AFL Grand Final 2022: Who We Think Will Win

It’s the game of games.

It’s been a long year but we’re here: the 2022 AFL Grand Final.

After whirlwind season with some huge moments, it’s down to two teams, as the Geelong Cats take on the Sydney Swans in this Saturday’s Grand Final.

And then there were two.#AFLFinals | #AFLGF pic.twitter.com/VqJ4sY4R0y

— AFL (@AFL) September 17, 2022

It’s the first time the huge game has been played in Melbourne since 2019, thanks to the pandemic, so the AFL is pulling out all the stops.

With 100,000 fans expected at the MCG, and millions more across the country, this is going to be a spectacle that you don’t want to miss.

This time next week 🥳 #AFLGrandFinal pic.twitter.com/UIMgY5QUEk

— Melbourne Cricket Ground (@MCG) September 17, 2022

@studentedge Student Edge’s tips for this weekend’s AFL Grand Final #afl #geelong #geelongcats #sydney #sydneyswans #grandfinal #aflgrandfinal #melbourne ♬ original sound - Student Edge

How do these teams stack up against each other?

The Swans and the Cats have never faced off in a Grand Final in their 125 years of history playing each other.

The last ‘big’ finals match these two teams played was back in the 2016 Preliminary Final, where the Swans won by 37 points to make the Grand Final.

This year, the Swans and the Cats faced off just the once this season, back in round two, but what a game it was.

At the SCG, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin slotted his fourth goal of the match, his 1000^th career goal, causing the fans to rush the field, stopping the game for more than 20 minutes. 

This time next week 🥳 #AFLGrandFinal pic.twitter.com/UIMgY5QUEk

— Melbourne Cricket Ground (@MCG) September 17, 2022

When the match finally did get underway again, the Swans managed a comfortable win, finishing with a 30-point margin.

The stats that matter.

In terms of winning streaks – both these teams look red-hot. Sydney has won nine games in a row, but Geelong seems to have the upper hand, coming into the final with fifteen straight wins under their belt.

Geelong are heading into the game as the favourites but, they might have some gaps the Swans can capitalise on.

Sydney are one of the best tackling teams in the competition, laying the second highest average tackles per game, and the most tackles inside the fifty in the league.

Although Sydney’s not too far behind, Geelong’s goalkicking could prove to be their best strength, after they’ve spent the season averaging the third most goals and the second most shots on goal.

Paddy McCartin is the first #1 draft pick to get into their first V/@AFL Grand Final by playing in their first one point win

@sydneyswans #AFLFinals #AFLSwansCats

— Swamp (@sirswampthing) September 17, 2022

The players to watch.

With so many good players on both sides, it’s tough to pick just a few that are set to have great days.

On both sides, you have some incredibly talented forwards – Geelong boast Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron, meanwhile Sydney have the 1000 man himself, Buddy Franklin, chasing his first flag as a Swan.

But at the end of the day, this game seems like it’s going to be won by the senior players.

Geelong’s Joel Selwood and Sydney’s Buddy Franklin are the oldest players on the field, aged 34 and 35 respectively, and they look as good as ever.

🤯🤯

JOEL SELWOOD (354 games, 39 finals) v LANCE FRANKLIN (340 games, 27 finals)

Read about the untold stories of Buddy's rise in this @DanielCherny feature:

▶️https://t.co/0aRpdNR6Zx https://t.co/Pb1dt5GHsU pic.twitter.com/MJzvdwH3ox

— CODE AFL (@codeaflau) September 17, 2022

But for us, there’s only one player to really watch out for – Patrick Dangerfield.

Playing in his 303^rd game for his second club, Dangerfield’s never won a Premiership before, but based on last week’s 28 disposals and two goals, this man really wants to win.

Paddy McCartin is the first #1 draft pick to get into their first V/@AFL Grand Final by playing in their first one point win

@sydneyswans #AFLFinals #AFLSwansCats

— Swamp (@sirswampthing) September 17, 2022

Our final prediction.

This looks to be one of the tightest and hotly contested Grand Finals in recent history.

But for me, the Premiership cup will go to Sydney this weekend, in a tight-fought game that will finish with a margin of no more than 12 points.

After the game, they’ll award the coveted Norm Smith Medal to the game’s best player, and my prediction is it’ll go to Sydney’s dynamic and explosive forward Tom Papley.

Do you agree?

The game is set to get underway this Saturday at 2:30pm AEST.