By Lorenzo Di-Mauro Hayes
The time has come. The longest season in the league’s history reaches its climax, as the final series has arrived. 18 teams began this season and now 8 survive to enter the bracket where only one will be proclaimed premiers of the 128th V/AFL season. A season that has had many ups and downs, controversial and marvelous moments to be remembered for a long time to come but they will not be as memorable as what is bound to occur this coming September. Here is a preview of each of the final eight teams and how they can win games this finals series.
Sydney: The moment arrives
Sydney has been in hibernation for most of the last few months. What could have been the best single team season in a decade and a half has hit a few bumpy moments, but they have been longing for this moment for some time. Their opponent is a club they have never beaten in a final: GWS. This is the moment to assert themselves not just against little brother but as the team to beat in September. With many players who could easily thrive in finals, they will give every team they face a tough task. Coming back is Tom Papley, a proven finals performer and someone who will be fired up and is one of plenty of options when the Swans go forward and that is going to be so crucial in the games they play this September. Should they beat GWS it turns out there was little to worry about, a loss puts them on the back foot and will be a big talking point in the run-up to semi-final weekend.
Port Adelaide: One for Ken
Which Port Adelaide shows up? That is the big question. Without Dan Houston (suspension) or Kane Farrell (Hamstring), Ken has a sizeable task. The unquestionable biggest strength for Port is the midfield, it runs deep with Rooze, Butters, Horne-Francis, Wines, Boak and Drew. How big of a role that those guys play in the finals matches, especially in comparison to that of the opposition's midfielders, could be the vital ingredient in the outcome of any Port Adelaide final in 2024. So, the midfield battle between the cats and the power is a mouthwatering way to kick off this finals series. The Power are the most in-form team coming into September winning their last six, but a loss would spell a match-up against either the Bulldogs and Hawks and the pressure on the team from SA media and the Power faithful, who are 20 years removed from their most recent seniors premiership, will be huge. On the flipside, a win teleports them to a home preliminary final and their best chance under Ken to reach a Grand Final.
Geelong: The underdog cats
Geelong is playing in the finals again, this is not a shock to those who have the AFL throughout the 21st century, but Geelong, it seems to have fallen under the radar, despite its 3rd place finish. Geelong have been in the top 8 after every round since round 2 and after 13 rounds this season have been inside the top 4. It makes it fitting then, that it will be either them or Port Adelaide hosting a Preliminary Final in a couple of weeks' time. The selection is going to be massive for Geelong. The Tom Hawkins finale is a beautiful prospect but seems unlikely, but of course with Geelong wait until after whether any late changes have been announced before you get carried away with any big opinions on the team selection front. At any rate, what wins Geelong finals, might not be the older players. While they will play a role, especially Patrick Dangerfield bursting through the center of the ground, it’ll be the likes of Tyson Stengle, Lawson Humphries, Gryan Miers and the newly crowned rising star in Ollie Dempsey, who could all write great scripts this September.
GWS: Will never surrender
Since losing the Preliminary Final by the smallest margin, 11 and a half months ago, the Kinglsey coached Giants have been searching to return to September. If the club were to win its first AFL flag, the two names that will lead them there are Jessie Hogan and Brent Daniels. For Jesse Hogan, he has the chance to do something rarely seen in recent times and that is to be a full forward that causes havoc in a finals series. Daniels, who missed the final match of the home and away season, has had a sterling last two months and the little man who was once one of the AFL’s most underrated players, can create headaches for opposition teams far greater than his height. If GWS are behind in a final, do not count them out and if they do mount a fightback, those two are the men who will lead the way. But they can’t do it all alone and it is hard to see GWS going on a run this final series with brilliant contributions from Toby Greene and Tom Green.
Brisbane: Time is now
The fifth placed team might have the greatest pressure of anyone in the eight, because the Lions are yet to establish themselves as a team where one can be confident of them in a close final. Is this the moment? It would be a brilliant effort. The 2023 Collingwood side are the only premiers in the last 11 years to lose 2 or more of their final 4 games in the home and away season. The big issue for Brisbane, will be the ability to kick straight, the first set shot at goal is going to be a crucial moment, for the way Brisbane's game progresses, especially if it is in the hands of a tall like Joe Daniher or Eric Hipwood. Saturday night is a must win, it just must be done, to hold off a team barley squeezing into the top eight and then worry about the travel in the weeks to come. Should they win, the midfield can pick apart Carlton and set up opportunities for their forwards against a Carlton side whose back six is their biggest weakness. With Brisbane having won eight of the last ten against Carlton, they just need to get it done.
Western Bulldogs: Ready to go
The dogs of ‘24, may be better placed than the dogs of ‘16, certainly with the stocks they have up forward. It is the greatest shame that one of the Bulldogs and the Hawks will depart the season under the MCG’S Friday Night Lights because the winner has great chances of playing in the preliminary final in Sydney, regardless of whether or not they play Geelong or Port Adelaide in a semi-final, a matchup that where the dogs will fancy the chances they have. We know Marcus Bontempelli will have a big impact but so can Cody Weightman had a big last month and will be integral, but it is the tall forwards for the bulldogs who will need to take their chances and dilute all the gets thrown at them from Hawthorn. Should they win, they are well set to go deep into the final series, but first they must prevent the exciting movement and smalls of Hawthorn to even just get out of the first week of finals.
Hawthorn: Dare to dream
If you thought the Hawks who be here at the start of the season you would be lying, if you thought so after they started the season 5-0, go buy lottery tickets. Sam Mitchell has dragged a team expected to do nothing, who lost one less game in 2023 than in 2022, despite playing one more game into a final series where a run will not be that great of a surprise. The question becomes how far does the imagination wish to stretch? This team has gone through the season with fun, fear no-one approach, and it has paid big time dividends. They’ve been quirky, unconventional but they are dangerous. It is hard to tell how those who have not played a final will play in a night game, a rare thing for Hawthorn so far this year, and given their lack of airtime on Channel 7, this will be Australia's true introduction to this team. If a Hawthorn final this September is looking for the way Sam Mitchell envisions to be with a well-rounded team effort, the Hawks will be the team that captivates the football public in similar ways to how Collingwood did so the last two years.
Carlton: Looking to shock
Jack Higgins seemed to seal yet another heartbreaking finale to a Carlton season. WhatsApp groups chat went from “I’m done with this club” to “Who’s coming with me to Brisbane?” in the span of three hours, all thanks to Port Adelaide. Sam Docherty is the fairytale story that will fire up both the players but the convoy to the venue, where they saw their team win one of the best games all season, way back in Opening Round. The pressure game is the sure way to win, which will require great games from the small forwards but also to shut down the small forwards of the likes of Cameron, Bailey, Ah Chee and more. Anything Carlton does this final series will be a surprise; they are the rank outsiders given they looked like they would miss the finals outright going into the season’s last game, but they will fell there best is better than being knocked out of the finals series in week one. The imagination struggles to see a Carlton run, on paper, they are outplaced, but footy is not played on paper.
After a thrilling home and away season that went down to the very last match, there are big expectations for this forthcoming finals series. If it is to be full of thrilling matches, 2024 will have a strong claim to the title of the best AFL season of all time and the premiers for that season will have extra reason for celebration.
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