What The F-Arc Review:
Cats struggle to compose Port Adelaide aggression
The Power have sat atop the ladder all season, won the minor premiership and have now knocked off one of the flag fancies to finally gain the recognition and respect they deserve. Ken Hinkley’s men were dominant from the outset with former Geelong goal-sneak Steve Motlop booting a goal in each of the opening three quarters. After winning the Coleman Medal, Cats star forward Tom Hawkins looked to have gone back into his shell, booting 0.5 as Geelong scored a measly 1.8 from set-shots. Geelong’s reliable defence faltered when it mattered most and Port took advantage of the Cats’ Swiss cheese formation, moving into the preliminary final with a 16-point victory.
https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1311606732922089472?s=20
Lions return as King’s of the jungle
After 11-years without a victory over the Tigers, the Lions regained their throne in what was a wild four quarters of finals footy. Much debate in the post-season has surrounded the pedigree of small forwards, with Charlie Cameron sending a timely reminder to the rest of the league of his flashy eye for goal. A strong end to the first half had the Lions roaring with confidence, pushing their momentum deep into the game to fend-off a late Richmond push. The Tigers left their run too late and will now do it the hard way, while Brisbane are one win off a grand final at the Gabba.
https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1312002995542876160?s=20
Rampaging Saints catch finals fever
After nine years without a finals appearance, the Saints returned in style. A three-point win over the Doggies gave the St Kilda faithful a will ride to the end, with their newest names getting the job done. Dougal Howard was impenetrable in their defence, while Dan Butler returned to form in booting a crucial goal late into the third quarter. But, it was Paddy Ryder who ran the show, booting two goals and earning man of the match honours. Unfortunately, their ruckman will miss the remainder of their campaign, with one of footy’s greatest highs copping a major low. The Dogs fell just short of the mark, booting four of the last five goals to give the Saints an almighty scare, but St Kilda will be marching into the next week as they look to wrestle the Tigers for a spot in the preliminary final.
https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1312306791422676993?s=20
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Coxzilla rules over Perth in one-point thriller
If three exhilarating games weren’t enough, the football gods delivered one last nail-biter to conclude one of the best finals weeks of the modern era. Mason Cox backed up his previous finals dominance with three goals in the opening quarter, before the Eagles stormed back into a commanding lead in front of 33,000 of their own fans. The emotion of every fan watching was a rollercoaster of hope and panic, with the Magpies making a stunning comeback thanks to some Brody Mihocek and Jordan De Goey brilliance in the final term. A last-minute surge through the middle of the ground had sent a sense of deja vu through to Collingwood fans, as the Eagles looked to defy the odds once again. Although it didn’t come on the final day of the season, the Magpies held strong to get revenge on their winged foe, edging out the Eagles in what will go down as one of the greatest finals of the last decade.
https://twitter.com/CollingwoodFC/status/1312373128484462593?s=20
Lower The Eyes:
Richmond v St Kilda
The Saints miraculously scraped through the first weekend of October off the back of a heart-racing win over the Bulldogs, with plenty of collateral damage along the way. The Saints will lose Paddy Ryder to a hamstring injury, while Jake Carlisle returns home and Ben Long faces suspension. Fair to say, the Saints will be doing it the hard way. To make things worse, they will come up against an angered Tigers outfit who will welcome back star forward Tom Lynch. After their agonising loss to Brisbane, the Tigers will be out for blood, with a surging St Kilda side in their sights. Richmond’s Metricon Stadium profile speaks for itself as they’ve managed to make the Gold Coast ground their hime away from home. While the Saints got the job done against the Tigers in round 4, a post-season Richmond sit is placed as one of the toughest in the competition. Expect the Tigers to get the job done, but you can never rule out this underdog St Kilda side.
https://twitter.com/Richmond_FC/status/1312949098442498049?s=20
Geelong Collingwood
These two clubs have offered up plenty of finals classics in the past, and this weekend won’t be any different. The Cats are once again in the headlines come finals for all the wrong reasons, with many believing 2020 could be Chris Scott’s last realistic chance of a second flag. If they are to progress, they’ll have to battle it out with a side come off an enthralling opening weekend to their premiership push. The Magpies have been tipped as the dark horse of the competition after their dramatic one-point win over the Eagles, and will look to carry their momentum into their clash against Geelong. Collingwood dealt with the Cats with some ease in both the home and away season this year and in September 2019, but with an undermanned side, they have a tough battle ahead. After being called a “dirty club” that’s “making up the numbers”, Geelong journalists will be sure to keep themselves quiet before giving this daring Collingwood outfit even more reason to defy the odds. Like the Magpies efforts on the weekend, this one will go right down to the final bell.
https://twitter.com/GeelongCats/status/1311803081403768832?s=20
