Aug. 29, 2025

Finals Fever: Paul & Vince’s Wild AFL 2025 Predictions

Finals Fever: Paul & Vince’s Wild AFL 2025 Predictions
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Finals Fever: Paul & Vince’s Wild AFL 2025 Predictions
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Every year at this time of the football season Vince & I attempt to preview the AFL finals, mixing sharp banter with match-by-match analysis and predictions for Adelaide vs Collingwood, Geelong vs Brisbane, GWS vs Hawthorn, and Fremantle vs Gold Coast.

The episode covers key issues like Isaac Rankin’s suspension, home-ground advantage, veteran experience versus youth, and ends with bold grand-final predictions and light-hearted rivalry. Join us and try and predict not only who will win in this round but, which team will be holding up the Grand Final Cup. 

00:11 - Welcome to Why Is It So?

01:11 - Teams in the Finals

02:48 - Adelaide’s Key Player Absence

07:53 - Brisbane vs. Geelong Showdown

11:07 - Elimination Finals Overview

13:28 - GWS vs. Hawthorne Predictions

15:27 - Fremantle vs. Gold Coast

19:30 - Recap of Predictions

22:58 - Grand Final Predictions

24:54 - Closing Remarks

WEBVTT

00:00:02.497 --> 00:00:07.977
Welcome to Why Is It So? Your last defence for common sense with your co-hosts

00:00:07.977 --> 00:00:10.297
Paul Zammett and Vince Loccizzano.

00:00:11.877 --> 00:00:15.137
Well, good morning, Vince. It's good to have you on board again for a few minutes.

00:00:15.377 --> 00:00:16.877
Yeah, it's nice to be back, Paul.

00:00:19.157 --> 00:00:23.037
We're up to the grand final, almost. Well, we're up to the finals.

00:00:23.137 --> 00:00:24.357
We've only got a lot of bull weeks.

00:00:25.777 --> 00:00:31.837
It is that time of year where you can just smell the grass again and the mornings

00:00:31.837 --> 00:00:39.257
are a little bit warmer, the sun's out, and the smell of finals is in the air. Absolutely.

00:00:39.617 --> 00:00:44.257
And I think it's very exciting when you get to the grand final day.

00:00:44.897 --> 00:00:48.497
And I just hope that Collingwood is there. I'm sure you do.

00:00:49.017 --> 00:00:53.137
I would have loved Carlton to be there, but most of that's love for us.

00:00:53.137 --> 00:00:56.557
But don't worry, Carlton supporters, we're only 30 years into our five-year

00:00:56.557 --> 00:00:58.957
plan. So you haven't got much further to go.

00:01:00.237 --> 00:01:04.317
I mean, you're not going to have many players left, but two have already walked out the door.

00:01:05.657 --> 00:01:10.357
You'll get them enough to just get them together. 20 people of the league.

00:01:11.517 --> 00:01:15.377
The less we talk about Carlton, the better, Paul. So why don't we talk about

00:01:15.377 --> 00:01:17.757
the teams that actually have made the eight?

00:01:17.937 --> 00:01:22.437
I think, first of all, we'll just go through who those teams are.

00:01:22.437 --> 00:01:24.957
We've got four games this week. Well, next week, I'm sorry.

00:01:25.457 --> 00:01:28.597
Yeah, first week of the finals. The first final, yes.

00:01:29.017 --> 00:01:33.477
So we've got Adelaide versus Collingwood. Which is the fourth, yeah.

00:01:33.777 --> 00:01:37.377
Yeah, which is going to be a game to remember, I think.

00:01:37.597 --> 00:01:40.817
They're always very close. Can I ask you a question? As a Collingwood supporter,

00:01:41.377 --> 00:01:46.197
about six, seven weeks ago, you were on top of the ladder, 10 points clear of

00:01:46.197 --> 00:01:49.017
the next team, and you finished fourth.

00:01:49.717 --> 00:01:54.317
Yes. How do you feel about that? Well, I think there is a method in their madness.

00:01:55.197 --> 00:01:58.777
They've actually thought, well, let's just hang on to everything we've got.

00:01:58.877 --> 00:02:00.857
We don't want to go in and hurt and injure everybody.

00:02:01.277 --> 00:02:05.037
We want to have a full tide when we go out there. I think the wheels are falling

00:02:05.037 --> 00:02:07.877
off. Well, they looked like it until they beat Melbourne.

00:02:08.357 --> 00:02:11.877
Oh, Melbourne. Oh, gee whiz, what a wonderful victory.

00:02:12.137 --> 00:02:15.717
But it almost looked like they were going to lose that. They managed to scrape

00:02:15.717 --> 00:02:19.737
over the line against a team who's finished 14th and only won seven games for

00:02:19.737 --> 00:02:23.537
the season. Well, yeah, I mean, one of the teams that had a win for a change

00:02:23.537 --> 00:02:25.417
was Carlton, actually, in the last round.

00:02:26.257 --> 00:02:30.497
And, yeah, they were just practising to see how they go next year.

