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

[MF]

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

No. I think we need McInerney fit and firing to get back to that.

 

[Mr Meow]

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.

That's surface level analysis.

Actually lots of things have changed at Geelong since 2022.

No Selwood, Smith, Hawkins, Cam Guthrie, Rohan, O'Connor or Parfitt. The first 4 were still massively important players, including two chosen for AA, one still a gun wingman and the inspirational contested midfielder in the middle. Rohan won us that thrilling QF.

Duncan, Tuohy, Blicavs, Stanley and Bews were very important players, all playing to a much higher level. Now at full strength most of them aren't even locked in best 22.

Holmes, Z.Guthrie, Miers and Jack Henry are more important/influential players than 2 years ago.

7 new players in our best 23, most of them important players. Dempsey, Bowes, Mannagh, Bruhn, Humphries, Neale and O.Henry.

Role changes: Stewart a midfielder, Blicavs a defender, Danger spends more time at half forward, SDK was rucking, Holmes plays three positions.

The game plan has become more kamikaze and mosquito fleet based. It was on the way there in 2022 but now its been fully embraced.

 

[Cleansweep17]

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.

Why would there be pressure? making finals is enough for you guys.

You could get thumped by 100 in the prelim and still be happy about it.

 

[Mr Meow]

Why would there be pressure? making finals is enough for you guys.

You could get thumped by 100 in the prelim and still be happy about it.

Nah, just happier to have a shot at making the grand final than being an embarrassing wooden spooner.

 

[Toffee Lion]

That's surface level analysis.

Actually lots of things have changed at Geelong since 2022.

No Selwood, Smith, Hawkins, Cam Guthrie, Rohan, O'Connor or Parfitt. The first 4 were still massively important players, including two chosen for AA, one still a gun wingman and the inspirational contested midfielder in the middle. Rohan won us that thrilling QF.

Duncan, Tuohy, Blicavs, Stanley and Bews were very important players, all playing to a much higher level. Now at full strength most of them aren't even locked in best 22.

Holmes, Z.Guthrie, Miers and Jack Henry are more important/influential players than 2 years ago.

7 new players in our best 23, most of them important players. Dempsey, Bowes, Mannagh, Bruhn, Humphries, Neale and O.Henry.

Role changes: Stewart a midfielder, Blicavs a defender, Danger spends more time at half forward, SDK was rucking, Holmes plays three positions.

The game plan has become more kamikaze and mosquito fleet based. It was on the way there in 2022 but now its been fully embraced.

I do appreciate your post MM as it dives deep into why it’s not the same team but last night I had a look at the Top 10 possie getters in the 22’ Prelim and 9/10 were Geelong players, all 9 are playing next week.

That is half the team that dominated us, still playing. Not equating for guys like Jezza as well.

Still, it’s not the be end all of the matchup. We didn’t even have a ruckman last time out and certainly no Ashcroft/Fletcher/Lohmann youth etc.

It’ll be a different game.

 

[Mr Meow]

I do appreciate your post MM as it dives deep into why it’s not the same team but last night I had a look at the Top 10 possie getters in the 22’ Prelim and 9/10 were Geelong players, all 9 are playing next week.

That is half the team that dominated us, still playing. Not equating for guys like Jezza as well.

Still, it’s not the be end all of the matchup. We didn’t even have a ruckman last time out and certainly no Ashcroft/Fletcher/Lohmann youth etc.

It’ll be a different game.

Fair enough. Tuohy, Duncan and Blicavs are 3 examples from that list who won a lot more of the footy that year than they do now. Then obviously no Cam Guthrie. It'll probably be players like Mannagh, Bowes, Humphries and Dempsey this time.

Year-on-year, fair enough teams can be extremely similar. Two years apart there is sufficient difference to make it feel like a fresh contest. Certainly for Geelong because a few are retiring each season.

So my point is we have little to learn from the 2022 contest.

 

[BigVic]

Looks like it's happening

 

[NewMelbournian]

Fate never allowed Lebron and Kobe to play against each other in a finals matchup.

Geelong and Sydney are the two great teams of the 21st century.

Both clubs have just found ways to make winning infectious. As a group of champion players age they know how to pass on that mentality to the next generation and so they keep coming and coming and coming. But for all the big dances they have attended they have somehow never managed to peak at the same time.

Finally it looks very much like we neutral fans will have the 2 models of excellence all our clubs should be aiming for competing against each other at the grand final. I'm excited and all footy fans will be excited. We might get a grand final ratings record.

 

[BigVic]

I am not excited for this year's GF

 

[Greasyrhys]

I am not excited for this year's GF

Yep, having the cats and swans dominate is boring for the league. The former needs a rebuild with at least one bottom 4 finish.

 

[Borussia Teeth]

I am not excited for this year's GF

Piss off then.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

I am not excited for this year's GF

One side will get in front early and the other will capitulate, just like any GF not involving Collingwood

Good day for the beach

 

[BigVic]

First time in a looooong time I am not watching the grand final. Royal Show looks good last day in Perth.

No Channel 7 for me

 

[raskolnikov]

I am not excited for this year's GF

Probably won't even watch.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

First time in a looooong time I am not watching the grand final. Royal Show looks good last day in Perth.

No Channel 7 for me

I skipped 2022, didn't regret it

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Cmon Brizzy save this GF

 

[Cmarsh]

A Sydney-Brisbane GF is a fantastic result for the sport.

 

[SuperSub17]

I am not excited for this year's GF

How about now?

You spent all those hundreds of posts melting for nothing

 

[GoldbergsGold]

What I really like about this match up, both teams have been through consecutive Grand final losses, Brisbane 2, Sydney 3, and they've both been through 1 Grand final loss in the past 2 seasons. Will make it sweeter for the 2024 premier.

 

[Professor Knowall]

What I really like about this match up, both teams have been through consecutive Grand final losses, Brisbane 2, Sydney 3, and they've both been through 1 Grand final loss in the past 2 seasons. Will make it sweeter for the 2024 premier.

Yes it will ... but also more bitter for the loser.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

What I really like about this match up, both teams have been through consecutive Grand final losses, Brisbane 2, Sydney 3, and they've both been through 1 Grand final loss in the past 2 seasons. Will make it sweeter for the 2024 premier.

And for the first time in yonks it’s a neutral venue.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Yes it will ... but also more bitter for the loser.

Probably will be more bitter for Sydney if they lose, because it would be more recent Grand final losses under the same coach.

 

[Cleansweep17]

 

[BigVic]

A Sydney-Brisbane GF is a fantastic result for the sport.

Thank heavens footy is saved

 

[Corn Cobbers]

And for the first time in yonks it’s a neutral venue.

Three years is "yonks"?