After the weekend.

Wow it's now getting down to the business end of the season with only four teams remaining. Who will end up being the top two teams for the year? So much has come out of the weekend in the big build up to the two preliminary finals this week. I do love this time of the year regardless of whos in the finals, it creates so much interest.

Friday night saw Western Bulldogs host Brisbane at the MCG. What I saw of this game it was rather scrappy. Both teams had to deal with the blowy conditions that probably didn't make it easy for footy. Slow start by both teams eventually gave way for a bit of a blow out by the Dogs to win by 51 points. Not a bad effort but the reports that I have heard is that the mood was like the Dogs lost in the dressing room after the match. I would say it was more disappointment in their effort regardless of the fact that they had won by 51 points. It would be waranted but at the end of the day I would say that they should be proud as they did pretty much what a lot of people thought as I don't think that the Lions are ready to progress at this stage but do give it time they will be better for the experience. To me really they shouldn't have won last week because they were staring down defeat at one stage in the last quarter. Now the Dogs have a date with St Kilda in next week's first Preliminary Final on Friday Night at the MCG. Brisbane have Mad Monday (if they are allowed to) and a build up to 2010. Friday Night's game is going to be interesting between the Saints and the Dogs to see who takes the First spot in the 2009 Grand Final. I just hope that the crowds will be more than 60,000 for this game which I reckon they should be.

To Saturday Night and Collingwood hosted Adelaide at the MCG. Boy what a game! Adelaide started well and looked to have controlled the game. But Collingwood's second quarter is what really got them back into the game, that and the fact that Adelaide didn't score a goal in that quarter. Between the next couple of quarters, the game was close including in the last quarter the lead changing a couple of times before a free kick in the forward 50 to Jack Anthony ended up winning the game for the Pies by 5 points. Anthony was emotional after the game. Who said that footy doesn't mean anything to people! It means a lot! And his post match comments were "I contributed, it was only a little bit but that's all that mattered" which I thought was excellent. Could it be that I am giving a compliment to a Collingwood player? Hmm. Anyway. It was disappointment to Adelaide who had a good year but one thing's for sure if they go top four next year they will go even further next year! Now Collingwood have booked a spot with Geelong on Saturday Night at the MCG in the Second Preliminary Final. The winner to play either the Saints or the Dogs in the Grand Final. By what early reports suggest, this game is going to get at least 80,000 probably 90,000 and above, it should be an electric atmosphere. Both these teams played in the 2007 Preliminary Final in front of 98 plus thousand fans. Will the Pies avenge the result of two years ago or will the cats go through to their third concecutive grand Final? One things for sure it's going to be a ripper!

So it's down to four. Who will be in the Grand Final? One thing I know for sure is that it's going to be a all Victorian Grand Final which will be awesome. Great for the sport in general. I will have more comments during the week and my preview for the two massive Preliminary Finals.

Catch ya!