It feels like the season only started last week, but already we have arrived at the 2018 AFL Finals and four exciting games are set to be played throughout the coming days.
The action is underway at the G on Thursday night when the reigning premiers take on the Hawks, before the Dees make their first finals appearance in more than a decade opposite the Cats on Friday.
The third Sydney Derby of 2018 will spell the end of the season for one club, while the Pies travel west on Sunday to take on the Eagles.
Finals footy gets underway on Thursday night at the G when minor premiers Richmond play host to the fast-finishing Hawks.
Hawthorn soar into this finals series as one of the competition’s in-form sides, having won their last six games which have included the scalps of Geelong and Sydney most notably. Alastair Clarkson’s men went down to the Tigers by 13 points earlier in the season but have come a long way since that hit-out. Brownlow favourite Tom Mitchell had a field day during their last outing; racking up 42 touches and 11 clearances, while club captain Jarryd Roughead kicked four majors.
The reigning premiers also enter the finals off the back of six -consecutive victories, albeit in less than convincing fashion – they were last seen scraping through their final home and away fixture against the lowly Bulldogs by only three points. Dustin Martin has recaptured the form which saw him pick up the Brownlow medal last season and racked up 33 possessions, nine clearances and 12 inside 50’s against the Doggies. Club vice-captain Jack Riewoldt is also in fine touch and secured the 2018 Coleman medal; booting five goals in the last round to ultimately take his season tally to 65.
The Tigers will be looking to extend their record at the MCG to 22 wins straight and should be able to do so against an overachieving Hawks outfit.
Melbourne return to finals footy for the first time in 12 years when they host Geelong in the first elimination final on Friday night.
Geelong have met the Dees twice this season already and what could prove to be a good omen for the ever-dangerous club, they won on both occasions. Chris Scott’s side ended the regular season in emphatic fashion, scoring a total of 300 points in their final two fixtures. Patrick Dangerfield has been dangerous for the Cats both through the middle of the ground and in their forward 50. The Brownlow medallist racked up an impressive 34 touches and four goals in his last outing.
The Dees ended the season on a high with two wins over fellow top eight sides West Coast and GWS. A big part of Melbourne’s success this season has come down to their dominance through the middle of the ground, with ruckman Max Gawn giving his midfielders the first look at the ball more often than not. With star forward Jesse Hogan out for the remainder of the year, young gun Christian Petracca has come to the party and kicked three goals against the Giants last round.
These two clubs are extremely well matched on paper, but Gawn potentially gives the Dees an edge over a Cat’s side that is missing their starting ruckman.
The second elimination final will take place at the SCG when the Swans host the Giants in the third Sydney Derby of the year.
After firming in as serious title contenders through the middle of the season, the Giants lost numerous key players through both injury and suspension and limped into the finals series low on confidence, and fit bodies. Leon Cameron’s side suffered back-to-back defeats to the Swans and Dees in the final two rounds of the regular season, with the latter finishing in a ten-goal thumping.
Despite narrowly losing their last home and away match to the Hawks, the Swans glide into the elimination finals in season-best form. John Longmire’s side rebounded from an unthinkable defeat to the Suns to win three of their last four starts, all coming against fellow top eight sides. The Swans will be buoyed by the return of Lance Franklin, who finished the regular season in red-hot form with five majors against the Giants.
The battle between Lance Franklin and Phil Davis will go a long way towards deciding this result. Buddy’s big game experience and freakish ability might be overwhelming for the Giants co-captain.
Focus finally shifts to the nation’s west as two of the competition’s overachievers in the Eagles and the Pies do battle for the right to host a prelim.
The Pies have flown through a sky full of adversity to finish in the top four. With an injury-stricken list, Nathan Buckley was able to propel his side into flag contention off the back of an intense full ground defence set-up, not too dissimilar to that of the Tigers. Brodie Grundy has been a stand out performer for the Pies all year and was rewarded with an inclusion in the All-Australian side.
Similarly, the Eagles have had to make do without key players throughout the season and head into this match without gun ruckman Nic Nat and would-be Brownlow contender Andrew Gaff. Scott Lycett has stepped up in the absence of Naitanui and the big man will have to be on top of his game to gain ascendancy against the well-rounded Brodie Grundy. Josh Kennedy is welcomed back into the fold and will provide another reliable target up front, alongside power forward Jack Darling.
Collingwood haven’t won a finals match outside of Victoria since 2008 and will have their hands full containing West Coast’s star-studded forward line.