We can stop complaining now. It’s been 11 days since the 2017 AFL home and away season came to a conclusion in thrilling fashion, West Coast defeating Adelaide to secure the final place inside the top 8 at the expense of Melbourne.
Rather than fly straight in to finals the AFL of course had it’s scheduled pre-finals bye last weekend, which continues to divide football fans, players and commentators alike. Whether you like it or not, the weekend without AFL football has come and gone, and now we can fly in to finals.
It kicks off on Thursday night at the Adelaide Oval, with top of the table Adelaide Crows facing Greater Western Sydney in a qualifying final, a home preliminary final up for grabs.
While there is just one final in Victoria this weekend, it could feature a crowd in excess of 97,000 with Richmond looking to end a drought of 16 years without a finals victory against second placed Geelong, who despite earning the right to a home final are playing at the MCG with a pro-Richmond crowd to contend with.
Sydney host Essendon at the SCG and Port Adelaide play West Coast on Saturday in the two elimination finals, in what promises to be a sensational first week of finals in 2017, in one of the greatest seasons the game has ever seen. Here is a complete preview.
NO SHOW SLOANE: Crows midfielder Rory Sloane will miss the 1st qualifying final against Greater Western Sydney due to appendicitis. SOURCE: FIVEaa.
Adelaide v Greater Western Sydney
It’s finally here! Game one of the 2017 finals series has arrived, and it promises to be a belter. The Crows finished as minor premiers but lost their final two games of the home and away season, while the Giants had a stinging loss at the hands of Geelong at Kardinia Park in round 23 to somewhat dent their premiership credentials.
All that though seems a lifetime ago now, as September has arrived and both teams have put themselves in a position to contend for the 2017 premiership.
The Giants have endured a tough season, with injuries to key players robbing them of consistency and continuity. In a sign of the talent at Leon Cameron’s disposal they have still secured a top four finish, when most other clubs would have struggled through the season and finished outside the top 8.
Adelaide has the home ground advantage for this first qualifying final, which against a fellow interstate side is a significant advantage for Don Pyke’s team. The Giants have not beaten the Crows at the Adelaide Oval, and have won just once at the venue from five matches. The clubs met in the opening round of this season, and Adelaide announced themselves as a premiership contender from the outset by defeating the AFL’s newest club by 56 points.
The Crows regain the services of captain Taylor Walker, gun defender Daniel Talia and boom utility Hugh Greenwood for this final, the winner to secure a home preliminary final and put themselves in the ideal position to make the 2017 Grand Final. Rory Sloane is a huge out for the home side with appendicitis, Alex Keath and Wayne Milera omitted.
GWS have made a bold call at the selection table, dropping three time premiership player and 2007 Norm Smith Medallist Steve Johnson after a poor run of form before finals, Devon Smith out with a knee injury. Harrison Himmelberg and Matt De Boer come in for the match in the city of churches, De Boer’s finals experience with Fremantle sure to come in handy.
There are question marks on both teams heading in to this match, but the Crows at home are going to be tough to beat with 50,000 fans cheering them on. They should secure the first preliminary final spot. Adelaide by 21 points.
KEY PLAYER: Josh Kelly will be a crucial player in the Giants premiership push. SOURCE: Fox Sports.
Geelong v Richmond
Anyone in Victoria not going to this match? This is going to be huge.
No less than 97,000 people are expected to wander through the turnstiles for this qualifying final, the Tigers out to end a drought of 16 years without a finals victory against a perennial finals side in Geelong.
Don’t mention the ‘C’ word down at Tigerland. While everyone else in the football world wants to focus in on the three successive elimination finals defeats from 2013-15, this Richmond side is better placed, having finished 3rd and been presented with the unique scenario of playing a final at their home ground despite being considered the ‘away’ team.
Geelong had every right to have this game at Kardinia Park, only to be rebuked by the AFL who fixtured the game at the MCG due to the obvious capacity issues if the game was to be played at the Cattery.
That debate will rage on forever and a day, but the game itself deserves all the publicity rather than the venue. Richmond have been the surprise packet of the 2017 season, coming from a diabolical 13th placed 8 win season that went without a whisker of costing coach Damien Hardwick his job.
What has occurred since has been nothing short of remarkable, with the Tigers winning 15 games in the home and away season as their ball movement, pressure and ferocity at the contest making them a great team to watch. Not to mention a certain bloke wearing number 4 called Dustin Martin, who has produced one of the most incredible individual seasons the game has ever seen.
The Cats have had another fantastic season, a second placed finish coming somewhat as a surprise but certainly a reflection on their consistency. Patrick Dangerfield has had another brilliant season, but other players such as Mitch Duncan, boom recruit Zach Tuohy , Sam Menegola and of course skipper Joel Selwood have all been outstanding.
