I usually find it quite an easy decision who to barrack for on grand final day. Most seasons there is a team that I feel deserves it more, or a team whose players I feel less affectionate toward.
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This year I’m struggling.
On the one hand is arguably the best team of all time. A Hawthorn outfit who have been a powerhouse for almost a decade, and in recent years know no other way than to prepare for the grand final.
On the other hand, a young West Coast team playing like men possessed. Despite injuries to key players, the Eagles have displayed a steely determination that has earned them their shot at the premiership cup.
Boasting a forward line led by 2013 Coleman medallist Jarryd Roughead and sharpshooter Jack Gunston, along with the skill and energy of sidekicks Luke Breust and Cyril Rioli, the Hawks are capable of kicking a monstrous score.
But the Eagles can match them. Josh Kennedy has provided enormous headaches for teams on his way to winning this seasons Coleman medal. Throw in Jack Darling and Mark LeCras and this years grand final should prove entertaining viewing.
The list of match-ups through the midfield is almost mouth-watering. Naitanui against McEvoy; Priddis against Mitchell; Shuey against Hodge; and Sheed against Lewis. Experience versus youth.
While most games are won and lost in the engine room that is the midfield, the role players will have a big say in this one.
During Nat Fyfe’s Brownlow Medal acceptance speech he made special mention of Nick Suban, Matt DeBoer and Tendai Mzungu. The role players he mentioned exist in every AFL club. They mightn’t have the moments of brilliance that the superstars have, but they allow the superstars to play how they do.
The players from the 16 teams that don’t take the field will at some point imagine how it must feel. With a tingle down their spines, they will imagine the crowd’s roar as the umpire approaches for the opening centre bounce, the elation of kicking a goal, or the unforgettable experience of climbing the stairs of the premiership dais.
Hopefully our time will come, but not without having earned it. Although the ‘Dogs took a step forward this year, we know that the hard work is only beginning and already some of our young players are back to the grind of getting their bodies ready for 2016. For what it’s worth, I want to see a great game of football.
My tip: Hawthorn by four points.
