First Thoughts - Grand Final (28.09.26)
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What made Brisbaneβs game plan so dominant in the Grand Final?
Cain and Kingi. Very good morning to the 701ers. Thanks for your company this morning and all year. It is the final fireball of the year this morning, and we appreciate everything the Ballers have done for us this year. A huge one to finish. We'll review our thoughts of the game with our first thoughts next. Tim Gossage, the house that he built there over there in WA at 5.40 Perth time. Chris Fagan, Tom Morris with all of the news. But for Cobham Estate, Australia's most awarded extra virgin olive oil, these are our first thoughts next. from the grand final uh i don't exactly know where to start king and we can sort of work through the individual aspects of it but um is it the greatest team ever here's a question i wouldn't mind asking you first up now it's it's a wide-ranging question because which era all of that but let's do since 2000 is it the greatest team ever
We had this chat sort of β we skirted around this chat on Friday, didn't we? I still think the early 2000s team would hold their own. I think that they were a powerful, strong midfield group. And then obviously forward of the ball, they were just big. And they probably had better key position stocks forward of the ball, the originals from 0-1-2-3. But β This group just get it done when it needs. When you have to have it, they bring it.
And the coach does it again with the selection. Like I was thinking, Answorth in, Oscar Allen out. And you go, but how can you question Chris Fagan's history of picking the team? Like he knows it so well and he's always going to back his players in and he has done that pretty much going at 100%, I reckon, Fags with his selection. And Allen was good. And they caused him some bit of turmoil in front of the ball. And particularly when Pierce went down, that was never going to be easy. But they were small, probably, in defense leading into that. And then the Pierce injury happened. I thought Oscar Allen, yep, a couple of times was against Chapman and smaller opponents, but I thought he did his job. So that was once again another tick for Chris Fagan.
But his future is going to be topical. We'll chat to him very, very shortly. Is Will Ashcroft the best finals player ever?
Yeah, well, again, my big man who travels by train friend, Tony Leonard, said to me, I think this guy's Wayne Johnson. And I'm thinking, tell us about Wayne Johnson. What was he? He said, well, he didn't get involved in the humdrum games during the home and away. But when it got serious, when you were playing for a top two position or to be top of the table or in a final, he just stepped up. And in the biggest of games, he was huge. Now, this game was gone without Will Ashcroft stepping in. It was over. And then he just... They were
getting...
Yeah,
you go. They were getting smashed from stoppage, weren't they?
Yeah. And I'll get to the Brisbane side of that in a moment. But when Brisbane won a stoppage, and this was the gap in the game for me, all over the ground, they stepped out... They didn't accept that the pressure that Fremantle were bringing to them forced them to kick or forced them to handball. They would take the extra step and be prepared to be run down. They'd make sure the handball got there rather than just flick it in any other direction. And it has a big impact on the quality of that next possession.
How did the commentators evaluate whether Brisbane is the greatest team since 2000?
So they don't really have to get as much ball or win as much ball To hurt you. And so some of their counterpunch game in the second, third quarters just kept them in the game. They took the grass that was in front. I mean, your mind's eye container. Even that Will Ashcroft last play where he runs all the way down the wing. Now, if that was a Fremantle player, I guarantee you they would have kicked the ball three times in that run. But because Ashcroft's prepared to be run down and understands what the prize is at the other end if you carry this ball. We saw Bailey do it in the middle of the game. We saw Ashcroft do it to the other end of the ground. So I think for me that was the gap in the game, the preparedness to hang on to the ball and take territory, take the grass in front or take the heat from the opposition.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What made Brisbaneβs game plan so dominant in the Grand Final?
0:00β3:27
2
How did the commentators evaluate whether Brisbane is the greatest team since 2000?
3:27β7:10
3
Why was Will Ashcroft named the Fireball Norm Smith Medal winner?
7:10β12:51
4
What role did Chrisβ―Faganβs selection decisions play in Fremantleβs loss?
12:51β17:28
5
How did Brisbaneβs insideβtoβout play and handball pressure shape the match?
17:28β21:05
6
Why is Joshβ―Dunkley considered a top performer on Grand Final day?
21:05β25:38
7
Who are the 10 biggest winners and losers from Grand Final day?
25:38β28:34
8
What AFL ruleβchange and umpiring issues impacted the Grand Final outcome?
28:34β29:00
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from SEN Breakfast
SEN WA's Tim Gossage (28.09.26)
"I thought they were both outstanding." | First Thoughts - Kane's Biggest Winners and Losers from the Grand Final (28.09.26)
"They're disgusting votes!" | First Thoughts - The Fireball Norm Smith (28.09.26)
"They froze." | First Thoughts - Grand Final Breakdown (28.09.26)
Pull Your Socks Up (28.09.26)
The Kane and Kingy Scramble (28.09.26)