Game Day Around the Grounds - Week 1 - Elimination & Qualifying Finals 2024

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Every year, one of the teams goes into finals thinking they're going to be pugnacious; they're going to bully their opponents, get in their face, bring the physicality. It's usually a side that plays clinical footy during the season, but have the perception of being a bit... not. Socks pulled up a little too high, hair pristine, jumper and shorts as clean and tidy at the end of the match as they were at the beginning. They play like excellent private schoolboys, because - frankly - that's what most of them are; some of them might be smartarses, but there's not a player among them who's lost a tooth or understands that world of dragging down the bloke in front of you to your level. How could they know it; they've been in AFL systems the entire time, one of the best and certainly one of the weathiest development setups available; scouted at school and given scholarships to play footy and to develop.

It's interesting to me that Sydney are trying this on, because that is absolutely not their go. Their best footy isn't pugnacious but brilliant; athletically and physically outstanding. They'll outleap you, out pace you, outskill you; whatever you do, they'll do better.

Every year a side tries it on, and every year that side in so doing goes away from what works for them in favour of it. Sydney need to go back to what works, instead of seeking this idealised tough bullshit.
 

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Game Day Around the Grounds - Week 1 - Elimination & Qualifying Finals 2024

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