Mark Robinson looks at the highlights and lowlights from preliminary final week

THE preliminary finals have been run and won and now we look ahead to Saturday’s Grand Final. Mark Robinson looks at the weekend’s highlights and lowlights and how the Grand Final can be won.

The key Grand Final match ups.

THE preliminary finals have been run and won and now we look ahead to Saturday’s Grand Final.

Mark Robinson looks at the weekend’s highlights and lowlights and how the Grand Final can be won.

ROBBO: IS THE COLLINGWOOD’S GREATEST STORY?

MEDAL: ULTIMATE BROWNLOW BETTING GUIDE

ROBBO: DEES’ PRELIM CHOKE WILL LEAVE SCARS

MALTHOUSE: EAGLES-MAGPIES GF BREAKDOWN

Collingwood stunned Richmond with its work in the trenches while Melbourne simply didn’t show up in the west.

Can the Eagles contain Mason Cox and Denis Pagan’s prophetic warning for the Tigers rings true.

COLLINGWOOD V RICHMOND

WHAT I LIKE

1. IT WILL BE WON IN THE MIDFIELD, WON’T IT?

Generally is and Collingwood dominated Richmond in that area, led by Brodie Grundy and Steele Sidebottom. But this week might be different. Collingwood’s back six - Tyson Goldsack, Jeremy Howe, Tom Langdon, Jack Crisp, Levi Greenwood and Brayden Maynard - take on arguably the most talented forward six in the competition; Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Mark LeCras, Jamie Cripps, Willie Rioli and Liam Ryan. It’s match-up heaven and the most crucial looms as Goldsack versus Kennedy. He’s a terrific story, Goldsack but Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt kicked five goals on Friday night. Kennedy got hold of Goldsack in the third and fourth quarters of the qualifying final in Perth and he messed up Melbourne with four goals in the first half on Sunday. Goldsack will need pressure from his midfield teammates, no doubt, but how he handles Kennedy one-on-one might be difference between winning and losing.

2. MASON COX, THE STORY OF SEPTEMBER

We know and love his story and he deserves all the accolades for that, but there’s a group of people who would be quietly chuffed after Cox kicked three clutch goals in the preliminary final. That group, starting with former Brisbane Lions forward Craig McRae, taught Cox to kick the ball. Most AFL players learn to kick from five years of age and can develop bad habits. Cox was taught as an adult and in his brief time in the AFL has kicked 50.24 from his 46 games. He will be a menace for West Coast if he again combines his contested marking and straight kicking. He ripped David Astbury apart in 50 minutes on Friday night, gathering nine disposals, seven marks, and kicking those three goals. In the qualifying final against the Eagles, he was matched up by Tom Barrass.

3. TAYLOR ADAMS

There’s a story going around that the exchange of words between Adams and GWS’s Toby Greene in the semi-final were tasty and that Taylor’s attempts at mental disintegration got under the skin of his former teammate. He might be lippy, Adams, but he also has the game. Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has said his group is a “grunt team’’ and no Collingwood player has displayed more grunt in this finals series than Adams. He is the No.1 pressure player this September, all the while collecting huge amount of ball. He is averaging 115 ranking points, 28.7 disposals, 14.3 contested possessions, eight ground-ball gets, 6.3 clearances, 7.7 score involvements and 64 pressure points. Reckon a tenner on Adams for the Norm Smith Medal won’t kill you.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE

1. RICHMOND’S KICKING

The quick scrub kick forward has worked for the Tigers for almost two seasons, but the problem on Friday night, among many, was Richmond didn’t get any benefit. The team recorded a kicking efficiency of just 52 per cent. The list of errant kickers makes for horrible reading; Dion Prestia (25 per cent efficiency), Kane Lambert (30), Josh Caddy (33), Jack Graham (33), Jayden Short (43) and Trent Cotchin (50). Collingwood’s efficiency was 69 per cent which meant it controlled the outside game. The Pies won uncontested possessions by 61 and took 49 more marks than Richmond.

Taylor Adams in action for Collingwood. Picture: Mark Stewart

Trent Cotchin gets a kick away under pressure from Josh Thomas.