00:02:32.276 --> 00:02:38.036
Anyway, getting back to the other thing, our first game is going to be on the Thursday.

00:02:38.416 --> 00:02:44.156
Thursday, indeed. Adelaide and Collingwood. I think Adelaide will beat Collingwood.

00:02:44.396 --> 00:02:47.716
It will be a close game, a very close game.

00:02:48.236 --> 00:02:51.876
So it's in Adelaide, so that gives them an advantage. But one of the players

00:02:51.876 --> 00:02:56.816
that's going to be missing from the Adelaide team is one of their most crucial

00:02:56.816 --> 00:03:00.096
players in Isaac Rankin, who, of course,

00:03:00.776 --> 00:03:05.396
copped a four-match ban for using a racial term against another Commonwealth player.

00:03:06.516 --> 00:03:11.936
And he copped about as many weeks as it would take you to keen hit someone into next week.

00:03:12.636 --> 00:03:18.036
They're giving more weeks suspension for a word that's uttered out on the field

00:03:18.036 --> 00:03:22.436
than what they are for someone who absolutely uses physical force against another player.

00:03:22.816 --> 00:03:26.616
Yes. Well, let's not go into that. Let's worry about the finals.

00:03:27.176 --> 00:03:32.596
I mean, do you think Adelaide is going to be largely weakened by the absence

00:03:32.596 --> 00:03:33.816
of ranking? Yes, they will.

00:03:34.496 --> 00:03:39.156
But for the same token, if they rely on one person to win the game, they're not a good side.

00:03:40.216 --> 00:03:43.776
We're not saying that they rely just on him, but they're certainly weakened.

00:03:43.796 --> 00:03:49.096
I think they'll have somebody else who will pop up to do the job, as most good teams do.

00:03:49.596 --> 00:03:52.116
They usually have someone that's going to get another soldier in.

00:03:52.236 --> 00:03:57.756
Yeah, and one of them will step up, if you like. So who's your prediction for this game?

00:03:58.636 --> 00:04:01.616
Adelaide, unfortunately. Not much? No.

00:04:01.896 --> 00:04:05.676
There never has been too many points between. There's the odd one here and there,

00:04:05.756 --> 00:04:07.916
but usually it's a goal either side, isn't it?

00:04:08.016 --> 00:04:11.376
Even when they play in Melbourne, Adelaide managed to push Collingwood all the way back.

00:04:11.676 --> 00:04:15.776
Yeah, and most other clubs don't win against them in Adelaide.

00:04:16.196 --> 00:04:22.716
But we, Collingwood, do actually take them right to the line.

00:04:23.656 --> 00:04:27.556
I think both of us at the start of the year predicted that Adelaide would jump

00:04:27.556 --> 00:04:32.036
into the eight from 15th position last year, but I don't think many people predicted

00:04:32.036 --> 00:04:36.576
that they'd go from 15th to first and actually end up on top of the ladder.

00:04:36.716 --> 00:04:39.276
It's a fantastic achievement by Adelaide. Yeah.

00:04:39.976 --> 00:04:43.576
But it will all mean nothing unless they make the grand final and win the premiership.

00:04:43.716 --> 00:04:45.616
Collierwood, I think, peaked too early.

00:04:46.016 --> 00:04:49.216
They will come back. I know people are saying too old, too slow.

00:04:49.916 --> 00:04:53.056
Maybe some of them are. Too good, too experienced.

00:04:53.496 --> 00:04:56.956
Well, that comes into it, doesn't it? But surely Scott Pendlebury's got to be

00:04:56.956 --> 00:04:59.636
the most crucial player on the ground, doesn't he? Playing him,

00:04:59.756 --> 00:05:00.856
actually, from the bench.

00:05:01.296 --> 00:05:03.636
In a lot of the games, he hasn't been starving lately.

00:05:04.276 --> 00:05:08.036
But he's so important in the middle of the ground. He is. And not because he

00:05:08.036 --> 00:05:09.996
gets a lot of kicks and not because he, you know.

00:05:10.416 --> 00:05:13.876
Directs traffic. He directs traffic and he sort of reads the game.

00:05:14.336 --> 00:05:18.036
And that's his big strength. And that's why he's going in for another year.

00:05:19.034 --> 00:05:23.694
He won't be. He looks like he could keep going to 500 games the way he's going.

00:05:23.894 --> 00:05:25.834
Well, he could. He could.

00:05:26.134 --> 00:05:32.234
I think next year he's on track to actually surpass the games record for games

00:05:32.234 --> 00:05:34.034
played by any player in the history of it.

00:05:34.294 --> 00:05:40.434
It was only 440, wasn't it? It's 432, I think it was, by Brent Harvey from North

00:05:40.434 --> 00:05:41.434
Melbourne. That's right, yeah.

00:05:41.574 --> 00:05:43.854
So he's on track to beat that next year.

00:05:44.874 --> 00:05:49.514
Well, he's just 400 now, is he? He's over 400. He's about 420 now.

