Saturday AFL Grand Final match is between Hawthorn Hawks and Fremantle Dockers with the game to be played at MCG. The opening bounce is set to commence at 2.30pm local time with home team Hawthorn Hawks currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Hawthorn Hawks and Fremantle Dockers.

WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, 2.30pm, Saturday 28 October

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Opening odds comparison:

Hawthorn Hawks	1.65	1.65	1.63	1.65	1.65	1.65
Fremantle Dockers	2.30	2.30	2.30	2.30	2.30	2.30

Preview:

It’s the biggest weekend of the year for many Australians – the AFL Grand Final. The 2013 edition sees the Hawthorn Hawks take on the Fremantle Dockers, with kick-off
on Saturday, 2.30pm at the MCG. After 206 games and 5542 goals throughout the 2013 season, we are down to just two teams. While the Hawks will be favourites to win
this weekend, anything can happen in finals footy.

After finishing the regular season in first place and coming from 20 points behind last week against Geelong, Hawthorn will be tough to beat this weekend. Not only did they
manage to finish the regular season on top of the ladder, they also recorded two equal-club records; a 12-game winning streak between rounds 2 and 14 and an overall 19-3
win-loss record.

The Hawks have also dominated the Dockers in recent years, winning seven of their last eight clashes including the last four. Overall, Hawthorn have a 20-7 record against
Fremantle, something that will give them a lot of confidence going into this match. While the Hawks definitely know how to score points, however, Fremantle are the best
defensive side in the competition and will not let Hawthorn play their natural game. Only twice this season have the Dockers conceded more than 100 points, a great
record, even if one of these times was against the Hawks.

If Fremantle beat the Hawks this weekend, it will be because they find a way to upset their natural rhythm and stop their natural attacking flow. It also means that this
Grand Final could turn into a scrappy one, with both Hawthorn and Fremantle ranked in the top five for pressure acts on Champion Data. There will be plenty of pressure
placed on key Hawthorn players as the Dockers try to break down Hawthorn’s precise passing game.

Mitchell and Jack Gunston are key players for the Hawks, with Cyril Rioli also capable of making a big impact if he regains some confidence. For Fremantle, Michael
Marlow and Michael Johnson are important and both players will need to shine for Fremantle to overcome the Hawks. Chris Mayne might also play an important role for the
Dockers, especially with so much pressure on the likes of Pavlich, Michael Walters, Hayden Ballantyne, and Stephen Hill.

Fremantle will have a tough time trying to contain the free flowing Hawthorn attack, and this game might just get away from them. While they are quite capable of keeping
teams down for extended periods, stopping the Hawks on Grand Final day for four long quarters might be a little too tough. While the Dockers are capable of an upset if
they manage to defensively annoy the Hawks for extended periods, it is more likely that Hawthorn will cut through the Dockers defence in the third or final quarter.

Teams

Hawthorn Hawks
B: B.Stratton B.Lake B.Guerra
HB: S.Burgoyne J.Gibson G.Birchall
C: I.Smith S.Mitchell J.Lewis
HF: L.Breust L.Franklin C.Rioli
F: P.Puopolo J.Roughead D.Hale
FOLL: M.Bailey B.Sewell L.Hodge
I/C: B.Hill J.Gunston J.Simpkin L.Shiels
Emergencies M.Spangher S.Savage T.Duryea
IN: Simpkin
OUT: Whitecross (knee)

Fremantle Dockers
B: M.Johnson Z.Dawson P.Duffield
HB: L.Spurr L.McPharlin D.Pearce
C: D.Mundy R.Crowley T.Mzungu
HF: C.Sutcliffe C.Mayne N.Fyfe
F: Z.Clarke M.Pavlich M.Walters
FOLL: A.Sandilands M.de Boer S.Hill
I/C: H.Ballantyne N.Suban M.Barlow L.Neale
EMG: T.Sheridan J.Hannath A.Silvagni
IN:            Nil
OUT:       Nil

Dockers’ Lyon calmer before AFL decider

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says he’s less anxious this AFL grand final week than in the lead-up to previous deciders in his time with St Kilda.

Lyon came desperately close to leading St Kilda to a flag, the Saints falling 12 points short of Geelong in the 2009 grand final and drawing with Collingwood in 2010 before losing the replay.

The coach said a lesson from those experiences was not to let a sense of how much is riding on the outcome cause anxiety leading up to the game.

“At the end of the day, it’s the ultimate distraction, which is the outcome,” Lyon told the Nine Network’s AFL Footy Show on Thursday night.

“But it is another game of football.

“On a personal level, I’ve been calmer, less anxious and (had) a real understanding of the week and really encouraged the players to enjoy it.

“As we did then (with the Saints) but it’s probably allowing them to do so more.

“But you need to take your opportunities.

“If I’d ask them to do one thing, it would probably be kick straight.”

Lyon said the way the Dockers were able to stifle Sydney with their defensive pressure early in Saturday night’s preliminary final had not surprised him.

He said the fact that the Dockers were coming off a weekend’s rest, against a tired, injury-hit Swans had helped.

“They were sitting ducks a little bit Sydney,” he said.

“There was pent-up emotion and (we were) just ready to go when that ball was bounced.

“And we can’t underestimate 45,000 Dockers fans there, it was an amazing atmosphere.”

Lyon said the Dockers’ form had been strong for the past six weeks, with a particular lift in the ruck and midfield.

“We understand Hawthorn have been the best home and away team,” he said.

“It’s a massive challenge, but the form we’re in, we think we’re going to be right in it and it’s an exciting time.”