2. MARTIN AND ASTBURY

Dustin Martin (corkie) looked battle-weary and Astbury (ill) lacked his usual the calmness and awareness and lost Cox too many times. The hand over against Martin worked a treat. In the middle, he played on Greenwood who kept him to just seven disposals and when he was deep forward Howe gave up just five. Astbury declared himself available and simply had a ‘mare’. That happens and clearly he wasn’t alone as the following highlights.

3. MAYBE DENIS PAGAN WAS RIGHT

In early September, premiership coach Pagan said he held fears the Tigers might have got ahead of themselves. “I think the Tigers have had a long while to think about premierships,” Pagan said. “I’m sure their players would have been thinking about premierships probably from about four or five weeks ago when no other side in the competition had the opportunity to think about it. It’s going to be exciting to see what Damien (Hardwick) does to get their minds on the job and play in the present and not get involved in the future.” The Tigers won the first final against Hawthorn and capitulated against the Magpies after their week off. “I know people will say I’m a silly old fool for talking like this but on the Saturdays off I used to say to our guys ‘the side isn’t finalised, bring your mouthguards, it’s going to be on for young and old’. I think the players thrived on competition.’’ For whatever reason, the Tigers didn’t have their customary edge. Maybe Denis was right.

WEST COAST V MELBOURNE

WHAT I LIKE

1. FLYIN’ RYAN

Systems and structures are the rage in modern football, but within those disciplines is the X-factor. And Liam Ryan and Willie Rioli are West Coast’s X-factors. Ryan has played 12 games, kicked 20 goals and was first in the public eye after an early morning car crash which brought an internal suspension. He is now one of the most exciting and dangerous players in the Grand Final. He was solid in the first final against Collingwood without starring, kicking two goals from 15 disposals opposed mainly to Greenwood. Against Melbourne he was influential with 17 disposals and a game-high nine score involvements. Will Greenwood get the role again and/or will small forward Ryan find the pressure of a GF too overwhelming, as many small forwards have done in the past?

2. SHANNON HURN

A complete performance from the Eagles skipper who was allowed to swan around the top of the defensive arc, which is his favourite position. Jimmy Bartel said on 3AW the Pies had to drag Hurn to deep defence to thwart the influence of his booming right boot. Against the Demons, Hurn had 125 ranking points, 23 disposals, 20 kicks at 80 per cent efficiency, 485m gained and eight intercept possessions. He could be the premiership captain and would have been the All-Australian skipper if the selectors hadn’t decided two years ago to the make the AA captain’s position a legacy award and not, as it was, an award for the best captain of the season. On this year alone, was the better captain Hurn or Buddy Franklin?

3. THE LYCETT FACTOR

He might be on the move at the end of the season, but Scott Lycett might save his best game to his last. If he quells Brodie Grundy like he did Max Gawn - with the help of his teammates - then that will be a major plus for the Eagles. Lycett kept Gawn busy and Gawn was unable to have his usual impact around the ground, especially in defence. Just 11 disposals, one intercept mark and only two score involvements from Gawn would have delighted Eagles coach Adam Simpson. Grundy is in super form and earned votes from most commentators for his performance on Friday night. If it happens again, the Eagles’ chances of winning are well diminished.

Scott Lycett jumps over Brodie Grundy.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE

1. DO THE EAGLES SEND BARRASS TO COX?

It worked in the qualifying final, but since then, and as acknowledged by Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, Cox is playing like John Coleman. In conditions not favouring Cox, Barrass kept the big Texan to five disposals, two marks and one score involvement in the slog-fest which was the qualifying final. He’s underrated Barrass, but as we saw against the Tigers, the Cox match-up will be as important as any on Grand Final day. Suspect Jeremy McGovern will be loitering around Cox for a lot of the day.

2. YEAH, IT WAS A CHOKE

Everything Melbourne had built to play finals football was wobbly when it was needed most. Whatever word you like to describe it, the Demons didn’t handle the occasion. They were beaten in contested ball, which can happen. Their players couldn’t find the ball, which can happen, but when the ball is coughed up because of pressure, perceived pressure or sloppy execution, such as their handballs, it was obvious the mindset wasn’t in tune with the occasion. The loss will be dealt with collectively and as coach Simon Goodwin has said many times this season, it will be treated as a learning experience. Their redemption will come this time next year … if they can get there.

