History
Best Finish – Premiers 2021
The pin up team of sustained excellence, the Defenestrators are aiming to be right around the mark again in 2024. Having played the last 4 grand finals, this time of year is no mystery to Paul. With the team that has beaten him the last 2 years out of finals contention for the next several years, he will be optimistically looking forward to this finals campaign. After a shaky time with some unfortunate losses mid-season, Paul has righted the ship on the run home and will know that his team is one of the top contenders. Just missed out on a first-round bye due to percentage, however his premiership in 2021 did come from third on the ladder, and so just like Jordan in 5th, there is no fear in wondering if this ladder position can lead to a championship.
Current Form/Injury Watch
The most in form team of the finals, the Defenestrators in the last 3 weeks have beaten the teams that ended 1st, 2nd and 4th, and so they know they can beat anyone they are likely to come up against – they just need the form to continue for three more weeks. Max Gawn has come back quicker than I initially thought he would, and if Nic Newman can find his end of season form like last year, there will be a lot of extra points for opponents to try and counter to get ahead of this team.
For a team in this kind of form, it’s remarkable that they are doing it with multiple injuries. Tom Mitchell, Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly are still missing in action, and even if they are named for the next game, it would be a gamble to insert them back into the starting lineup without match fitness.
Where a final will be won/lost
It’s a simplistic way to look at it, but it all comes down to GWS – both for a win or a loss. With the rise of James Peatling, there are still 4 Giants on the field for the Defenestrators, and this will go up to 6 if Coniglio and Kelly come back for a big final. They are all scoring well, and with Hogan a chance for the Coleman medal you know he’ll keep getting supply.
On the other side, if they come into a game where the Giants get outplayed and can’t get their hands on the ball, there will be a lot of points lacking there, and whoever Paul is against will have a great shot.
Injuries are still something that could hurt – Steven May going down in round 21 is just another name on the bench, but I figure too many more injuries might start really testing the depth in this squad for the push to a premiership.
Predicted finish/finals match-up
A win over the Roughnecks to end the home and away season leaves the pink team in third place, with a match against the Puttanesca Chiefs awaiting. On paper the Defenestrators seem to have all the advantage, but elimination games have thrown up upsets in the past, so there is still no guarantee. A win would earn Paul the privilege of playing the Love Sparkles in the prelim final, so a win against the Chiefs would be great to take form into the next stage, and a potential 5th straight grand final.