After a dominant performance by Sydney and a thrilling win from Brisbane, it is the first time since 1899 that the two sides will face off in the Grand Final.
After Sydney fell short in 2022 against Geelong, and Brisbane were defeated by Collingwood last year, this Grand Final is shaping up to be the perfect redemption story for one, while the other will be left rueing their missed opportunities.
Sydney vs Port Adelaide
Sydney (95) defeated Port Adelaide (59)
Rundown
Only 48 days prior in Round 21, Port Adelaide beat Sydney by 112 points.
The Swans ended the home-and-away campaign with just three wins in the last six rounds, however claiming a premiership is all about having momentum at the right time, and the Swans have well and truly reclaimed it this September.
Jase Burgoyne opened the scoring. However, Sydney closed the quarter with a Tom Papley goal after the siren, giving the Swans a nine point lead and taking advantage of the inaccuracies from the Power. Despite the scoreboard suggesting otherwise, ex-Swan Aliir Aliir dominated his defensive matchups early, snatching six intercept possessions along with three marks.
Both sides scored early in the second quarter, but Isaac Heeney was able to outmuscle Burgoyne, kicking the Swans out to a 21-point-lead. Papley continued to spark the forward line, scoring the Swans fourth goal of the quarter, matching their first quarter haul in just half the time.
Sydney was able to move the ball by foot effortlessly through the Power. However, Willie Rioli’s late goal kept Port Adelaide afloat, trailing by 25 points at half time.
Despite having five more inside 50s than their opponents at half time, Port Adelaide could not impact the scoreboard in the same way, with Sydney boasting a streak of five goals during the second quarter.
Port Adelaide were leading clearances by 17 and centre clearances by seven. But that seemed to be the only part of the ground where they could get their hands on the football, as the Swans were able to control the tempo of the game, with 61 marks to the Power's 30.
With Sydney already in control on the scoreboard, Chad Warner extended Sydney’s lead in the first 30 seconds of the third quarter, spelling the beginning of the end for the Power. Papley scored the Swans eleventh goal from turnovers, highlighting how clinical their forwards had been in the opening half.
By the end of the quarter, the Swans led by forty points at the SCG.
Port Adelaide were going to have to win the fourth quarter by seven goals (having scored just six goals in their opening three quarters), but they just couldn’t find the fast start needed.
Georgiades was the most dangerous of the Port Adelaide forwards, but even he was only able to score a single goal. For the first time on the night, the Power kicked consecutive goals as their Captain, Rozee, kicked his second in a handy individual performance.
In an ultimately uneventful quarter, the Swans wrapped up the game by an even six goals and booked their place in the Grand Final.
Amartey and Papley lead the game with 3 goals each, while Isaac Heeney continued his impressive Finals campaign in an all round performance, including a team-high six clearances, 24 disposals and two goals.
Star youngsters
Errol Gulden claimed a game-high 27 disposals, as the 22-year old continues to lift his performances.
23-year-old Chad Warner has a knack of showing up when the Swans need him during this Finals series. With a monstrous last quarter against GWS and popping up for two goals in the third quarter this week, Warner has been crucial in both of their wins.
Jase Burgoyne put together a sound game with 19 disposals and a goal after his standout performance last week. But in a season where the 21-year-old earned his father’s number seven jersey, it is only a matter of time before he will truly take advantage of his silky skills.
Jason Horne-Francis, 21, led Port Adelaide in the middle, with a team-high 23 disposals and game-high seven clearances.
Looking ahead
Ken Hinkley coached Port Adelaide for the 274th time (the outright most in their history), and just a week after their epic win against Hawthorn, questions about whether the Power can make a Grand Final with Hinley at the helm are already circulating.
His counterpart, John Longmire, has made his fifth grand final with Sydney, and the club’s second in three years.
Swans fans would have been momentarily worried for the fate of Dane Rampe, after a late forearm to Zak Butters neck. However it seemed to be a low impact collision, as Butters got up immediately and played out the rest of the game.
Logan McDonald was subbed out in the final quarter with an ankle injury, jeopardising selection for the Swans Grand Final squad. Captain Callum Mills will be eager to prove his fitness and be reinstated after missing the Preliminary Final.
While Taylor Adams, who left Collingwood after not being selected for the 2023 Grand Final, is staring down the same fate this year, despite playing 19 home-and-away games for the Swans this season.
Geelong vs Brisbane
Brisbane (95) defeated Geelong (85)
Rundown
The 2022 Premiers made a dominant return to finals action. However, the Lions willed themselves to back-to-back Grand Final appearances, aiming to exercise their demons and go one step further.
Geelong locked the ball in their half of the ground, leading with six inside 50s to one in the first five minutes. Though, the Cats only managed three behinds in that time.
After a goalless 19 minute start to the quarter, Charlie Cameron was able to save a wayward snap, out-marking the returning Tom Stewart and scoring the first major of the game.
Following six behinds in a row, Jeremy Cameron was able to respond instantly, kicking the Cats first goal. Charlie Cameron was busy, chasing down Max Holmes in a tackle where Hipwood was able to crumb and score the fourth goal of the game in just five minutes.
Brisbane were able to take advantage of Geelong's poor kicking (one goal and five behinds) and take a nine point lead into the quarter, scoring three goals from five shots.
