After such a dramatic home and away season, the 2017 AFL finals series is in danger of being a major let down.
Just one close final in the opening two weeks of September has left fans frustrated at the lack of quality finals football, yearning for a genuinely bruising contest that is hard fought from start to finish.
And with so much on the line being preliminary final weekend, surely all four sides competing will lift for the occasion? We can only hope.
Geelong stunned the football world last Friday night with an outstanding performance against Sydney, dismantling the most in form team of the competition in less than a half of football.
The question is now whether Chris Scott’s men can back it up on the road against a fresh Adelaide outfit, in front of 50,000 Crows fans in a pressurised preliminary final.
Want to talk about pressure? What about the pressure of playing in front of 95,000 fans and having roughly 1000 of your own?
That’s the scenario facing Greater Western Sydney if they are to qualify for their first AFL Grand Final, facing a rampant Richmond and their delirious Tiger army, desperate for September success having failed to win a premiership since 1982.
Four teams remain in the 2017 AFL season, but only two can progress to the big dance Saturday week.
While the Crows and Tigers are well placed, preliminary finals are often the best and most brutal games of football you can witness. We certainly hope that is the case this weekend.
Here is a preview of week three of the 2017 finals series, preliminary final weekend in the AFL.
HEADLINE ACTS: Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane are expected to feature prominently in the first preliminary final on Friday night. SOURCE: Adelaide Advertiser.
Adelaide v Geelong
Geelong aren’t dead yet. Most people were uttering the words ‘straight sets’ as soon as the siren sounded to end their qualifying encounter against Richmond, an in form Sydney awaiting them in a semi-final.
Rarely though do the Cats play back to back shockers, and with everything on the line they were simply too good for a flat Swans outfit, sending one of the premiership favourites packing from the finals with a 59 point victory.
They kept the visitors to just 5 goals in a brilliant defensive effort, Coleman medallist Lance Franklin held goalless despite the late withdrawal of star defender Tom Lonergan.
Geelong coach Chris Scott had an ace up his sleeve, throwing 2016 Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield forward with immediate effect, the former Crow snaring four first half goals.
UNSTOPPABLE: Patrick Dangerfield was at his brilliant best in the semi final against Sydney last Friday night. SOURCE: Geelong Cats FC.
Up by an even 6 goals at half time, the damage have had been done. Now Dangerfield and his team head to his old stomping ground in an enthralling match up in a preliminary final match up, Adelaide fresh after a week off and a trip to the Gold Coast following their win over Greater Western Sydney a fortnight ago.
Light hearted comments from Dangerfield’s former team mate Josh Jenkins have added some extra spice to this encounter, Jenkins suggesting that ‘Danger’ would be part of a Crows premiership team in 2017 if he was still in the city of churches.
While no doubt it will provide the Cats with some extra motivation, none should really be needed with a Grand Final berth on offer for the winner, no doubt two former team mates just having some banter in the lead up to such a big match.
The Crows have two significant outs for a do or die preliminary final, Brodie Smith sadly injuring an ACL early in the qualifying final victory over Greater Western Sydney, while forward Mitch McGovern has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Don Pyke’s men do welcome back A-grade midfielder Rory Sloane from an appendix complaint that caused him to miss the Giants clash, while Andy Otten gets a chance to stamp his claim for a Grand Final spot as the replacement for McGovern. Otten has kicked 19 goals in 2017, playing largely as a forward after starting his career in defence.
BIG LOSS: Mitch McGovern will miss the preliminary final clash with Geelong due to a hamstring injury. SOURCE: Fox Sports.
The Cats are able to call on the experience of Tom Lonergan for such a huge contest, having been a late withdrawal against the Swans due to food poisoning.
A dodgy sausage roll is believed to be the culprit, and the 2011 premiership player would have been delighted that his team was victorious, as a loss would have ended his AFL career on 208 games.
He and long-time team mate Andrew Mackie now have the chance to extend their careers by a week and play in another Grand Final, speedster Nakia Cockatoo also back in to the side for his first match since round 19, his season dogged by hamstring injuries.
