If you look back at George Grossek’s predictions over the past three weeks, you’ll discover he is the Nostradamus of final analysts and he forms his view live at the MCG where he works as an MCC ticket-checker. His analysis was (eventually) spot on. Here’s his Preliminary Finals round-up. His Grand Final thoughts will come later in the week.
As predicted, the Hawks came out hard but the Cats were able to withstand their onslaught and avoid giving the Hawks a four or five goal lead.
The Cats gradually took control of the game with Blicavs outjumping Meek in the ruck to give the cats first use of the ball. He is having a September to remember (not Stanley) and needs one more good game next week to give the Cats a good chance of winning.
Dangerfield was sublime with the performance of the finals series so far. He is the X Factor of the team. The Cats Achilles Heel still is the ruck and they need to at least break even or the pressure by the Lions mids could be overwhelming.
I said Hawthorn couldn’t win and ultimately they came up short. Once again it proved too difficult to win from 5-8 in an even competition where you can’t afford a slip-up which makes the Lions win from fifth last year and the Bulldogs win from seventh in 2016 all the more meritorious.
Gate 1 on Saturday was the gateway to the Collingwood supporters stand with 90 percent of the patrons supporting the Pies. They drowned out the Brisbane supporters with chants of “Collingwood” before the game. It turned out that Collingwouldn’t.
The Lions had a 20 point lead at quarter time and the Collingwood faithful were worried. The Pies turned it on with a seven-goal second quarter to lead by 13 points at half-time and the Pies fans were ecstatic.
The third quarter saw the Lions kick 7 goals to 2 to lead by 17 points at three quarter time. Would it be enough? Seventeen goals had been kicked at the Punt Road end to three goals at the other end.
When Cox kicked the first goal of the final quarter, the fans braced themselves for the famous final quarter surge by the Pies.
But a goal to Cameron stopped the Pies and then a goal to Gallop started a stampede with 12 minutes left on the clock. Those of you fortunate to see the Wildebeest crossing the Mara river in the Serengeti will have some idea of what Gate 1 was like for those watching the mass migration from the MCG by the black and white clad brigade. It was an endless stream of grim-faced supporters pouring out not to return until March next year.
So, my number 1 and number 4 rated teams made it to the Grand Final with Collingwood finishing fifth exactly as I rated them. Adelaide were the unknown and only rated two because they finished first and would at least have two home finals but their lack of finals experience probably hurt them in the end. They didn’t give a yelp and were the most disappointing of all of the finalists.
Hawthorn, GWS , Fremantle and Gold Coast finished evenly matched and their elimination finals were close and could have gone either way.
Regards
George Grossek
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