Time to put them on the line
EACH week The Chronicle sport team looks at pressing issues on the Saturday Soapbox.
Q: Who will win the AFL and NRL grand finals and why? Who are the big chances for man of the match?
Ben Drewe: STARTING with today’s AFL decider, it is hard to split the two teams.
Hopefully that makes for a cracking contest.
I am leaning towards Adelaide winning the grand final as the Crows have had a great season to date and look to have a playing group with plenty of big contributors.
It would be a great achievement for the club which has had a tough couple of years following the death of coach Phil Walsh in 2015.
In looking at Norm Smith Medal contenders, if Adelaide is to win, I don’t mind the likes of Paul Seedsman, Charlie Cameron or Eddie Betts.
Richmond is not without a hope though as the Tigers ride a wave of hope as the club looks to break a long premiership drought.
Dustin Martin could be judged man of the match even in a losing team and is a big chance regardless of the result, while captain Trent Cotchin is other big chance if the Tigers can win.
On the NRL decider, I can’t got past Melbourne.
As much as Aussie sport fans love an underdog story, it will take a monumental effort from the Cowboys to down the Storm.
The Cowboys have had three massive finals victories, none of which they were expected to win, and that sudden-death run can start to take its toll.
If North Queensland can post points early the Cowboys are a chance but if the Storm play from in front, they won’t be caught.
And a lot of the talk in the lead-up to the grand final has been about Cowboys half Michael Morgan and Melbourne’s Big Three Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater - but I don’t mind Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster for the Clive Churchill Medal.
Glen McCullough: I’LL bow to Drewey’s greater knowledge on all things AFL, but like a lot of punters I’ll become a once-a-year expert this afternoon and enjoy one of Australia’s greatest sporting spectacles.
Generally when I begin watching two teams I have no affiliation with play I gradually take the side of one or the other for reasons I can’t explain
But I’m hoping for a Richmond victory today.
Nothing against Adelaide, but the Tigers have won me over.
It’s been yonks since Richmond won the flag and hasn’t that come out through the passion of their supporters.
The scenes at the end of their preliminary final win were touching and the reaction and passion of their fans this week reminds us of what sporting teams mean to the faithful.
I’d love to see them win for no other reason than to reward those loyal fans.
Ditto on Sunday for the Cowboys and their fanatical supporters.
But while another great sport story is in the making with a Cowboys victory my money must go on Melbourne.
As far as the Clive Churchill Medal goes Michael Morgan is playing out of his skin at present and could well get the prize if the Cowboys prevail.
We all know what Smith, Cronk and Slater will bring to the table for the Storm but I also fancy Cameron Munster as a potential match winner.