AFL grand final 2024: Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan declares no favourite in Sydney Swans clash
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has declared Saturday’s grand final is a battle of the “equal dogs” with the game so even that neither team has earned the right to be considered as favourites.
The Lions and Swans will both be attempting to make up for recent grand final losses after stand out seasons.
Sydney won 13 of their first 14 games to win the minor premiership while the Lions stormed home with 13 wins from their last 14 matches.
Fagan took underdog status last season and while bookmakers have the Swans as favourites but, the Lions coach said it was anyone’s flag.
“I think we’re the equal dogs,” Fagan said.
“We go into the game both with high hopes. Sydney have been the best team all year. They’ve been on top of the ladder all year which is a great achievement. We’ve had a great three-and-a half or four months so it’s two really in-form teams coming into the grand final. I think it’s a real 50-50 battle.”
Camera IconChris Fagan and Harris Andrews. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
Sydney were thrashed by Geelong during the 2022 grand final, while Brisbane lost in a thriller to Collingwood last season which means both teams understand the pain that grand final day can bring.
Acting Sydney captain Dane Rampe is playing in his fourth grand final and is yet to win a premiership.
He said it was clear both teams had plenty of emotion to draw upon but the brutal reality was that only one club would be happy on Saturday night.
“I’ve experienced the worst, let’s be honest. So there’s a little bit of peace knowing I’ve experienced that and been able to work through that and get back here,” he said.
“What I’ve learnt over the couple of losses that I’ve had is no-one cares about your story really. It’d be great for us to get back there and win after 22. It’d be great for Brisbane to get back and make amends for last year. But they don’t care about our story and we don’t care about theirs. That’s the way it is.”
Camera IconDane Rampe, John Longmire, Chris Fagan and Harris Andrews. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
Sydney will go into the game unchanged after captain Callum Mills failed to recover from a hamstring injury. Key forward Logan McDonald will play despite hurting his ankle last week.
The Lions lost ruckman Oscar McInerney to a dislocated shoulder and has been replaced by Darcy Fort.
Fagan said the players were feeling completely different to last season when they weren’t sure what to expect from grand final week.
“Last year we had two or three guys coming into the grand final who had played in a grand final,” he said.
Camera IconDane Rampe and John Longmire. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
“This year we have 17 or 18 and I think that experience helps a lot. Not just with the on the day stuff but with the build up and what to expect. It’s a little bit different in that way. I thought we had a good chance to win last year and I think we’ve got a good chance to win this year but the teams we’ve played against would feel the same way.”
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