Bring it on: Euroa product Jamie Elliott at Collingwood training this week ahead of Saturday’s AFL Grand Final against Brisbane Lions. Photo: AAP
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Two Goulburn Valley products are counting down the hours to the bounce as Collingwood and Brisbane prepare to engage in Saturday afternoon’s AFL Grand Final at the MCG.
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Euroa export Jamie Elliott will be taking part in his first AFL decider after injury derailed his 2018 season when West Coast famously undid the Magpies on the big stage.
“I didn’t play all year (in 2018), I had recurring hammies, I had surgeries and I felt like I was a little bit on the outside,” Elliott told collingwoodfc.com.au this week,“ Elliott said.
“It’s nice to be able to play with freedom and not think your body is going to let you down, which I’ve had in the past years.
“This year we’ve had the build-up of last year making the prelim and only just missing out and now we’ve made the ‘granny’ it’s kind of been a bigger build-up so I’m pretty excited.”
Tallygaroopna’s Steele Sidebottom is no stranger to the occasion, becoming a 2010 premiership player in his second year on the Pies’ list before tasting Grand Final defeats in 2011 and 2018.
One win away: Tallygaroopna export and Congupna product Steele Sidebottom (left) celebrates with teammate Darcy Cameron in last weekend’s preliminary final win. Photo: AAP
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The Magpies’ revitalisation under second-year coach Craig McRae continues to bloom from the doldrums of a 17th-placed finish in 2021.
Meanwhile, Brisbane has endured frustrating finals fates in recent years, falling short of potential before breaking through to its first decider in 19 years.
Brisbane had to take the long way in its charge towards boss Chris Fagan’s first grand final.
Fagan’s Lions breezed through Port Adelaide in their qualifying final before they punched their ticket by overcoming Carlton.
Led by the most prominent force from their dynastic early-2000’s team in Michael Voss, the Blues got the early jump on Brisbane before the home side lifted in a stirring preliminary final fightback before a raucous Gabba crowd, completing a home sweep in 2023.
A fellow Lions three-peat star in McRae awaits in the opposite coaches’ box after his Magpies held Melbourne at bay to earn a week off before an even sterner challenge from a resurgent GWS outfit last Friday night.
The numbers bear out a battle between two teams with opposite midfield philosophies.
Collingwood, ranked first in the AFL for uncontested possessions per game, relies heavily on the run and carry of penetrating runners like newfound onballer Jordan de Goey.
Drawing comparisons to Dustin Martin’s near-unstoppable form in Richmond’s recent flags, de Goey played his role to perfection in last week’s nail-biter with 34 disposals and 17 clearances.
Brisbane, first in clearances and contested possessions, has been considerably more industrious in favouring an in-and-under workhorse style epitomised by co-captain and 2023 Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale.
There will be more local flavour in the curtain-raising AFL Futures game on Saturday morning at the MCG as well.
Shepparton Swans junior Oliver Warburton has been selected to take part in the exhibition, which showcases the top under-17 talents nationwide eligible for the following year’s draft.
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