The list of teams left in contention is down to four after the semi-finals saw Melbourne and Collingwood through, Hawthorn and GWS out. Here’s my five talking points from the weekend.
Did the talk get to Toby?
After a week where his name was spoken about perhaps more than any other player in the league, Toby Greene would’ve loved to get us chatting for the right reasons with a match-winning performance on Saturday night.
Instead Greene, arguably GWS’ most crucial player, was well held by his Collingwood opponent Brayden Maynard, ultimately failing to have any kind of scoreboard impact.
With Josh Kelly unavailable and Jeremy Cameron misfiring in front of goal (kicking only 1.3 for the night), the work was left to too few in a GWS side that came achingly close.
Stephen Coniglio capped off an outstanding season with 30 touches and two goals, while Lachie Whitfield only continued to enhance his reputation after an All Australian season.
Straight sets exit humbles Hawks
Much praise was lauded upon Hawthorn during the year for their ability to return to finals after a shock miss in 2017, but their September campaign means they’ll finish the season with a bitter taste in their mouths.
Yes, the Hawks squeezed into the top four on the ladder this year – just barely – but all things considered it would be fair to suggest that maybe had more to do with a handy fixture than it did a genuine return to contender status.
There’s never anywhere to hide when it comes to the finals and in both of their matches Hawthorn have ultimately found themselves outmuscled by superior opponents.
What’s next for Clarko and Hawthorn? A top-six finish in 2018 means they’ll get one of next season’s harder fixtures, and so a serious challenge awaits.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
GWS set for a Giant challenge
If talk of a supposed salary cap crunch at the GWS Giant is true, then the 2018 offseason is set to be a massive one for them.
Some have claimed the Giants need to move out as much as $1 million from their salary cap, and we already know that Toby Greene has voluntarily taken a 2019 paycut to help make the numbers add up.
The future of Dylan Shiel has been speculated on plenty, but Will Setterfield, Tom Scully, Josh Kelly, Rory Lobb and Stephen Coniglio have all been discussed as potential departures in either the short or long term.
Unfortunately with player salaries kept secret there’s little in the way of facts to build our speculation upon, so for now all I’ll say is: watch this space.
Pies, Tigers set to pack out the ‘G
This finals series has already seen a number of massive clashes between historic titans at the MCG, but none so far has been as big as a Richmond vs Collingwood MCG final will be.
It’s often said that the preliminary finals produce a crowd and atmosphere that is almost superior to the grand final itself, simply due to the fact that the crowd features a large proportion of genuine fans.
A crowd of ninety-thousand plus on Friday night is essentially a certainy, and they’ll get to see Collingwood have their third crack at ending Richmond’s MCG streak.
After a hard fight this week, I suspect the Pies might not have it in them to topple the Tigers – but you’d be a fool to write them off entirely.
Can Melbourne go all the way?
The comparisons to the Bulldogs of 2016 and Tigers of 2017 have been numerous and not unreasonable – if we’re all now subscribers to the belief that momentum wins premierships, it’s hard to ignore Melbourne.
Finals matches reliably reveal character, and after a season where we regularly asked if they were mentally weak, the Dees have proven they are by no means easybeats.
They’ve been tried and tested in both of their finals matches on both occassions have come out not just on top, but comfortably so.
This week they go to play West Coast in Perth, a team that they defeated at the very same ground just a little over a month ago.
Of course, that was a West Coast side that missed Josh J Kennedy, and lost Jack Darling to injury early – it won’t be so this time around.
My early tip is definitely the Eagles, but Melbourne-mentum is a force to be reckoned with.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
I recall Don announcing the Demons a long way out of the finals too.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You seem to be ignoring the first part of my comment. I've been saying that with Melbourne on the edge of the 8. You can check...you won't, but you can. You've never been a fan of being exposed.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Both GWS and Collingwood finished with about the same for and against differential as their season average but had well below their average number of frees both for and against. There were substantially less frees in total (28) than there average games (40) for both GWS and Collingwood. So the comments that the umpires were making about them does not stand up either. Clearly, umpires do not want the discussion to be about them in the finals, so they are always inclined to make players earn a free. And, I an sure they discuss this prior to the game. While I thought that both teams missed out on some frees that might have been paid, I am okay with that. My concerns were more that the umpires started with their whistles in their pockets but as the game went on started calling more like a normal game. While I think I have observed this previously, it is to be expected as the umpires tire they will also revert to their normal practices, the same as players.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Presumable you mean in the MLB or the NBA, the stadiums are much, much smaller. Higher population density makes it easier to draw in what is needed because of the capacity of supply chains and logistics catering to a denser population. Additionally, they know the stadium that will be used as the last two games go to the team that finished higher which means preparations can start earlier than 24 hours before. But, even so, they have to work night and day to make it happen.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Huh? What do you mean?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
You mightn't have to worry about finding your way here GF day anyway WCE.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Reid will be back insurance not forward with Dunn and Scharenberg out for most of 2019. The Pies injury curse has forced game time into others such as Madgen and Murphy who will improve. Elliott is worth persisting with.