00:05:50.274 --> 00:05:54.894
Oh, okay. So he'll make it if he does the season. Yeah, he'll make it. That's pretty good.

00:05:55.334 --> 00:05:59.594
All right, moving on from then. Well, my prediction there, by the way, just seeing you ask me,

00:06:00.314 --> 00:06:07.134
is that I think Collingwood might just show the value of experience and having

00:06:07.134 --> 00:06:11.154
played finals in consecutive years for, what is it, three years now?

00:06:11.554 --> 00:06:15.754
Or maybe even four years since Craig McRae got there. I think it's four.

00:06:16.194 --> 00:06:20.274
And they won a premiership in his second year. So I think Adelaide,

00:06:20.434 --> 00:06:24.314
despite the fact that they've had a fantastic home and away season,

00:06:24.954 --> 00:06:27.514
you know, give them full credit for that, finished on top of the ladder,

00:06:27.814 --> 00:06:33.154
to go into their first final without having played a final for, what, eight years.

00:06:33.154 --> 00:06:37.534
So maybe only Taylor Walker and maybe one or two others might have played finals before.

00:06:37.854 --> 00:06:42.314
A lot of them are going to be a little bit nervous and a bit edgy, I reckon.

00:06:42.634 --> 00:06:46.314
And if Colin would put the pressure on them, I reckon Adelaide might just find

00:06:46.314 --> 00:06:49.754
it a bit hard with all of the expectation around them.

00:06:50.254 --> 00:06:53.274
And if Collingwood get a hold of them early and silence the crowd,

00:06:53.294 --> 00:06:56.314
I reckon they might just get over the line. You never know.

00:06:56.534 --> 00:07:01.334
Well, I think you're taking Collingwood for the same reasons I'm backing Adelaide.

00:07:01.494 --> 00:07:06.134
Why is that? Well, in my case, if Collingwood win, I'll be happy.

00:07:06.474 --> 00:07:10.754
Yes, you will be. Yeah, and even though I've picked Adelaide.

00:07:11.254 --> 00:07:13.254
And in your case, you'd pick Collingwood.

00:07:14.674 --> 00:07:18.694
Believe me, I hope Adelaide win. I've been cheering hard for Adelaide.

00:07:18.874 --> 00:07:22.894
But I do think that the Bavillard experience in finals does count for something.

00:07:23.154 --> 00:07:28.674
And if there's any team out there that can use that advantage, it will be Collingwood.

00:07:28.814 --> 00:07:31.434
And I really do worry about Adelaide without Rankin.

00:07:31.674 --> 00:07:35.794
If they had Rankin in the team, I'd be a lot more inclined to pick them.

00:07:35.954 --> 00:07:39.214
But I think that's going to be a huge loss through this final series.

00:07:39.474 --> 00:07:43.574
Yeah, look, really so much good talking about what could be I understand that,

00:07:43.694 --> 00:07:44.994
but he's going to be a big out.

00:07:45.174 --> 00:07:48.814
Well, yes he is, but as I said, they'll have a good one to pop up.

00:07:48.954 --> 00:07:52.994
Someone is going to step in and he'll do higher than what he's done himself.

00:07:53.882 --> 00:07:59.822
We'll take the medal from the last year. The second qualifying final is arguably

00:07:59.822 --> 00:08:08.842
the best contest that certainly promises to be a fantastic contest between Geelong and the Brisbane Lions,

00:08:09.022 --> 00:08:13.022
the reigning premiers at the MCG on Friday night,

00:08:13.262 --> 00:08:15.762
the 5th of September at 7.40.

00:08:15.922 --> 00:08:17.822
So who do you like in this one?

00:08:18.542 --> 00:08:22.262
I think Brisbane will take the chocolates here.

00:08:22.822 --> 00:08:27.422
They've been playing well coming up to the last two or three games. Yes, they are.

00:08:28.042 --> 00:08:33.582
They've sort of been around. Two big wins, really, against Fremantle in Perth

00:08:33.582 --> 00:08:37.322
and against Hawthorne, who they've always had a bit of trouble against.

00:08:37.462 --> 00:08:39.322
They beat Hawthorne last weekend.

00:08:40.022 --> 00:08:44.582
And they're going with good form. And this is their third year up in the grand final.

00:08:44.982 --> 00:08:49.602
Well, in a final, sorry. No, it's probably seven or eight seasons in the finals.

00:08:50.482 --> 00:08:54.342
But if they make the grand final, it'll be there. There's no way.

00:08:54.862 --> 00:08:58.562
Yeah. If they make it. Yeah. And, well, they've got to beat Geelong first.

00:08:58.722 --> 00:09:02.042
Not an easy assignment first up. Will not be, no.

00:09:02.702 --> 00:09:06.742
Geelong's in good form, and they look fit and healthy and raring to go.

00:09:06.922 --> 00:09:10.062
They are. They're pretty much full strength, too, you know. I don't know that

00:09:10.062 --> 00:09:11.882
they've got a player out the engine at all.

00:09:12.242 --> 00:09:17.602
Yeah. Look, the thing with Geelong is they're always very consistent.

