The collision of precision
Ben Horne
Daily Telegraph, September 21
THEY’RE the AFL’s two statistical juggernauts but only one can lead their side to a Grand Final.
Sydney’s Josh Kennedy and Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield officially rank as the game’s two most influential players but on Friday night those numbers will mean nothing as they square off in the superstar match-up of the season.
In almost every major statistical category Kennedy and Dangerfield feature near the very top, and it’s no surprise both are the midfield lynchpins of the All-Australian side, and the Cats’ main man the overwhelming favourite for the Brownlow Medal.
But there’s one area that the AFL’s accurate power rankings don’t cover – and that’s how a player fares on any given day in comparison to his opponent.
Kennedy and Dangerfield might not directly mark up on each other on Friday at the MCG, but there appears little doubt the man who has the greater overall influence on the game will be leading his teammates to a grand final.
For contested possessions, the dynamic duo are ranked No.1 and 2.
In disposals, they sit No.3 and 4 respectively and for clearances and score involvements they are also competition leaders.
A Buddy great mentor
Rob Forsaith
Daily Telegraph, AAP, September 21
LANCE Franklin is exerting considerable influence on the Swans’ push for a premiership, even if you disregard his incredible deeds on the field.
Franklin looms as a potential match-winner in his team’s preliminary final against Geelong at the MCG on Friday night.
The 29-year-old, who missed the club's straight-sets exit last September because of a mental-health condition, was among the minor premiers' best players in both finals over the past fortnight.
Franklin has booted 78 goals this year but his guidance has also boosted the Swans.
Xavier Richards is a prime example.
Richards managed two games in his first three seasons at the SCG, having been starved of opportunities by a settled back six.
The defender was thrown forward earlier this year in the NEAFL and hasn't looked back, playing the past eight AFL games.
Injured Swans must be fit by Wednesday for Geelong final
James Buckley
SMH, September 21
Two-time premiership Swan Lewis Roberts-Thomson says Sydney's injured quartet must run at 75 per cent capacity tomorrow to prove their fitness for the weekend's preliminary final against Geelong.
The Swans are sweating on the health of Kurt Tippett (jaw), Gary Rohan (knee), Jarrad McVeigh (calf) and Callum Mills (hamstring) after two bruising weeks of finals football.
Rohan was cleared of structural damage to his knee earlier this week after being removed from the SCG on a mobile stretcher on Saturday night, while McVeigh's calf strain has been described as minor.
Rising Star Mills will likely miss another week after tearing his hamstring in the qualifying final loss to GWS but Tippett is expected to line up in the ruck.
Roberts-Thomson, no stranger to injury himself through a 179-game AFL career, said there was a fine line between playing courageously while hurt, and becoming a liability on the field.
"There's the old saying that players can get up for big games so if they've got a niggle they can push through no doubt and perform on the big stage for a prelim final," Roberts-Thomson said.
"There's so many variables that come into play, rotations, positional movements, it just makes it a really tough judgment call. Hence why you've got the doctor, the player, the coach all involved and it comes right down to the wire.
"You'd imagine if they can run, and they can run at 75 per cent on let's say tomorrow, Wednesday, then they should be able to, with the extra two days, pull up pretty well and get out there.
Scott declares Cats ready for fast-starting Swans
Jon Pierik
The Age, September 21
Geelong will have played only one match in almost four weeks when they line up against Sydney in Friday night's preliminary final, and they are bracing for the fiercest of fierce physical openings.
The Swans have emerged as the league's most feared starting side. They stunned Adelaide with a seven-goal-to-three first term last Saturday night, transforming into a far more physically aggressive unit than the one dismantled by Greater Western Sydney a week earlier.
While the Cats have enjoyed a week off, they have been training with greater tempo than during their mid-season bye and coach Chris Scott said they would be ready for a bruising opening term.
"There is only so much you can do physically [in training], but I don't have any doubt that going into a prelim final, against one of the best teams in the comp, that we won't be underprepared mentally for the fierceness of the contest," he said on Tuesday.
