This could be the defining moment for a fledgling club they will forever look back on. To come up against the Tiger army still feasting on the Cat carcass from two weeks ago with a crowd of maybe 95,000 Tiger fans screaming for Dusty….to come up against all that and win could be the making of GWS, flag or no flag. The start is crucial as confidence one way or the other may be the difference. Look at what confidence and momentum did for the Tigers against Geelong and then Geelong against the Swans. Belief versus doubt. GWS to win by a point.

They will have to give something to get anything. Think Breust or Gunston…their sustained run at filling the trophy cabinet ultimately with AFL equalisation will lead to a dark period it’s just the Hawks may not disappear for as long as others do.

A great read Zac. I’ve been trying to keep my own lid on it s a Crows tragic but this article blew the lid off! Can’t help but agree that this is simply our best chance in a long time. The team is beautifully balanced and we have enough mids to go against the best, even Danger who apparently doesn’t like our city! We also have an X factor no one else does that can be a difference in a high pressure final….we have Eddie B!

A really unique read Andrew and you make valid points. I’m quite curious as to who you followed previously or more exploration on what led you to following and subsequently loving the club? It would make interesting reading to know more about your pathway to passionately loving the club. I, for example followed the Bombers as a young boy until my foundation club the Adelaide Crows joined in 1991, however you are an an adult and I’m curious who you supported and why you chose the Giants? Is it where you live?
As for soulless, speaking for myself I think it is more indifference to your club and that is just a byproduct of your club having next to no history. It will come as your club makes it’s own special moments and features more and more special players just like the Swans have done. When I think of the Swans I think of Plugger, Goodes, Micky O, Kelly, Hall, Kirk and now Buddy, Kennedy, Hanneberry, etc. I think of Nick Davis kicking four last qtr goals in the infamous semi final against the Cats in 2005, of Pluggers point in another final, of Barry Hall knocking everyone out and ultimately of Leo Barry’s famous game saving mark to finally secure the 2005 flag and Adam Goodes heroics in the 2012 GF. Your club’s history will come with more “moments”and with it acknowledgement of your place in the competition. It may start with a bang this weekend when you may well make your first GF? Who knows, new folklore will be written…perhaps Stevie J kicking a miracle goal to win you a flag or a barnstorming finish against my Crows and the first extra time GF.

Sorry Swanie, it was more than paying overs…clubs get some deals right and some wrong…the Tippett deal was monumentally wrong, not quite at the Chris Mayne level but not far behind.

Hey AD….Dangerfield doesn’t think it’s a nice city! What did you think of his dig at his old city and home?

Well Birdman that officially makes that award a complete joke! Seriuosly…a coach of the year award where a guy has won four flags and doesn’t feature in any of them? I’m sorry but that award is a joke, won’t even bother to see who wins it this year. How could he not win it that year the team was heavily injured and he was off crook for a few weeks as well? What was that 2015?

Is that for real Birdman? Despite winning four flags Clarkson has never been coach of the year?????

Sheek says “Alastair Clarkson went into the wilderness a bit between 2009-11″” well 2009 maybe. 2010 they finished 7th and they lost the 2011 preliminary final to Collingwood by 3 points? Hardly the wilderness.

The retirements and natural end of contracts should be taken advantage of with a major clean out and trade in. WCE need pace and lots of it for their home ground. They also need a coaching staff who can break the away game losses. This is the Eagles chance to reset completely as they are too old now and quite simply not good enough to try and have another crack with a similar list. Need a major shake up of the list and they need to do it now. The problem is Simpson will be looking to protect his coaching future rather than build a new team?

A great read. The grumpiest coach in league history does indeed escape close scrutiny as they are always up and about. Personally, I don’t see any prima donnas up there but I do wonder if the Swans 0-6 start had continued and ended up with them 10th-13th if it might have ultimately been better for them. The philosophy to never bottom out has got them close since 2012 but no glory. If the Hawks and Swans start to 2017 continued and they were both bottom four I wonder what would have happened? Can you imagine if Clarkson and Longmire swapped clubs?

Unfortunately there are idiots and wannabe’s at local footy too. Fascinated last weekend watching a group giving it to the back line with the usual stuff…can’t run, could you be any softer, what a spud, etc…..and this from a pie and beer scoffing group who’s bodies showed zero evidence of them having ever done any physical activity whatsoever. Sadly, some idiots enjoyment at the footy is achieved by bagging others for doing the type of things on a footy field they can only dream of.
I also think you will get different answers for the worst supporters from every state. For me as a Crows fan, the Port crowd can be savage.

Gee Mattyb can’t see it happening…surely 1-4 deserves a benefit from the entire 23 round season….double chance is hard earned but also deserved.

Why chase the short term gain and leave a club full of history and passion to one who has no history and no passion? There is no light at the end of the Suns tunnel, the move there will be the finish of a potential career coach?

