Opinion AFL 2024 Finals Week 3 - Weekend Wrap & Liked, Learnt, Hated PRELIMINARY FINALS EDITION

[Zevon]

Well! Preliminary final weekend is over for another year, and we have an all-interstate grand final for the first time since 2006! Time to take a breath… let’s wrap.

Swans v Port, Friday night: Those saying Port didn’t turn up for this one are wrong. I didn’t see the same team that folded up against Geelong a couple of weeks ago, I saw a team that tried their backsides off all night but just didn’t have the personnel or the fuel left in the tank to match it with the fresher Swans on their home deck. Things looked promising when they goaled inside the first minute, but you never really got the sense they were in it from there, despite the commentators doing their best to will a comeback all night. Another grand final appearance for Sydney, their 7th in 20 years. Crazy numbers when there are sides out there that would kill just to make finals.



Cats v Lions, Saturday twilight: There’s a weird kind of magic that seems to take hold in twilight prelims. This was no exception… turned into one of the classics! Close margins, pressure moments, big momentum swings, star players going head to head, key injuries, MRO/suspension controversy… it had the lot. The Cats would have almost been able to taste their grand final berth with a little over 2 minutes to go, but the Lions flicked a switch and stole it back. That’s two weeks in a row they’ve been ice cool in the death throes of a close final. No reason why they can’t make it three next week.



Don’t forget to post your Liked, Learnt, Hated below… along with any other thoughts you had about Prelim Finals week!

 

[iBeng]

Im still buzzing af

 

[ibd77]

Sydney too clinical for us. Bitterly disappointed with our finals performances. Something needs changing and quick otherwise the competition will over take us.

Really impressed by Brisbane. Hopefully they got enough petrol left in the tank for the GF, because head to head, it should be a cracking GF.

 

[The King!]

Hard not to get caught up in Brisbanes last two finals .

If they could kindly heck off now though.

But yeah brilliant the last two coming back

 

[Xtreme]

Liked: Brisbane fighting back
Joey D best ruckman of the competition

Hated: Port Adelaide not turning up to a game they should have won

Learnt: When the heart and soul of Geelong is sitting in the stands (Hawkins), Geelong were always going to lose. A blight (Malcolm) on Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

's coaching career not giving him a farewell match.

 

[Osho]

Learnt: I don't know squat about footy!
Liked: Brissy flicking the switch, like Mad Max in his Interceptor.
Hated: Commentatoes. I'd keep Bucks, he is objective and pretty smart. The others are cliche ridden. I'd bring in the under 40 rule, get some young sharp fellows and lassed, who know the modern game, look good, have their full mental powers, smell good, dress well, and have a vocabulary larger than their shoe size.

 

[kickazz]

Liked: Saturday night's game was pretty entertaining. Gryan Miers

32

Gryan Miers

Age

25

Ht

179cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.4

4star

K

9.1

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

15.3

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

1.6

3star

G

0.9

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

8.4

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.2

4star

had a pretty special second quarter.

Disliked: Thought the games were over umpired this week compared to the first two. Holmes another PF injury.

Learnt: PF footy record is still only ten bucks, fair price considering the times we live in.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Hated: Commentatoes.

Intentional, or a typo? Either way I think we should run with it.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Hated: Port Adelaide not turning up to a game they should have won

Should have won because their opponent was... lemme guess.

 

[Xtreme]

Should have won because their opponent was... lemme guess.

Because Port Adelaide have won the last 8 encounters against them
Because Port Adelaide were in much better form than Sydney at present time
Because Kenny is a much better coach than "Horse"

Sydney supporters are quickly overtaking Geelong fans with their inferiority complex

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

 

[Nicho50]

I’ve been harsh on Miers in the past but he has put together a great year.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Sydney supporters are quickly overtaking Geelong fans with their inferiority complex

LOL complimentary psychological diagnosis from you of all posters.

 

[Osho]

I’ve been harsh on Miers in the past but he has put together a great year.

He pulled himself up after being undeservingly flamed by certain commentatoes after the 2020 GF. Those FWs don't know anything, and Miers headdown in a good club just got better and better. He's a unique footballer, and shows courage, too.

 

[Osho]

Intentional, or a typo? Either way I think we should run with it.

Delib. Been in use for quite a while, comrade.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Delib. Been in use for quite a while, comrade.

DELIBERATE!!!!

 

[peetoo]

Liked: Brisbane fighting back
Joey D best ruckman of the competition

Hated: Port Adelaide not turning up to a game they should have won

Learnt: When the heart and soul of Geelong is sitting in the stands (Hawkins), Geelong were always going to lose. A blight (Malcolm) on Chris Scott's coaching career not giving him a farewell match.

Zac touhey?

 

[JackFlash]

Liked : Nothing

Learnt: Nothing:

Hated: Everything. Especially the posters with no intelligence or imagination who just respond to a pre game prediction with just a LOL'd emoji, make a comment for christs sake. I know the majority of football fans are morons but at least say something. You are just being weak minded leaving emojis without comment. It's only a game.

 

[The 747]

Liked: The Cats effort against Brisbane, some of the names on that team sheet are pretty iffy.