00:09:17.602 --> 00:09:20.482
That they are there every year.

00:09:20.702 --> 00:09:22.802
You know, they might be second, they might be eighth. They might be,

00:09:22.942 --> 00:09:25.282
if they miss out, it's really only by one or two.

00:09:26.242 --> 00:09:30.042
So they deserve some kudos, but it depends on the day.

00:09:30.202 --> 00:09:35.302
I think any team in the eight could win or could get to the grand final and

00:09:35.302 --> 00:09:38.562
win the grand final on the best day, on their best day.

00:09:39.122 --> 00:09:42.282
Because it's been happening right through the summer. So you think Brisbane

00:09:42.282 --> 00:09:47.062
will come down here and beat Geelong on the MCG? Well, they beat you long on

00:09:47.062 --> 00:09:50.502
their own crown a couple of games ago. Well, that's true.

00:09:51.289 --> 00:09:55.769
Don't begin last year. Geelong. Last year when these two teams met in a preliminary

00:09:55.769 --> 00:10:00.109
final for a place in the grand final, Brisbane beat Geelong as well. Exactly.

00:10:00.389 --> 00:10:03.969
So they are capable of doing it. Yeah, we talk about Brisbane,

00:10:04.109 --> 00:10:06.889
and they haven't had a big change in personnel, nor have Geelong.

00:10:07.509 --> 00:10:12.149
And both teams have been playing, although Geelong is being more consistent.

00:10:12.929 --> 00:10:15.929
Otherwise, they've been... They've had a softer draw too, it's got to be said.

00:10:16.429 --> 00:10:21.689
Geelong's draw, especially in the last seven or eight weeks of the home and away season.

00:10:21.749 --> 00:10:26.589
If you have a look at who they played, you know, really they had a very easy run through there.

00:10:26.729 --> 00:10:30.389
When you look at it, they've got to sort of, when they sort of put the games

00:10:30.389 --> 00:10:32.909
together, we're not sure where they're going to start.

00:10:33.089 --> 00:10:36.889
We're not going to finish, are we? So it's their good luck that their way to draw went.

00:10:37.189 --> 00:10:40.989
Did go their way. Look, on this occasion, I'm actually going to tip Geelong.

00:10:41.209 --> 00:10:47.769
I think they're a bit more primed and a bit more settled and they've barely got an injury.

00:10:47.769 --> 00:10:51.629
And, of course, we all know that the better prepared you are,

00:10:51.889 --> 00:10:57.869
the healthier your list is, the more chance you've got of winning the ultimate prize in September.

00:10:57.869 --> 00:11:03.009
So as much as I would love to see Brisbane win, and I do want to see them win,

00:11:03.189 --> 00:11:06.269
I think Geelong might just take the chocolates on this occasion.

00:11:07.349 --> 00:11:12.349
Well, on Saturday, of course, we have... The two elimination finals?

00:11:12.829 --> 00:11:16.469
Yes. Which one's the first one? That's GWS. Yeah.

00:11:17.049 --> 00:11:20.449
Giants against Hawthorne. Fifth versus eighth? Yes.

00:11:20.829 --> 00:11:25.569
This is going to be played at the GWS Home Stadium? Yes. In Western Sydney?

00:11:25.929 --> 00:11:29.749
Yes, it is. And it's going to be a day game at 3.15pm.

00:11:30.029 --> 00:11:33.949
So it'll be interesting to see how many people they get to this final. Well.

00:11:34.609 --> 00:11:38.289
And it'll be interesting to see which team prevails here. Who do you like?

00:11:38.549 --> 00:11:44.009
I'm going to go for Hawthorne simply on the fact that GWS Giants have choked

00:11:44.009 --> 00:11:45.649
every time they've got to this situation.

00:11:46.089 --> 00:11:47.709
They've played well all year.

00:11:48.169 --> 00:11:50.489
Well, last year they went out in straight sets. That's right.

00:11:50.729 --> 00:11:52.649
And I think the year before, if I'm not wrong.

00:11:52.949 --> 00:11:56.529
No, I don't know about the year before. I think they might have won a final.

00:11:57.049 --> 00:12:00.329
I can't remember now, but put it this way. They won't have the opportunity to

00:12:00.329 --> 00:12:03.829
go out in straight sets because there's only an elimination final here.

00:12:03.829 --> 00:12:06.329
So if they lose their own, they're out straight away. Yeah.

00:12:06.949 --> 00:12:10.469
So, no, I do think they're going to close in it. Last year they finished in the top four.

00:12:10.709 --> 00:12:14.069
Yeah. They lost their qualifying final, and then they lost their semi-final

00:12:14.069 --> 00:12:17.629
in the week out. And I think they could do the same thing against Hawthorne again.

00:12:17.849 --> 00:12:21.409
They're going to capitulate. And I think, although they're the favourites,

00:12:21.729 --> 00:12:27.049
I still think Hawthorne will probably, to be quite honest, I would prefer Giants

00:12:27.049 --> 00:12:28.229
rather than Hawthorne to win.

