Before The Footy - (19/09/2026)

But right now we're going to catch up with our Expert panellists, as always, award-winning journalist John Townsend is here.

Hello, Townie.

G'day, Matt.

How are

you going? You look at what happened last night, and in order of priority, I guess, the most important kick in Fremantle's history, Hayden Young, the biggest win in Fremantle's 31-year history, prelim final to go into a grand final, bigger than...

2013, when they weren't as good a side.

And the biggest week in the club's history coming up to be followed by their biggest ever game.

First time that they'll go into a grand final as favourites.

They've only ever been in one previously, obviously, and kicked their way out of it.

Pavlic and Fyfe missed a few pretty straightforward set shots in the first 15 or 20 minutes.

And that was almost game.

They go in with momentum, with depth, with form.

everything flying in their favour.

And they've come through the fire.

They were very ordinary against Hawthorne two weeks ago.

They've come through the fire.

They've had two very solid wins against Geelong and Sydney, against the odds to some degree last night.

And then certainly for the first three quarters, until the three quarter time siren, Sydney had their measure.

And from the three quarter time siren, the 10 seconds after that and the last 30 minutes, It was all Freo.

And they deserve to be in.

They've been the best side all year.

They deserve to go through.

You can have wild cards.

You can have knockout finals or whatever.

It tends to be the higher sides are the ones that go through.