Anyone who followed my tipping, or anyone’s involved with The Mongrel Punt would be acutely aware that when it comes to predicting outcomes… we’re about as reliable as David King.
So, not very reliable.
Anyway, we still give it a crack in the hopes that between all of us, we’ll get a few correct. Enjoy the Grand Final – here goes…
Jimmy Day
Winner – Brisbane (and bring on the overindulgence of hearing Country Roads)
Margin – 17 points
Norm Smith – Oscar McInerney or Cam Rayner
First Goal – Jamie Elliott
Key Matchup – Darcy Moore v Joe Daniher; whoever wins this battle goes a long way to securing Premiership glory for their side.
Unsung Hero – Keidean Coleman
Who Will Flop – Nathan Murphy will legit flop at some point; I have a feeling we won’t see the best of Bobby Hill
Doomsday Scenario – Brisbane forget how to football because they’re at the MCG, leading to us having to watch footage of Eddie singing the Pies song all night.
Alex Docherty
Winner – Brisbane
Margin – 2 points
Norm Smith – Lachie Neale
First Goal – Joe Daniher
Key Matchup – Josh Dunkley v Jordan De Goey
Unsung Hero – Darcy Wilmot or Ryan Lester
Who will flop – Hate saying it, because I love this man, but I reckon Bobby Hill gets kept really quiet in this one.
Doomsday Scenario – Really, anything that involves Eddie McGuire’s jughead.
Nick Sluggett
Winner – Brisbane
Margin – 11 points
Norm Smith – Cam Rayner
First Goal – Jamie Elliott
Key Matchup – Oscar McInerney vs. Mason Cox/Darcy Cameron
Unsung Hero – Brandon Starcevich
Who will flop – Brody Mihocek. Just think he’s going to struggle with the quality of the Brisbane defence. If the Pies don’t give him clean looks, I don’t see him pulling down multiple pack marks.
Doomsday Scenario – Big Collingwood victory. At least make them sweat for it, Brisbane.
Brett Hodgson
Winner- Collingwood
Margin- 15 points
Norm Smith- Josh Daicos
First Goal- Lincoln McCarthy
Key Matchup- Cam Rayner vs. Brayden Maynard
Unsung Hero- Nathan Murphy
Who Will Flop- Zac Bailey
Doomsday Scenario – Score review controversy
Matt Parnell
Winner – Pies
Margin – 8 points
Norm Smith – Tom Mitchell
First Goal – Nick Daicos
Key Matchup – Maynard v Maynard
Unsung Hero – Jack Ginnivan
Who Will Flop – Josh Dunkley
Doomsday Scenario- The computer code governing the umpires can’t decide whether Daicos (N) or Neale (L) gets the free, and one of them explodes
Matt Bryker-Oman
Winner – Collingwood
Margin – 14
Norm Smith – Josh Daicos
First Goal – Jamie Elliott
Key Matchup – Frampton vs. Andrews
Unsung Hero – Jack Ginnivan
Who Will Flop – Joe Daniher
Doomsday Scenario – Botched score review costs one team the flag
Trent Adam Shields
Winner – Brisbane – as I predicted preseason
Margin – 26
Norm Smith – Hugh McCluggage or Cam Rayner
First Goal – Bobby Hill
Key Matchup – Big O vs Mase
Unsung Hero – Brandon Starcevich
Who Will Flop – Scott Pendlebury – won’t go hard enough when required.
Doomsday Scenario – KISS do a meatloaf
HB Meyers
Winner – Brisbane… and I’ve changed it twice
Margin – 15 points
Norm Smith – Josh Dunkley
First Goal – Bobby Hill… first-quarter specialist
Key Matchup – Whoever takes the resting Collingwood ruck
Unsung hero – Conor McKenna
Who will flop – Eric Hipwood
Doomsday Scenario – We all know there is going to be insufficient evidence in regard to a score review. Please don’t let it be pivotal
Mrs Mongrel
Winner – Collingwood
Margin – 4 points
Norm Smith – Joe Daniher, with his flirty Engish WW2 fighter pilot vibe
First Goal – The Big O. I don’t have to justify my choices to you
Key Matchup – I love matchmaking. I’d like to see a moment between Harris Andrews and that handsome lad Isaac Quaynor
Unsung Hero – Darcy Gardiner. The moment he looks into the eyes of a Daicos, he’ll freeze and fall to the ground like a Virginia Opossum.
Doomsday Scenario – It’s 2.20pm. HB is violently ill. Head in the toilet. It’s all up to me to review the game. I have artificial intelligence and my friends. They don’t watch footy. Gonna do it anyway, I’ll go for the Suns.
JB Eddy
Winner – Brisbane
Margin – 15 points
Norm Smith – Charlie Cameron
First Goal – Scott Pendlebury
Key Matchup – Andrews v Cox. Cox is big enough to worry Andrews, and if his game is on, he could be a difference maker, but Andrew is very hard at the ball and mobile, and could launch scoring chances from the back line if Cox isn’t willing to chase.
Unsung Hero – Brody Mihocek. He’ll be his usual reliable self, but despite playing for the most hyped-up team in the comp, rarely seems to get his kudos.
Who will flop – Daniher. He has Norm Smith potential, but I can see him fading when he has to keep taking hard hits.
Doomsday Scenario – Gene Simmons gets on the mic and talks about how awesome he is for 45 minutes, delaying the second half.
Max Ford
Winner – Collingwood
Margin – 7 points
Norm Smith – Jordan De Goey
First goal – Bobby Hill
Key Matchup – Lions small defenders vs. Pies small forwards
The Lions defenders are not only going to have to be incredibly clean at ground level in defensive 50, but also somehow stop Collingwood’s fleet of forward rovers from causing havoc, whether that means preventing marks out the back in transition, or stopping those crumbs that so often lead to scoring opportunities. God be with them.
Unsung hero – Darcy Gardiner
Who will flop – Eric Hipwood will be completely blanketed, and the few opportunities that he does get, he’ll turn over
Doomsday scenario – Everything I’ve written above
Please feel free to add your own… and don’t edit them after the game!!!
