AFL Grand Final 2022: All the latest news in the build up to Geelong v Sydney
As the Swans sweat on Sam Reid, two talls remain the likely contenders to replace him. But another put himself out of the running weeks ago with a crude hit.
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They haven’t made a single change to their team in four games but the Sydney Swans may be forced into a heartbreaking alteration for the Grand Final with veteran forward/ruck Sam Reid under a major injury cloud.
The 30-year-old, who was bidding to win his second premiership with Sydney some ten years after his first, was subbed out of the thrilling Preliminary Final win over Collingwood early in the third quarter with an adductor problem, placing his Grand Final spot in huge jeopardy.
If the injury does keep him out of the decider with Geelong it would be a big on-field blow to the Swans with Reid breaking through to shine in the final 14 games of the season and ousting the likes of recruit Peter Ladhams as the preferred back-up ruck option to Tom Hickey.
The two options to fill the key forward/pinch-hitting ruck role will be youngsters Joel Amartey and Hayden McLean, with Ladhams still suspended for one more week following a crude hit in the VFL.
A four match ban for Peter Ladhams for this VFL hit. He can accept a three week ban with a guilty plea under VFL rules or fight it. A huge setback for Sydney’s ruck depth pic.twitter.com/Zqdze5X0A4
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) August 29, 2022
Emotionally, it would be a devastating result as well with the hugely popular Reid finally overcoming a horrid injury run that saw him play just 43 games in four seasons prior to this one, to establish his place as a key member of the Swans set-up.
Post-match however, Swans coach John Longmire refused to entertain any discussion on Reid’s availability.
“It’s just an adductor, but we don’t know (how bad it is).”
“It’s not relevant at the moment it’s just after the game. I don’t deal on the what if’s yet, lets just wait and see,” he said.
For Swans fans pondering taking on the Cats without Reid though, the what if’s in terms of his replacement, if he’s unfortunate enough to miss, will already be discussed at length.
Having featured for four successive weeks between rounds 17 and 20, Amartey would be the likely frontrunner with McLean’s last AFL game coming in round 8.
In McLean’s favour though is his extra experience.
At 23 and with 30 games under his belt he shades 21-year-old and 13 game Amartey in terms of exposure as well as possessing a more mature body, which could be a deciding factor for the magnitude of a Grand Final.
There’s also the chance that the Swans ask forward Logan McDonald to assist Hickey in the ruck and select another runner in Braeden Campbell, who came on for Reid as the sub against the Magpies.
Hopefully for Reid’s and the Swans sake though, all of that talk is in vain and the much-loved veteran can take his richly deserved place in their Grand Final team.
Fitting Franklin flag not the only looming fairytale
— Glenn McFarlane
Lance Franklin stands one win away from a fairytale third AFL premiership – and potentially the perfect footnote to his stellar career – after Sydney held off a gallant Collingwood to advance to Saturday’s grand final against Geelong by the barest of margins.
In another finals classic in a season defined by extraordinary close finishes, the Swans led by as much as 36 points early in the third term. But the never-say-die Magpies stormed home in the final term to fall agonising short.
Saturday’s one-point victory was the same margin as the previous time the Swans played in an SCG preliminary final, when the game’s greatest goalkicker Tony Lockett booted an after-the-siren behind to put Sydney into the 1996 Grand Final.
The circumstances this time couldn’t have been more different, but the result was the same.
Franklin, who sits fifth on the all-time VFL-AFL goal kicking table on 1047 goals, is back on footy’s biggest stage for the sixth – and possibly last – time.
His two flags came with Hawthorn in 2008 and 2013 as well as the 2012 loss to Sydney, before his shock move to the Swans brought about losing grand finals in 2014 and 2016.
His grand final ledger sits at 2-3.
“That’s what we play footy for, to play in Grand Finals,” Franklin, 35, said.
“We get an opportunity to go down there against Geelong. They’ve been an unbelievable team this year so we’re going to have to be at our best next week to win.
“I reckon we were lucky to hang on there but we’ll take the win. We’re into a Grand Final. It’s been an unbelievable season. “
There was controversy when Tom Papley kicked the Swans’ last goal midway through the last quarter with Magpies defenders claiming he had pushed Darcy Moore in the back.
Collingwood then kick-started its fightback with the last three goals of the game.
There were two late stoppages in the dying seconds deep in the Magpies’ attack, but a rushed behind meant time was exhausted for Collingwood.
It was a thrilling win for Sydney; but a cruel end to a great season from the Magpies, who are lamenting a slow start and a few uncharacteristically undisciplined moments.
The Cats and the Swans will square off in the first MCG grand final in three years, having graduated through their respective preliminary finals in vastly different manners.
Sydney had to do it the hard way; Geelong did it with ease and with a foot off the pedal.
The Cats have won 15 games in a row; the Swans have won nine in succession, and will need Franklin at his competitive best if they are to upset the might of Chris Scott’s side.
It seems astounding that some still question whether Franklin’s $10 million, nine-year deal should have been judged on whether the Swans won a premiership in that time.
But wouldn’t it be fitting if he could win that elusive flag with the Swans in the final year of his much-talked about contract!
Franklin has yet to make a call on his football future next year, adding to the intrigue of what might come next.
But the way in which he rose to the occasion against Collingwood showed the hunger and drive that is still pushing him as he and the Swans chase premiership glory.
He kicked two goals in the first half and consistently brought the ball to ground for the Swans’ small forwards as he willed himself to every contest, even taking a crucial late mark.
After a quiet final against Steven May in the qualifying win over Melbourne, there was talk Franklin could be a decoy to take his expected opponent Darcy Moore out of the play.
But Collingwood swung a match-up shock by initially opting for All-Australian defender Brayden Maynard on Franklin.
Maynard was giving away at least 10cm and 13kg to Franklin and as much as the Magpie defender worked hard, the Swans forward just proved too strong.
By the early stages of the second quarter, Collingwood was forced to make the move.
Amid the Magpies’ heartache as family members consoled shattered players after the game, there was joy and expectation in the Swans’ rooms.
Paddy McCartin has been to football hell and back with his concussion woes and now has the chance to win footy’s ultimate prize with his brother Tom.
Four-club journeyman ruckman Tom Hickey is relishing his chance with the Swans and could be a crucial player in trying to unseat the Cats.
Jake Lloyd has played in two losing Grand Finals and gets the chance for redemption.
The Swans’ young brigade - who went into preliminary final weekend with the fewest finals appearances (more than half of the Cats’ tally) of the teams left - are now into a grand final.
And John Longmire has made his fourth premiership playoff as Sydney coach, eager to make up for heartbreaking losses in 2014 and 2016 which followed his triumph in 2012.
The Swans’ hard-luck story could be Sam Reid who was subbed out of the game with injury.
That sums up preliminary final week – a bit of pleasure paired up with its fair share of pain.
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