The Swans are the No.1 scoring side in the opening 20 minutes, outscoring opponents by a combined 241 points. The Cats are fifth. But, intriguingly, the Cats are the best scoring side in time-on, outscoring opponents by 253 points. The Swans are sixth in that period.
We’ll be ready: Scott
Courtney Walsh
The Australian, September 21
Geelong coach Chris Scott is confident the Cats are primed to absorb a ferocious onslaught from Sydney despite an unconventional lead-in to Friday night’s preliminary final at the MCG.
The Cats will have played just one match, their qualifying final triumph over Hawthorn, in 27 days when they step out against the Swans, adding an element of uncertainty to Geelong’s preparation.
Scott believes a methodical preparation, which included a searching training session last Saturday, would ensure Geelong were switched on from the opening bounce against Sydney, one of the competition’s quickest starters.
While the Cats shape as the AFL stayers, having won 19 of the 23 last quarters they have played this year, the Swans have been dominant early in the majority of their matches.
“Our sports science department, our medical guys, put a lot of work into it … and I have said a few times that post-game, whatever happens, we won’t be complaining about the preparation because we have had a lot of time to prepare for it and get organised and we think we have executed that plan pretty well,” Scott said.
“We have kept our boys going a little bit more over the last fortnight than we did in the midyear break and preparing for the contest is an important part of it.
“There is only so much you can do physically, but I don’t have any doubt that … we will (not) be underprepared mentally for the fierceness of the occasion.”
Jimmy Bartel to hold his spot
Sam Landsberger
Herald Sun, September 21
JIMMY Bartel is “much more likely than unlikely” to play in Friday night’s preliminary final — but just days from Geelong’s biggest game in three years there was no guarantee.
Geelong coach Chris Scott said on Tuesday the 22 who lined up against Hawthorn a fortnight ago were in the box seat to face Sydney at the MCG.
The Cats are “very confident” swingman Lachie Henderson will be passed fit and Scott said up to 30 players were realistically in the selection mix.
Should Henderson play, the Cats appear likely to omit one of Jake Kolodashnij, Tom Ruggles, Josh Cowan or Brownlow medallist Bartel."
Defender Jed Bews and speedster Nakia Cockatoo are also training hard in the hope of a September reprieve.
“There’s a lot of players who are in our team that aren’t absolutely guaranteed a spot,” Scott said.
“But Jimmy’s much more likely than unlikely — and that’s been the case for a long time.
“I understand that it attracts a lot of attention, because he’s been a champion player and he’s towards the end of his career.”
Scott said all selection processes were “brutal” — particularly with such a healthy squad deep in the season.
Kennedy favourite for Gary Ayres Medal
Michael Randall
Herald Sun, September 21
WEEK 3 of the AFL Finals is nearly upon us and you might not have heard, but there is an award for the best player across the four-week series.
Named after Hawthorn legend Gary Ayres, the medal, inaugurated by the AFL Coaches’ Association this year, is bestowed upon the player awarded the most votes by the coaches, on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis.
After his monstrous 42 disposal best-on-ground performance in Sydney’s rout of Adelaide, Josh Kennedy got the maximum 10 votes and is second on the leaderboard, behind Western Bulldogs machine Liam Picken, on 12.
Kennedy is the $8 equal-favourite with the TAB to win the award, alongside the Cats inspiring captain Joel Selwood (eight votes).
But there’s a bloke who might have two monster performances in him and blow them all out of the water.
Patrick Dangerfield had 35 touches against the Hawks, but polled just one vote. He had the weekend off with the Cats straight through to the preliminary final, but don’t write off the Brownlow Medal favourite, who is rated a $15 chance.
Gary Ayres Medal leaderboard
12 votes Liam Picken (WB)
11 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
= 10 Eddie Betts (Ade), Jeremy Cameron (GWS), Caleb Daniel (WB)
= 8 Marcus Bontempelli (WB), Jack Macrae (WB), Joel Selwood (Gee), Brodie Smith (Ade)