00:12:28.969 --> 00:12:32.849
I think Hawthorne could be a danger to Collingwood more so.

00:12:33.529 --> 00:12:36.289
So you're more worried about Hawthorne staying in the company? Yes, yeah.

00:12:36.509 --> 00:12:39.609
But I think looking at them, I think it's the WS. Well, of course,

00:12:39.609 --> 00:12:42.329
assuming Collingwood loses to Adelaide, which is what you predict.

00:12:43.368 --> 00:12:46.688
Collingwood the following week would play the winner of this game. Correct.

00:12:46.968 --> 00:12:52.608
So you don't want Collingwood playing Hawthorne. You'd rather than playing GWS on the MCG. Correct.

00:12:53.008 --> 00:12:55.388
So you're tipping GWS? I am.

00:12:55.808 --> 00:13:00.168
Sorry, you're tipping Hawthorne, I'm sorry, but you're hoping for GWS. Yes.

00:13:00.708 --> 00:13:03.928
Well, I'm actually going the other way. I actually am tipping GWS,

00:13:04.008 --> 00:13:05.828
and for the same reasons that you said,

00:13:06.128 --> 00:13:10.688
because they've gone out in straight sets, because they've been there and done

00:13:10.688 --> 00:13:16.588
it before and had to experience that pain of losing those two heartbreaking

00:13:16.588 --> 00:13:18.908
finals. They didn't lose them by much last year.

00:13:19.228 --> 00:13:24.308
I do believe that this time they'll make it count and that they'll beat Hawthorne.

00:13:24.708 --> 00:13:28.428
But I don't think Hawthorne are quite the same side without Will Day.

00:13:28.728 --> 00:13:32.388
It'd be interesting to see whether Josh Weddle comes back into the team.

00:13:32.608 --> 00:13:36.188
There's rumours that he may come back, but he's going to be a bit underdone.

00:13:36.488 --> 00:13:40.668
But, jeez, Will Day is an important player to Hawthorne. And when he plays,

00:13:40.888 --> 00:13:42.708
their winning strike rate is massive.

00:13:42.728 --> 00:13:46.328
And when he doesn't play, they lose more often than they win.

00:13:46.868 --> 00:13:49.328
I thought he was out for the year, actually. Who?

00:13:50.168 --> 00:13:53.308
Day. He is. He's gone. So he won't be in. No.

00:13:53.468 --> 00:13:57.068
Even if they make the grand final, he won't be in. Yeah. So that's one they've got to cut off.

00:13:57.188 --> 00:14:02.268
But that also, in their favour, they have played reasonably well to get there

00:14:02.268 --> 00:14:03.428
too. Of course. Without that.

00:14:03.748 --> 00:14:09.068
No doubt. So they were a bit higher up in the A's. Look, I think Hawthorne's

00:14:09.068 --> 00:14:13.448
done pretty well without some of their better players in the team to get into

00:14:13.448 --> 00:14:14.688
the eight and stay there.

00:14:16.788 --> 00:14:20.628
Where they can go from eighth position, who knows? But do you know one thing?

00:14:20.848 --> 00:14:27.328
If they happen to get the victory over GWS from eighth position,

00:14:27.328 --> 00:14:32.488
do you know that they would potentially play, and in all likelihood,

00:14:32.908 --> 00:14:35.728
play their next three games all at the MCG?

00:14:35.728 --> 00:14:38.108
And not have to travel anywhere. Really?

00:14:38.528 --> 00:14:42.108
Because the following week, they'd be playing Collingwood, as you're worried

00:14:42.108 --> 00:14:46.008
about. Yeah. If they beat Collingwood, then they'd probably play Geelong. Right?

00:14:47.203 --> 00:14:51.283
And then if they beat Geelong in the preliminary final, they're in the grand

00:14:51.283 --> 00:14:54.283
final against whether it's Adelaide or Brisbane or whoever, it doesn't matter.

00:14:54.403 --> 00:14:55.603
It's going to be playing with the MCG.

00:14:56.163 --> 00:15:00.723
So if Hawthorne happens to get over this one hurdle against GWS,

00:15:01.263 --> 00:15:04.923
potentially they could have a nice, easy ride and not have to get out of Melbourne,

00:15:05.483 --> 00:15:09.503
and play on technically their own home ground because they play all of their

00:15:09.503 --> 00:15:13.583
home matches at the MCG apart from those three or four in Tasmania.

00:15:13.663 --> 00:15:15.843
Now you know why I don't want a Hawthorne to win. Yeah, well,

00:15:16.023 --> 00:15:17.423
it could be the Smokey, Paul.

00:15:17.703 --> 00:15:20.603
It could be. It could be the Smokey. Could very much so. But anyway,

00:15:20.743 --> 00:15:25.963
I do hope that GWS wins, and I do expect them to win because they really do

00:15:25.963 --> 00:15:27.303
deserve the victory there.

