So who do you want to win on Saturday?

[Doctor J.]

I'm going for Freo for the following reasons:

1 Dermott Brereton
2 Jason Dunstall
3 Alistair Clarkson
4 Ingracious Hawthorn fans.
5 I'd love to see them lose again when the turds are expecting to win.
6 Sam Mitchell
7 Sniping Jordan Lewis.
8 Sniping Luke Hodge
9 Chicken wing tackler Rioli
10 Brent Guerra. Think about his dog act on LRT at the MCG back in 05 or was it 06. And thats just one of many.
11 Their 5 minutes in the job President having a snipe at the COLA as the reason we won last year.
12 Their 5 minutes in the job President wanting to dismantle the COLA.
13 Umpires pets. Freo want to hope like hell Stevic doesn't get a gig on Saturday.
14 David Hale. Just me personally, I can't stand the talentless hack. Would hate to see him with a Prem medal
15 Brian Lake (no questions asked how Hawthorn were able to sign him up and still be under the cap)
16 The Melbourne medias love of Hawthorn. They lost the 2012 GF you know. Sydney didn't win it
17 Buddy Frankilin. Make your mind up and just go. Dead set overrated flog.
18 That club song, please can we not hear it.
19 Freo's club song. Playing that over and over and over and over will be like Chinese water torture on the minds of Hawthorn supporters for years.
20 Those colours. Please no!!! I do not want to look at Wee & Poo colours celebrating a premiership. I've had enough of the ugly sight of them.

[mcs]

If it wasn't for the dog @@@@@@ Ballantyne and the polished turd Crowley, the choice would be really easy. I hate that pair sooooo much, and so don't want them to be Premiership players. but then you have the ultimate sense of entitlement on the Hawthorn side, and the overrated nature of many of their players. But Freo redeemed themselves when they gave a great send off for Jude (very classy by them), so the choice is a bit easier after that. I also really want to see the Hawks players cry again though (I love the GF pic from 2012- all the Hawks players on the ground crying whilst the Swans celebrated).

So its Freo to win for me!

One thing is for sure - I do know that I'll be putting Roy & HG commentary on and turning off the Channel 7 hacks, that is for sure.

[Ludwig]

I was wondering how I would feel if Ballantyne and Crowley were Swans. They're both very good players, but so annoying. I think they ruin what is otherwise a very likable side. Many posters on here get annoyed by the relatively mild antics of Benny McGlynn, or the hand waving by Macca, so I would imagine the Freo pair would not get much support as Swans even on a Swans' fan site.

All that aside, I hope Freo win. As much as anything, it's for the 19 years the Freo fans have been waiting for this moment. We, the Swans' fans, are spoiled with success. But I still hope someone clocks Ballantyne.

[Bloodthirsty]

Freo by a point after the siren. Crowley and Ballantyne late withdrawals with career-ending injuries.

[DaveyCaper]

Freo for sure, Hawthorn just annoys me! You Australians must get really sick of hearing about Buddy!

I will be watching as I am such a fan of the sport. Each year I have an AFL Grand Final "Party" in which some years I get one other person and other I have got 5 others. I do try to spread the good work of aussie rules to as many people as I can. Keep in mind, the game will (and always does) start at 1:30 am here.

For the one hoping for a draw - I have the short story.. My friend who, of my friends has become the biggest fan of the sport other than myself (he became a WC Eagles fan) has pretty much been the one who has come watch the Grand Final each year. He was fascinated by the concept of playing the Grand Final again after draws and literally danced around the room when the draw happened a few years ago (at approximately 4 am).

[R-1]

I actually like Ballantyne, he's entertaining.

Backing the purple tide of history and hoping Clive Waterhouse presents the cup.

[Mug Punter]

I'm going for Freo for the following reasons:

1 Dermott Brereton
2 Jason Dunstall
3 Alistair Clarkson
4 Ingracious Hawthorn fans.
5 I'd love to see them lose again when the turds are expecting to win.
6 Sam Mitchell
7 Sniping Jordan Lewis.
8 Sniping Luke Hodge
9 Chicken wing tackler Rioli
10 Brent Guerra. Think about his dog act on LRT at the MCG back in 05 or was it 06. And thats just one of many.
11 Their 5 minutes in the job President having a snipe at the COLA as the reason we won last year.
12 Their 5 minutes in the job President wanting to dismantle the COLA.
13 Umpires pets. Freo want to hope like hell Stevic doesn't get a gig on Saturday.
14 David Hale. Just me personally, I can't stand the talentless hack. Would hate to see him with a Prem medal
15 Brian Lake (no questions asked how Hawthorn were able to sign him up and still be under the cap)
16 The Melbourne medias love of Hawthorn. They lost the 2012 GF you know. Sydney didn't win it
17 Buddy Frankilin. Make your mind up and just go. Dead set overrated flog.
18 That club song, please can we not hear it.
19 Freo's club song. Playing that over and over and over and over will be like Chinese water torture on the minds of Hawthorn supporters for years.
20 Those colours. Please no!!! I do not want to look at Wee & Poo colours celebrating a premiership. I've had enough of the ugly sight of them.

All perfectly valid reasons IMO.

