![]() ![]() ![]() Chandler, like his more experienced peer, is a tireless runner and worker. As history threatens to repeat itself, I keep seeing Kade Chandler as the Dees' latest incarnation of Alex Neal-Bullen. When Melbourne won the premiership in 2021, it had a fleet of players with relatively low profiles whose influence became more heralded the closer the Demons moved towards the flag. Powell-Pepper does a bit of everything for Port close to goal, and his pressure is critical to Port locking the ball inside its scoring zone so effectively. Powell-Pepper in one of only four general forwards in the competition this season to rate elite for groundball-gets inside 50 and at least above average for goals, score assists and tackles. But hard-as-nails pressure forward Sam Powell-Pepper is a major and undersold factor in Port's potency, and it's about more even than his 29 goals in 23 games, putting him third on the Power's goalkicking charts. Much of the attention in the Power's wonderful 2023 season has rightly been lavished upon wunderkids Zak Butters and Connor Rozee, along with ultra-reliable midfielder Dan Houston. ![]() If Bailey is busy forward of centre, Brisbane almost inevitably prevails. The Lions have scored 118 points from his intercept possessions this season (sixth in the competition) despite the fact Bailey's 45 intercepts in total rank only 238th. Put simply, Bailey is the architect of so many of those Brisbane scores, his disposals near goal almost always leading to scoreboard damage. But it's the man who sits fourth on the Lions' goalkicking list with 26 goals, Zac Bailey, who stands to play just as if not a more critical part in Brisbane's finals push. Obviously much of the attention for that revolves around Joe Daniher and Charlie Cameron, both with more than 50 goals this season, and Eric Hipwood, who's kicked 39. Zac Bailey (Brisbane)īrisbane is a potent scoring outfit, ranked second for average points per game this season behind only Adelaide. Ginnivan could well be the difference between a competitive or not finals score for Collingwood. And not coincidentally, they've also scored 100-points-plus in each of three games since his return to the senior line-up. Ginnivan seemed to turn a corner in that last-round thumping of Essendon with three goals and 17 disposals. He also addresses one rare weak point for the Pies, which is groundball-gets inside 50, for which Collingwood ranks a dismal 16th. The polarising small forward offers genuine spark. That's where Ginnivan comes into the equation, albeit in a different role. The Magpies are solid enough in all areas, but there's no doubt the loss of Nick Daicos has robbed them of a bit of flair lately. Is it the ubiquitous 'X-factor'? Is it the players whose 'best will ensure your team wins'? Whatever term we decide to use, the following players at each of the eight finalists could arguably prove even more critical to outcomes for their teams than the household names. It is the support cast, those players you know are capable of performing on the biggest stage, but without quite the same expectations hanging over them, who might well end up having the biggest say in whether teams win or lose on the biggest of stages. But so often in finals, it isn't necessarily the lead actors alone who win or lose the battle. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĮvery club's X-factor for the 2023 AFL finals seriesĬall them the superstars, the 'usual suspects', but we all have a fair idea who the biggest names in this week's first four AFL finals are, and of what they are capable.īig games from the big names will be expected, poor performances would be the obvious explanation for defeat. ![]()
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