Will a Geelong-Sydney Grand Final happen in 2024? What is the most likely matchup?

[NetworkNerd]

Did you just watch Brisbane play?
They can certainly match us for firepower. More so, they have a very strong midfield now that Ashcroft is back to his best.

They won their grand final tonight. Next week will be a repeat of 2022 where Geelong will cruise to the GF.

Only question is how have Sydney/Geelong changed since the 2022 grand final. Hopefully it's more competitive

 

[Delisted]

If Geelong go all the way they will essentially have defeated Australia. Last 4 games being West Coast, P. A, Brisbane and Swans.

 

[Toffee Lion]

They won their grand final tonight. Next week will be a repeat of 2022 where Geelong will cruise to the GF.

Only question is how have Sydney/Geelong changed since the 2022 grand final. Hopefully it's more competitive

I think our grand final would be beating Geelong at the MCG. They've had our number in the last two prelims, plus MCG etc.

GWS was a great win because of the comeback but going into the game, I don't think it was our Grand Final, not at least compared to this upcoming Prelim.

 

[My Tilly]

I think our grand final would be beating Geelong at the MCG. They've had our number in the last two prelims, plus MCG etc.

GWS was a great win because of the comeback but going into the game, I don't think it was our Grand Final, not at least compared to this upcoming Prelim.

You were premiership favorites before the season kicked off.
Meanwhile, Geelong weren't even fancied to play finals let alone make it through the grand final.

Even when we booked our spot in the top four, this is the kind of disrespectful crap the club received . . .



There is no pressure on Geelong. Even the latest betting market has this game as close to even money as it gets.
Brisbane are expected to win a flag with this core group of players.

 

[Toffee Lion]

You were premiership favorites before the season kicked off.
Meanwhile, Geelong weren't even fancied to play finals let alone make it through the grand final.

Even when we booked our spot in the top four, this is the kind of disrespectful crap the club received . . .

View attachment 2111315

There is no pressure on Geelong. Even the latest betting market has this game as close to even money as it gets.
Brisbane are expected to win a flag with this core group of players.

Pre-season favouritism is useless at this point in a season. Injuries/storylines/growth etc. We had a horrid start to the year, 4 ACL injuries & a 2-5 start. So while we were pre-season premiership favourites, it didn't last very long.

Also not sure you can say we're expected to win a flag but the Cats aren't. You guys won the flag 2 years ago with largely the same core. I think there is a level of expectation for both teams coming into this Prelim. Cats at the MCG after a week's break against an interstate side. Lions studded list and pre-season expectations to go one better from the 23' Grand Final loss.

I hope it'll be a far more contested affair than the 22' Prelim. I remember sitting in the rain all second half just feeling glum.

 

[BigVic]

Lions-Port in 2004 was played at an 80,000 capacity MCG drawing 77K while 2022 was the first Grand Final at the MCG since COVID and drew a full 100,024

 

[My Tilly]

Also not sure you can say we're expected to win a flag but the Cats aren't. You guys won the flag 2 years ago with largely the same core.

This is why majority of opposition supporters continually fall into the trap of underrating us time and time again.

Henry, Mannagh, Humphries, Bruhn, Dempsey, Neale, Bowes & Holmes are a big reason why the club is back in contention again.

 

[Toffee Lion]

This is why majority of opposition supporters continually fall into the trap of underrating us time and time again.

Whether that's reason to underate, I'm not sure. I certainly do not underrate a squad that has quite a lot of premiership players from just 2 years ago, especially at the MCG. You guys are going to be very tough to beat.

 

[Toump Ass]

Sadly we'll never know.

 

[My Tilly]

Whether that's reason to underate, I'm not sure. I certainly do not underrate a squad that has quite a lot of premiership players from just 2 years ago, especially at the MCG. You guys are going to be very tough to beat.

I agree but you need to remember, Brisbane's window is right now. No better opportunity than this year.
You say your premiership is to beat Geelong in a prelim . . . judging the Brisbane players reactions after the game against GWS, you would have though they just won the grand final.

Haven't you got bigger fish to fry as in winning it all?

 

[Toffee Lion]

I agree but you need to remember, Brisbane's window is right now. No better opportunity than this year.
You say your premiership is to beat Geelong in a prelim . . . judging the Brisbane players reactions after the game against GWS, you would have though they just won the grand final.

