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My mother isn’t at all pleased at the prospect of two preliminary finals being held in Western Australia, let alone the thought of an Eagles versus Fremantle grand final. And that’s putting it lightly.
I try to tell her that it’s great for the game.
After all, the ‘A’ in AFL denotes a game that is now far greater than the 12 Victorian clubs that made up the fabric of the competition in the year she was born.
Still, she doesn’t budge.
Who would want to watch a grand final between two teams that no one cares about?
I can see this is going to be a struggle.
But perhaps it speaks volumes to the struggle the AFL may face itself in the coming weeks and months as we edge closer to the first Saturday in October (not the same ring to it, right?).
Sure, we’ve had two non-Victorian teams play on grand final day before. In fact, from 2004-2006 non-Victorian clubs were the only teams to play on the last Saturday in September (it really does sound better).
In 2004, Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane. In 2005 the Swans beat West Coast with Leo Barry’s spectacular pack mark in the dying seconds. In the rematch in 2006, the Eagles took the spoils.
See, mum!
In response, she makes the point that Brisbane were ex-Fitzroy and the Swans were ex-South Melbourne so, really, there were still Victorian teams to barrack for. That is, a team that Victorians care about.
I guess she’s half right. But wouldn’t it be exciting for football to be held ransom to the two powerhouses from WA?
The derby game between West Coast and Fremantle is one of the most hotly contested games of the home-and-away season. Imagine if that intense rivalry was matched with the promise of being crowned as premier. What a narrative.
For those who love the game – Victorian and non-Victorian alike – it would be compulsory viewing.
And while this remains a mere hypothetical at this point in time, it’s also much more than a remote possibility.
Fremantle have all but stitched up a top-two finish, guaranteeing them a home final, and the chance to secure another.
The Eagles, on the other hand, face their biggest test of the season this weekend when they take on reigning premiers Hawthorn at Domain Stadium.
If they win, they will go two games clear of the Hawks and all but deny them a top-two finish.
From there, the maths is easy. Win the qualifying final and the Eagles, too, will earn the right to a home preliminary final.
Since 2005, only two teams of 20 have hosted a home preliminary final and failed to progress to the grand final – St Kilda in 2005 and Adelaide in 2006.
The teams that finish top four and win in the first week of finals, therefore, have the odds stacked in their favours.
So is the AFL prepared for what could very seriously be two preliminary finals in Western Australia? And are the supporters of all clubs prepared for a one-state showdown on grand final day?
We may not have a choice.
Sorry mum.
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