AFL Grand Final 2021 Grand Final - Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs - Sat, Sept 25 - 5:15pm AWST / 7:15pm AEST

[Strapping Young Lad]

The Chad.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

I remember people saying Nic Nat would destroy us in 2015.

He might but i can’t remember the last premiership side with a star ruckman.

ottens and jolly classed as star ruckman?

 

[MinerBoy]

Imagine shitting the bed in home prelims 2 years in a row.

Interstate teams: Vic GFs are bias at MCG blah blah blah

 

[MinerBoy]

I did not see that Dogs demolition of Port Adelaide coming. The people that tipped the Dogs to exit week 1 are now looking pretty stupid.

Dees vs Dogs GF both sides relatively young so could be the first of a few.

Who the F thought the throwdogs would lose week 1 final to 6000+

 

[Cleavy]

I still want Melbourne to win the flag.

 

[MinerBoy]

I still want Melbourne to win the flag.

100%. * the throwdogs.

 

[Dewnior]

The current Bulldogs finals campaign has a very familiar vibe to their remarkable 2016 experience, consider:

Ladder position 2016: 7th
Ladder position 2021: 5th

Round 23 2016: Played 16th placed Freo who were coming off a 92pt belting by GWS the previous round - and somehow lost to them by 20pts.
Round 23 2021: Played 3rd placed Port at Docklands and lost in a thriller by 2pts, adding to their recent form slump with 3 losses in-a-row.

Week 1 2016 EF: Played 6th placed Eagles in Perth and despite losing to 16th placed Fremantle in round 23 at the same venue, they upset the highly fancied home team with a very comfortable 47pt victory.
Week 1 2021 EF: Played 8th placed Bombers in Launceston and despite losing to 15th placed Hawthorn in round 22 at the same venue, they found a way to defeat an in-form Bombers side, in the rain, easily by 49pts.

Week 2: 2016 SF: Played 3rd placed reigning premiers Hawthorn at the MCG and in a shock upset they won by 23pts.
Week 2: 2021 SF: Played 4th placed Lions in Brisbane and despite the home side being hot favourites they won a thriller by 1pt.

Week 3: 2016 PF: Played 4th placed GWS in Sydney and defeated their highly fancied opponents on their home ground by 6pts.
Week 3: 2021 PF: Played 2nd placed Port in Adelaide and absolutely belted the in-form home town favourites by 71pts.

Week 4: 2016 GF: Played 1st placed and flag favourites Sydney at the MCG and despite some poor umpiring, in an enthralling contest, they pulled off a stunning upset to win the flag by 22pts!
Week 4: 2021 GF: Played 1st placed and flag favourites Melbourne at neutral venue Perth Stadium.....TBC

The only relevant similarity between the 2016 and 2021 Dogs finals campaigns is the disgusting umpiring favouritism.

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

Dogs team this year is better than their 2016 team, but funnily enough, I don’t think they win the flag. They have easily been a top 2 team all year with the exception of the last 3 weeks of the H&A and they showed that tonight. I was expecting them to win, but not such a domination.

Dees have a sense of destiny about them and I think match the dogs in the midfield and are a bit stronger around the ground. Dogs could win, but I have it 70-30 Demons.

 

[Sturty]

Would like Doc to get another flag, but that means throwdogs win. SO GO DEES

 

[Brishawk]

Who the F thought the throwdogs would lose week 1 final to 6000+

Bomber fans?

 

[Glacier]

* the dogs

Go dees

 

[Billyc]

Dogs team this year is better than their 2016 team, but funnily enough, I don’t think they win the flag. They have easily been a top 2 team all year with the exception of the last 3 weeks of the H&A and they showed that tonight. I was expecting them to win, but not such a domination.

Dees have a sense of destiny about them and I think match the dogs in the midfield and are a bit stronger around the ground. Dogs could win, but I have it 70-30 Demons.

Agree with you. These are the two best sides. The Dogs just took a mental holiday in August but otherwise these two have been the stand outs for most of the season with the highest ceiling performances.

Melbourne are the more complete and rounded side. More experienced and no major weakness. 3 genuine top 10 players in the comp.

But the Dogs midfield is amazingly deep and Naughton is a star. Defence the concern

Melbourne’s time is now. They won’t get a better chance with a more primed list. The Dogs are full of young guns who will improve and still have two gifts in JUH and Darcy to throw into that mix. They will be force for a long time but I reckon Melbourne wins this one.

