2024 AFL Sydney Finals – Week 4 Preview, Grand Final Edition

Written by Michael Shillito

One day in September, in there and fight

‘Cause we’ve made it to the Final, show ‘em you’re might…..

We started in April, the slate wiped clean. Ten Men’s teams and nine Women’s teams, all with hopes and dreams. For week after week, they battled it out; the strong clubs emerged from the pack. With every week, dreams were made and shattered.

And then there were five, and the finals began. Then four, then three; and now just two teams remain. It all comes down to this.

In the Men’s, North Shore have been the standout. Undefeated in the regular season, and got it done comfortably in the Major Semi-Final. They’ll be in a Northern derby against Manly Warringah; who had to do it the long way round after losing the Qualifying Final, but wins in the Minor Semi-Final and Preliminary Final got them there.

Manly are also in the Women’s Grand Final. After getting up in the Qualifying Final, they knocked off minor premiers East Coast in the Major Semi-Final to qualify for the big dance. But the Eagles hit back in last week’s Preliminary Final, and get another shot at the Wolves in this, the big one.

History is made on this day. 18 regular season games and the finals got us here; but they count for nothing now. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been the best club all year. History does not honour the team that wins the most games, it honours the team that wins the last game. If you can’t get it done on this, the biggest stage, you miss out on the prize.

Don’t forget that if you’re going to Blacktown International Sportspark for the Grand Final, you’ll need a ticket. Head online to EventBrite and get that sorted. Then take your spot in the grandstand or on the hill and be a part of a special day.

This is more than a silver cup and medals. This is history.

MEN’S PREMIER DIVISION GRAND FINAL

North Shore Bombers v Manly-Warringah Wolves

Blacktown International Sportspark, Saturday 3:20pm

The Northern derby, the Battle of the Spit Bridge. There’s plenty of feeling and rivalry when these clubs go head to head at any time. But for the Grand Final, the stakes are higher than ever. Blacktown International Sportspark is the place to be. But for the Bombers and Wolves diaspora around the globe who can’t get out west; never fear. You can catch all the action as it unfolds live on Streamer.

There can be no dispute that North Shore have been the benchmark this season. Through the home and away season, they were undefeated. Won all 18 games with a percentage of a whopping 247. And in the Major Semi-Final a fortnight ago they froze Pennant Hills out of the contest with five unanswered first quarter goals before coasting to a 35-point win. On a day when goals were hard to come by, Fraser Thurlow’s bag of four was worth its weight in gold; with Thurlow joined by Christian Loone and James Tidemann as the Bombers’ best on the day.

The Bombers have plenty of goal-scoring options. Thurlow kicked four in the Major Semi-Final, but he hasn’t played many games this year. The experienced Wayd Blackburne leads the Bombers’ goal-scoring with 38 for the season, while Matt Buskariol has landed 38.

Ned Campbell is a player to watch, with the North Shore skipper polling top voting in the Phelan Medal for the third season in a row. Young gun James Tidemann, along with Ethan Grace, have also featured prominently for the Bombers numerous times, and they’ll be hard to keep down.

The Bombers have been in this position before. Last year they were minor premiers and made it through to the Grand Final, but were beaten on the day. The year before they also went down on Grand Final day. After a dominant season like this, will it be third time lucky? Will the Bombers break through for their first premiership since 2007?

Standing in their way is their local rivals, Manly. The Wolves have also had a solid season, winning 15 of their home and away games and drawing another; finishing second after the home and away season. They lost to Pennant Hills in the Qualifying Final, but had little trouble getting over Sydney Uni in the Minor Semi-Final to get another crack at the Demons in last week’s Preliminary Final. It was a see-sawing encounter, with scores level at the last change, but in the end the Wolves got up by eight points. Sam McMeeken, Zac Youlten and Willem Smit played key roles at the vital moment to get the Wolves over the line and into the competition decider.

