1st Preliminary Final - Hawthorn v Adelaide, Saturday 22 September @ 4:45pm, MCG

After Adelaide's gutsy win over Fremantle last night, they now face an almighty challenge in Hawthorn in the 1st Preliminary Final. Many people are tipping Hawthorn to have a training drill on Saturday evening, but can Adelaide do what many think is impossible and defeat the Hawks?

For those looking at going to the game, get set for a dent in your credit/debit cards

Bronze (which is literally the back few rows of level Q and the cheer squad bay) - $80
Silver (a few sections around the cheer squad and the rest of level Q) - $110
Gold (Levels M/P) - $140
Platinum (Level N) - $160

Seating plan: http://www.mcg.org.au/Events/~/media/Files/MCG_Seating_Plan_2012_AFL_Finals_Wk1-3.pdf

Gee the prices are reasonable

Hawthorn should win comfortably going by what I have seen of the Crows of late .
To be any chance they need to get back to the pressure they were putting on sides early in the year .

Was thinking about it but just way too expensive.

$578 was the cheapest I saw this morning for return flights.

Hate to see what it will be tomorrow and beyond.

Hope we're competitive and start alot better than the last 2 weeks. We won't win but just really hope we are competitive.

BloodnTars wrote:Was thinking about it but just way too expensive.

$578 was the cheapest I saw this morning for return flights.

Hate to see what it will be tomorrow and beyond.

Road is your friend - The Crows Supporter Group is doing buses for $150 return for non-members (and they have posted on their Facebook page that they'll organise as many buses as needed)

Firefly have also added additional services, which is $200 return.

Otherwise you could carpool

I went with Firefly when we made the 2002 prelim, was a great option. Travelled overnight, rolled in to Melb the morning of the game, watched the game and then rolled on home. Was back home by Sun morning.

If we didn't have a bubba the missus and I would be doing the same thing again this weekend!

Gingernuts wrote:I went with Firefly when we made the 2002 prelim, was a great option. Travelled overnight, rolled in to Melb the morning of the game, watched the game and then rolled on home. Was back home by Sun morning.

If we didn't have a bubba the missus and I would be doing the same thing again this weekend!

get a babysitter

Ha! I wish it was that easy. Lol

Brucetiki wrote:

BloodnTars wrote:Was thinking about it but just way too expensive.

$578 was the cheapest I saw this morning for return flights.

Hate to see what it will be tomorrow and beyond.

Road is your friend - The Crows Supporter Group is doing buses for $150 return for non-members (and they have posted on their Facebook page that they'll organise as many buses as needed)

Firefly have also added additional services, which is $200 return.

Otherwise you could carpool

Probably would have gone by bus but now I have another team at home to worry about.

Got my ticket already - was an absolute breeze using Ticketek.

I asked for (and paid for) a Bronze seat - and got M57 (last bay of the Olympic Stand before the Great Southern Stand) which is listed as Gold on the seating plan), so very happy with my seat.

This is going to be an interesting game. I don’t think it will be the walkover everyone is expecting to be honest.

Up until Walker’s goal before half time on Friday night there was no doubt that Adelaide was a team that was not coping with final’s pressure. As Tex lined up it just felt like that was the moment, even for me home on the couch. When he slotted it I knew the switch has finally been flicked.

There are plenty of reasons why we should believe that Adelaide can beat Hawthorn this weekend:

1. Adelaide has upside. There are plenty of names on the list just begging for a ‘final’s’ moment to make their mark on the competition. Dangerfield & Tippett are two obvious ones who are due, but there are lesser lights like Henderson, Mackay, and perhaps even Otten if he comes in this week that could bob up.

2. The Hawks won’t be as defensive as the Swans and Dockers. They will consider themselves the better side and fancy their chances in a head to head shoot out, I can’t seem then relying on heavy tags or overt flooding. This will free up the Adelaide midfielders, and again I think Dangerfield might be the main beneficiary.

3. Adelaide are underdogs, and I think it’s easier to go into a final as underdogs. It’s also in Melbourne away from the home town pressure, and at the home of football, the MCG. The youngsters will be desperate to make the most of the opportunity on the big stage.

4. Buddy Franklin’s issues could come into play. For all the talk of him being the key to this game I have a suspicion that all is still not well in the Franklin camp.