Opportunity for each of Bontempelli, Gawn, Petracca and Oliver to put their hand up as that next great player. I think Gawn will take it - his performance v Geelong was pretty special

 

[The hands of stone]

Gawn will destroy their rucks. Will give them a huge advantage.

Jackson is a huge part of that .
Gawn pretty much can do what he wants and is well rested because Jackson is more than capable in the centre square or as a forward.

Its a very impressive combo and I think if they have a 'good' day they will win it.

 

[Flamin Joe]

So our win/draw/loss ratio between the Grand Finalists is 1-1-1.

Not a bad record considering where we are currently at.

 

[Goldhawk]

I don't really care who wins the GF they are both worthy winners and are Victorian teams , but i do like what the Bulldogs have done win in Tassie, Brisbane

and now in Adelaide in front of a home hostile Port crowd before going over to Perth.

It would be a fairy tale if a side like Bulldogs could win from 5th position but then a Melbourne win would also be good since their last flag in 64.

My tip Bulldogs just.

 

[TylerDurden]

Cegs to the Dogs is an absolute no brainer. They are gagging for a recognised ruckman. Martin is absolutely fried.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The current Bulldogs finals campaign has a very familiar vibe to their remarkable 2016 experience, consider:

Ladder position 2016: 7th
Ladder position 2021: 5th

Round 23 2016: Played 16th placed Freo who were coming off a 92pt belting by GWS the previous round - and somehow lost to them by 20pts.
Round 23 2021: Played 3rd placed Port at Docklands and lost in a thriller by 2pts, adding to their recent form slump with 3 losses in-a-row.

Week 1 2016 EF: Played 6th placed Eagles in Perth and despite losing to 16th placed Fremantle in round 23 at the same venue, they upset the highly fancied home team with a very comfortable 47pt victory.
Week 1 2021 EF: Played 8th placed Bombers in Launceston and despite losing to 15th placed Hawthorn in round 22 at the same venue, they found a way to defeat an in-form Bombers side, in the rain, easily by 49pts.

Week 2: 2016 SF: Played 3rd placed reigning premiers Hawthorn at the MCG and in a shock upset they won by 23pts.
Week 2: 2021 SF: Played 4th placed Lions in Brisbane and despite the home side being hot favourites they won a thriller by 1pt.

Week 3: 2016 PF: Played 4th placed GWS in Sydney and defeated their highly fancied opponents on their home ground by 6pts.
Week 3: 2021 PF: Played 2nd placed Port in Adelaide and absolutely belted the in-form home town favourites by 71pts.

Week 4: 2016 GF: Played 1st placed and flag favourites Sydney at the MCG and despite some poor umpiring, in an enthralling contest, they pulled off a stunning upset to win the flag by 22pts!
Week 4: 2021 GF: Played 1st placed and flag favourites Melbourne at neutral venue Perth Stadium.....TBC

Poor umpiring? From what I remember, the Bulldogs were looked after extraordinarily well by the umpires in 2016, just like they have been to date.

For that reason and some others, I'm firmly on the Demons bandwagon to win.

 

[Sixpence]

 

[RoughysMullet]

Cegs to the Dogs is an absolute no brainer. They are gagging for a recognised ruckman. Martin is absolutely fried.

Unfortunately think we need to keep Cegs, at least until we find another ruck option. Got no one else to backup McEvoy and Reeves

 

[RoughysMullet]

Kinda surprised everyone on here is so keen to back a side who’s members tried to vote our club out of existence

 

[Dewnior]

Kinda surprised everyone on here is so keen to back a side who’s members tried to vote our club out of existence

Exactly. F&$k Melbourne and f&$k the AFL.

I'm hoping for a 100 point thumping.

 

[moginie]

Cegs to the Dogs is an absolute no brainer. They are gagging for a recognised ruckman. Martin is absolutely fried.

For a bloke who is fried, he gave the dogs first use of the ball in the centre square repeatedly in that first quarter. Set them up.

 

[Steven Tyler]

Kinda surprised everyone on here is so keen to back a side who’s members tried to vote our club out of existence

They could have voted 100% to merge with Hawthorn, it wouldn’t matter

As long as Hawthorn members voted “no” as a majority, and we did

 

[RoughysMullet]

They could have voted 100% to merge with Hawthorn, it wouldn’t matter

As long as Hawthorn members voted “no” as a majority, and we did

Yeah still hate them for it though

 

[NicW]

I honestly don't care who wins it now, just stoked to see Geelong do another Geelong.