The AFL’s biggest weekend awaits and the competition’s organisers couldn’t of scripted it any better. Melbourne’s two biggest clubs, Richmond and Collingwood, face off at the MCG in front of 100,000 people. Whilst West Coast host the AFL’s fairytale story in the Melbourne Demons.
Here’s our preview of the preliminary final weekend.
Richmond Tigers vs Collingwood Magpies @ MCG Friday 7.50pm
Tickets for this one went on sale to members on Monday morning and sold out within 5 minutes! These are two of Australian sports most tribal supporters and it is expected the on-field dual will be worthy of the investment from fans.
This one looms as a battle of the midfields with both team possessing two of the competition’s strongest engine rooms. Brodie Grundy’s form in the ruck has seen him achieve All-Austrlian status, albeit on the bench behind Max Gawn. His dual with Toby Nankervis is going to be crucial. Nankervis is far from a slouch and whoever manages to provide their elite midfield with first use will go along way to securing their team a grand final berth.
Probably the most intriguing battle in this one will be in the form two players that won’t spend any time on each other. Jordan De Groey is in supreme form and his ability to play 1-out in the forward line as a medium sized forward has drawn comparisons to Richmond superstar Dusty Martin. If the Tigers can keep him quiet then they will go a long way towards winning the game. Martin will plays a slightly different role. He will start at stoppages and push straight up the ground if he doesn’t win the clearance himself, which he often does. From here he will be a headache for the Pies backline to pick up on the run. This one seems to have all the makings of a standard Dusty night out.
The Magpies have been super brave to get this far into the season and will look threatening at stages but Richmond have been a class above all season and we’re expecting them to run away with it in the last quarter.
Tip: Richmond by 17
Value Bet: Quarter by quarter lead- Coll/Rich/Rich/Rich @$9
West Coast Eagles vs Melbourne Demons @ Optus Stadium Sat 3.20pm
The Melbourne Demons face footy’s toughest test in a trip west to take on the Eagles in Perth. Melbourne are this season’s big story. It’s been over 50 years since this club has tasted premiership success and they are coming off the back of a dark era where they were cellar dwellers for the best part of a decade.
It’s the Eagles unstoppable forward line looking for enough supply against the hard-nosed midfield of the Demons. The engine of Melbourne led by Jones, Viney, Oliver and Harmes will look to win the majority of stoppages and get the ball going forward at all costs.
West Coasts forward line made up of Kennedy, Darling, LeCras, Rioli and Ryan is without doubt the strongest in the competition. They will be relying on their midfield to hold their own in order to provide them with enough opportunities.
Winning in Perth is one of the toughest tasks in footy and the rising Demons are going to have to contend with a ferocious home crowd. Their form the last month has been above all others and history in recent finals series suggests that could be enough to set them up with a mouth watering showdown in the big dance with the Tigers. This one could easily go either way.
Tip: Melbourne by 2.
Value Bet: Melbourne win/Over 169.5 points scored @4