And 21, from a Swans persepctive, is the class they showed in the middle of their celebrations to pay respect to Jude Bolton. It was a gracious act of sportsmanship - I've always had a soft spot for the Purple People and there's a lot to like about that club. Plus Pavlich is a class act on and off the field who thoroughly deserves a flag.

I am also loving the prospect of seeing Ryan Crowley tag Pretty Boy Mitchell. It was a bit uncomfortable seeing him do a job on Keiran Jack on Saturday night, I know I am the minority here but I love hi sstory and how he has battled adversity and re-invented himself from a pretty boy outside player into the baddest man in the AFL, especially as off the field he does a lot of unrecognised charity work with sick kids due to his own health battles as a lad...

[Ludwig]

I actually like Ballantyne, he's entertaining.

Very true.

When Freo are not playing the Swans, their antics are entertaining. It is fun to watch them get under the skin of non-Swans players. But didn't enjoy how they treated Kieran and Hanners.

[DamY]

Very true.

When Freo are not playing the Swans, their antics are entertaining. It is fun to watch them get under the skin of non-Swans players. But didn't enjoy how they treated Kieran and Hanners.

It's part of the game though, they need to be able to deal with it. Now should they have said anything sexist or homophobic or otherwise unbecoming then that is a different story.

[Triple B]

Can only imagine anybody who would rather see Hawthorn win hasn't been to a Hawks game in Melbourne, their supporters are just @@@@ing unbearable, more than any other.

I'm also very much in the 'Love Ballantyne and Crowley unless they are playing the Swans' camp. Ballantyne is just their version of Ben McGlynn but twice as annoying and three times as good.

Crowley deserves respect imo, even if begrudgingly. He did a job on Kizza on Saturday night, but unlike many scragging players before him, actually got plenty of it himself. I desperately wanted to see what would happen between him and Kizza at the end of the game, would Kizza shake his hand and recognise he was beaten on the day or would he carry on like Boomer, Stevie J and Sellwood. Of course Channel 7 was more interested in showing stupid crowd shots of 30's something woman screaming like 15yo's. FFS, there was a story right there in the middle of the ground for any football person with a modicum of footy intelligence.

Freo all the way. And for the punters, due to the bookies getting hammered all year with money for Hawthorn, the odds on Freo are juicy as all @@@@ and will be seeing plenty of the folding stuff from me...

[Margo]

Can only imagine anybody who would rather see Hawthorn win hasn't been to a Hawks game in Melbourne, their supporters are just @@@@ing unbearable, more than any other.

I'm also very much in the 'Love Ballantyne and Crowley unless they are playing the Swans' camp. Ballantyne is just their version of Ben McGlynn but twice as annoying and three times as good.

Crowley deserves respect imo, even if begrudgingly. He did a job on Kizza on Saturday night, but unlike many scragging players before him, actually got plenty of it himself. I desperately wanted to see what would happen between him and Kizza at the end of the game, would Kizza shake his hand and recognise he was beaten on the day or would he carry on like Boomer, Stevie J and Sellwood. Of course Channel 7 was more interested in showing stupid crowd shots of 30's something woman screaming like 15yo's. FFS, there was a story right there in the middle of the ground for any football person with a modicum of footy intelligence.

Freo all the way. And for the punters, due to the bookies getting hammered all year with money for Hawthorn, the odds on Freo are juicy as all @@@@ and will be seeing plenty of the folding stuff from me...

I commented during the game that they must have taken the B team cameramen. And with all those crowd scenes I reckon I was right. It wasn't worth a mention with all the more dramatic events of the night but I would like to know what happened with RC and Kizza as well.

Doctor and his 20 points has convinced me to go for Freo on Sat. I just won't look at Crow/Balla on the podium. Also, no amount of good works off field means a thing in a game. You're either a good sport or you're not. IMHO.

[andy0414]

Hate Hawthorn but could never support Ballantyne and Crowley.

[rojo]

The Hawks. Hodgie and Clarkson were gracious in defeat last year - unlike West Coast in 2005. And after very graciously kicking so many points instead of goals in that final quarter and falling over in the goal square, which helped us to such a marvellous win I reckon its their turn this year now we are out of it. PS: I hope someone accidentally flattens Crowly

[Doctor J.]

Doctor and his 20 points has convinced me to go for Freo on Sat. I just won't look at Crow/Balla on the podium. Also, no amount of good works off field means a thing in a game. You're either a good sport or you're not. IMHO.

If I think about it for another 10 minutes I'll come up with another 20, but I'm over thinking about them.

Just get on Freo and cheer like hell for them. I think a lot of neutrals will be doing the same.

[Go Swannies]

After Saturday night I was torn but now reality has returned. 2005 the Freo fans were right behind us - and their fan site even went red and white the following week. We should show return solidarity. Despite Ballantine and Crowley the Freo supporters are generally alright. And I'd like Pav to be a Premiership player (though I'd rather Ross stay the loser he was at the Saints).

On the other hand, it'd be wonderful to see the all-conquering Hawks lose another GF. It's not just Buddy and Clarkson, it the whole of Melbourne and their sense of entitlement. I suspect I'll always support the Away team for the GF, unless it's maybe a non-Eade Dogs outfit.