Selwood returns from an ankle injury sustained late in the home and away season to strengthen the Cats side for this huge final, an inclusion that could make a huge difference come the final siren in this one.
Former Cat Josh Caddy returns for the Tigers, having sustained a hamstring injury in the round 21 fixture between the clubs.
Harry Taylor famously went to Alex Rance in that game to play as a defensive forward, before becoming the difference with four majors in a virtuoso performance. He looms as a key once again, as he it set for another contest with the All Australian captain.
Going to be one for the ages this one, I’m not sure how Melbourne will cope if the Tigers get up here. Odds on to get 100,000 at a preliminary final if they get there. Think the Cats experience may just tell here. But who can ever be sure. Can’t wait for this game. Geelong by 11 points.
STAR OF THE GAME: Dustin Martin will be crucial to Richmond’s finals chances in 2017. SOURCE: SEN.
Sydney v Essendon
Not asking for much here I know, but if we could just have a repeat of the game in round 14 between these two clubs? While Essendon fans are no strangers to heartbreaking one point losses at the SCG (in finals too, the 1996 preliminary final is a taboo subject down at Bomberland) the Friday night contest back in June was probably game of the season in a year full of thrillers from start to finish.
Up by 3 goals with 4 minutes remaining, the Swans conjured a miraculous victory right at the death, Gary Rohan clutching the ball to his chest at the top of the goalsquare and slotting the goal after the siren to put the Swans in the 8 for the first time in season 2017.
It was a sliding doors moment for John Longmire’s men, for a loss would have put them a fair way off the pace and fighting an uphill battle for the remainder of the year. As it proved, a 0-6 start has become a 14-8 finish, a home elimination final the reward for a brilliant back half of the season for the red and whites.
Rarely has a team that has finished 6th on the ladder gone in to a finals series as a premiership favourite, but such has been the dominant form of the Swans in the back half of this season and their ability to produce their best football in September, they almost appear the team to beat.
No doubt the pre-finals bye will help them, and the fact they will have to win every final that they play in order to win the premiership and have the continuity of playing football in consecutive weeks certainly could prove to be an advantage.
But first they must beat the Bombers, who after years of turmoil have emerged from the shadows to return to finals for the first time since 2014, looking for their first finals win since 2004. A 7th placed finish is just reward for a fine season for John Worsfold’s men, despite some poor showings along the way.
Joe Daniher has become an elite forward, Zach Merrett is an A-Grade midfielder, Michael Hurley has had a magnificent season in defence, while small forwards Orazio Fantasia and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti are up there with the most exciting players in the competition.
Now the challenge is to win a final, and if the Dons were able to beat the Swans it could pave the way for an incredible finals series for the boys in red and black.
2017 Coleman medallist Lance Franklin looms large here for the Swans, but he was held goalless in round 14 by Michael Hartley (despite kicking 6 behinds) and either he or the returning Hurley are likely to be handed the mountainous task of stopping the superstar forward of the competition.
Sadly for the Dons I think the challenge is too steep here, it would take their best and then some to topple the Swans on their home patch. Cale Hooker is a big out. Sydney by 27 points.
FLASHBACK: Sydney players celebrate their thrilling victory over Essendon in round 14. SOURCE: The Australian.
Port Adelaide v West Coast
Ok Port Adelaide, now is your chance. Show us you are up to it. There is nowhere to hide come finals, and despite capitalising on an easy draw the jury is still out on whether the team from Alberton is able to match it with the best teams in the competition.
A game against West Coast at home is a far from comfortable fixture for the Power, who have not beaten the Eagles at the venue from 3 attempts. Sure, Adam Simpson’s men only just scraped in to the finals with a win in round 23 over Adelaide in a memorable moment for the Perth based club, but they will cross the nullabor with plenty of confidence.
Paddy Ryder looms large in this game, having dominated both fixtures between the clubs in the 2017 home and away season. While players such as Wingard, Robbie Gray and Ollie Wines have the ability to take this game by storm, Ryder can dominate the air and give the midfielders first use opposed to Nathan Vardy and Drew Petrie.
Despite some hysteria from Perth media during the past fortnight neither Nic Naitanui or Willie Rioli will play for the Eagles, with West Coast naming an unchanged team.
Both teams have been hard to get a read on in 2017, but that all counts for squat now. The Power’s ball movement could potentially cause the Eagles some headaches, while Josh Kennedy looms large for the Eagles, with good form in recent matches against the Power.
While the Eagles record in Adelaide is outstanding with 5 wins from 6 matches, I think the Power might win this one. Port Adelaide by 24 points.
DOMINANT FORCE: Paddy Ryder has dominated the two matches against the Eagles this season. SOURCE: SBS.
By Jacob Landsmeer.
Jacob Landsmeer is a sports broadcaster on 91.3 Sport FM in Perth. He blogs here at zombiecrowscricket. Follow him on Twitter: @jlandsme_93
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