Haven't you got bigger fish to fry as in winning it all?

They just recorded the 2nd best comeback win in a final, I think their reaction was apt.

In terms of Premiership window, a Cats supporter above all else should know it's a silly term as well constructed teams can stay up for a long while if managed well.

We have young stars coming through, even more on the way in the draft. Not an aging list at all and don't need to win this year but hey it'd be nice. Arguably should have won in 2020 and 2023. 2024 looked like a pipe dream at 2-5.

 

[My Tilly]

They just recorded the 2nd best comeback win in a final, I think their reaction was apt.

In terms of Premiership window, a Cats supporter above all else should know it's a silly term as well constructed teams can stay up for a long while if managed well.

We have young stars coming through, even more on the way in the draft. Not an aging list at all and don't need to win this year but hey it'd be nice. Arguably should have won in 2020 and 2023. 2024 looked like a pipe dream at 2-5.

Don't beat around the bush.

Is Brisbane's grand final next week in a preliminary final or actually winning the whole damn thing?

 

[Toffee Lion]

Don't beat around the bush.

Is Brisbane's grand final next week in a preliminary final or actually winning the whole damn thing?

Well the irony is that winning the whole damn thing would be an actual Grand Final win. I look at the term "Their Grand Final" as going all out and to the limit to win a particular game due to external circumstances (Rival/Ground hoodoo etc).

So beating the Cats at the MCG, in a Prelim final, would equate to us winning our "Grand Final". Yes. Doesn't mean we wouldn't then be capable of winning the actual Grand Final, in fact I think if we win next week that we'll win the whole thing ala Bulldogs 2016.

More to my point, I don't believe tonight was our Grand Final and moreso looking to the upcoming game being more befitting of the title.

 

[BigVic]

Did you just watch Brisbane play?
They can certainly match us for firepower. More so, they have a very strong midfield now that Ashcroft is back to his best.

Ashcroft missed the Grand Final and if he was there last year, they would've beaten us

 

[My Tilly]

Ashcroft missed the Grand Final and if he was there last year, they would've beaten us

You lost Murphy early in the game and had no McStay.
That forward line was held together by a 5ft'7 small forward and you still got it done.

 

[Lingsface]

Two left footed goal kicking tall men are going to have a big day on this result.

 

[RUNVS]

You lost Murphy early in the game and had no McStay.
That forward line was held together by a 5ft'7 small forward and you still got it done.

Neither are anywhere near the quality of Ashcroft though. At best McStay is servicable.

 

[My Tilly]

Neither are anywhere near the quality of Ashcroft though. At best McStay is servicable.

It's not about the quality of an indivdual, it's about the balance they bring to a team's structure and McStay frees up other players which in turn creates opportunities.
A player like Elliott would have appreciated having another big body beside him so he could find some room around the goals.

 

[RUNVS]

It's not about the quality of an indivdual, it's about the balance they bring to a team's structure and McStay frees up other players which in turn creates opportunities.
A player like Elliott would have appreciated having another big body beside him so he could find some room around the goals.

Does McStay do that though? I mean have Brisbane's small forwards had a harder time of it since he left?

 

[My Tilly]

Does McStay do that though? I mean have Brisbane's small forwards had a harder time of it since he left?

For how Collingwood play he does.
He's no star but likewise with a team in Melbourne, place a power forward who competes in that forward line and you watch the difference in how they move the ball compared to the current setup.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

2 likely grand final rematches remain

Geelong v Sydney - 2022 (Cats won by 81 pts)
Geelong v Port Adelaide 2007 (Cats won by 119)

These margins give me 2011 flashbacks

You’re forgetting Brisbane v Port 2004.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Port have won their last 8 v Swans
While they looked completely gassed Friday, its clear they match up well v the Swans

 

[MF]

You’re forgetting Brisbane v Port 2004.

And Lions vs Swans 1899.

All possible outcomes are rematches.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Swans supporters - do you think the teams form of last few weeks suggest they are back to where they were earlier in the season?

 

[RUNVS]

Swans supporters - do you think the teams formbof last few weeks suggest they are back to where they were earlier in the season?

Not a chance. The team prior to the bye is way better than the current one.

I mean don't get me wrong, the Swans are better now than we were a month ago, but we have not reached the levels we were at in the first half of the season.