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Digby Beacham’s AFL Preview: Preliminary Finals

Posted on | Posted by Digby Beacham

FRIDAY

Geelong v Brisbane, MCG, 5.50pm

No. Excuses. There cannot be any other way to approach this preliminary final through Geelong eyes. The Cats have given themselves the best opportunity to advance to another grand final and it would be a massive shock if they didn’t cash in.

Their best remains elite, as a winning sequence stretching well into double figures would attest. As a result, Chris Scott’s men are rested and ready for a Lions assault that requires the men from the Gabba to make the trek down south for a second time in seven days.

Brisbane have been boosted by the return of Oscar McInerney and Joe Daniher, enabling the Lions to be as potent as imaginable in their forward line. Can they however impact the scoreboard in a manner they need to against an elite Cats backline?

VERDICT: Geelong by 1-39 points

SATURDAY

Sydney v Collingwood, SCG, 2.45pm

How much do we read into Collingwood’s inability to handle the dimensions of the SCG in their recent loss to Sydney? If you listen to Craig McRae, a fair bit. He owned the fact the Magpie players weren’t prepared for the saucer-shaped venue and has addressed it at training this week.

That is a positive step and you would think also that the time and space afforded to Sydney in that game would be reduced in this encounter too. If so and the Magpies can execute their somewhat chaotic brand, the Swans will know they are in a contest.

Collingwood’s defence has been mighty for the most part and it again will be asked to shoulder a big workload against the Swans, who will have sustained periods of dominance before their home fans. Isaac Heeney shapes as a real X-factor in what promises to be the closer of the two prelims.

VERDICT: Sydney by 1-24 points

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