Chris
Guest
Mattician, I consider myself to be the most articulate and educated guy on this website and I am as Black & White as you can get. Your comments just smack of the ignorance shown by the English when they branded Australian cricketers as yahoos and yobos only to the chagrin and protestations of a certain Alan Border. This was the prelude to the whitewash of 1989. This weekend will determine how strong the WCE and Maggies are. They could end up playing for the flag after all. However, my money is on the Dees to break the 1964 drought regardless of who they meet on September 29.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
As a person who thinks only in terms of strategy, I find Clarkson fascinating to watch. I rate him as probably the most interesting coach of the last 20 years and right up there with Matthews, Malthouse, and Roos, and even ahead of Sheedy! I've always had a high opinion of Hardwick, but felt his team were not playing to his abilities I am glad to see abilities being recognised. The real test on a coach is how a they maximised the performance of the team taking into account the list and where it is in its life cycle. I am surprised Clarkson even got into the finals with the list he had as a legacy of repeated success. It is becoming apparent that Buckley is also good, time will show how good. I had previously worried that players may not be able to deal with the way he set performance standards at the level of the individual, but that seems to have changed with the exit of the last of the players he captained.
anon
Roar Pro
"There is no perfect solution to the issue of where to play the finals. The logistical challenges of a short term decision of deciding the grounds make it almost impossible to achieve. Firstly the grounds have to be free. Tickets printed and distributed. Food and drinks have to be arranged. Think back to the Collingwood and St Kilda re-match and the enormous problems that created just from a perspective of getting all the things required to play the game." In America they play game 7's with less than 24 hours notice, they sell out, enough food and drink for the butters, someone to sing the anthem, etc. No wonder Australia is falling behind in the world . Couldn't organise a...
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
I agree, most of the roads leading in to Victoria are rubbish. I can never be sure if they are worn by all the people coming to Victoria or they were just poorly made in the first place.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
There is no perfect solution to the issue of where to play the finals. The logistical challenges of a short term decision of deciding the grounds make it almost impossible to achieve. Firstly the grounds have to be free. Tickets printed and distributed. Food and drinks have to be arranged. Think back to the Collingwood and St Kilda re-match and the enormous problems that created just from a perspective of getting all the things required to play the game. The potential loss in income of playing in small grounds is a significant issue for revenue and the AFL's ability to support other aspects of the game such as the AFLW which must cost a packet with free entry etc. If interstate teams are really big on playing at home finals, they could always offer to indemnify the AFL for any foregone revenues to remove that from the equation, but I've never heard anything about that. All I hear is complaints with no suggestions about how to make it work. For all of this, the MCG is the only ground demonstrated to be at capacity for the GF even when two out of state teams play so for mine its always the G for the GF!
WCE
Roar Rookie
the best thing about Victoria are the roads leading out of the state.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
There have been 'huge queries' on Elliot and Wells getting their bodies right for years. Let it go, dude. Reid no longer a genuine go to option. Broomhead by your own assessment only 'insurance' and Kirby no different to any rookie on any list. Moore may well become a genuine best 22 player but has a lot of developing to do whether at Collingwood or Sydney.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
You can only rate them based on being fit. Huge queries on Jamie Elliott and Wells now getting their body right and Reid has one year contract, let's see how he goes next year. Fas is gone, Broomhead will be insurance for the small forward brigade next year too and we still don;t know what's going with Kirby heart issue. Moore is the interesting one, greedy Player Manager Liam Pickering is clearly holding out for more money once the Lynch to Richmond deal announced.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
If they consistently can't get out on the park they're no longer best 22. How many years since those two were regular 15-20 games a year players?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
0-2 in your tips last week TTF...lost form?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
All three of those tackles the eagles had prior opportunity.
User
Roar Rookie
You jumped on a bandwagon don, it's ok mate alot of people do that, usually the sort who jump ship.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I doubt you'd know who's on the Freo list, let alone who has been unavailable. Your knowledge of Freo would rank with Anon and Jonboy.