Reality bites

It was reality check weekend in the first round of AFL finals, with all four of the higher-ranked teams winning. This was no more obvious than in Adelaide.

Richmond’s players found themselves witches hats to Port Adelaide’s training session before 50,000 people at Adelaide Oval, bombarded in an eight-goal first quarter and utterly humiliated by the Power.

The Tigers spent three months fighting for a place in the finals only to have their pants pulled down in the most public arena.

For a second consecutive year, they have been shown to be September pretenders.

This might not necessarily be a bad thing, for perhaps the nine-game winning sequence and the spot in the finals would have masked a few issues had Damien Hardwick’s team managed to go a step further.

Playing against the fifth-best team – albeit Port are a damned good fifth – Richmond was found to be woefully deficient, and that will be the lasting memory over the off-season as the coaching staff and recruiters and development coaches look at the list.

Yet Richmond was far from the only club to have a dose of old-fashioned reality.

Geelong looked inadequate against Hawthorn, and Fremantle had a lot of things go right, yet could not get over Sydney.

Essendon’s flakiness re-emerged against North Melbourne, and a 33-point lead was not enough.

What we learned

Everything is set up for Hawthorn and Sydney, who have a week’s break to get sore players right, and are guaranteed home finals.

The Hawks are going to get an interstate team at the MCG (Fremantle or Port), which should be manageable for such a great side.

Sydney has it even better, with a preliminary final clash against Geelong or North Melbourne either at Homebush or (if the Olympic stadium is booked by the NRL) at the SCG.

Funny things can happen, but it is hard to see anything but a Hawthorn-Sydney Grand Final, and that would scarcely be a bad thing.

Footy is full of people wanting to talk it down, but three of the four finals were fabulous contests.

Big winners

Aside from the Hawks and the Swans, North Melbourne extracted its first finals win since 2007.

You could write a PhD in footballers’ mindset on that North-Essendon game, for the Kangaroos receded and kicked backwards and sideways and cowered away until they were in deep trouble at half-time, then promptly took the game on when they had to, ran forward and attacked and obliterated Essendon.

Part of that thesis might be: why didn’t they try that earlier? Just take a patent out on the answer, for a million coaches would like to know.

The Roos also have found a good tall forward in Ben Brown, who had a wonderful night in his first final.

In fact there were outstanding young forwards at both ends, with Joe Daniher kicking four and standing out.

This was one positive from a night where Essendon again failed on the big stage, and the last day as coach for Mark Thompson.

Brian Lake was not best-afield in Hawthorn’s Friday night triumph over Geelong – the votes went to Sam Mitchell, dynamic Brad Hill and Joel Selwood – but he may have been the most important player with his suffocation of Tom Hawkins.

What it showed was that Geelong rely on a big game from the Tomahawk, and while he often delivers, it is an unhealthy state.

Similarly, Lance Franklin was well covered in Sydney’s win over Fremantle, Alex Silvagni battling manfully, with Garrick Ibbotson as third-man up.

But Franklin would not be denied; his two last-quarter goals came straight from his best Hawthorn vintage, one from 70 metres and one from the boundary line on the run. They also decided the game.

Port Adelaide’s first half against Richmond was a return to the incredible, gut-busting football that we witnessed early in the season, and it is worth remembering that Ken Hinkley’s team at one stage was two games clear on top of the ladder.

They kicked five goals from centre bounces and forced Richmond into huge numbers of turnovers which they punished with relish.

Travis Boak was superb through the middle, and Richmond’s day was encapsulated by Nathan Foley diving into a contest, copping an accidental knee and leaving the ground looking like a car crash victim.

Reproduce that kind of electrifying football and Port is a chance in Perth next weekend.

Big losers

Trent Cotchin’s decision to kick into the wind at Adelaide Oval yesterday after he won the toss will be the subject of debate for some time, it seems. One thing is certain: he would like to have that one again.

Nick Malceski’s season may be over after he was substituted out of the Swans’ game against Fremantle with a hamstring tweak. If it turns out to be a common or garden hamstring he could be done for 2014; his loss is important because he is Sydney’s set-up man, which means, in short, that they give him the football and let him construct.

Port’s Matt White also will sweat on scans for a possible facial fracture and North Melbourne’s Levi Greenwood was reported for high contact which, to the naked eye, looked to be on the low side of severity.

Lindsay Thomas will be relieved if he escapes match review panel scrutiny for a high bump that certainly upset Essendon’s players.

THE SEMI FINALS

Geelong v North Melbourne, MCG, Friday night

The Scott twins coach against each other in a final for the first time, making it a tough night for their mother, Lynne.

North actually has a chance, going by the first round of finals, because Geelong is suffering for Steve Johnson’s foot injury, and for a lack of support for Tom Hawkins up forward. The decision to trade James Podsiadly looms large.

If Scott Thompson, who was magnificent for North against Essendon, can play a similar standard game against Hawkins the Roos could go close, although Hawkins may yet feel the wrath of the match review panel for his jumper punch on Ben Stratton.

Geelong will be favourite. Everyone tends to write off the losing qualifying finalists after the first week, but they tend to come back around.

Still, it is a hard road for the Cats. Since the current finals system was introduced in 2000 only three teams (Brisbane Lions ’03, Sydney ’05 and West Coast ’06) have lost a qualifying final and gone on to win the flag.

North is a team that lacks a cluster of genuine superstars, but Boomer Harvey is one, and not surprisingly he was carrying the biggest smile of all after the Essendon game. Harvey, who missed with suspension, will walk – or perhaps run – straight in.

Tip: Geelong by 10 points

Fremantle v Port Adelaide, Subiaco, Saturday

It’s interesting, Sydney’s players have said they rated Fremantle almost the best opposition team. I get the feeling Ross Lyon will fall narrowly short again, despite a great coaching performance, and here is the truth: he has never had the luxury of the best team to handle.

Wide-open Subiaco may suit Port’s running game and it was noticeable that the likes of Chad Wingard was up and about against Richmond, which spells danger.

But the Dockers will bring major heat to Port, which was not the case with Richmond. The Tigers were rabbits in the spotlight, but Fremantle will force turnovers and block the space next week.

It is not possible to beat Port Adelaide without inflicting major-league defensive pressure, the likes of which only the top few sides are capable of sustaining.

I sense Lyon’s team will bring that pressure and extract the win.

Tip: Fremantle by 14 points