Late in the first quarter Oscar McInerney came off the ground, with his shoulder out of place, just as the Lions were winning the clearances battle by six. However after having his shoulder strapped, McInerney made it out to start the second quarter back in the centre circle
Cam Rayner was able to find Logan Morris early for his first ever goal at the MCG, sneaking behind the pack with both Geelong defenders caught worrying about Joe Daniher. But after an efficient opening quarter, the Cats responded, kicking back-to-back goals for the first time through Jeremy Cameron’s second major.
With Australia struggling in their Football World Cup Qualifiers, Gryan Miers showed the Socceroos how to get things done. Chasing down the ball in the forward 50, it stopped just inside the field of play, before Miers soccered it along the ground, where Ollie Henry lay in wait like a striker to put it over the line.
In a reversal of the first quarter, the Lions were the ones struggling with accuracy as Zac Bailey missed a tough set shot from the boundary, levelling the scores.
In a remarkable moment, Miers snapped a set shot from the boundary, kicking the ball in the middle where it unconventionally rotated through the air and made its way over the line.
After a flurry of goals from the Cats, the Lions put together some great forward 50 pressure, but weren't able to replicate the Cats forward prowess, going into half-time down by 19 points.
Dayne Zorko, who started hot with 11 disposals in the first quarter, managed just two disposals in the second quarter as the Cats scored seven goals in the quarter.
Holmes intercepted a mark high up the ground and picked Dangerfield out the back, scoring the first goal of the second half, pushing the margin out to 25 points and Lions fans got nervous.
Ah Chee was finally able to impact the game and score the Lions first of the half, followed up by quick goals from Charlie Cameron and a Kai Lohmann banana. Mark Blicavs put a halt to their run of goals, kicking an uncharacteristic snap for the big man, made easier by the shepherd of Brad Close.
Midway through the quarter, McInerney’s left shoulder dislocated for the second time, forcing coach Chris Fagan to activate his substitute, leaving Joe Daniher to fill the void in the ruck. The Lions were also able to increase their speed with the ball, limiting the defensive impact of Tom Stewart, with the Cats having less time to set their defence.
Lohmann, Ah Chee and Rayner linked up, finishing off a beautiful passage of play from half back, including a Berry over the back handball that kept the ball in play, as Rayner scored his first goal of the game. After missing some earlier opportunities, Zac Bailey straightened up to score a goal, putting the Lions just one point behind the Cats.
After losing the second quarter by five goals, the Lions responded with five goals of their own in the third quarter, turning around a 25-point deficit to lead by two points at the final break.
Spending most of the third quarter with physios working on his hamstring, Max Holmes tried re-entering the game, but was ultimately subbed out of the game by Coach Chris Scott.
The fourth quarter had a tense start with just two points scored in the opening eight minutes.
After an intercept mark in their defensive 50, the Lions were able to aggressively move the ball end-to-end, and Charlie Cameron picked out Ah Chee, to kick his second goal.
With just seven minutes left, the Lions held onto their two goal buffer. Brad Close continued to connect the Cats defence to offence, and was able to pick out Ollie Henry to bring the margin back to a single goal.
As the pressure was mounting, Tom Stewart pounced on the indecisive Zac Bailey, spurring on a Geelong attack. Henry stood tall as the final link in the chain once again, snapping his fourth goal for the game to put the Cats up by a single point.
With Geelong grabbing a frantic lead, the Lions relied on the experience they gathered last week to rally and respond. From the centre bounce, Daniher smothered the ball, and launched a Lions attack, with Ah Chee able to score his third goal and snatch back the lead.
When the moment arrived, the Lions young star Cam Rayner converted with his left foot from outside 50 to put Brisbane up by 11 points. With thirty seconds to go, Brisbane captain Harris Andrews gave away a front on free kick to Rhys Stanley, who hit the post, ending any chance of a Geelong comeback.
In yet another thriller, the Lions won by 10 points, earning the chance to redeem last year’s Grand Final loss.
Veteran Lion Dayne Zorko was crucial to their win, with a game-high 32 disposals and 776 metres gained along with eight marks. Joe Daniher who was the goal scorer last game, stepped into the ruck position and held his own, helping Brisbane win the clearances by 10, all coming from stoppages.
Star youngsters
Despite only playing one half of football, 22-year-old Max Holmes was influential in the opening half, collecting 20 disposals and earning a team-high 606 metres off of half-back.
Ollie Henry, 22, has begun to take the Cats forward line by the scruff of the neck in the absence of Tom Hawkins, scoring four goals, six inside 50’s and a game-high 10 score involvements.
Kai Lohmann is one of many X-factors that the Lions possess, with the 21-year-old gathering 16 disposals and one goal, and has continued to have his moments throughout this Finals series.
20-year-old Darcy Wilmot held his own in the Lions defence, with 24 disposals and a game-tying eight marks.
Looking ahead
With the youth that the Cats possess, we may very well see them back here next season, but if they do struggle it won’t be for long, as is the tradition with Geelong.
Brisbane will be crossing their fingers for a miracle, but are expected to have to replace ruckman Oscar McInerney, with ex-Swan Darcy Fort looking the likely replacement.
In a rollercoaster season for the Lions, they have made their way back to the Grand Final, with a chance to redeem last year's loss against Collingwood. Starting the season with three losses, the Lions have played their way into form and have been able to win close games against GWS and Geelong on their way to another Grand Final.
You could not find better motivation to win, than being there 12 months prior and falling short by less than a goal. Lions fans will be hoping a lesson has been learnt, and that the memory fuels them to right the wrong of last year.
The Grand Final will kick off from the MCG at 2:30pm Saturday, September 28.
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