Unanswered Grand Final questions: Was Taylor Adams best on? Did Pies lose the unlosable and more
IS JEREMY McGovern now the undisputed No.1 defender in the AFL? How did Brodie Grundy score 141 SuperCoach points? Jon Ralph investigates the Grand Final’s unanswered questions.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IS JEREMY McGovern now the undisputed No.1 defender in the AFL,? How did Brodie Grundy score 141 SuperCoach points?
Where does the classic clash rank among recent deciders? And which Magpies went missing when the heat was on?
There’s still plenty of unanswered questions from Saturday’s Grand Final. Jon Ralph investigates.
HISTORY: HAVE COLLIWOBBLES RISEN FROM THE DEAD?
HOW TO BUY THE MARK KNIGHT 2018 PREMIERSHIP POSTER
RESTRICTED: EAGLES VOW TO FIGHT FOR GAFF
Which Pies went missing in the last quarter, because West Coast should have won by more?
Dom Sheed’s ‘Miracle at the MCG’ dragged the premiership from Collingwood’s grasp, but in truth the dam wall had been threatening to burst for the entire last quarter.
From the two minute mark of the last term, after Jordan De Goey’s goal put the Pies 12 points up, they stopped like a sniper had dropped them in their tracks.
West Coast had the ball in its half for 70 per cent of the time, had 18 inside 50s to eight, and kicked 3.6 to 1.1 in that time.
After kicking four behinds in a row Sheed’s goal won it for them in the most spectacular fashion.
But from the two minute mark on, Travis Varcoe, James Aish and Josh Thomas didn’t touch the footy and Levi Greenwood, Brayden Sier, Brodie Grundy and Jaidyn Stephenson had one disposal each.
Chris Mayne, Steele Sidebottom, Brayden Maynard and Brody Mihocek had only two disposals each.
WAS Norm Smith Medal chairman Gavin Wanganeen right in giving Taylor Adams best afield?
Adams was clearly Collingwood’s best player, but Luke Shuey should have won by the length of the MCG.
Champion Data rated it the best finals performance by a player this decade - ahead of Dustin Martin’s 2017 Grand Final.
He won every category for West Coast on the day that mattered - disposals (34), contested possessions (19), clearances (nine), inside 50s (eight), score involvements (eight) and pressure points (66).
BEST ON: WEST COAST, COLLINGWOOD PLAYER RATINGS
MOMENT: SHEED COMES UP CLUTCH FOR EAGLES
KING: McGOVERN’S BIG GAMBLE PAID OFF
DID the Pies lose the unlosable Grand Final?
Maybe, because no team since Champion Data started recording stats in 1999 has given up a lead of 29 points in a Grand Final.
When Brodie Mihocek kicked a behind 25 minutes and 22 seconds into the game, the Pies had the game’s biggest margin.
But Willie Rioli goaled a minute later and the Eagles slowly dragged themselves back into the contest.
Is Jeremy McGovern the game’s best defender?
Yep, after three All-Australian blazers in 103 games and a Grand Final for the ages despite risking further internal bleeding.
He started the passage of play that won the game, blanketed Mihocek, had nine spoils, an equal-high five intercept marks and went at 86 per cent by foot.
Tom Barrass was just as good. Despite Mason Cox’s two goals he largely kept him quiet, was involved in 10 one-on-one contests and lost just two of them while winning three.
He not only took five intercept marks but didn’t give away a free kick amid 12 spoils for the game.
HOW did Brodie Grundy notch 141 ranking points when he was well beaten by Nathan Vardy and Scott Lycett?
You have to go back 61 games to find a contest where All-Australian Grundy has had less than the 10 disposals he amassed on Saturday.
But Grundy’s ruck work saw him as the Pies’ second-ranked player, with 21 hitouts-to-advantage plus four clearances and six tackles.
Still, he won’t be sated by hitouts-to-advantage when he was beaten on the day.
Where did it rank in Grand Finals this century?
The only thing it lacked was the emotional resonance of a fairytale broken premiership drought.
It had dramatic momentum swings, a match-winning goal with 105 seconds on the clock, unlikely heroes (Dom Sheed), afternoons of atonement (Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy, Elliot Yeo), a free kick controversy and a 29-point lead dragged back.
In short, it had everything and was just behind the 2010 Pies-Saints draw, 2016 Dogs premiership and 2005 Sydney-West Coast decider.
Originally published as Unanswered Grand Final questions: Was Taylor Adams best on? Did Pies lose the unlosable and more