Supporters are sure to see a goal kicking show this Sunday at the Peter Jackson VFL Grand Final, with four of the top 10 goal kickers in the competition this season taking to the field. The teams are ranked 1st (Port Melbourne) and 3rd (Geelong) for scoring this season, as they have shown numerous times during the finals that they are able to turn defence into attack in a matter of moments.
For the second year in a row the Port Melbourne forward line has boasted the ‘Frosty’ Miller Medallist, this year with the baton handed from Patrick Rose to Dean Galea. Galea needs just one goal to kick his biggest season tally in the VFL, currently sitting on 71 goals, the same as his 2011 tally. Galea is strong in the one on one contest and hard to beat on the lead, and as he showed last year at Etihad Stadium the wide open spaces suit his leading capabilities. Galea was kept goalless on only one occasion this season – the final round – and will look forward to marshalling the Borough’s forward 50 this weekend in his 100th VFL game.
Joining Galea up forward will be a number of capable assistants. The likes of Chris Cain, Billy Burstin and Josh Scipione are all capable of breaking open a game up forward, and are all good on the lead or on the run.
For Geelong, Shane Kersten and Mitch Brown have led the way up forward this season, having kicked over 60 goals between them. Geelong has not had the conventional forward structure throughout the year, with the likes of Kersten, Brown and Josh Walker all drifting forward but also playing further up the field. A strength of the Cats side this year has been their ability to score goals from their midfield, with their onballers drifting forward to kick numerous goals on the run throughout the season.
STATS THAT MATTER:
Dean Galea, Chris Cain, Billy Burstin (Port Melbourne)
- Dean Galea - kicked 65 goals & 40 behinds during the home & away season, R11 (vs Geelong)– 7.1 (season high), Wk1 Finals (vs Geelong)– 5.2
- Chris Cain - kicked 41 goals & 23 behinds during the home & away season, R11 – 3.1, Wk1 Finals – 1.1
- Billy Burstin - kicked 25 goals & 16 behinds during the home & away season, R11 - 1.1, Wk1 Finals - 1.2
Josh Walker, Shane Kersten, Mitch Brown (Geelong)
- Josh Walker - kicked 20 goals & 12 behinds during the home & away season, R11 – 0.0 Wk1 Finals – 1.0
- Shane Kersten - kicked 29 goals & 13 behinds during the home & away season, R11 – 2.2 Wk1 Finals – 0.0
- Mitch Brown - kicked 29 goals & 14 behinds during the home & away season, R11 – 3.0, Wk1 Finals – 1.0
Last Modified on 20/09/2012 19:22