00:15:27.803 --> 00:15:32.783
And the final game is Fremantle versus the Gold Coast Suns,

00:15:32.783 --> 00:15:38.743
who have made their very first finals campaign after 15 years of being in the competition,

00:15:38.743 --> 00:15:44.163
and they're going to have to travel five hours from the Gold Coast to Perth

00:15:44.163 --> 00:15:49.763
to play Fremantle on Saturday night at about 7.35pm, I think it is.

00:15:50.883 --> 00:15:54.423
So Fremantle will obviously go in as favourites, playing on their home turf.

00:15:54.423 --> 00:15:55.863
They happen to finish sixth.

00:15:56.263 --> 00:15:59.703
Big victory over the Western Bulldogs to get in last weekend.

00:15:59.743 --> 00:16:03.303
It was very impressive the way they played. So who do you like in this game?

00:16:04.563 --> 00:16:10.123
Well, I think Fremantle did give them a clout three games ago, wasn't it?

00:16:11.343 --> 00:16:15.543
Oh, they didn't win by much. which was about 11 points at the Gold Coast. Yeah, at the Gold Coast.

00:16:16.503 --> 00:16:21.723
But I think this is another level up, and I think they will be strong enough

00:16:21.723 --> 00:16:23.483
to actually take that step.

00:16:23.763 --> 00:16:27.323
And I think they will probably win against Fremantle.

00:16:27.903 --> 00:16:31.083
You reckon Gold Coast can go over there and beat them? I think so.

00:16:31.223 --> 00:16:35.863
Wow. Okay, so not only make their first finals appearance, but actually win it.

00:16:36.599 --> 00:16:40.559
So do you think, what is it about the Fremantle side that you think is a bit

00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:44.799
brittle or a bit, you know, a bit of a worry? I haven't watched them. I have a lot.

00:16:45.079 --> 00:16:49.639
But what I have seen of them, they're quite good, but they're not as, should I say, polished.

00:16:50.599 --> 00:16:56.279
They're more heavy. Workman-like. They don't, that's showy.

00:16:56.439 --> 00:17:01.419
They're not, whereas without trying, I think Gold Coast and the size of their

00:17:01.419 --> 00:17:04.479
players makes them stand out.

00:17:05.019 --> 00:17:09.039
I've got to say one thing there And I'll agree with you Is that Fremantle don't

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:15.039
They have a lot of good players But there's no real standout champion That can

00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:19.099
take the game by the scruff of a neck Whereas Gold Coast have got You know Ben

00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:21.799
King up forward He kicks seven you know during the week,

00:17:22.339 --> 00:17:27.819
He's a goal kicking target up there They've got Noah Anderson And Matt Rowell

00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:31.799
in the middle of the ground That can absolutely dominate if they have to So

00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:37.219
and they've also got Tuk Miller and Daniel Rioli is in absolutely scintillated form.

00:17:37.399 --> 00:17:40.939
Yeah, actually. So, I mean, you're right, they do have a lot of weapons.

00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:46.999
They may very well pull it off. I just think, I just feel that the excitement,

00:17:47.539 --> 00:17:49.999
the adrenaline, I think it'll all work.

00:17:50.179 --> 00:17:54.099
It may, being that in the first quarter, they may not hit their straps,

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:55.519
but I think they will come.

00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:58.639
Why don't they have any Gold Coast supporters that are going to make the trip?

00:17:59.320 --> 00:18:03.300
Oh, I am. It's a Western Australia. You're going to be a lover, do you? I think so.

00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:11.120
I reckon that up the stadium is going to be absolutely chop of mock full of Fremantle supporters.

00:18:11.260 --> 00:18:14.740
It's going to be the Purple Haze. I just think that the home ground advantage,

00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.280
and going in with such a great victory out of the Western Bulldogs,

00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:20.140
I just like Fremantle in this one.

00:18:20.380 --> 00:18:26.020
They've also got some weapons in the middle of the ground like Brayshaw and Sarong.

00:18:26.460 --> 00:18:33.060
And I like their spine. I think Luke Ryan and Alex Pearce, their captain,

00:18:33.360 --> 00:18:35.900
down back, are very solid in defence.

00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.780
And they've got the three targets up forward, you know, Josh Tracy,

00:18:40.580 --> 00:18:46.360
Jaya Miss, and Voss, they're Patrick Voss, who's been a real revelation this year.

00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:49.080
So I think Fremantle can do it

00:18:49.080 --> 00:18:52.820
at home. Not by much, but I think the Old Coast will put up a good show.

00:18:53.040 --> 00:18:58.140
They're still really, I think, more a workman type of team.

00:18:58.580 --> 00:19:04.220
As against a showy, quick-working, pass the ball on as quickly as possible.

00:19:05.140 --> 00:19:07.660
That, I think. They're more exciting than the golfers? I think so.

00:19:07.800 --> 00:19:12.280
And I think not only that, because that has helped them to get where they are,

00:19:12.360 --> 00:19:14.100
I think they will continue what they're doing.

