Semi-Finals Preview

 Last Week           2/4           Season Total      138/204

The first week of finals really threw the series on its head.  The unstoppable juggernaut of Fremantle this year were stopped…well and truly.  Here in the west this opened some old wounds for Freo supporters as they had seemingly been waiting for this to happen.  There has been this groundswell of excitement building all year, but it has been tempered by the “We know the inevitable” feeling that supporters have feasted on for 30 years.  They need to dare to dream.  Yes, it comes with disappointment but let the emotions flow.  Then Sydney made Brisbane look second-rate.  I thought management came out and said they torpedoed their season.  Well, it seems the best defense against a torpedo is Big Cox.  Perhaps the navy should look into that.  Carlton’s fairytale finally came to an end.  Watching the match, the fans were rabid, salivating for success.  This doesn’t bode well if they get on a run next year.  Dangerfield showed what an old bull can do as he turned back the clock to put in an all-time great performance.  Meanwhile Adelaide got the job done against Footscray, consigning the Wildcard Round as nothing more than a cash grab.  But it was a lot of cash.

In adjacent news, Alastair Clarkson got the boot in very unexpected and downright lousy circumstances.  It echoed back to the time they got rid of ageing champions which started this slump they’re in.  Did they not learn anything from that?  They don’t do goodbyes very well at all at Arden St.  It’s ok to say we don’t need/want you anymore, but adding, “because you’re old, can’t use modern electronics and don’t use language we understand” was just a kick in the guts for no reason.  But it has followed the script of a messy divorce even closer than that.  Clarkson gave all his partners’ stuff to charity (the nice equivalent to setting it on fire on the front doorstep) and soon he will have to witness that partner trotting out in public with a newer, younger version of himself proclaiming how happy they are now.  But what comes next in divorce proceedings?  A custody battle over the kids?

Fremantle vs Geelong   Perth Stadium   Friday Night

Hmmm.  How to put this nicely?  Fremantle defecated in their domicile’s sacristy of sleep.  They excreted into the arms of Morpheus.  They voided within their sanctuary of repose.  As with all games last week the key was pressure.  The key to a good voiding is a little pressure, but Hawthorn brought a lot.  Fremantle also have Big Cox but it was no defense on this occasion.  Geelong meanwhile overcame a slow start to grind the Carlton faithful into the stands and crushing any hope of a fairytale that would rival anything written by Hans Christian Anderson.  But I tell you, watching Carlton rise like that this season from anyone other than a Carlton supporter and you’d swear it was a fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm.

But who will win this one.  They’ve played each other twice and each won one this year.  And not only that, but the margin in each game was 10 and 9 respectively.  The two teams have a 3-3 record in the last 6 matches, and all of this information makes it incredibly difficult to make a decision.  This makes you want to tip the home team, especially as they’ve only lost there once all year.  But that loss was just last week, in a final which, if you throw in last year’s final loss, starts to look like a pattern.  Geelong meanwhile are perennial finalist specialists.  They know pressure, how to dish it out.  How to deal with it.  How to use it wisely to shit in someone else’s bed.  I can’t see Fremantle playing two bad games in a row, but I think, while an excellent side, there is a path of pain required to trek along before gaining access to the road to victory.  Geelong by 3 points in extra time.

Brisbane vs Adelaide     Gabba   Saturday Night

In a classic case of schadenfreude, Fremantle were super happy in Brisbane’s performance last week.  It meant there would be more talk about the consistency and peanut content of the crap they took in their bed over the one that Fremantle took.  To lose by 9 goals to a team that was missing “The Pullman Five” as they’ve become known and have their captain out early, is a blight on their psyche.  Some hard conversations would no doubt have been had in the aftermath.  Adelaide survived a late rally from Footscray with their tall timber up the front end dealing the death blows before Rankine delivered a stunning Coup de Grace which can’t win goal of the year.

Adelaide has a “not-too-bad” record against Brisbane but haven’t won at the Gabba since 2018.  Back then Don Pyke was the coach, and they had just been through their infamous pre-season camp.  There’s only a couple of players left from that team, so it likely holds no relevance whatsoever.  Interestingly, Brisbane still has 7 players from that time still playing today.  So, who will win this match?

The midfield battle will be pivotal.  Both teams have serviceable midfields, but you’d think Brisbane have Adelaide covered in there.  Brisbane also has a well-organized backline that can cope with the power forwards of Adelaide.  But if Adelaide can get enough use of the pill off half back and put more chaos into the forward 50 entries, they might stand a chance with their fleet-footed forward brigade hitting the scoreboard.  However, Brisbane will be angry about their performance last week and will be bringing a level of pressure that Adelaide might be uncomfortable with.  Songs will ring out across the Gabba as Brisbane scramble many goals.  Brisbane by 22 points.