The AFL prelim finals are here and the four teams that finished the home and away season with the four best records in the league for 2017 will face off to decide the 2 Grand Final spots for 2017. Richmond Tigers fans are hoping to reach their first Grand Final since 1982, the GWS Giants are looking to reach their first Grand Final after losing at this stage last year. The Giants will face a crowd at the MCG on Saturday that is entirely hostile, adding an extra challenge in their efforts to overcome likely Brownlow medalist Dustin Martin and the Tigers.
The minor Premiers Adelaide Crows will take on fellow powerhouse side Geelong Cats at home in Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval on Friday night. The Crows were the consistent top performers all season and took care of business in the qualifying finals. The Cats recovered after dropping their opening finals contest and former Crow Patrick Dangerfield looks far from satisfied with reaching just the prelim finals. Dangerfield and the Cats showed they can hang with the Crows, as the teams split meetings in 2017. Mitch McGovern is a key out for the Crows but they get their midfield star Rory Sloane back in the lineup.Mitch Duncan and Joel Selwood for the Cats will go head to head with the Crows midfield led by Sloane and the Crouch brothers in a key matchup, Dangerfield hopes to run riot in the forward line again this week. The Crows will need star performances from veteran forwards Tex Walker and Eddie Betts if they are going to get the win.
The Crows are favorites, and would likely win a majority of the matchups if 10 h2h games were played, but in a one off contest I’ll back the experience of the Cats. They still have their star in Dangerfield, and he’s complimented with key pieces like Sam Menegola and Mitch Duncan. The Crows need Sloane to perform at his best if they are going to prevail. Cats by 9
In the Saturday contest between the Richmond Tigers and the GWS Giants I’ll back a confident Richmond victory, the crowd and venue gives them a decided advantage, and the young Giants have been rather inconsistent this season. The teams split meetings in 2017, and the Giants certainly have plenty of talent with Jon Patton and Toby Greene up front, Josh Kelly, and Dylan Shiel in the midfield, and a solid, experienced backline, but the Tigers have a star in every line. Alex Rance can lock down the Giants key forwards, Trent Cotchin provides veteran leadership, and like the Giants Steve Johnson has stepped up big for finals. Martin is one of the most versatile weapons in the AFL, and Jack Riewoldt should be able to step up when it matters. The Giants will get their flag, but it just feels like Richmond’s year, from missing finals last year, to a Grand Final this season on the horizon, Damien Hardwick has built a winner on Punt Rd.
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