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Digby Beacham’s AFL Preview: Preliminary Finals

Posted on | Posted by Digby Beacham

FRIDAY

Sydney v Port Adelaide, SCG, 5.40pm

It was only last month that Port Adelaide maintained their freakish dominance over Sydney with a 112-point mauling at Adelaide Oval. Just let that marinate for a bit … 112 points!

Admittedly, it was when the Swans were going through an alarming funk and the Power were sweeping all before them. That said Port haven’t lost to Sydney since 2017, a record that will no doubt provide plenty of self-belief for this clash. But from a Sydney point of view, there are no excuses here.

The Swans are rested, at home and extremely healthy. Callum Mills has been replaced by Robbie Fox in a like-for-like selection, but the key parts of the midfield machine — Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Errol Gulden — remain intact. Port left it all out there against Hawthorn and were perhaps fortunate to prevail. Can they do the same in hostile territory seven days later?

VERDICT: Sydney by 1-39 points

SATURDAY

Geelong v Brisbane, MCG, 3.15pm

The saying goes “there is more than one way to skin a cat”. From Brisbane’s perspective, it is proving very difficult to ascertain what is exactly the best way, especially in finals.

The Lions have been manhandled by Geelong at this stage of the season in 2020 and 2022, winning by 40 and 71 points respectively. The ability of the Cats to stifle Brisbane’s flow when victorious has been profound and while the weather was less than ideal at their only meeting at the Gabba this season, the hosts could only manage four goals in a 26-point loss.

Geelong skipper Patrick Dangerfield set the tone early on in the qualifying final shellacking of Port Adelaide and as he goes, so too do the Cats. But Brisbane will demand Geelong’s best. If you are unable to execute for 120 minutes, the Lions remain a hope — as GWS discovered last Saturday.

VERDICT: Geelong to win

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