SourceThe Australian wrote:EVER had that feeling you've been somewhere before? For the AFL, it is a case of same clubs, same time, same channel, as the Swans and West Coast renew their growing September rivalry. But try telling that to 11 footballers preparing to play their first grand final on Saturday.
When Sydney's premiership players were doing their best to take last Friday night's preliminary final win against Fremantle in their stride, Jarrad McVeigh's heart was leaping out of his chest.
This time last year, McVeigh was out of the senior team, Nick Malceski was an emergency, Stephen Doyle was cursing a season-ending ankle injury and Ted Richards was getting plastered with his Essendon team-mates. This Saturday, barring training mishap or the proverbial bus, all will run on to the MCG against the Eagles.
"The boys were fairly business-like, saying there is one more to go," McVeigh said yesterday. "But, deep down inside, I was stoked at the chance to be playing in a grand final so the whole week will be exciting."
In Perth this morning, there are seven Eagles about to fly into the unknown. The last time grand final week came around, Quinten Lynch was sidelined with a groin injury, Brett Jones had torn a quadriceps muscle, Beau Waters hadn't played all year and the experienced midfield pair of Rowan Jones and Michael Braun were hobbling on wonky knees.
Add to that list Steven Armstrong and Jaymie Graham and as much as one third of this week's West Coast team played no part in last year's four-point loss to Sydney.
Braun and Jones were the hard-luck stories of West Coast's 2005 season after injuring themselves in the preliminary final. More to the point, they were sorely missed in a grand final that pitted a talented but inexperienced West Coast midfield against mature, football warriors Jude Bolton, Brett Kirk and Jared Crouch.
Braun watched the game from the confines of the coaches' box. Although he knew all week he wouldn't play, he didn't let his team-mates know until the day of selection.
"I've been playing footy for 10 years and to finally get the chance to run out there is a dream come true," a relieved Braun said after the Eagles held off a hard-finishing Adelaide on Saturday at AAMI Stadium. "It was harrowing. I was quite devastated but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."
Each new player to this year's rematch must discover for himself how to handle the demands of the week and the match itself. They also bring something fresh to two teams that have evolved significantly since the moment Leo Barry took "that grab" in the dying seconds of last year's grand final.
The Lynch effect is the most obvious. The man with the most famous glove since OJ Simpson leads the West Coast goalkicking and can provide a marking target so desperately lacking from last year's team, when Michael Gardiner played with painkilling injections in his foot.
The midfield exploits of Chris Judd, Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr mean the importance of Braun and Jones is easily overlooked. But, if you accept the Eagles have built this year's premiership campaign on relentless use of handball, it is Braun and Jones who are leading the way. Jones is the club's most prolific handballer this season and Braun ranks second.
Graham can hold down a key-position forward and two weeks ago played back on Adam Goodes and Richards. He won't start dreaming of the MCG until Thursday, however, when the final teams are read out.
"I'll just be rapt to get in the side," Graham said. "I don't care who I play on or where I play, it will be great to get a berth."
Armstrong, a rookie-listed player at the start of the season, has made an impact off the bench. Waters and Jones are regular members of the West Coast back six and together provide nearly 30 touches a week.
"It is a pretty euphoric feeling," Waters said. "I'm just looking forward to getting to Melbourne.
"I'm not sure what day we get there but I want to soak it all up after missing out on last year."
The changes to Sydney are less dramatic but each new face has important responsibilities.
McVeigh can be used as a free-running midfielder but fulfilled an effective stopping job on Cousins in the qualifying final. Cousins finished that match with just 19 possessions, well down on his season average of 25.
Richards was unable to earn a regular senior game with Essendon but has provided the Swans additional height in their backline and another marking option forward.
Doyle's history of chronic injury makes every senior game a bonus and he has managed the past six for the Swans, playing an average of 40 minutes as a back-up ruckman to Darren Jolly.
Malceski is not a prolific possession winner but there is no player the Swans would rather have kicking the ball inside the 50. Malceski averages 12 kicks a game. Of those, three go inside the attacking arc. Of those, two result in a clean mark and shot on goal.
As both these teams know only too well, premierships are decided by less.
I can't remember the last time we played the Swans at close to full strength, but the only player missing from our best 22 this time around will be Mark Nicoski, who played for Subiaco in yesterday's WAFL Grand Final (which Subi won by 80-odd points
) but I doubt the Eagles will risk him after missing so much footy.I want to tip the Eagles by 100 points but between these two teams that's impossible. Less than a kick in it. Two goals either way will be an absolute flogging
Most important players for the Eagles include Mark Seaby (any rest Cox gets is gold, so if Seaby can hold his own in the ruck it will be excellent), Brett Jones (if he can play well on O'Loughlin, it frees up Mr September Adam Hunter to play deep in attack) and, of course, Quinten Lynch. I'd play him around half forward (like he did against Adelaide) and instruct him to kick long and straight to own the flood. Wind shouldn't be a factor at the MCG like it was at AAMI, so Lynch could be devastating. He plays very well away from Subiaco too, which is important. Steven Armstrong needs to kick some goals to complement his hard work around the ground.
I'm glad I'm not Darren Glass.
We need players willing to sacrifice their game (and their bodies) by getting in front of the Glass/Hall contest. Jaymie Graham perhaps? We've played well the last couple of weeks by being willing to push numbers back, something we failed to do against Sydney in the Qualifying Final.
Sydney fans: if Hunter plays deep in attack, with Lynch and Hansen further out, how will you match up on them if you were Paul Roos?
This is Study Week at uni and I have a couple of essays to write and a few other things that need to be done as well. Longest. Week. EVER
A lot of people wrote us off before the season even started (Phil Matera retiring + the booze bus incident) and later on as well (poor midseason form + Gardiner incident + Qualifying Final loss) but we've made it.
I'm tipping the Eagles by 5 points, with Adam Hunter winning the Norm Smith. No excuses this time.
ONLY ONE MORE SLEEP TO GO!!!