Finals 2025 Week 1

[Booney]

Nice preview mate, Adelaide v Collingwood and Geelong v Brisbane are huge and so hard to pick a winner but I'm most intrigued in Fremantle v Gold Coast, how will the Suns go in a final after an underwhelming end to the season? I feel like they have more talent than Fremantle but obviously Fremantle have the home ground advantage to which I cant help think will Fraudmantle turn up and they shit the bed? I still can't trust them.

It's probably the beauty of the season, there's a lot of guess work when it comes to selecting a winner and I can understand your feelings toawrds Fraudmantle, the two sides starting with F killed my tips this season.

Although I think we had more drubbings this season than most, I also think we had more even battles than other seasons too (if that makes any sense).

Geelong could quite easily get off to a flyer and force the Lions into playing catch up footy.

Cannot pick tonight, but….

Adelaide lose an integral part of their mix with Rankine out, in pressure games when a handful of class touches can make the difference he’s a massive loss ( think the goal at the scoreboard end in the Collingwood game a few weeks back late – his second half in Perth ) and with no Rachele the front half needs all three talls to fire, they have all year and they can be relied upon.

Adelaide won’t want Collingwood getting 70 I50’s again, I’m not sure how they stop that though. The midfield has spluttered the last month, the North game was a nothing game but it was the third game in a row ( Collingwood, WCE, North ) where the midfield looked the second best midfield on the ground ( sans Dawson ). One way to do that will be to get on top of Cameron, he mauled O’Brien last time out.

What Collingwood have done with Cox coming in it take away Keane and Worrall's 1 wood, bodying off the ball before the ball comes into the zone, Cox runs and jumps, he doesn’t engage and McCreery comes in to sit at his feet and pressure Laird and Milera to keep the ball in their forward half.

I always look at 50/50 games like this, if someone gave me $10,000 who would I put it on. Yes, yes, I know...fill up and all that.

Collingwood tonight, experience counts.

[Brodlach]

A bit of I want them to crash out like Port have Booney?

[The Bedge]

A bit of I want the to crash out like Port have Booney?

50% of SA want them to win
50% of SA want them to crash out like Port

[Booney]

A bit of I want them to crash out like Port have Booney?

A bit?

[Brodlach]

A bit of I want them to crash out like Port have Booney?

A bit?

Think of the money!

[MW]

Everything is pointing towards a Collingwood win. Unafraid of playing and winning in Adelaide, finals hardened against at team coming from 15th last year and no finals in 8 years. Just get it done when it matters most, especially in close games. Adelaide has no Rankine, No Rachele, midfield is getting smashed every week over the last month.

Adelaide by 36 points

[another grub]

40+ for mine

[Brodlach]

Everything is pointing towards a Collingwood win. Unafraid of playing and winning in Adelaide, finals hardened against at team coming from 15th last year and no finals in 8 years. Just get it done when it matters most, especially in close games. Adelaide has no Rankine, No Rachele, midfield is getting smashed every week over the last month.

Adelaide by 36 points

lol. You give all the reasons Collingwood win then pick Adelaide by 6 goals

[MW]

Everything is pointing towards a Collingwood win. Unafraid of playing and winning in Adelaide, finals hardened against at team coming from 15th last year and no finals in 8 years. Just get it done when it matters most, especially in close games. Adelaide has no Rankine, No Rachele, midfield is getting smashed every week over the last month.

Adelaide by 36 points

lol. You give all the reasons Collingwood win then pick Adelaide by 6 goals

Yep

[wenchbarwer]

I just don't understand the Cox move. Heard Gerard Whately talking last night about his 3 goal finals games in 2017 and 2020 (valid) and one goal game in 2023 (lol), but he's proven he's nowhere near that version of himself.

Booney rightly talks about his ability to disengage and jump at the ball, but this is only a strength when you heave clean ball into the F50, which the Pies showed 2 weeks ago that they were struggling with. Adelaide Oval is narrow so that provides a bit less opportunity for free space at either end.

