Sydney Proves too Much for Port Adelaide
The Sydney Swans have been atop the AFL ladder for essentially the whole season. As such, they came into the Finals as prohibitive favourites to go all the way.
On paper however, Port Adelaide were their biggest competitor. They finished just four points behind the Swans in the regular season and thumped them by 112 points in week 21.
However, a finals week one loss to Geelong for Port Adelaide meant the two sides were to matchup in the Preliminary Final rather than the Grand Final.
At the SCG, the Swans had home field advantage and they used that in their favour. After a quick Port Adelaide goal gave the visitors the lead, Sydney came alive.
They put through three goals in just five minutes while surrendering only one behind to grab an 18-7 lead. Port Adelaide pushed back and cut the lead to three before Sydney put through a goal in the dying minutes of the opening quarter.
In the second quarter, the minor premieres flexed their muscle. They scored five goals to just two for Port Adelaide including a 24-0 run in the middle of the quarter. By halftime, the score was 55-30 for Sydney.
The second half was much more of a back-and-forth affair, but Port was just unable to dig themselves out of the hole they were in as Sydney slowly stretched the lead.
It was a 40-point margin by the end of quarter number three and the match was all but over. The fourth quarter did not produce fireworks as the match ended 95-59 in favour of the minor premiers.
Brisbane Battles Back Against Geelong
The second of two preliminary finals was a much tighter battle. Geelong and Brisbane, who were separated by just two points in the ladder both had a chance to win up until the final whistle.
The match started slowly as only behinds were scored until the 19-minute mark when Brisbane kicked the matches first goal. Geelong quickly responded but the Lions then put through two more to ultimately lead 20-11 at the end of the frame.
The second quarter belonged to the Cats. They put through four of the next five goals in the match to take an eight-point lead. After Brisbane tied the match Geelong went on another run as they went into halftime up 55-36.
Coming out of halftime Geelong put through another goal and looked primed to run away with the match but the Lions found another gear. They put through five of the matches next six goals in a span of 20 minutes and then tacked on a few behinds to shockingly lead 70-68 heading into the fourth.
Ten minutes into the final frame, Brisbane scored twice more and led by 12 but Geelong pushed back. The Cats took a one-point lead with less than ten minutes to play but Brisbane again showed their guts, scoring twice to win the match 95-85.
Grand Final Set
The 2024 Grand Final has its competitors as Sydney will battle Brisbane. The Minor Premiership winning Swans will be favoured but this Brisbane squad knows all about the pressures of a Grand Final.
They came excruciatingly close to winning it all last year, falling by just four points to Collingwood as I’m sure rectifying that defeat will be on their minds.
Whoever claims victory, there will be a drought ended as Sydney is looking for their first win since 2012 while Brisbane were last Premiers in 2003.
Just one weekend remains in the AFL season as the preliminary finals are behind us with Sydney dispatching of Port Adelaide and Brisbane squeaking out a victory against Geelong to set up the Grand Final clash between the Swans and Lions.
