AFL

AFL finals fixture for next two weeks
Next Friday: 2nd semi final: Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs (MCG, 7.50pm)
Next Saturday: 1st semi final: Sydney v Adelaide (SCG, 7.20pm)

Friday September 23: 1st preliminary final: Geelong v Sydney or Adelaide (MCG, 7.50pm)
Saturday September 24: 2nd preliminary final: GWS v Hawthorn or Western Bulldogs (Spotless Stadium, time to be confirmed)

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Donā€™t write off the Hawks just yet! Iā€™m tipping a Geelong v Hawthron GF!

I will never write the Hawks off but I just think they have the team this year to make a Grand Final. I seriously think the Bulldogs will win this week.And I still donā€™t know about the Geelong bandwagon. I can see Sydney or Adelaide beating them in the prelim - especially at the MCG.

Last nights game really highlighted the fact that the AFL needs to change their finals systems. I think 4 teams outside the top 8 would have contested better than North Melbourne.
I think the best way forward is having 18 games (I know 18 what but I will explain) play each other once and the have a special rivalry round where they play the showdowns, derbyā€™s etc. That way everyone gets 9 home games.

Then the top 6 go into division A, 7-12th go to division B and 13-18th go to division C. Division A play for the top 6 (Home Finals Games), Division B play for 2 finals spots. Division C play for draft position. The top 3 teams from each division get the extra home game as a reward.

I just think that way you have a more competitive finals campaign and teams like St Kilda, Port Adelaide, Collingwood and Melbourne, who were really lifting at the end of the season, can still challenge for the finals. North Melbourne started off strongly but clearly were a bottom 3 side in the last half of the year.

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Will be the first time in this finals system that the minor premier gets knocked out in straight sets if Sydney do lose to Adelaide.

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I actually donā€™t see it happening. Sydney are a great team. I am sure they will pick themselves up and win.

I think Sydney will beat Adelaide > Geelong.

I donā€™t think GWS will beat Hawthorn (who will beat Western Bulldogs).

Lock it inā€¦ Sydney vs. Hawthorn :open_mouth:

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Hmmm interesting I donā€™t think Hawthorn can beat the Bulldogs and if they do I canā€™t see them beating GWS at Spotless. But I could be wrongā€¦

I canā€™t see Sydney putting in a performance as ordinary as that two weeks in a row - they are a quality side but didnā€™t show it yesterday. As for Adelaide, itā€™s one thing beating up a team that barely deserved to make it at Adelaide Oval, itā€™s a hell of another beating the minor premiers at the SCG. Lock in a Sydney victory for mine

I think the Dogs have a chance, but like Thursday everything would have to go right for them. Hawthorn arenā€™t as good as they have been in previous years, but are still a very good side and should be favourites to go through

Iā€™m actually pleased Geelong will now not play Sydney in the Grand Final. If the Swans do progress as I expect, it will be a great test as theyā€™re the one team I donā€™t think we can beat. Lose and at least we donā€™t have the disappointment of losing in the big one. Win and it proves we may actually be good enough the win the thing (though Iā€™m not yet convinced weā€™re good enough)

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Tamago, your first paragraph :+1:

As for Sydney v Geelong, that was my GF prediction all year, damn.

This finals series really is great for footy!

The AFL has reported last weekā€™s finals attracted the largest television audience over four matches since the league introduced a top-eight system in 1994.

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End of an era last night with my Hawks losing and denied the chance of the historic 4-peat. The Dogs reminded me of how we use to dispatch sides in a short time frame back in 2012-2015! I will be ā€˜barrackingā€™ for the Dogs for the rest of the finals because as a Hawks fan I really hate Geelong and Sydney. And the Giants are basically a team full of the best young players in the country.

I had this feeling that the Bulldogs would beat Hawthorn. Iā€™ve always had a soft spot for Hawthorn with a couple of ex Port Adelaide personnel on their side (Shaun Burgoyne and Alastair Clarkson) but am glad to see a couple of different sides competing for the Grand Final (GWS and Bulldogs). I just think Hawthorn looked sluggish all year and never looked like they would really compete against the best. They got lucky so many times and if that luck was reversed they wouldnā€™t have even made the Finals. I think they will be better next year if they can recruit the players.

You obviously arenā€™t even giving Adelaide a look in for tonight :stuck_out_tongue:

An Adelaide vs Bulldogs Grand Final would do it for me! Looking forward to the rest of the finals without the heart in mouth stuff the Hawks tend to serve up these days! And Iā€™m just wondering if the Swans also bow out in straight sets tonight, is this the first time 2 top 4 sides have gone this way?

Wow, I did not see that coming last night. When the dogs were 4 goals down in the 2nd term I thought it was gone for them, but they did so well to not only claw it back, but to dominate the second half as well.

Imagine how Isaac Smith must feel now - if he landed his kick the Hawks would have been through to the prelim. Now theyā€™re out in straight setsā€¦

Either GWS or the Dogs will play in the Grand Final - even two weeks ago that sounded like a highly unlikely outcome, but itā€™s certain now. And who will win out of those two? GWS beat the Dogs this season, but in current form itā€™s tough to pick

I still expect Sydney to beat Adelaide tonight, but I also expected Hawthorn to win last night. Fascinating finals series so far, and I canā€™t wait for tonightā€™s game!

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I share the thoughts of Sammy and Turdall. I was at the game last night there were many shocked and disappointed faces on Hawthorn fans sitting around me when the Bulldogs took the lead and never looked back. I hope it will be a Geelong-Bulldogs grand final.

I see the romance of a Cats v Dogs GF, but as a Geelong supporter I hope it doesnā€™t happen. Win and weā€™re the team that in footy terms shot Bambiā€™s mother, lose and well, weā€™ve lost a grand final.

If the Cats do make it, Iā€™d prefer to play GWS. Sure theyā€™re young and capable, but like Freo a few years ago (or Port in 2007 Turdall), I reckon a team like them might be a bit overawed by making a GF they maybe shouldnā€™t have at their early stage of development

Well now they know how other teams have felt for the last few years.

Although I have tried blocking this out of my head that Grand Final killed Port Adelaide. It sent Shaun Burgoyne to Hawthorn, saw the eventual demise of our best coach, gave us Matthew Primus as coach and would see us at the bottom for 5 years straight. I donā€™t know if I would recommend a team not ready to over achieve haha. I am hopeful for a Sydney and GWS Grand Final though. I think that would be quite iconic and the first GF that features 2 interstate teams from the one state.

Well Sydney did what we expected last night - their first quarter was phenomenal. Canā€™t say Iā€™m looking forward to us playing them next week now!

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So Geelong v Sydney at the MCG for the first time since 1934! Geelong should get over the line due to injuries from Rohan and McVeigh and them being at ā€˜homeā€™. GWS over the Bulldogs for me at Spotless because they are in great form and have only lost one game IIRC at that venue (even though I want the Dogs to win).

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Not surprised at all and from someone who lives in Adelaide it is nice to see Adelaide brought back down to reality. The over confidence in the media was ridiculous. The Crowatiser was in full swing.

I was talking to a friend last night who was pretty confident they would win, and comprehensively - the words used were ā€˜we will smash themā€™. And I had to ask do you seriously think they will win. And because they beat North by a lot last week gave them confidence to beat the number 1 team. I had to say you do realise North won the same amount of games as Essendon in the last 11 roundsā€¦ I never mind some confidence with your club but I think you need to have some realism. I never once thought Port Adelaide (in 2013 and 2014) would make it to the semi (to beat Collingwood) or the prelim (to beat Fremantle in Perth) but was happy they did.

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