After two consecutive disappointing grand finals, the AFL needs a memorable first Saturday in October.
Last year, Hawthorn’s 63-point winning margin against favourites the Sydney Swans was the eighth biggest winning margin in AFL/VFL grand final history.
In 2013 Hawthorn led the whole match, and at one stage in the fourth quarter they were leading by five goals in a low-scoring affair against Fremantle.
The last enthralling grand final was in 2012, when the Swans won by 10 points after the Hawks were leading midway through the final term.
For the AFL to win back fans, there must be a high-scoring grand final, and West Coast and Hawthorn have been the two highest scoring sides this season.
These two teams must meet in the grand final.
Hawthorn and West Coast faced off in a grand final in 1991, with Hawthorn winning 20.19 (139) to West Coast’s 13.8 (86). The scores were neck-and-neck for the first three-quarters, but the Hawks kicked away in the last. Jason Dunstall kicked six goals while Peter Sumich kicked five.
If the two teams met in the grand final again this year, we could see a similar shootout between Josh Kennedy and Jarryd Roughead, or even 2013 grand final hero Jack Gunston.
Both teams’ constant defensive pressure and thrilling speed to transition the ball have been highlights of the 2015 season.
Hawthorn will be playing for a third consecutive premiership, and their best football looks unstoppable at times. The Hawks have an incredible spine featuring Norm Smith medalists Brian Lake and Luke Hodge, and Coleman medalist Jarryd Roughead.
The Eagles are one of the success stories of the year, as their defence has stood strong without key injured defenders Mitch Brown and Eric Mackenzie. An average of 10.1 goals per game has been scored against the Eagles this season, third ranked in the league behind Hawthorn and Fremantle. West Coast’s team defence has been lauded, so much so their defensive set-up has been nicknamed ‘the Weagles web’.
Both West Coast and Hawthorn have many avenues to goal. The Eagles have likely Coleman medalist Josh Kennedy, but also have spearhead Jack Darling, while classy small forwards Mark LeCras, Josh Hill and Jamie Cripps circle around the big men’s aerial contests like sharks.
Hawthorn have a versatile, dangerous forward line – the two cannons, Jack Gunston and Jarryd Roughead, and sweeping under the forward 50 contests is the magician Cyril Rioli and sharpshooter Luke Breust.
If there were many stoppages during this grand final we would see arguably the most exciting player in the competition, Nic Naitanui, continuously apply his art.
This could potentially be the year a modern rivalry is born.
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Death, taxes, and Jack Ginnivan getting ignored!
Round 5 of the AFL provided plenty of action, from big scorelines to upset wins and pressure starting to build on some clubs and coaches already.
Collingwood premiership defender Nathan Murphy has been forced into a premature and immediate AFL retirement through concussion to prioritise a "full and healthy life"…
Geelong has been crafty and creative in its list management and has quietly assembled a very exciting young group of midfielders and half-forwards.
Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale will be looking to lead his team to a victory against Melbourne in what will be his 250th AFL game.
It’s high stakes with five teams having lost their first three games of season 2024, and in desperate need of a win.
