Learned
Never right off a champion team. Plenty of experts were keen to write the Tiger obituaries early in 2019, but they slowly built momentum while they waited for players to return and finished the year like a runaway train.
The Giants were only making up the numbers. It was a fantastic effort from the men in orange to qualify for the Grand Final but they were a long way off the pace in a two horse race.
Play unfit players on Grand Final day at your peril. The Phil Davis race against time was a horrible dilemma for the Giants to find themselves in, but seeing him play like a shadow of himself on the day was even worse.
Liked
Marlion Pickett’s Grand Final fairytale. One of the most remarkable stories in footy history, is blind turn and goal will be two moments long remembered in Grand Final folklore.
The Tigers were ruthless, despite the result being known for much of the second half (if not earlier), they refused to let up and deservedly produced the third largest winning margin in Grand Final history.
After being overshadowed by his forward partner during the finals, Jack Riewoldt saved his best for the biggest game of the year.
Disliked
The Ray Chamberlain show. Grand Final day is not the occasion for an umpire to make themselves the centre of attention.
With due respect to the acts before him, having to endure them rather than enjoy more Paul Kelly was disappointing pre-game.
Misfiring Giants. While 3.7 in a grand final might have won it in 1919, it is an embarrassing output 100 years later. Where were their stars? Heath Shaw has had a great career but at 32-years-old he shouldn’t be head and shoulders the best player for his team on Grand Final day.
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