We will now briefly focus on a football game before returning you to your regularly scheduled programming…which, apparently, is this guy!
Relax, people! Once Saturday’s game is over, we can go back to the main reason we all follow the game…what stupid Brendan Fevola up to now and what EVERYBODY ELSE thinks about it! Or maybe you’ve had enough of Fev and would prefer to talk about trades – where Shaun Burgoyne thinks he is going or where Brock McLean says he is going.
Perhaps you are stunned that Marty Clarke is choosing to go home or that Matthew Lloyd is choosing to stay home. But for now, the 2009 AFL Grand Final needs to take centre stage so you’ll just have to make do with that…
Not a bad consolation though…the two best teams in the comp are virtually at full strength (sorry Max fans!) and primed to present us with a fitting finale to the footy season. It’s going to be entertaining day and a great spectacle but, please, remember to behave appropriately. You don’t want to end up like Stupid Fevola (that is, a big blokey legend!), do you?
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ST KILDA SAINTS
The secret to St Kilda’s success? Not catching swine flu from the filthy, germ-infested masses!
The dominant team of 2009 but not a clear favourite… a lack of respect or is this just history talking?
The Team
B: Jason Blake, Zac Dawson, Steven Baker
HB: Brendon Goddard, Sam Fisher, Sam Gilbert
C: Farren Ray, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Andrew McQualter, Justin Koschitzke, Clint Jones
F: Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt, Jason Gram
Foll: Steven King, Leigh Montagna, Adam Schneider
I/C: Luke Ball, Raphael Clarke, Sean Dempster, Michael Gardiner
Emg: David Armitage, Jarryn Geary, James Gwilt
In: Dempster
Out: Robert Eddy
- Captain Nick Riewoldt has had a little knee trouble of late but he won’t let that stop him leading his side to victory on Saturday…
- But St Kilda are not all about Riewoldt; he’s just one player in a team of 22 capable Saints! Nice try, Nick – you’re a freakin’ star and if your knee is no good, the Saints are in trouble.
- Either way, Justin Koschitzke needs to step up with a few goals to help his skipper out. He won’t find it easy though…not with Matty Scarlett waiting for him!
- Young Saint Clint Jones will be handed the worst job in footy – stopping the reigning Brownlow Medallist! Funny, I thought the worst job in footy would be Fev’s designated driver. Try telling him it’s time to go home when he’s had a skin full!
- Coach Ross Lyon is predicting a brutal encounter…not that bold a prediction by any stretch; this is a grand final after all. But Lyon better be right!
- Lyon also doesn’t think that the crappy weather forecast will be a factor either…well, it will be for my grand final day barbie!!!
- Saints fans are more than a little excited, thinking this might be their first flag since ’66. They all flocked to training at Moorabbin during the week…will they all be back celebrating on Sunday morning?
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GEELONG CATS
The secret to Geelong’s success? Police arresting anybody that goes within one metre of Gary Ablett!
The Team
B: Darren Milburn, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright
HB: Tom Harley, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie
C: Joel Corey, Cameron Ling, James Kelly
HF: Jimmy Bartel, Cameron Mooney, Steve Johnson
F: Travis Varcoe, Tom Hawkins, Paul Chapman
Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett
I/C: Brad Ottens, Shannon Byrnes, Max Rooke, David Wojcinski
Emg: Shane Mumford, Simon Hogan, Mathew Stokes
No change
- Coach Mark Thompson thinks that Gary Ablett will feel less pressure and be more relaxed having finally won the Brownlow…that’s bad news for Clint Jones!
- But what are they going to do about Riewoldt? Nothing special, apparently…if I was a Cats supporter, I’d be a little concerned about that!
- You know that Cameron Ling will take on the elite midfielder from the opposition, looks like Lenny Hayes will be the man.
- With the likelihood of slippery conditions, it could be a record setting day for Joel Selwood. He might receive the most free kicks in AFL history for head high contact in a single game!
- The ‘unlucky Geelong bastard in grand final week’ award for 2009 goes to…Matthew Stokes! He’s doing his best to take it well but it can’t be easy.
- Brad Ottens thought his number was up when he injured his knee in round two? Come on, Otto…knee injuries suck but they are generally not life-threatening! Your number won’t be up for at least another 50 years…
- The Cats are in complete denial about what happened in the 2008 decider. Nice idea but apart from Tom Harley, who was KO’d in that game, the players will never forget that loss. Will it affect them if things get tight on Saturday?
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So…who wins this bloody thing? St Kilda made the one team change but it will not result in a fairytale send-off for stalwart Max Hudghton. Geelong are unchanged but have sterner opposition compared to last week. Hard to predict a winner with any great confidence; hence the call of a draw’ being quite popular.
For me, the deciding factor is simple…and probably a touch immature, but oh well. I just don’t want to see Stephen Milne win a grand final. The thought of that little twerp receiving a premiership medallion and whooping it up would ruin my entire year.
For the love of God, do not let this twerp win a premiership!
If St Kilda did win and for whatever reason; concussion, injury, diarrhoea; Milne was not involved at the end, I could live with that. If they could vote him off the podium and replace him with Robert Harvey, even better. But please Geelong..do not let this twerp win!!!
CATS by 22
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