If they want to strengthen their ruck, okay, fine, but Cameron took the points clearly last time. If it's to bring the ball to ground, either McStay or Cox can do that, with McStay probably getting to more contests than the Lanky Yank. Unless Dan the Man is hampered by this rumoured shoulder injury, it's not a lever I would pull. I can see Cox being subbed out just after halftime.

Also happy to revisit this when Big Mase turns back the clock and kicks 3 goals in a game turning display

[MW]

I think the Cox move is purely to disrupt the work of Worrell and Keane. They cant repeat what they did last time as they just picked them off most of the night. With Cox there, they need to be more accountable and would take both of them in most marking contests to quell him, bringing their smalls into the game.

Would not surprise me if they make a late change and bring Bobby Hill in.

[Lightning McQueen]

A bit of I want the to crash out like Port have Booney?

50% of SA want them to win
50% of SA want them to crash out like Port

And the other 10% just wanna see a good game.

[Brodlach]

Cox move is because if they play how they did last time they’ll just bomb it in long and a 7 footer is harder to punch the ball away.

[Lightning McQueen]

Cannot pick tonight, but….

Adelaide lose an integral part of their mix with Rankine out, in pressure games when a handful of class touches can make the difference he’s a massive loss ( think the goal at the scoreboard end in the Collingwood game a few weeks back late – his second half in Perth ) and with no Rachele the front half needs all three talls to fire, they have all year and they can be relied upon.

Adelaide won’t want Collingwood getting 70 I50’s again, I’m not sure how they stop that though. The midfield has spluttered the last month, the North game was a nothing game but it was the third game in a row ( Collingwood, WCE, North ) where the midfield looked the second best midfield on the ground ( sans Dawson ). One way to do that will be to get on top of Cameron, he mauled O’Brien last time out.

What Collingwood have done with Cox coming in it take away Keane and Worrall's 1 wood, bodying off the ball before the ball comes into the zone, Cox runs and jumps, he doesn’t engage and McCreery comes in to sit at his feet and pressure Laird and Milera to keep the ball in their forward half.

I always look at 50/50 games like this, if someone gave me $10,000 who would I put it on. Yes, yes, I know...fill up and all that.

Collingwood tonight, experience counts.

I get what you're putting down in regards to Rankine and Rachele, I think they waste Keays when they play him up the ground, I think he's a difficult match up floating around the forward lines, he finds the all and knows where the goals are.

Interesting take you have made with Cox, I guess tonight will tell, I don't think much of him so I guess I was a bit howdy do, I really like McStay so I was on his side. They know what they're doing more than I though.

[Lightning McQueen]

Cox move is because if they play how they did last time they’ll just bomb it in long and a 7 footer is harder to punch the ball away.

They'll just steal his gogs again.

[MW]

I think any result with any margin tonight and you'll have someone saying "I knew it".

[Spargo]

Surely with his Crowies back in September action we get the return of @bennymacca?

[Lightning McQueen]

I think any result with any margin tonight and you'll have someone saying "I knew it".

Generally me upon reflecting the 17 leg SGM that I missed by one leg.

[amber_fluid]

Surely with his Crowies back in September action we get the return of @bennymacca?

Surely him and Digby Morrell were the same person?

[daysofourlives]

Pies, 3 points, then justice can be served on GF day when Rankine wins the Norm Smith Vs Dobbingwood

Brisbane 53points, only reason it wont be more is theyll put their feet up in the last quarter. Cant win finals with Geelongs prep, Geelong need to lose to get another hard game in if they want to progress further than the Prelim. Win here and another week off will see them belted in the prelim. I do hope that Geelong win though as it opens it up for the Hawks if we somehow win our 1st ever game at Engie.

Giants 12 points, disclaimer, if they bring in 4 or 5 players back from injury the Hawks will win,

Freo 47pts, cant see the Suns getting close but it would be the most Fremantle thing to do, lose the unloseable