10 Takes from the 2023 AFL Grand Final

On that one day in September that we want to remember, the Collingwood Flagpies won their third AFL premiership in a tight victory over Fitzroy.

The employees at Ollies Takes were invited as special guests of the AFL on Grand Final day and identified 10 crucial moments during the game that you better not have missed.

It was decided by my co-host to name the moments below as "takes" for marketing purposes. I will also make some predictions purely based on vibes for season 2024 at the end of the article.

Take #1: Nick Daicos is very similar to Diego Maradona

I couldn’t find an image of the handball so here is Nick Daicos marking the footy as well as a plastic bag (Credit: Getty Images)

What do Nick Daicos and Diego Maradona have in common? They're both elite handballers… Yeah that’s a bit of a miss.

Anyway, Daicos' mid-air handball to De Goey on the 50 metre arc, a mere five seconds after having the ball in the middle of the ground was special.

The spatial awareness from Whisper to know he's about to get tackled and the pure ability to give off a perfect handball whilst mid-air to a running De Goey who is well outside Nick's vision, just as the Lions hit the front with 5 minutes to go, simply remarkable.

Do not forget this moment as without it, we may have had a different victor on Saturday.

Take #2: Do not leave McCluggage unattended

Hughy racking up possessions on the weekend (Credit: Getty Images)

The luggage was back to his 2022 form winning his own footy and taking on anyone who wanted to have a crack at him.

He always looked dangerous with the ball and was one of the key goal threats for the Lions on the day.

Take #3: Zac Bailey Missing. Last seen: First Half of 2023 Grand Final

Zac Bailey went from hero to zero in Ollies Takes' opinion (Credit: AAP Photos)

Zac Bailey kicked two of the most memorable goals on the day in the first quarter showing the kid's ability with the ball in hand.

The bloke has freakish skills but Zac, Zac, Zac where did you go? Bailey went from breaking the game open and putting the Lions on his back in the first half to impersonating Harry Houdini in the second.

5 stats in the second half, none of which were in the forward 50 is not good enough for a player that could have won his side the game

Take #4: Brisbane floaters

What you might not have seen or remember was the incredibly high number of "floaters" kicked by Brisbane particularly early in the game.

Keidean Coleman had circa 6 floaters in the first half alone and I think it must have been tactical by the Lions players to disallow the Collingwood defence to set up behind the ball.

It was quite simply bizarre but a tactic (if it was a tactic) that worked relatively well for the Lions as Cameron, Bailey and McCarthy were very dangerous when the ball hit the deck.

Take #5: If you are what you say you are, Keidean Coleman, a superstar

Coleman was one of the Lions' best players on Grand Final Day (Credit: NIT)

Lupe Fiasco would have been proud of Keidean Coleman on the weekend because this guy is a superstar.

Coleman was elite off the half back on Saturday and throughout the entire finals series, providing the Lions with run and the necessary composure to kickstart their attack.

Teams these days are typically well set up behind the ball so the rebounding role has become very important. Players like Gulden, Daicos, Saad, Witherden and Coleman have become some of the best rebounding players this season in a position not dissimilar to an NFL Quarterback.

Take #6: Pendles is not here to take part, he's here to take over

And take over the former Collingwood skipper did as he took matters into his own hands in the second half of the Grand Final by kicking a clutch goal, winning his own footy and never missing a target.

Arguably Collingwood's greatest player of all time, Pendles stood up in the clutch moments as all champions do. It is particularly impressive given the great man's relatively poor season by his lofty standards.

The number 10 celebrated the victory with passion and provided social media with a great Conor Mcgregor impersonation on the Pies' mad Monday.

Take #7: KISS me

KISS was the main act for the AFL grand final pre-game entertainment. (Credit: AAP/Joel Carrett)

I'm going to be honest as I always am. I was not too excited to see Gene Simmons etc play pre-game but I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The boys have still got it.

One cannot be 100% certain the band was singing but the show was awesome with about a tonne of explosives and litres of gasoline used in the production for the fireworks and fire.

Certainly no expense spared by the AFL in producing the act except for the use of child labour where thousands of kids were dressed as KISS band members.

Take #8: Where the heck was Bud?

The highest profile retiree (behind Shannon Hurn) for 2023 was Buddy Franklin, but he was MISSING from the motorcade of retiring players.

Now I am sure there is a good reason why the Bud was not there and I could probably do a quick google search to see why he was not there, however I am not going to and it was a disappointment not to see the Hawks and Sydney great do a lap of the G for one last time.

Take #9: Running up that road, running up that Hill

Bobby Hill took a screamer on Brandon Starcevich (Credit: James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

In a take that is certainly not controversial, Bobby Hill was elite. From hangers to clutch goals to giving goals off to pressure to tackles, it was a near perfect performance from the West Aussie.

It is great to see Bobby Hill reach the highest of highs in AFL footy as he was described by my parents as the best school footy player they had ever seen… which does not make sense to me considering they watched me play several times.

Take #10: The game lacked THAT moment

Any excuse to include Dom Sheed in the article (Credit: West Australian)

Now I know I have just gone through nine moments of the game that will stick with me for years to come but the only thing the game missed was an extra special moment that will be immortalised into footy folklore.

It what was one of the best grand finals in the game's history, however the match did not have THAT moment. Think THAT Dom Sheed goal, think THAT last quarter from Darren Jarman, think THAT ball that went out of play in (I think) one of Carltons Grand Finals, think THAT Leo Barry mark and think THAT goal from Michael Long.

THAT is the only thing this miraculous game of footy lacked.

Predictions for the 2024 season purely based on Vibes:

Premiers: Sydney

Runners Up: Brisbane

Unexpected Top 8: Freo Shockers (aha)

Wooden Spoon: Not the Eagles

See you next week for another edition of Ollies Takes and for those non-footy fans in my incredibly long list of subscribers, do not worry, that is season over for 2023.

OT