5. Adelaide haven’t played the Hawks since Round 4, and they are a very different side to the one that ran out on the MCG that day in my opinion. The same tactics that worked that day will not work again, Sanderson and his coaches will make sure of it.

Adelaide certainly deserve to be outsiders in this game. There are a lot of question marks surrounding the team, BUT these question marks aren’t necessarily a negative thing. You just don’t know what this team is capable of, which means that there is a much greater chance that they may be able to catch Hawthorn unawares.

Good points - fingers crossed.

The team is:

B: Luke Thompson, Ben Rutten, Michael Doughty

HB: Brodie Smith, Andy Otten, Brent Reilly

C: David Mackay, Scott Thompson, Bernie Vince

HF: Rory Sloane, Taylor Walker, Jared Petrenko

F: Ian Callinan, Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia

FOLL: Sam Jacobs, Patrick Dangerfield, Nathan van Berlo

INT: Richard Douglas, Graham Johncock, Ricky Henderson, Matthew Wright

EMERG: Josh Jenkins, Brodie Martin, Aidan Riley

IN: Andy Otten
OUT: Sam Shaw (hamstring)

I think Andy Otten is a good in personally. Some concern that he might be underdone, but he's the best option we have I think.

Well Adelaide seems to have zero chance of winning this game according to the bookies and almost every expert in the business. Not only that, many people are predicting a flogging. I don't think that will happen.

I don't know that Adelaide will win, but I reckon they'll make one hell of a game of it personally.

Gingernuts wrote:

Well Adelaide seems to have zero chance of winning this game according to the bookies and almost every expert in the business. Not only that, many people are predicting a flogging. I don't think that will happen.

I don't know that Adelaide will win, but I reckon they'll make one hell of a game of it personally.

Yeah - well - I blieve I live with one of those
Although he wrote them off last week as well !!

Hope you're right though GN !!

Let's do this Crows !!

We won both of our flags as rank underdogs. The fact that we did will always give us supporters hope that it can be done again.

One thing is for sure, regardless of the result tomorrow I'm incredibly proud of the club's efforts this year.

Gingernuts wrote:We won both of our flags as rank underdogs. The fact that we did will always give us supporters hope that it can be done again.

One thing is for sure, regardless of the result tomorrow I'm incredibly proud of the club's efforts this year.

That's exactly right GN. I'm going over to the game knowing that regardless of the result, I'm going to be in a crowd of about 67000 (that will be a great atmosphere), and going to have fun while over there.

I've also packed Miracle to watch on the trip across as motivation.

Have fun mate, you will love it. I went over on 2002 and the MCG was chock full with over 90 thousand people, the noise was ridiculous.

Unfortunately we lost, but it still remains one of the most enjoyable and memorable moments of my life.

Word is Petrenko has passed his fitness test and will play tomorrow night.

A part of me wonders whether the Petrenko injury has provided a convenient 'foxing' opportunity for Sanderson and crew. Would not surprise me if Petrenko is still a late withdrawal to be replaced by Jenkins in an effort to stretch the Hawk defence.

why does logic tell me Hawthorn should win but i feel Adelaide will win in a 'nail bighter' i also think Sydney will win

Have fun Brucetiki. Wish I was in the road to Melbourne but alas am not. Did it for 2009 semi final against Collingwood and was amazed seeing how many crows supporters were on the road and also stopping at the towns along the way. Suspect there will be the same amount going over, if not more.

Did 2009 as well. The highway is more decked out this time - the flags are being proudly displayed at the Tailem Bend Shell and in a few of the smaller towns.

Also RBT's in every reasonably sized town

just outside of Horsham there is a place (looks desertless to me) called Burnt Creek, do yourself a favour & don't speed in that vicinity, everytime i've driven through there i've seen patrol cars, speed cameras & cars pulled over getting tickets

Brucetiki wrote:Did 2009 as well. The highway is more decked out this time - the flags are being proudly displayed at the Tailem Bend Shell and in a few of the smaller towns.

Also RBT's in every reasonably sized town

I'm sooooo jealous - sounds awesome - part of the 'build up'

X2. I would love to be on the road to melbourne right now!

Big out with Luke Hodge - 'A Dad' thought I was pulling his leg when I told him - I'm like "No, I'm serious" ... lol

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/148285/default.aspx