Opinion
After almost a year wondering whether we’d get here, the AFL finals are back, and what a first week it was.
Finals footy is always so unpredictable, and with four interesting match-ups, Week 1 was hard to predict.
The week started with a blockbuster between Port Adelaide and Geelong in front of the roaring Power fans at Adelaide Oval. It was terrific to compare the atmosphere of the finals with the empty stadiums of Round 1. Both the game at Adelaide Oval and the Brisbane-Richmond game on Friday night at the Gabba proved that fans play a role in a team’s win.
From fans shouting “ball!” to the roar of the crowd when their home side kicked a goal, it was easy to forget how up and down the footy has been this season thanks to the COVID-19 restrictions. The roar of the crowd was welcome and perhaps more deafening than past seasons due to all the struggles the fans and players have gone through.
Port Adelaide entered the game underrated and overlooked. Despite finishing the season on top of the ladder with a stellar 14-3 record, the minor premiers were not considered favourites for the premiership and many had picked them to lose to the Cats on Thursday night. The team competed with Geelong throughout the whole game and pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Cats by 13 points in the quarter to create some separation.
Geelong were ultimately cost the game by their inaccuracy in front of goal. Reigning Coleman medalist Tom Hawkins was unable to kick a goal, scoring five behind and kicking one out of bounds from six shots in a game the star would like to forget.
(Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Next up was Richmond versus Brisbane, a repeat of their 2019 qualifying finals that saw Richmond defeat Brisbane in Queensland before the Lions went out in straight sets.
This year’s game had another thrilling storyline, with the Lions hoodoo against Richmond a major aspect of the storyline heading in. The Lions, despite being brilliant all year, were underrated, much like the Power. They had not defeated the Tigers since 2009, with the more experienced Tigers coming off two premierships in the last three years.
It seemed like the odds were stacked against the Lions. However, they proved the doubters wrong. An early bomb from Daniel Rich within the first minute of the game brought the Lions hope, and they continued to carry that momentum throughout the rest of the evening. Both teams competed hard, with Richmond even managing to keep Lachie Neale out of the game early, the star midfielder unable to record a single touch in the first term. Dustin Martin was also good early, leading the Tigers and keeping them competitive throughout the first half.
However, the second half belonged to the Lions, with Neale picking up his game and Dusty fading, the Lions kicked themselves to an impressive 21 point lead at three-quarter-time. The Tigers managed to chip the lead down, but the Lions held on in a brilliant finish. The Tigers certainly missed having Tom Lynch in the forward line and the Lions were led by their brilliant forwards. Charlie Cameron was their main contributor, scoring three goals.
The Lions broke their 11-year hoodoo over Richmond and are now poised to play in a home preliminary final.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The first two games were brilliant enough, but nothing brings out a team’s best like having their backs against the wall and facing elimination. This was the case in the two elimination finals, where all four teams gave fans performances to remember.
The first elimination final was St Kilda against the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba. This was huge for St Kilda fans, as the Saints were playing in their first finals series since 2011, and they hadn’t won a finals game in ten years. Many punters had the Saints as the underdogs despite earning a home final, and the Bulldogs showcased their skill on the day, with the game starting off perfectly with ex-Saint Josh Bruce scoring the first major.
St Kilda’s risky trade period seemed to deliver some rewards, with solid contributions from Paddy Ryder, Brad Hill, Dan Butler and Dan Hannebery. Max King proved he is going to be a superstar of the future, booting two goals in his finals debut, while their skipper Jarryn Geary contributed a solid performance to help his side.
After a back-and-forth first half, St Kilda had set themselves up at three-quarter-time, with the Saints leading the Bulldogs by 24 points. The Doggies were not going to lay down and give up, bringing the margin to within a kick, with the Saints only just managing to hang on in what turned out to be a thrilling finish.
After the first three games ended in thrilling contests, the margins combining to a mere 32 points, many expected the last game to be a blowout. The odds looked incredibly one-sided, with an in-form West Coast Eagles side playing a home final in Perth against a Collingwood team that has had an up-and-down season looking like a shallow void compared to the competitive team that were four points away from a grand final last season.
However, the Magpies came out strong, with American Mason Cox booting three goals in the first quarter. The Magpies and Cox came out looking to make a statement, with the team hitting the scoreboard hard and locking down midfielder Tim Kelly all game.
The Eagles were not going down easy, however, not only coming back but looking to pull away at the beginning of the final term.
Collingwood managed to stop this by kicking three in a row and holding on to win by just one point. Much like the Port Adelaide-Geelong game, this game came down to one team kicking accurately in front of goal. Collingwood were brilliant, booting 12.4, while the Eagles will be kicking themselves for scoring only 11.9.
I am a big fan of the underdog overcoming the odds, and this first week had all that and more. The four games were thrilling and all went down to the wire, with the results from this week setting up an interesting semi-final week. Four Victorian teams will play in the semi-finals for the first time in 26 years, in a season that seems intent on creating history. Overlooked teams in Brisbane and Port Adelaide both stood tall, while St Kilda and Collingwood both proved that they were not just making up the numbers.
With two thrilling games ahead for the semi-finals, I am locked in like most of Australia and prepared for another unpredictable and thrilling week of football.
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