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The crucial cogs of AFL’s preliminary finals: Which players need to be the difference makers?
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
18th September, 2024
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Doran Smith
Roar Guru
18th September, 2024
2

There are four teams in the race for the ultimate success and still no one can categorically say who will win the whole thing.

In the preliminary finals, we’re taking a look at three players who’ll need to make a difference for their team.

Sydney v Port Adelaide

Sydney

Isaac Heeney may well have won the Brownlow Medal if he hadn’t been suspended. One thing is for sure: Sydney wouldn’t have beaten GWS in the qualifying final if not for Heeney’s heroics. The 28-year-old had 30 disposals, seven clearances, eight score involvements, three goals and five tackles. Sydney were obliterated by Port Adelaide in Round 21. The onus is on him to back up his performance from the first week of the finals and ensure his side don’t suffer another Power outage.

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James Jordon did a great job of curtailing the influence of Lachie Whitfield when Sydney took on GWS in the qualifying final. The former Melbourne player has proved to be one of the recruits of the season. Following the impressive performance of Jase Burgoyne in the semi-final – Port Adelaide winning against Hawthorn – Jordon may have a negating role on him at the SCG.

Chad Warner should have plenty of fire in his belly; the midfielder lowered his colours in Round 21 against Port Adelaide. The 23-year-old may go head-to-head with Jason Horne-Francis, which could be a tantalising match up, because both players have such an explosive burst of speed and have the ability to hit the scoreboard.

Chad Warner celebrates a goal.

Chad Warner celebrates a goal. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Port Adelaide

Jordon Sweet has been a revelation for Port Adelaide and his acquisition was an astute recruiting move by Port Adelaide; the former Western Bulldogs player always gives it 100 per cent. Despite being a ruckman, Sweet has pace and works hard defensively, as he proved in the semi-final against Hawthorn, finishing the game with 52 hit-outs, 15 disposals, six clearances, seven score involvements, five tackles and three intercept possessions. What his team needs from him is to get the better of Brodie Grundy in the ruck battle.

Willie Rioli showed why Port Adelaide got him to the footy club in an outstanding display against Hawthorn in the semi-final; the former West Coast player had the most score involvements of any player on the ground finishing the game with eight. The small forward showed that he has a high footy IQ and is a damaging player who Sydney will need to curtail in the preliminary final, which they failed to do in Round 21, as Rioli kicked four goals.

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AFL

Mitch Georgiades kicked three goals and always looked dangerous around the goals in the semi-final against Hawthorn. The 22-year-old should be chock-full of confidence; the last time Port Adelaide took on Sydney, Georgiades finished the game with four goals and 11 score involvements.

Geelong v Brisbane

Geelong

Tyson Stengle showed his wares in the qualifying final between Geelong and Port Adelaide; the small forward relished the opportunity to play in a big final, finishing the game with four goals and seven score involvements. The 25-year-old should be able to repeat the dose in what should be a tantalising contest between Geelong and Brisbane.

Jordan De Goey is challenged by Patrick Dangerfield.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Patrick Dangerfield was outstanding for Geelong in the qualifying final against Port Adelaide; the Geelong captain finished the game with 12 score involvements and three intercept possessions. There’s no doubt that the 34-year-old has to have an impact on the game if Geelong are to beat Brisbane; even if Dangerfield gets tagged, he can play a selfless role and put blocks on for teammates and his leadership should shine through.

Shaun Mannagh has been a revelation; Geelong have only lost two out of the last nine games that Mannagh has played in. The 27-year-old polled seven votes in the Gary Ayres Award when they took on Port Adelaide in the qualifying final. The mature-aged recruit must play a key role should Geelong get the chocolates in the preliminary final.

Brisbane

Jarrod Berry worked his guts out in Brisbane’s narrow win over GWS in the semi-final; the Brisbane midfielder finished with 27 disposals, five score involvements and eight intercept possessions. The 26-year-old will need to be at his best against Geelong, given he could possibly tag Patrick Dangerfield or perhaps play a negating role on Tom Stewart.

Kai Lohmann is a lively player that brings plenty of energy; the 21-year-old kicked an important goal that got Brisbane back into the contest, which trimmed the deficit to 38 points with a great goal in the third quarter of the semi-final against GWS. The Brisbane small forward doesn’t need to have the ball to impact the contest, because he has great forward craft.

Harris Andrews leads from the front and can count himself unlucky not to be selected in the AFL All-Australian team, as the Brisbane co-captain has had a terrific season. The 27-year-old has averaged the equal 11th most intercepts per game of any player in the competition with 7.5. The key defender will be challenged, given he’ll be matched up against Jeremy Cameron at times.

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