Heirs to the throne

[joffa corfe]

COLLINGWOOD humiliated the best team of recent years on Friday night. It is poised to assume Geelong's mantle as the pre-eminent team in football.

Its job on the Cats was awesome. Who would have believed any team capable of building an 81-point lead against Geelong in little more than half a game in a final?

The much-hyped "Grand Final a week early" turned out to be a fizzer. Collingwood won by 41 points, formally ending an era in the process.

Now only St Kilda stands between Collingwood and its first premiership since 1990, and the word "only" is used in the context of teams left standing, not worth.

St Kilda is a genuine challenger, a deserving Grand Finalist.

The Saints have finished top four for the third year in a row. It is the club's most successful period since four top-four finishes in the early 1970s. Ross Lyon's appointment as coach in 2007 was a masterstroke.

It is the perfect climax to a season that produced the same top four as the previous year, a vastly superior four.

Barring any bombs from the match review panel this afternoon, the Grand Finalists are at full strength. As lame as Luke Ball was on Friday night, Collingwood remains adamant his problem was hamstring cramp, no tear, and expects him to play.

As cruel as sport can be, surely he deserves his chance after the disappointment of Grand Final day 2009 and the subsequent emotional trauma that led to his move from St Kilda to Collingwood?

There are others who will also ride the emotional roller-coaster in the next few days.

Will Collingwood resurrect Simon Prestigiacomo in what may be his last year? Will Leon Davis get an opportunity to conquer his September demons after being left out of the game against Geelong?

Will St Kilda punt on Steven Baker, who has not played a game since the match review panel took an exceedingly dim view of his six-rounder with Steve Johnson on June 25?

The match review panel may not be finished yet with St Kilda and its premiership hopes. Nick Dal Santo's bump on Callan Ward will prompt serious scrutiny, as will a bump of a similar nature by Dale Thomas on Harry Taylor the previous night.

Given the leniency associated with September, both should escape suspension. Surely the same group that cleared Daniel Cross a week ago can't come down hard on Dal Santo and Thomas?

But we are talking about the match review panel, so who knows?

I'm expecting Ball and Davis to play for Collingwood, Baker for the Saints.

Baker would be the unluckiest man in years to miss. He had to be sanctioned for his sustained attack on Johnson, but his nine-game penalty has stretched to 12 and may deny him a premiership.

On reflection, the penalty was what is described in law as manifestly excessive.

Collingwood has the better form, St Kilda has Nick Riewoldt at or near his best. At 27 and after 10 games back from hamstring surgery, he is perfectly placed to lead his team in the biggest game of the year.

He turned Saturday night's game against the Western Bulldogs with a dominant third quarter. If only he could kick at the level he does everything else. More about these teams later in the week. Let's reflect on the beaten pair.

The era is over for Geelong, just as it was for the Brisbane Lions in 2005 after four years in Grand Finals. The Lions went from runners-up to 11th, the first of four years outside the eight.

The Cats will lose the best player in the game in the next 10 days and are in need of a makeover.

On recent evidence, the defence has two A-graders - Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright - the midfield remains strong, although Cameron Ling and Brad Ottens are obvious concerns, and the forward zone is mediocre unless Steve Johnson fires, and he struggles in the big games.

It's an old list that is looking tired. There is no way known the 22 on show on Friday night would beat a full-strength Collingwood in a game that matters in the immediate future.

If a quick turnaround is to be effected by "Bomber" Thompson - or whoever might be coach next year - Mitch Brown, Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt, Daniel Menzel and one of Dawson Simpson and Trent West all must be played from Round 1.

It's harder to read the Bulldogs.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/collingwood-could-be-on-the-verge-of-its-own-dynasty/story-