Game Day 2021 AFL Grand Final: Melbourne vs Bulldogs @ Perth Stadium, 25th September

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Saturday, September 25
2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final
Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs
Optus Stadium
5:15pm AWST / 7:15pm AEST

2021-Pathway-to-the-Grand-Final-final.jpg
 
Minor premiers who make the grand final in AFL era:

1990 Essendon = Loss
1991 West Coast = Loss
1992 Geelong = Loss
1993 Essendon = WIN
1994 West Coast = WIN
1995 Carlton = WIN
1996 Sydney = Loss
1997 St Kilda = Loss
1998 North = Loss
2000 Essendon = WIN
2001 Essendon = Loss
2004 Port Adelaide = WIN
2006 West Coast = WIN
2007 Geelong = WIN
2008 Geelong = Loss
2009 St Kilda = Loss
2010 Collingwood = Draw, then WIN
2011 Collingwood = Loss
2012 Hawthorn = Loss
2013 Hawthorn = WIN
2014 Sydney = Loss
2016 Sydney = Loss
2017 Adelaide = Loss
2021 Melbourne = ???

9-14-1 record
 

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Wonder if two-weeks of Melbourne fairy tale narrative in the media will result in a lopsided free kick count in their favour in this game.
 
I never liked Footscray. I loathed Whitten who was a mongrel on the field and worse off it. The flick pass they used was a throw and banned. Now it seems Footscray can throw with impunity.

I take an any team bar Footscray and Carlton position. Happily I will never see a GF between the two. What a nightmare that would be!

I do not mind the Dees. I went with neighbours to lot of their games in the 50s to mid 60s. My first GF attendance was their loss to the Pies in 1958.

They were trying to convert me. Should have been easy really as South were unsuccessful and Melbourne were phenomenal, but there was never a chance. Still I revered Norm Smith who eventually coached us and held a heap of their players in high regard inc Barassi who coached and helped turn our Club around.

So for me it is simple - go Dees.
 
One call that could derail the flag for the Dee’s is giving the green light for Stephen May to play. More often than not that injury risk decision doesn’t turn out well. Lappin for the Lions a notable exception, it didn’t cost the Hawks when Dipper played injured but he was playing with one arm.

Massive risk but he does have a fortnight I suppose
 

MF

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Sep 10, 2006
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One call that could derail the flag for the Dee’s is giving the green light for Stephen May to play. More often than not that injury risk decision doesn’t turn out well. Lappin for the Lions a notable exception, it didn’t cost the Hawks when Dipper played injured but he was playing with one arm.

Massive risk but he does have a fortnight I suppose
He played out a fair chunk of the game after the injury unhindered didn't he?
 

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He played out a fair chunk of the game after the injury unhindered didn't he?

He went back on clearly hampered and was more organising the defence than doing anything else. He had one more possession on his return and that was because he had no choice and used his wrong foot to kick. Not a lot of ball down his end to be fair.

Yeah he proved he could get through another period heavily strapped but my point is that he is now a risk. Obviously he has a fortnight to sort it out but I’m just highlighting a potential risk.

Probably no more than say the Bont I grant you.
 

Wolfgang West

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One call that could derail the flag for the Dee’s is giving the green light for Stephen May to play. More often than not that injury risk decision doesn’t turn out well. Lappin for the Lions a notable exception, it didn’t cost the Hawks when Dipper played injured but he was playing with one arm.

Massive risk but he does have a fortnight I suppose

Not that they gave him an MRI when he left the field the other night before returning but they must have felt it was cramping or tightness possibly back related to have put him back out there. Managed correctly 2 weeks will be plenty. He will be right to go.
 
Not that they gave him an MRI when he left the field the other night before returning but they must have felt it was cramping or tightness possibly back related to have put him back out there. Managed correctly 2 weeks will be plenty. He will be right to go.

Guess we’ll see. He’s already declared himself a certain starter anyway.
 

Kapers

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Honestly, as long as it's not a blow out to the dogs, or one sided umpiring I would be happy.

If it's a close game and Dogs deserve to win I can cop it.

Would love a blow out Melbourne's way most of all though.
 
This will be a blow out grand final I think. In one sense, the Dogs get a chance to win a legitimate flag, the Dees break a drought.

Either way I feel it won’t be close. Go Dees.
 

Bloods86

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I'll be honest, it won't impact my life either way since I don't know any Dogs or Dees fans, but I either want a) a Dees 120 point win, or b) a Gawn kick from the goalsquare to win it on the siren, after the Dogs give away a free (throw or below the knees don't care). Cut to Bevo smashing a phone and/or window in the box, leaving their WorkSafe partnership in jeopardy, and media frenzy airport scenes as he's deported from the Republic of Western Australia for destruction of property.
 

Spamburger

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Hopefully the AFL will have enough good taste to not appoint the three umps that officiated the 2016 GF. Or if they do, the umps get it right and square up the ledger. It would certainly go a long way to restoring faith in them and the AFL north of the border.
 
Jun 19, 2011
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Dogs will get it IMO

I'm feeling the same unfortunately. I can't stand the Dogs and I've always had a soft spot for Melbourne so I'd love to see the Demons break the drought, but I've got this terrible feeling the Dogs are gonna do it. They're a very good side (I predicted at the start of the year they'd disappoint again so I was certainly wrong there) and now get a bye at the perfect time for some of their guys to get right. Meanwhile Melbourne will now have another week off after just having one before the prelim which could mess with their momentum in similar ways to how other clubs over the last few years have struggled after having had the pre-finals bye and then a week off after week 1 finals. It just all feels like it has broken perfectly for the Dogs.
 

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