00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:20.600
Okay. Well, there's one thing that's been a very constant thing when we've ever

00:19:20.600 --> 00:19:25.000
done this exercise of predicting the future and predicting who's going to win

00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:26.580
which game and who's going to lose.

00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:29.240
You and I are always opposed to each other.

00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:35.520
And in all four games, we have chosen different, opposite themes.

00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:41.360
For all reasons, you see. In two cases, for all reasons. Let's just recap. You believe that...

00:19:42.829 --> 00:19:48.449
Adelaide? Collingwood. No. Did you say? Adelaide. You said that Adelaide would

00:19:48.449 --> 00:19:50.629
beat Collingwood, even though you hope Collingwood wins. Correct.

00:19:51.109 --> 00:19:54.529
Being such a one-eyed manpower yourself. Then I picked Brisbane line.

00:19:54.529 --> 00:19:56.909
I went for Collingwood to cause an upset.

00:19:57.749 --> 00:20:01.109
So Geelong and Brisbane, you've gone for Brisbane, and I've gone for Geelong.

00:20:01.349 --> 00:20:03.129
Two underdogs so far. Right.

00:20:03.549 --> 00:20:07.649
Yep. Then the next game was GWS versus Hawthorne. You've gone for Hawthorne.

00:20:07.809 --> 00:20:09.549
Yes. Another underdog. Yes.

00:20:09.929 --> 00:20:15.309
I've gone for GWS. Yeah, and the last one is Gold Coast over Fremantle.

00:20:15.849 --> 00:20:18.789
So you've gone for the underdog in that one as well.

00:20:18.909 --> 00:20:20.829
Yes. And I was going for Fremantle. You've gone all the travis,

00:20:21.009 --> 00:20:24.049
and I've taken my... No, I think the first one you went for the favourite,

00:20:24.189 --> 00:20:26.169
and I went for the outsider. Sorry, Adelaide. Yes, I did.

00:20:26.609 --> 00:20:29.829
Adelaide I picked. So you went for Adelaide as the only favourite,

00:20:30.249 --> 00:20:33.729
and all the others you've gone for the outsider, whereas I've gone exactly the opposite.

00:20:33.889 --> 00:20:37.629
I went for Collingwood, the outsider, in the first game, and I've gone for the

00:20:37.629 --> 00:20:40.309
favourites in all the other three. Well, time will tell.

00:20:40.909 --> 00:20:46.289
It will. Let's just try and foresee who is eventually, based on your victories,

00:20:46.829 --> 00:20:48.109
who's eventually going to play

00:20:48.109 --> 00:20:51.229
off in the grand final and who's going to win. Give me your two teams.

00:20:52.069 --> 00:20:55.729
What I'd like or what I think? What do you think? Your prediction.

00:20:56.209 --> 00:21:02.269
If Collingwood win the first game against Adelaide, I think Collingwood will be one.

00:21:04.249 --> 00:21:09.429
But you didn't predict that. No, I said if. So give me your predictions based

00:21:09.429 --> 00:21:14.069
on what you think will happen, which, by the way, you think that Adelaide will

00:21:14.069 --> 00:21:15.809
beat Collingwood in the first week. I do.

00:21:16.129 --> 00:21:18.849
So do you think Collingwood can still make the grand final even if they get

00:21:18.849 --> 00:21:22.869
beaten in week one? Well, they can. They can, wouldn't it?

00:21:23.798 --> 00:21:30.118
And if they did do it that way, I wouldn't be surprised. You're talking like a typical Collingwood.

00:21:30.978 --> 00:21:35.998
So let's look at it realistically. So I'd go Collingwood first off.

00:21:36.678 --> 00:21:40.598
And then I'd... To play off with who? You're going to laugh at this.

00:21:41.278 --> 00:21:46.178
Why? I think Gold Coast could do it. So Collingwood-Gold Coast Grand Final. Yes.

00:21:46.898 --> 00:21:51.458
Wow. That would be huge. That would be huge. It wouldn't be much of a crowd.

00:21:52.098 --> 00:21:55.758
Gold Coast. Because the grand final doesn't matter. They wouldn't have a chance of winning the game.

00:21:55.838 --> 00:21:57.818
The grand final doesn't matter. They would not have a chance of winning the

00:21:57.818 --> 00:22:01.238
game. There's probably a chance of 100,000 putting their people in if it's a grand final.

00:22:01.578 --> 00:22:04.998
Well, I disagree with you here. Well, you have all right.

00:22:08.138 --> 00:22:13.018
I actually think the two teams that are playing off in the first qualifying

00:22:13.018 --> 00:22:17.678
final, sorry, the second qualifying final, which is Geelong and Brisbane,

00:22:18.218 --> 00:22:22.038
I think that they will end up playing each other in the grand final.

00:22:22.698 --> 00:22:26.598
No. That's interesting. Right. So we've got Geelong and Brisbane.

00:22:26.958 --> 00:22:30.638
Geelong and Brisbane. In other words, the second. So even if the second.

00:22:30.818 --> 00:22:33.558
So I predicted Geelong would win that first final.