To me the Eagles were trying to build a big bodied bully team to go head to head with the mighty Hawks of 2013-2015. They have maxed out on huge bodied beasts but failed to develop or trade in enough light bodied run and carry pace. Interesting to hear Birdman’s reference to chasing Billy Hartung….it’s what they need and they identified it already with getting in Lewis Jetta. Look how Jetta stands out in their team when he is on song. In the process of trying to catch the big bodied bullies at Glenferrie they have lost what can restore their impregnable fortress……run. Kennedy is 30 now and won’t be a part of their next premiership team you would think. They could probably get a first round pick and player for him. They need to go heavy to the draft and get some faster, lighter bodied kids in to get more balance to the beasts in the team.

I have to agree with True Tiger Fan here Scott. Martin, Dangerfield and Buddy are a long way ahead of the next group. In fact the next group still wouldn’t contain Stringer. He’s a talented footballer but inconsistent. Perhaps his “group” would also contain Fasolo and Menzel.

I’m sorry but the AFL deliberately conspiring and coaching umpires to deliver their chosen premier conspiracy theory is simply ridiculous.
Just for a moment imagine it…a recently retired umpire comes out to the media in a few years with “yes it’s true, Gill had a chat with us all before the 2016 finals and said fellas it would be good for the competition to see a Doggies flag this year, let’s see what we can do”….? Really? Come on….the entire integrity of the competition and its history would be destroyed. This theory that the AFL conspired to deliver the Dogs fairytale is just that…a fairytale.

What is possible of course is that umpires are human (oh yes they are!) and will react to crowd noise, emotion and stresses. Do they have favourite teams? You bet most will though they aren’t allowed to say they do. They can and will affect a result too as we saw in the West Coast v Port final. Not saying the decision was bad but one umpire pays it maybe one doesn’t….different result. Let’s just hope there’s not a contentious decision in the Grand Final that does indeed impact AFL history forever because they do have that power in the dying seconds of a close Grand Final.

I totally understand Robin, a mate at work is a Tigers fanatic and feels the same. However, you have all the ingredients to make the grand final and win it. You have arguably the best player in the competition right now in Dusty at the peak of his powers, you have the best back in the comp in Rance, Cotchin now plays total team, selfless football week in week out and Jack still wins a number of big one on ones…..the rest just function as a team and everything is coming together for you guys….even Prestia played one of the best games of his career….you will beat GWS or West Coast by 45+ and storm into your first grand final since 1982 as the flag favourite. I just hope my Crows not only make the grand final but don’t get so beat up by the Swans or Cats that they go in sore against you guys.

A great read Ryan…good to see the Crows premiership wait acknowledged. Some Victorian fans forget our flags were so long ago now and the heartbreak we have had with lost opportunities since. Now, a Preliminary final at home gives us a great chance to make the GF even though either the Swans or Cats will be a bruising encounter. An Adelaide v Richmond GF seems to be on the cards….Sloane and Eddie, Dusty and Rance, Tex and Jack….all on the big stage…what a GF it would be! Still, I can’t think too much about that until we get past either the Swans or Cats at the Prelim…..but so close now.

Very good Rick and very accurate….administrations don’t really listen to us unruly mob for this very reason. We all as fans tend to think we know best yet surely the people in working 10-12 hour days at the club know way more than we can or ever will. That is besides the stories we never hear about player issues, personal issues. Teams also don’t change that much week to week. With all the sports science and teams of professional coaches these days the fact too remains that some clubs get a little luckier than others. The kid they take at 24 turns out to be a top five, another club takes two top tens who struggle with injury or form and never quite live up to it. The other significant factor with all this is the Cats got Dangerfield and the club want to win a premiership off his back while he is at his peak. Players like Buddy, Danger and Dusty are simply so good you can launch a top 4 run with them such is the evenness of the competition. Would the Cats have taken a few backward steps potentially to go forward again without the acquisition of Danger would be interesting to consider.

Have a look at the replay. He bows his head, hovers it over the Port player and only misses spitting on his head because another Port player pushes him off, oh and that’s after deliberately crashing into his back. Remember this is the bloke who did the needle motion to the bombers. For a what 32 year old his character questions will always cloud what should have been a magnificent career.

Had originally thought the Cats would bounce back if a close loss to Tigers but after their insipid last quarter fade out (and let’s face it Richmond should have been 4 goals plus at half time) just can’t see it. They looked slow and indecisive, credit to Tigers pressure. Cats will go out in straight sets and be 2-9 is it in finals since 2011. Worrying signs for the once powerful Cats now.

Had a great career but what a dog act by Sam Mitchell, jump into a defenceless port back then summon up a spit for his head low, really low.

The most telling factor is the all conquering Tigers are on a way softer side of the finals now. All they have to do is beat GWS or West Coast at the G and cruise into the grand final. They’ll probably beat either by 8 goals +. Meanwhile Swans and Crows will have a bruising winner take all preliminary. Tigers for me now the ones to beat, they may not get a better opportunity for a flag than here and now.

Has Dusty just got past Danger with that performance last night or was it the Tigers relentless team pressure that broke Dangers effectiveness?