GRAND FINAL PREVIEW

September 26, 2018

This weekend’s AFL Grand Final sees second placed West Coast take on the third placed Collingwood.  West Coast qualified after fending off a plucky Melbourne team, while the Magpies produced a major upset in defeating the seemingly unstoppable defending premiers, Richmond by 97-58 in front of a crowd of close to 95,000.

The sides have clashed twice this season.  The first, in round seventeen at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  The venue and the opposition should hold no fear for West Coast, who ran out winners that day by 102-67, thanks to three goals each from Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy, and Willie Rioli.  One of the key differences from that match to the decider is that the Eagles will be without Nic Naitanui.

West Coast found it much tougher without their star ruckman, but still managed to get over Collingwood 86-70 in a qualifying final at Perth Stadium just three weeks ago.  It was a true team effort, with their twelve goals shared between nine players.

Back in the Grand Final for the first time since 2011, Collingwood will be looking to give much maligned coach Nathan Buckley the sweetest victory.  A club legend at the Magpies, Nathan Buckley was last night awarded the Coach of the Year by his peers.  West Coast were last in the Grand Final in 2015, when they were defeated by Hawthorn, who claimed the flag for the third year in a row.

With Melbourne expecting a wet Saturday, this could be a low scoring game, where the accuracy of key kickers plays a major role.  With Jack Darling and Josh Kennedy continuing their solid form right through the finals, including kicking seven goals between them against Melbourne last week, it’s hard to tip against them.  In saying that, Collingwood were not tipped by many to even make the finals, and may continue to defy the odds.

West Coast by 7