Welcome back, everyone! The AFL Grand Final is here. Our footy experts have put their heads together to help you out. So open your ESPNfootytips app, take notes, and get ahead of the game!
And then there were two! The big day is nearly here, this Saturday the first interstate Grand Final since 2006 between Fitzroy and South Melbourne... I mean Brisbane and Sydney, will fight it out for their own redemption stories after losing in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
2014, 2016 and 2022 all ended in heartbreak for the Swans at the MCG and while they haven't played there since Round 7, could this be their year? Arguably, they have been the best team in the competition which earned them the minor premiership, however it doesn't mean anything if you don't win the most important silverware there is. The Swans' big three in Heeney, Warner and Gulden have carried the Swans this season and will be a problem for the Lions on Saturday.
No one would have thought after starting the season 0-3 the Lions would be in finals let alone a Grand Final, so they have defied the odds. This weekend Brisbane go in as underdogs but they shouldn't be underestimated, their dominant second halves this final series have been a spectacle to watch. Players like Will Ashcroft have stood up in times of need and the Lions are looking like a well oiled machine, however, how well does that Brisbane machine work without integral cog Oscar McInerney? Let's see how they fare without him.
It's the biggest day in the footy calendar and this Saturday the new kings of the league will be crowned, but who do you tip? Don't worry the ESPN team have your back!
EXPERT TIPS:
Jake Michaels
Last week: 2
Season total: 135
Grand Final winner: The Swans have been the best team all year and I'm not sure the Lions have the answers or a means to stop the star-studded midfield trio of Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, and Errol Gulden. I'm tipping back-to-back Grand Final heartache for the Lions.
Margin: Swans by 14 points
Norm Smith Medal: Chad Warner
Matt Walsh
Last week: 1
Season total: 139
Grand Final winner: I think you can rely on the Swans to deliver a higher 'baseline' than the Lions, but as Rohan Connolly wrote, Brisbane's explosive best is very, very good. I'll back the Swans to deliver; they have too many stars to not fire above their baseline in a big game.
Margin: Sydney by 12 points.
Norm Smith Medal: Will Hayward
Jarryd Barca
Last week: 2
Season total: 132
Grand Final winner: I'm backing Sydney as well. The Lions are more than capable of winning and it won't shock to see them look like the winner at stages throughout the game, but I trust the Swans, who haven't been on the road for four consecutive weeks, and bat deeper in the middle -- where the game will inevitably be won.
Margin: Swans by 17 points.
Norm Smith Medal: Nick Blakey