In their quest for a premiership-winning score, the Wolves will be looking to Zac Youlten to make a contribution. Youletn has booted 44 goals this season to lead Manly’s goal-kicking; while Cameron Manuel with 25 will also have a big role to play.

Despite finishing second in the Phelan Medal after his runaway start to the year, Barry O’Connor won’t be playing for the Wolves. Look for the likes of Kale Gabila, a joint winner of last year’s Phelan, the evergreen Lachlan Behagg and tall Jono Marsh to stand and deliver contributions. If the Bombers can keep them quiet, they’ll be well on their way.

The Wolves entered Premier Division in 2013 and won the premiership in their first two seasons. They’ve never lost a Grand Final at this level. Will they keep that record intact? Will they inflict North Shore’s first loss for the year on this, the biggest stage?

WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION GRAND FINAL

Manly-Warringah Wolves v East Coast Eagles

Blacktown International Sportspark, Saturday 1:10pm

It’s a big day for Manly, who will be in both Premier Division Grand Finals; the first of which sees the Wolves shape up against an East Coast Eagles side aiming for the premiership three-peat. There’s plenty to look forward to in this contest, and the best place to watch it is in person at Blacktown. But if you’re not able to get there, the next best thing is to see all the action as it unfolds on Streamer.

The regular season had its share of twists and turns, and it wasn’t always a sure thing that the Wolves would get this far. They dropped five games during the home and away season, but wins in their last three games and their healthy percentage got them into the double-chance. And they had to work hard during the finals, getting up by four points over the Goannas in the Qualifying Final. Then in the Major Semi-Final they had an epic contest against East Coast, getting out to a lead in the third quarter and holding the Eagles out in the last to win by two points. But when the game was there to be won, Montana Bray, Hannah Woolf and Zara Hamilton stood tall and got the job done.

To get a winning score on the board, the Wolves have options. Two to keep an eye on are Peggy Stanbury, who booted 18 goals so far this season; along with the consistent Isabella Rudolph who only joined the Wolves’ campaign late in the year but has landed 17 from just four games.

Around the ground, Hannah Woolf; a Woolf among Wolves; will have a key role to play in her hope of adding a premiership medal to her Mostyn Medal that she picked up on Monday night. Zara Hamilton and Ash Carter have also been prolific ball-winners for the Wolves; and the Eagles will have plenty of work to do to shut them down.

It’s hard to believe that the Wolves only joined Premier Division in 2020. They won the premiership in their first season, then after the abandoned 2021 season they backed up with a Grand Final appearance in 2022. Only once have they completed a season without making the Grand Final. Will this be premiership number two?

Standing in Manly’s way is East Coast. The Eagles have only been in Premier Division a year longer than the Wolves have; and they also wasted little time in proving themselves to be a powerhouse in Womens’ footy. Grand Finallists in their first season in 2019, premiers in 2022 and 2023 and now going for their third in a row.

The Eagles were the standout team in the regular season, dropping just two games to finish three games clear on top. They suffered a hiccup in the Major Semi-Final when they went down to Manly by two points; but hit back in style in last week’s Preliminary Final, when they held Sydney Uni to a solitary goal to record a resounding 61-point win. Summer Hall, Amelie Prosser-Hall and Michelle Foscarini were in the thick of the action as the Eagles returned to form just in time for this, the competition decider.

The Eagles will need to post a big score, and they have the weaponry to do that. Caitlin Davidson has scored 24 goals this season and will have a role to play. Also kicking 24 goals from limited appearances is Rylee McGartland, who has got the job done on the big stage before and will be called on to do it again this time.

There’s plenty of firepower around the ground for the Eagles. Keep an eye on Michelle Foscarini, Caitlin Reid and Jess Whelan; who have all played plenty of big games during the season to get the Eagles here and who will be required to be prolific with the ball if the Eagles are going to get the job done here.

It all comes down to this. Can the Eagles confirm their status as the leading powerhouse of Women’s footy and take home the premiership three-peat?