3. THE LEADERS

Have had praise heaped on them since winning in Perth in Round 22 and will now have to look in the mirror and accept responsibility for their lack of leadership in the preliminary final. Jordan Lewis made un-Jordan Lewis mistakes with the ball, while Gawn, Jack Viney, Nathan Jones, Michael Hibberd, Dom Tyson and Neville Jetta were below par. Leaders lead and they were unable to do so, which meant the kids were left to scramble. The shellacking doesn’t dismiss the vast improvement the team has made this season, but history tell us, you’re not a genuine premiership contender until you can win on the road in September.

BEST TWEETS

@craigo1974: Key forwards... they’re back in vogue

@Bonjour_Pippy: Liked Brendon Whitecross winning a VFL premiership medallion. Disliked the prelim blow outs in both games.

@WhippingBoySEN: Like: Dimma post-match on Friday. Represented his club amazingly both with his words at the presser and for the gesture to congratulate Bucks in the rooms afterwards

@thecheese01: Dislike: Nathan Jones’s game. He’s way better than that. Picked a terrible game to go missing.

@ange_sacco: Dislike - the annual whining about the grand final being at the G, get over it you sooks. It’s reality for the next 30 years!

@phillipcarroll1: How about instead of writing doom and gloom, you send some love to the west

@Shazzam999: Like Buckley & son after the game. Dislike Luke Dahlhaus’s instagram rant

@paigecardona: Like - the patchwork pies. The stories of JT, Mihocek, De Goey, Stephenson, Cox.. Grundy and Sidebottom elevated themselves into the competitions elite.. and Buckley. This time last year we were complaining he was re-signed. Now, next week - could become a premiership coach!!!

@adam1dyer: Dislike that in 2018 in a supposed AFL comp, eagles play away in a GF even thou they finished higher than Collingwood. What other sport does crap like this exist?

@markwhi99177839: The American gamble just paid a jackpot! He is unlikely to play that well again ever but his confidence must be stratospheric now and nobody knows where his ceiling is..........

@goodlocalstock: Liked Collingwoods pressure all match. Disliked Richmonds hack kicking and guessing.

@SamMahony_: 34 tackles in a prelim, 7 players not laying 1...

@Ritzi70: USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

@duggie68: Like : pies hardness (hard as it is to say for a long time tigers member) Like : eagles played fantastic. Like Craig Bellamy a master coach and possibly best going round in any sport be that male or woman’s Comp in Australia

@mmjh_hyde: Like Chris Mayne. Million to one to be in this position 12 months ago

@cjhawkins: Like: Vindication for Bucks. Dislike: Entitled Vic attitudes. GF venue is a massive unfair advantage for Melbourne sides. Own up to it.

@WhyOhBeE: It’s coming home Robbo. Write the article now... “Mayne: From farce to beyond fantasy”

@calsterman: Like- Bucks vindicated for backing Cox. Dislike: airlines hiking prices for Ds fans this week and eagles fan next week.

@hurkymark: dislike - tiger players having a laugh in the race leaving the rooms pregame, perhaps thought they were just going to win, they didn’t. another poor final w/end, for all the talk of even competition not being seen post home and away last two years. hopefully this week

@mrcammarshall: Dislike footy media assuming all Victorians want Collingwood to win. It’s the Grand Final not State of Origin.

@hhmst1: Dislike - Razor Ray the self appointed defender of the “in the vicinty” 50m penalty

@AhhGetChuckd: Likes: Brayden Sier the under the radar story of 2018. Dislikes: Non-Victorians with AFL conspiracy thoeries on Grand Final home field advantage. God forbid if GWS had to play Coll/Carl/Hawth/Rich/Ess at Spotless Stadium in the big dance!

@bwv182: Like- eagles showing everyone how overrated and overhyped by the Melbourne media the dees are Dislike- Victorian sook bags

@Lazlow: Like: Mark Hutchings, Jack Redden and Liam Ryan. Dislike: Precious little Dahlhaus acting the right muppet on social media. The best response is to play better football.

@jimmythesqueala: Like SA football crowds 40,000 to SANFL GF awesome and a great game AFL take notes dislike WA football fans getting robbed by airlines and hotels prices Melbourne doesn’t know how good they have it