2015 AFL finals: A history of this week’s semi-finals

Delving into the past history of this week’s semi-finalists it is evident that the respective opponents have had their fair share of memorable matches and player movement.

MORE AFL FINALS:
>> WHO WILL WIN THE SEMI FINALS?
>> HAWKS V CROWS PREVIEW & PREDICTION
>> SWANS V NORTH PREVIEW & PREDICTION
>> FINALS FORECAST: HAWKS V CROWS
>> THE X-FACTOR FINALS PLAYERS
>> AN ALL WA GRAND FINAL?
>> EXPERT TIPS
>> HOW TO WATCH THE SEMI-FINALS

Hawthorn versus Adelaide

Round 1, 1991
It did not take long for Adelaide and Hawthorn to produce a memorable result between each other. A Friday night match at Football Park to open the 1991 season saw the Jarman brothers, Andrew and Darren, playing each other as Adelaide sought to take on the highly successful Hawthorn side in the Crow’s first AFL game.

The match finished in a stunning 86-point upset win to the home side but would prove to be a false dawn for both teams as the Crows ended the season in ninth place while the Hawks went all the way winning the premiership.

First elimination final, 2007
Lance Franklin, if he wasn’t already on the map as a star of the competition, was well and truly in this category after his remarkable performance in his debut final against Adelaide in 2007. The Crows had led at every change in this contest but Franklin’s seven goals, including the final goal of the day to put Hawthorn in front, broke Crow hearts as the Hawks saluted by three points.

First preliminary final, 2012
The 2012 preliminary final looked a miss-match on paper. The Hawks had been flying and motivated by the preliminary final loss of 2011 were short-priced favourites. Adelaide took a half-time lead but the Hawks fought back in a gripping contest. Kurt Tippett added extra weight to his soon-to-be-controversial Sydney contract with a huge four-goal, 11-mark display, but it was the Hawks that held off a fast finishing Crows to win by five points.

Player movement
As previously touched upon the player that stands out between these two clubs is Darren Jarman having won a flag in 1991 with the Hawks and then starring in Adelaide’s back-to-back grand final wins in 1997 and 1998.

In more modern times the move of a homesick Jack Gunston at the end of 2011 proved a controversial one. Gunston won the Crow’s best young player award at the end of 2011 but his decision to leave the club was not taken well by Adelaide hierarchy and he was stripped of this award. His departure has come to hurt the Crows as Gunston has gone on to play an important role in Hawthorn’s back-to-back flags in 2013 and 2014.

Sydney versus North Melbourne

Grand final, 1996
The Centenary grand final of 1996 pitted the Swans and Kangaroos up each other in the biggest games these clubs have faced each other in. The Swans, in their first grand final since 1945, were riding a wave of emotion having famously made the grand final on the back of Tony Lockett’s famous point in the preliminary final.

The Roos, under Dennis Pagan and Wayne Carey, had built a side that could contend year after year. Pre-game if Carey had kicked one goal while Tony Lockett kicked six you would have said Sydney would be premiers. However while the Swans were able to jump out to an early lead it was North Melbourne on the back of Glenn Archer’s Norm Smith Medal winning performance who would win the premiership receiving a Centenary inspired gold cup.

Round 19, 2004
The Round 19 clash between North Melbourne and Sydney in 2004 provided one of the more memorable games these two sides have played. Playing in Glenn Archer’s 250th match the Swans were unstoppable for three quarters jumping out to what seemed an unassailable 40-point lead by the last break.

However the Roos of this era were particularly renowned for their Shinboner Spirit. North were able to chip away at the lead until Corey Jones, the beneficiary of a deliberate out of bounds decision, kicked his third and sealed one of the club’s great comeback victories.

First preliminary final, 2014
The first preliminary final of 2014 turned out to be a one-sided Swans-dominated contest. Having won the minor premiership, Sydney stormed into the grand final as Franklin and Tippet combined for nine goals. The damage could have been far greater if the Swans had kicked straight having 41 scoring shots to the Kangaroos 20. This game will no doubt still be in minds of many Roos players as they line up for their chance at redemption at the same venue this week.

Player movement
The best example from these two sides occurred at the end of 1997 when Shannon Grant (who had played in 1996 grand final for Sydney) moved to North Melbourne and Wayne Schwass (who had played in the 1996 grand final for North Melbourne) moved to Sydney.

The trade can can be seen as a win for both sides. Grant went onto to win a premiership and Norm Smith Medal in 1999, a best and fairest award (2001) and All-Australian honours (2005) for the Kangaroos. While Schwass was able to carve a career for himself in Sydney providing invaluable leadership for the Swans as he won a best and fairest (1999) and All-Australian honours (1999).

This weekend’s match-ups will add further weight to these burgeoning rivalries and will hopefully give the players and fans of the respective teams many more memorable moments to reminisce.