By Callum Ludwig
The stage is set for the AFL season’s final showdown between the Geelong Cats and the Sydney Swans, with Yarra Ranges residents embracing the spectacle.
The two winning sides from the qualifying finals, the Cats head in off the back of a thumping 71-point win over Brisbane, while the Swans survived a late surge from Collingwood to sneak a one-point victory in their preliminary finals.
Lilydale resident David Ryan is an avid supporter of the Bloods and his whole family sat through their thrilling win with their hearts in their mouths.
“At the moment, I’m heading into this week’s Grand Final with feelings of excitement, relief and plenty of nerves,” he said.
“Geelong are playing extremely well and are a hard team to play against. They are on a high with their winning streak, so I am very nervous and worried. We did beat them in Round 2, but for the Grand Final you need both physical and mental toughness.”
Sydney and Geelong only clashed once throughout the 2022 season, all the way back in Round 2 where the Swans’ accurate goalkicking was the difference, winning by 30 points 15.5, 107 to 10.17, 77.
Mt Evelyn resident Cooper Beckwith is well and truly behind the Cats and is feeling pretty confident in his side heading into the season decider.
“It’s been a great season with an 18-win and four-loss record, and with the two good finals wins,” he said.
“I think Saturday will be a much closer game [than against Brisbane] but I think we’ll get over the line.”
Both sides are no strangers to success in recent times, with both sides having featured in five grand finals since the turn of the century. The Swans claimed the ultimate prize in 2005 and 2012, while the Cats won the 2007, 2009 and 2011 premierships. Both tasted defeat in their last Grand Final outing, the Cats downed by Richmond in 2020 and the Swans sunk by the Western Bulldogs in 2016.
Mr Ryan said this season has had its highs and lows as a team for the Swans.
“As a young team and with some of our older players retiring, we have done very well. As a proud supporter of the old South Melbourne, I’m very impressed with how the season has given our team this opportunity,” he said.
“I think the Swans will win by 10 points but it’s a hard game to pick for either side. I hope it is as close-fought a game as ours was against the Magpies.”
Each side is sweating on the fitness of a couple of solid contributors this season, as Sydney’s Sam Reid (adductor) and Geelong’s Max Holmes (hamstring) subbed out in their preliminary final clashes and each facing an uphill battle to prove their fitness this week. Sydney legend Josh Kennedy will also miss the game after a hamstring injury prematurely ended his season and career earlier in the finals series.
Mr Beckwith and Mr Ryan gave their predictions on who will be the key players for each side the Grand Final.
“Our key players on the day will be ‘Buddy’ [Lance Frankin] as a mentor presence to our younger players, as well as Isaac Heeney, Tom Papley, Chad Warner, Sam Reid and Luke Parker. For Geelong, I’d say Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield, Oliver Dempsey, Gryan Miers, Gary Rohan and Tom Hawkins,” said Mr Ryan.
“Marc Blicavs and Jeremy Cameron will be the key players for Geelong, while I am worried that Tom Papley could pull off a Nick Davis [former Swans player who kicked four last quarter goals in a 2005 semi-final to win the game],” said Mr Beckwith.
