The Multicultural AFL Football TV and Radio Show – Week 26

L-R: Vanessa Gatica, Habir Singh Kang and Gabriel D'Angelo

The Multicultural AFL Football TV and Radio Show – Week 26

Finals week 2

By Fiv Antoniou

11/09/2019

I start on a sad note, on the unexpected and sudden tragic death of one of the AFL’s favourite sons, Danny Frawley. Our condolences go to his family, the St. Kilda Football Club, their fans, supporters, friends, sports journalists and his workmates at Foxtel. The man they endearingly called ‘Spud’ will be sadly missed by the AFL world!

Last week, the first round of finals footy had mixed results. Some favourites didn’t perform enough and others surprised with really poor performances. Suffice to say that the top two sides lost their matches, brings me to reflect on the unpredictability of results throughout the current season. The last time teams that finished 1st and 2nd on the AFL ladder both lost their opening finals games was in 1926!

What happened to the favourites at the top last week was no surprise. Geelong took on Collingwood in front of over 93,436 spectators and it could have been more if the rain held out a little before the game. Geelong had more talent in the mid-field than the Magpies could muster, but the tenacity and tackling of the Collingwood players was second to none. The ’Pies came out of the blocks full of running and completely blitzed the Cats in the first quarter, the rest was a procession – Mind you Collingwood had started with injury worries and got away with it. Jordan DeGoey wasn’t as fortunate and suffered a medium hamstring injury which now sees him in Germany undertaking radical treatment in order to play in the Preliminary and Grand Finals if the ‘Pies make it.

The Cats played a shocking game and their only player that was motivated was Patrick Dangerfield but, unfortunately, he couldn’t drag the rest of the sorry lot along with him. Where was Ablett, Hawkins and the rest of the team? After their 9th loss in 13 finals games since 2011, one has to wonder if the Cats are up to the rigours of finals Footy. In the end Collingwood won by 10 points but it’s not a reflection that Geelong put up a gallant fight, but that the Magpies relaxed knowing in the final quarter, without formidable opposition, victory was within their grasp.

On Saturday night from the Gabba, after the Tigers kicked the first two goals of the game, the Brisbane Lions dominated proceedings only to see their inaccurate kicking in the first half cost them the game. With a score of 8 goals 17 behinds- 25 scoring shots plus the other shots that went out on the full, it was inevitable that a team like Richmond (18 goals 4 behinds) which had 3 less scoring shots, would put them away by making the best of their opportunities, as the Tiger stars, Dusty Martin, Cotchin, Lynch and Riewoldt were on fire!

In fact the Lions should have been at least 6 goals in front at quarter time - maybe the young Lions were star-struck, nervous or just couldn’t adjust and capitulated to the onslaught. However, in qualifying for a second chance, the Brisbane Lions have an opportunity to put things right and get back on track for the premiership. They have another game on their home ground this week and that should inspire the team to work on their endeavour and kicking straight in front of goals, or else they will end up with back to back losses and out of the competition in straight sets.

After much fanfare and reminiscing about 2016, the Western Bulldogs travelled to the Western Sydney Stadium to take on the Giants on Saturday afternoon. They came, they saw but failed to conquer, losing by 58 points, a disappointing result for their loyal supporters.

On a good day the Giants can defeat any other AFL team hands down. The Giants are close to being back to their best form and although they played exceptionally well, it took them some time to shake off the Bulldogs. The Giants, however, still look a little underdone but are a long way from being premiers or even matching it with the remaining finals contenders. Toby Greene’s report ended up at the tribunal which handed him a soft sentence of a hefty fine only, so he is free to play. A trifle lenient considering the charge of eye-gouging.

This week’s finals games are all knock out affairs. The winners of the two semis will go on to face Collingwood and Richmond in the Preliminary finals and the losers mothballed for another year. Geelong is set to take on the West Coast Eagles at the MCG on Friday night. Geelong is coming off a bad finals loss and the West Coast Eagles are riding the crest of a wave. I do not think that Geelong can come back and win this one. Maybe they are destined to lose because I cannot envisage the Eagles losing this game.

For Geelong, coming into this with an injury to Mitch Duncan which will see him out for this crucial game, there has to be a complete restructure of strategy and tactics. Collingwood exposed them on the wings and across the centre and it wasn’t until Dangerfield went into a backline attack mode that the Cats struck back. No time to wait or waste this week as they face the West Coast Eagles, possibly the strongest team in the league.

West Coast is full of confidence after humiliating Essendon in their elimination final. Josh Kennedy found form up forward and their backline led by McGovern and Barass are taking all before them. Nic Naitanui has brought an awesome facet to their game by making their mid-field look doubly dangerous. Throw in Gaff, Yeo, Hurn and Darling, need I go on? The West Coast Eagles by 30 points.

The other final is being played from the Gabba on Saturday evening. Brisbane coming off a huge loss meets the Giants on a high after mauling the Dogs. For Brisbane, the home ground advantage on their second chance is great, but they must kick straight and convert for goals or they may suffer the same fate as last week. No doubt the Lions will bounce back and defeat the Giants. They have done it before and they can do it again if they apply themselves, win the clearances and commence the attacks from their backline.

The key is to bring Charlie Cameron into the goal kicking picture as he hasn’t been firing lately trying to play the part of a key forward. Let him loose on the forward line to sneak the crumbed ball while McCluggage provides the focal point. Dayne Zorko, Lachie Neal, Daniel Rich and Luke Hodge - the amazing veteran - will have to play out of their skins as it looks like Mitch Robinson’s hammy injury will rule him out of this game.

The Giants were super last week in destroying the Bulldogs. Can they repeat that performance this time? There is an old saying that, “You only play as well as your opposition lets you” and I don’t think they are going to have it so easy this time especially away from home. The most dangerous players the Giants have are Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene, and the big ‘Mummy’ Shane Mumford – stop them and you stop the Giants.

I think the result will be really close and that Brisbane’s home ground advantage, with their vociferous supporters in full cry, will inspire the Lions giving them the edge to take victory by a margin of 10 points…… And on that thought that’s all from me, catch you next week for more reviews, news and tips, as the Finals action cranks up a notch!

WEEK 2 FINALS TIPS: West Coast Eagles (30 points) & Brisbane Lions (10 points)

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