With the AFL there is a week off before the finals start. This began in 2016 and was a great success. Absence may make the heart grow fonder. 2016 was also the year the Western Bulldogs won the Grand Final from outside the top four. The Bulldogs are outside the top four in 2020.
Last weekend what did people do? I heard a lot of lawn mowers on Saturday morning. Perhaps that had more to do with the rare appearance of blue skies and sunshine inMelbourne. My neighbour went and did his gutters.
A sabbath from football? Actually it was more like Easter Saturday. Caught between the Easter Friday that is the final round and the Easter Sunday of the first week of the finals. The weekend had a weird feel, like something was missing.
Cricket attempted to make something of the gap by playing a one day game against Zimbabwe. I am assuming Australia won easily. Glen Maxwell made 32 runs off nine balls. They still wont pick him for the test team.
Football media pundits over analysed the finals games to come. Usual responses were between the extremes of ‘I don’t know’ and ‘This is a dead certainty’. Finals are normally difficult to pick. The first week of 2022’s finals gives us a great set up of matches, and Fremantle v Western Bulldogs.
Thursday September 1st
Brisbane v Richmond @ Gabba
This is a home match at the Gabba for the Lions, but it has a lot of bad memories. In 2019 Brisbane lost to Richmond in the Grand Final at the Gabba. Scars abound for the Lions in this game. Continued defensive problems are not helping Brisbane either.
Richmond beat the Lions in round 20 at the MCG. Brisbane were forty two points in front of Richmond in the second half. Richmond won by seven points. That has got to count against the Lions.
Richmond to win.
Friday September 2nd
Melbourne v Sydney @ MCG
It all centres around which Melbourne team will show up. That team which goes hard for contested ball and tackles harder all game has been seen rarely in 2022. If that team show up three more times I would expect a Grad Final appearance.
Sydney are at the cusp of another champion team. The new players they have found are gaining momentum and the established players are feeding off this energy. The plans set by the Sydney coaching staff are elite and the players carry them out with prescision.
Sydney to win.
Saturday September 3rd
Geelong v Collingwood @ MCG
How many football writers will be able to resist using “the immovable object versus the irresistible force” when summing up what this game will be? Geelong have kept refining the game plan and working the players into their multiple roles. Chris Scott and his team have a finely tuned football team ready to win a flag. Only total disaster could assail this group.
Collingwood have defied all expectations continually and have won by small margins again and again and again. Outside of the loss to Sydney, no game is ever out of reach. No margin ever too far to chase. This is the game you will want to watch. The AFL must be so happy.
Geelong to win (maybe)
Saturday September 3rd
Fremantle v Western Bulldogs @ Optus Stadium
Defence versus Attack. The one that breaks first will win. Both teams have done enough to be here. Neither is in the form that they want to be in. Injuries beset Fremantle. Poor form has been the undoing for the Bulldogs.
In Round 21 these teams met at Docklands and the Bulldogs were lacklustre. Fremantle lead with Lobb, and Taberner both have been injured since this game. Wether these two are available will compound the still unanswered question of what to do with Fyfe.
Fremantle to win (hopefully)
Phillip Hall has been too long in Melbourne to see AFL in the same light as those back in Fremantle. East Fremantle born and bred, he would love to see the Dockers back in the eight. But would settle for just beating West Coast twice a year.