Youngsters James Parsons and Zach Guthrie lose their places, leaving the visitors with a far more experienced side than seen in the opening two finals matches of 2017.
The game will of course be won and lost in the midfield, but the ability for the Cats defence to stymie the potent Crows forward line will be crucial to the result. Hopefully be a close hardly fought game, in what has been a horribly underwhelming finals series to date.
The Crows have struggled in preliminary finals, having failed to win one since their last premiership year in 1998. They have lost four prelims since, although 3 of those have been interstate finals.
I’m backing them to qualify for the big dance here, which is ominous for either Richmond or Greater Western Sydney, with the Crows having a flawless record in AFL Grand Finals. Adelaide by 15 points.
HEDGE YOUR BETTS: Eddie Betts looms as a pivotal player for Geelong to curtail in Friday night’s preliminary final at Adelaide Oval. SOURCE: The Advertiser.
Richmond v Greater Western Sydney
How are the nerves Tigers fans? Some may have started drinking the day after their qualifying final win over Geelong and not stopped since, celebratory drinks becoming a way to relieve stress by the start of last week.
There will be no shortage of support for the boys from Punt Road for this preliminary final, with a lopsided fan base in the Tigers favour anticipated. 95,000 tickets have been sold for Richmond’s first preliminary final at the MCG since 1973, about 93,000 of those Richmond supporters.
While the crowd can’t go out there and win the game for the Tigers, no doubt it can play a major part in getting Richmond over the line. Their beleaguered opponent Greater Western Sydney will certainly feel like they are in enemy territory come bouncedown, but may thrive on being the major underdogs in such a high intensity final.
TIGER TIME: Richmond players Trent Cotchin and Shaun Grigg celebrate yet another Dustin Martin goal, this time in St Kilda in round 23. SOURCE: Fox Sports.
The Giants were clinical in disposing of West Coast last weekend, winning by the best part of 12 goals against a side that clearly ran out of petrol tickets after a physically and emotionally draining win over Port Adelaide a week earlier.
Leon Cameron’s men were back to their hard running, clinical best at Spotless Stadium in the semi final, Steve Johnson the star with 6 goals on return, having been left out against of the team that faced the Crows in the first qualifying final.
While Shane Mumford and Jeremy Cameron are done for the season, Rory Lobb and Jonathon Patton have the ability to stand up both in the ruck and up forward, the AFL’s newest expansion club looking to qualify for their first Grand Final.
No doubt last year’s preliminary final defeat at the hands of the Western Bulldogs still burns for the Giants, who have a chance at redemption at the earliest opportunity 12 months later.
They have named an unchanged line up, backing the same 22 that brushed the Eagles aside with ruthless ease. Johnson is in some doubt with his troublesome knee ailment, but is expected to get up for his 26th AFL final of a glittering career.
ALL THE WAY WITH STEVIE J: Steve Johnson celebrates one of his six goals against West Coast in last Saturday’s semi final. SOURCE: Yahoo7 Sport.
Former Tiger and number one draft pick Brett Deledio plays his 250th match against his old club, his first finals victory coming just a week after his old side broke a long standing duck of their own.
Richmond have also stuck with the same side that outworked, outmuscled and out pressured Geelong a fortnight ago, and they will need to bring that same frenzied intensity if they are to beat the Giants and qualify for their first Grand Final since their 1982 premiership triumph over Carlton.
Dustin Martin will again be the most crucial player on the ground, having been best afield against Geelong, standing up in the big moments. Toby Nankervis will sense a massive opportunity to dominate the ruck in the absence of Shane Mumford, and can his partnership with Martin at the stoppages will be vital to the outcome of this game.
Richmond managed to handle the pressure of the qualifying final and breaking their long finals drought a fortnight ago, but this is on another level altogether.
Backing the boys in yellow and black to make the big dance, because if they don’t their supporters may burn the joint to the ground. Richmond by 16 points.
LONG TIME COMING: Brett Deledio kicks a goal in his first finals victory over West Coast last week. The former Tiger notches his 250th game against his old side in Saturday’s preliminary final. SOURCE: Zimbio.
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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