AFL's top two should thank their opponents from last weekend

Keep the hubris coming Swannies.

Once again - as a North fan - frustratingly the Roos got off to a shabby start - reigned back in a good team, made an entertaining contest of it with finals like effort but lacked the polish to finish off (tend to NOT kick the clutch goals and crucial times). The other clubs are working around a couple of key absentees - North have been working around half a dozen or more key absentees. It's still hard to get an absolute read on North - the 'soldiers' are returning at present through the VFL - however time is fast running out - however - 1 game remaining (for North and Werribee) and 1 week off after that - is that enough time to rock up to week 1 of finals with perhaps Jacobs, Wright, Higgins and McDonald back in the line up?

The real toughness of the draw depends on form in the current season ...one would have thought playing the Dockers twice was tough but turned out to be a blessing. Hawthorn only got Geeling once because Geelong were mid table...the draw wasn't made based on Dangerfields move.

Swans are out to avenge 2014. No way known will they get beaten in another GF. They are building towards something special this year and we haven't seen them reach anywhere near their peak. I pity whoever we play in Sydney! Relax Swans fans...this year the bloods will deliver!

maybe Cat, but then how did Adelaide score a tougher draw than West Coast or Hawthorn this season - as ranked by champion Data before the season began when they finished lower than either of those teams did last season?

How is it unfair? Geelong finished lower on the ladder last year so had an easier draw. The first time in a decade. That's how it is supposed to work.

But the whole thing is unfair anyway as Geelong got to play Essendon and Brisbane twice to boost their %. Nothing different about the final round.

Birdman, we don't need you to remind us of the run up to 2014 and the result... The 2014 GF looms large for Swans supporters, especially those of us who were there on the day, and I think most are not banging their chest in anticipation of a probable GF victory. Considering how the Swans were written off at the start of 2016, most Swans supporters are over the moon at how well we've done. Winning the GF would be icing on the cake but I doubt too many of us view it as a certainty. .

I do agree Birdman it would be their best of the 4 if the Hawks can win in 2016. Im hoping it'll be a bridge too far for them - but if they did it, they would deserve all the respect that it would come with. As for Swannies, as a fellow swans fan, stop talking us up! Every time I read stuff like that, I feel a great sense of dread. We perform best when not expected to do something. Take 2016 for instance - more than a reasonable majority of people had us bottom of the 8 at best, or even missing the finals. Very few would of even contemplated us being Top of the ladder come round 23. Keep a lid on it man! The top 5 will all have very solid claims on the flag come finals time in my book - any of them can win it if it all falls right for them. Its far from fait accompli for any of them to be there on GF day in my opinion, let alone win the thing. All have their strengths and all have significant weaknesses - it'll come down to who can force matches to be played on their terms, and control their weaknesses the best as to who will come out on top. I'm hopeful 2016 will at least lead to a really high quality Grand Final for the first time since 2012.

I disagree Glenn with your view on McGlynn. McGlynn was utterly awful in the first half, and while he did some ok stuff in the 2nd half, he and Papley are very different players these days. Mcglynn's only role is in the midfield rotation, whereas Papley is clearly playing that small forward line role. As Michael points out Papley is vastly better at applying forward pressure, and I don't agree McGlynn is any better under pressure - his disposal is every bit as ordinary as Papley, when under no pressure at all. I'm not sure how you can or can't conclude if Papley is 'motivated' unless you have insider knowledge the rest of us don't - he looks hungry and is working hard. We can all see he is most definitely a 'work in progress', but the talent is there, and in time I have no doubt the rough edges of his game will improve significantly. If he can keep chipping in a goal or so a week, and keep applying good pressure, he is doing his job for the team at this stage. Without injuries, I can't see how McGlynn will be in the top 22. I expect it'll be Kieran Jack for Mcglynn as the only change for Saturday (assuming KJ is fit). The only other change I could see is perhaps Laidler coming in for Cunningham or if fit, Zak Jones returning in a couple of weeks. But even then, I think Cunningham has specifically been chosen for his similarity to Zak Jones - and unless match ups dictate it, will stay there unless Zak Jones is fit again. The wonderful thing with Laidler is you know you'll get an honest shift if he gets the call up. As for Allir - yes he struggled early on Saturday, but did some really important things in the later part of the game - including a couple of critical pieces of play at critical times. What is clear is just how much he is 'learning on the job' at the Senior level - that was evident even between the first and second half on Saturday. Dropping him at this stage I feel would shatter his confidence (unless he turns in a dreadful performance) and be a real set back, and its not exactly like there are players knocking the door down in reserves for his spot. While I love the thought of Teddy getting one last chance at a second flag, or Benny McGlynn finally getting that elusive premiership, I don't think, without injuries, either are in the best 22 of the Swans going into the finals. The fact is the younger guys have been a critical part of the success of the Swans this year. Dropping those more on the peripheral for 'safe options' in the finals is an approach the club could adopt, but I think the club will show faith to guys that, overall, have done a superb job for the team. And you just never know - the cauldron of finals is where heroes are made, and one of them might just stand up when it is really needed. Some are clearly bound to be superb players - Heeney and in particular Mills, and others look more than handy. I've thoroughly enjoyed what they've brought to the table this year, and they deserve the opportunity to see what they can do in finals. Even if that means the Swans crash out of finals in straight sets for instance, I'd still argue its been a great transformational year for the club and a great learning year for those at the bottom. But this bunch of youngsters are showing there is a lot they can give, and I think they'll show they are good enough to stand up when it counts. Is that enough to win a flag - who knows. But they'll give it a red hot go no doubt, and I think the Swans will be bitterly disappointed if that doesn't translate into a Prelim final appearance, especially if they can get over their bogey side on Saturday and secure two home finals.

fair comment, mRVC. My original post was directed at Swannies who apparently believes the 2016 flag is already decided which sounds eerily similar to claims made by many in the football world leading into the 2014 grand final. IMHO 2013 was a massive relief but I doubt any team could have found a way back against the Hawks in 2014 and 2015 - they were irresistible. If they add a fourth, it will surely be their greatest given their personnel is greatly diminished.

Swans were poor on Saturday I thought overall, but I was impressed by their resilience late on, and their ability to soak up some pressure when it counted - that was a good sign. No doubt Buddy's struggles didn't help them, as the forward line structure really struggled after his early fairly innocuous looking injury.

By your ongoing obsession with commenting on any even semi-positive article about the swans in as negative approach as possible Birdman, its pretty clear just how much 2012 grates you (and many other hawks fans), no matter how much you try to dress it up with what has followed....

If they do that in finals, they will be history. But in the North game, it was a case of very mediocre opposition. As you say, they won.

The Crows are the likely opponent in my opinion. I am just going of the stats for the last 16 GF's. Four teams have won 12 of the last 15 and of those twelve wins, only two came from first on the ladder. Statistically, second place is the more likely to win the GF.

Your point is well made and is logical. By half time in both 14 and 15, if I were the coach, there would have been major changes of positional strategy and game style. By those teams sticking with their game plan, well we saw the results.........what's the definition of insanity again?

Well, there is no arguing the fact of those three wins, and deserved. Had 2013 run some minutes longer, who knows. As i say below, 14 and 15 were frustrating because neither of the losers tried to change gear.

The Swans basically lost every stat they record against North yet still won. I wouldn't want to make a habit of that.

I agree. I think Adelaide's game style is suited to the G, but they cannot afford to let Geelong have that spare man back or bomb the ball in long. Sydney successfully hit up fast leading targets, exposing the back lines lack of pace and this worked even on the narrow Skilled stadium.