00:22:33.798 --> 00:22:38.498
So I think Brisbane could then recover from that. They play a home final the following week.

00:22:38.938 --> 00:22:46.198
Then they would have to either travel to Adelaide to play them or to play Collingwood at PMCG.

00:22:46.518 --> 00:22:51.038
Now, either way, I think they're a big chance to win in the prelim and then

00:22:51.038 --> 00:22:52.058
play off in the grand final.

00:22:52.178 --> 00:22:56.138
So I still believe it could be a Geelong and Brisbane grand final.

00:22:56.178 --> 00:22:58.098
Well, and time will tell.

00:22:58.618 --> 00:23:02.938
And I do believe that finals experience really does count, and that's the only

00:23:02.938 --> 00:23:07.198
reason why I'm deleting Fremantle and Gold Coast.

00:23:07.498 --> 00:23:11.758
But for Gold Coast to actually get there, they're going to have to be either

00:23:11.758 --> 00:23:18.218
Geelong or Collingwood or Brisbane if, hang on, yes, Collingwood or Brisbane.

00:23:19.958 --> 00:23:23.438
On the way there. Yes. They'll have to beat one at least.

00:23:23.458 --> 00:23:29.138
Well, one thing about the two teams that finish 7th and 8th is that they never get a home final,

00:23:29.818 --> 00:23:33.718
unless they're a Victorian team like Hawthorne, who's finished 8th,

00:23:33.858 --> 00:23:38.318
that might be fortunate enough to play the way the cards fall to play at the

00:23:38.318 --> 00:23:42.798
MCG as the away team against either Collingwood or Geelong.

00:23:43.078 --> 00:23:48.458
But don't forget, Hawthorne has played very, very, very well on away games.

00:23:48.858 --> 00:23:52.518
Yeah. They haven't lost too many of those. Well. And usually we always say,

00:23:52.658 --> 00:23:56.138
well, the hometown's got the advantage, yet here we have Geelong,

00:23:56.198 --> 00:23:59.898
who finished up at the home ground for this final. Okay.

00:24:00.078 --> 00:24:03.398
Now, we've predicted the two teams. Who do you think's going to win?

00:24:03.598 --> 00:24:06.198
So you said Conlin versus Gold Coast. Conlin.

00:24:06.458 --> 00:24:08.698
Conlin. Spoken like a typical Conlin.

00:24:09.018 --> 00:24:12.198
Probably more hard than to the fact.

00:24:12.738 --> 00:24:14.838
But yes. Well, Geelong versus Brisbane.

00:24:15.358 --> 00:24:19.638
I'm going to go for a back-to-back victory to the Brisbane Lions.

00:24:20.512 --> 00:24:27.292
Interesting. Be interesting. Well, what do you think? I reckon we're both going to be wrong.

00:24:28.852 --> 00:24:31.952
It'll probably be two teams that are nothing like what we just predicted.

00:24:32.192 --> 00:24:35.792
Well, we're like those two blokes that are experts on everything and end up

00:24:35.792 --> 00:24:37.012
being wrong on everything as well.

00:24:37.172 --> 00:24:42.492
Hey, I haven't been too far wrong. Again, with my finals, where the finals are

00:24:42.492 --> 00:24:47.212
finished, I didn't pick, I don't think I did. I'll have to have a look at it, actually.

00:24:47.372 --> 00:24:50.092
I don't think I picked the Gold Coast.

00:24:50.512 --> 00:24:54.532
To get into the finals. Well, thank you very much for your...

00:24:54.532 --> 00:24:57.212
As I say, my mum was sure. That's all, folks.

00:24:59.532 --> 00:25:05.092
Yes, well, thank you for making the time, and I know you've got to go back to bed now.

00:25:05.692 --> 00:25:09.412
Thanks for having me. What do you mean by that? Well, with your problems that

00:25:09.412 --> 00:25:10.412
you're having, let's face it.

00:25:11.052 --> 00:25:15.152
My people know here and here that you haven't been too well.

00:25:15.352 --> 00:25:17.812
No, I haven't. And we've pulled you out. I'm not going to bed.

00:25:18.392 --> 00:25:21.092
No, well, if we go home and go for a walk, it's a bit wet.

00:25:23.012 --> 00:25:26.732
So you're going to have to do something. Anyway, hopefully I'll be on the improve.

00:25:27.092 --> 00:25:30.132
Excellent. All right. Look forward to seeing you. Enjoy the NFL finals,

00:25:30.232 --> 00:25:34.332
Paul. It's a great series, and whoever ends up winning them is a deserved winner.

00:25:35.012 --> 00:25:36.832
My colleague. They need it.

00:25:38.132 --> 00:25:41.452
Thank you, Bob. Thank you, Bob. Thanks very much again, mate.

00:25:41.632 --> 00:25:43.592
Good to see you. Bye. Bye-bye.

00:25:44.972 --> 00:25:49.912
Thank you for listening to why is it so make sure you tune into our next episode

00:25:49.912 --> 00:25:53.352
remember it's your last defense for common sense.