games not only with statistics, but through skill and leadership and dragging those young blokes along with him.
McGlynn, is regularly inspirational.
You won’t see many of the things he does for his team and his teammates on the stat sheet, but he adds so much to the Swans every week. Not just one percenters, they are 0.01 percenters. The things very few of us notice, but the things I’m sure his coach and teammates are thankful for.
This year’s grand final is something special for McGlynn too. While Kennedy celebrated his move to Sydney with a grand final win over his old club in 2012, McGlynn missed the match due to a hamstring injury.
While he was no doubt jubilant for his teammates, at times he looked forlorn as his good mates celebrated in front of their fans firstly in Melbourne, then in Sydney at the SCG the following day.
But now his turn has arrived, and it will mark a notable achievement.
After just 44 games at Hawthorn, on Saturday McGlynn will bring up game number 100 with the Swans. That’s one more than a legend like Roy Cazaly played at the Swans, and couple more than Tony Lockett spend in the red and white.
McGlynn is hoping that he will also have something neither man won – a premiership medal.
And how fitting it would be if another Sydney number 21 got to celebrate on the MCG on grand final day. The last time a Swan wearing that number won a premiership, he produced one of the greatest moments of the sport’s history – Leo Barry and that mark.
While we are talking Swans legends, surely if there was ever any doubt, Adam Goodes must sit atop the list. He played his 350th last Friday night, he’s won two Brownlow Medals, and will be hoping to win a third premiership medal on Saturday.
Finally, we have all got the grand final we wanted. The year’s best two teams will clash in a rematch of the 2012 decider.
Sometimes when you get the two best teams in the decider, you get a classic, one for the ages. Maybe that will happen on Saturday.
Personally, I doubt it. The Hawks looked a tired bunch at the end of their nailbiter against Port. Sydney just looked ruthless and salivating for the next ‘kill’.
I’d love a classic, but I’m thinking this could one way traffic in the second half. The fat lady will be humming ‘cheer, cheer the red and the white,’ long before the final siren.
John F
Guest
North 1-19 vs Essendon Port over 40, and 60 vs Richmond (LAST 5 seconds killed me :( ) North 1-19 vs Geelong Sydney over 60 vs North Hawks 1-9 vs Port are the gems that have won me $$$ in September 2014 ! AND I agree with Michael here Sydney over 25, and over 40 are GREAT bets I estimate Sydney by 25 is the nominal line for this game BOOKIES/EXPERTS have it wrong ! listen to my friend Michael time cash in on Sydney $$$$ :)
Leapin Leo
Guest
The rule of thumb is: if Jetta's first score is a goal, Swans win. Simples :) Swans by 20, the increase over 2012 being Buddy's 1 goal 4 bh with 11 goal assists.
New York Hawk
Guest
Spot on. I rated him really highly last year but he seemed to lack confidence up until Friday night. Was I misreading/mishearing the Melbourne media in thinking some were calling time on his career?
EddyJ
Roar Rookie
I've analysed all the stats, horoscopes, biorhythms, tea leaves, dream analysis, and have predicted the winner and the final score: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8032/8037244723_ff05dc7694_z.jpg
Jake
Guest
This is the best Sydney team I've seen assembled for a while. (Almost ever.) The previous GF wins by the swans have been hard fought and close, but that wasn't with this kind of talent, I hope they still bring in their grunt tough hard footy, but now have the cattle on the field to open the hawks up. Everyone saying the swans don't know how to win big, that was previous years. These players are all either hitting or continuing in career best form. And Hawthorn being previous year premiers have a hardened team that can get it done. Still think the swans will rip the hawks apart.
AB
Guest
Sydney deserves to be slight favourites, but I reckon it's a bit early for my fellow Hawthorn supporters to start despairing. I can think of a bunch of reasons why Hawthorn are right in it: - they were at least as impressive as Sydney over the course of the year. Finished almost dead level on the ladder despite a tougher draw and a crueller run with injuries. - Hawks match up well against Sydney. They've only beaten us once in the past five matches, and that was at the SCG, at the low point of our injury crisis, and not by much. - The game will be at the MCG, where the Hawks are very hard to beat. - Hawthorn's best is, at most, only about 1 per cent below Sydney's best. - if it's close, it'll likely come down to which team kicks straighter. And everything points to that team most likely being Hawthorn. None of this is to detract anything from Sydney. They are a great team who would be worthy Premiers. But they are up against another great team, who would also be worthy Premiers. I reckon if this game gets played ten times, Sydney wins five, Hawks win four and there's one draw. Can't wait for Saturday!
SpearTackle
Roar Rookie
Imagine if the Hawks still had them...
Pope Paul VII
Guest
yep North really missed him on Friday.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
People keep saying that it is the midfield that will decide it. But truly, I believe it is actually defence. If either defence lets up, both sides have the stars to kick goals quickly in a few minute lapse. I believe, this is where it will be decided. Both sides have awesome midfields that will similarly get on top of each other in each different play therefore inevitably supplying the forward line. If the defence falls, so too will the team.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
I actually suspect, for a Swans win, Tippett kicks more than Buddy. Tippett needs to keep on getting game time, as a player, he has missed out on so much in the past three years. next year, Swans can hopefully have him for a season. Regardless, 2012 was flagged as one of the great Grand Finals post-match. This one is being tipped that ore-match. Juicy.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I don't think North got the chance to play badly Dal. The lads missed a few targets but they were well and truly outplayed. I'd dispute Brian's opinion that North weren't top 4 quality by dint of actually finishing in the top 4. That'll learn 'em to drop games and get on the wrong side of the draw though.
spruce moose
Guest
Hahaha. Too true.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
If Gary Rohan continues his prelim final form, he'll be hard for the Hawks to match up on. On the other hand if he reverts back to his qualifying final form, the Hawks will win the GF...:)
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I haven't forgotten
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Very good point. Given North's unpredictability this year, that win against them last Friday night is really hard to read, certainly the magnitude of it, if nothing else.
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
An excellent article. Like most of the posters I'm not expecting a blowout but I am cautiously optimistic that the Hawks spent a lot of petrol tickets last week and will feel this in the second half of the GF. If this is to happen, it is vital for the Swans that we are not a two man band up forward. The Hawks are good enough to negate Tippett and Franklin and hold them to a handful of goals, but no team would be confident that they could cover those two PLUS Reid, Jetta, Goodes, Parker, Cunningham, McGlynn, Kennedy, Jack, Malceski, Hannebery, Rohan, McVeigh, Lloyd, Bird and Pyke. Having the ball in lots of hands up forward and making every player a forward threat and an accountable defender is the Sydney recipe for success. As Mr Miyagi said, "If do right, no can defence" Swans to do it right by four goals.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
come join our Hawks forum and discuss it Brian https://www.facebook.com/groups/2210288061/
Mango Jack
Guest
It's some of both. That the Swans have good club culture and processes and develop their roster well is beyond question, and is the main reason they are successful.. But COLA is an undeniable advantage that is thankfully being scrapped so we can stop talking about it. MH, take a deep breath and read MT's post again. It's a bit more balanced than your response.
Mango Jack
Guest
yeah, playing Rioli will be a risk, but one I think they need to take. As much as I love big Matt Spangher, he was not influential up front last Sat and can't win a game the way Cyril can (or could, when fully fit). Sewell is tough, no questions, but he's as slow as wet labrador nowadays.
Mango Jack
Guest
Or Big Dipper dropping the shoulder and then feigning innocence - "who, ....me???" Ahh, those were the days...