Hated: Kai Lohman (good player though)

Learnt: A weak midfield is a weak midfield is a weak midfield.

 

[The King!]

Liked: Brisbane fighting back
Joey D best ruckman of the competition

Hated: Port Adelaide not turning up to a game they should have won

Learnt: When the heart and soul of Geelong is sitting in the stands (Hawkins), Geelong were always going to lose. A blight (Malcolm) on Chris Scott's coaching career not giving him a farewell match.

A farewell in a prelim?

 

[Pistol Night]

A farewell in a prelim?

He was cooked before the injury. Was he working with Mr Miyagi or something

 

[Xtreme]

A farewell in a prelim?

Yes a farewell game because it turned out to be Geelongs last match of the season.

 

[JackFlash]

I rest my case....

 

[Toump Ass]

Loved Sook Scott pulling out the "gastro" excuse after another prelim loss lmao.

 

[Dee Train]

Liked the results. Don’t think I could have sat through a Port Cats GF….

 

[Back One Out]

Liked... Allir Aliir... He really stood tall for Port Adelaide. One of the few who could hold their head high after such a pissweak team effort.


Hated... the advantage rule invoked by the incompetent umpire which led to the Tom Papley

11

Tom Papley

Age

28

Ht

177cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

9.1

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

3.7

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

12.3

3star

K

8.9

4star

HB

3.4

2star

M

4.5

4star

T

1.5

2star

G

2.4

5star

D

13.4

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.6

5star

gifted goal on the stroke of quarter time. TERRIBLE umpiring. That freakin idiot of an umpire has no business being anywhere near an AFL game.


Liked... Papley's ridiculous celebration after being gifted the goal. He's a funny campaigner.


Disliked... the Port Adelaide gameplan of repeatedly & pointlessly bombing it long to uber-spud, Ratugolea and hoping something different might happen. Insanity!


Liked... Heeney's aerial arrogance and all-round mastery. What a player! He has got the game of AFL footy by the short and curlies.


Liked: Jase Burgoyne. He was torched a few times by Heeney. It was a mismatch. But he showed again this weekend he is one of Port's best players. Good to watch. Great young footballer.


Hated: the pathetic effort from Port Adelaide. The Swans rarely got out of 2nd or 3rd gear. Just a terrible Prelim Final.


Disliked: butt1hurt Hawthorn fans still carrying on about Hinkley and feeling aggrieved about Port's no-show at the SCG. We lost the semi final 7 days prior. We got knocked out. Get over it. I just feel embarrassed for Hawks fans acting like we should've been there.






Loved: Brisbane vs Geelong. It was a classic Prelim Final. One for the ages. Great atmosphere. Glad I was there to see it live.



Liked: watching Stengle play like a clown and mess everything up. Worst on the ground!!! I laughed because there were Cats fans bagging Dylan Moore

13

Dylan Moore

Age

25

Ht

177cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.9

3star

K

5.1

2star

HB

6.7

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.9

4star

G

0.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

12.2

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

's All-Australian selection after he played a couple of quiet finals. They were claiming Stengle was "robbed"... so it was karma to see him play so ineptly in Geelong's biggest game of the year, giving away dumb frees and making an absolute hash of several golden scoring opportunities.

0 goals, 0 assists, 8 kicks... Kicking efficiency: 12%

Champion Data rating: 1.3.....





Loved: the big hangers from Lohmann, Rayner and others. A terrific display of high-marking at the MCG. Lohmann's mark was a carbon copy of "Jesaulenko! You beauty!"



Loved: the skill and flair shown by the Lions players in the second half. Beautiful footy to watch. Fast, direct play with positive attacking handballs. The Lions midfielders gained the ascendancy - Neale, Dunkley, McCluggage, Berry and Zorko took over... and the Brisbane forwards Ah Chee, Rayner, Bailey, Lohmann, Cameron and Morris stepped right up and gave it to the Cats.



Liked: Brisbane's defenders settling down in the 2nd half. They were far too loose in the 1st half... The weakest link... But I thought Starcevich, Andrews, Payne, Lester, and Wilmot got better and better as the game progressed and were like a brick wall in the 2nd half.



Liked: the cleverness of Gryan Miers

32

Gryan Miers

Age

25

Ht

179cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.4

4star

K

9.1

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

15.3

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

1.6

3star

G

0.9

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

8.4

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.2

4star

. He played really well. That soccered centering kick to Henry from the boundary line was audacious and brilliant. Geelong at their jammy best, making their own luck...



Liked: Joe Daniher busting his arse around the ground as the 1st ruck due to Oscar McInerney

46

Oscar Mcinerney

Age

30

Ht

204cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.1

2star

K

4.1

2star

HB

3.9

3star

CL

1.4

4star

HO

14.3

5star

D

6.9

1star

K

4.1

2star

HB

2.7

2star

CL

1.9

4star

HO

16.4

5star

D

7.6

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.6

3star

CL

0.4

3star

HO

11.2

5star

's injury. The Lions were in a pickle, but Daniher proved once again he is the heart and soul of this football club.