Harley and Bolton head-to-head

As the Swans and Cats prepare to face-off for a top-two place this Saturday afternoon, we locked former two-time Geelong Premiership captain and AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Tom Harley and Sydney Premiership-winning captain and AFL NSW/ACT Deputy General Manager Craig Bolton in a room to preview the game … Kind of.

CB: I think the Swans will win. I think there’s a lot on the line for Sydney, I don’t think they’ll win by much but I think they’ll win. They’ve played big games down at Simonds before and they’ve come through, I think they broke Geelong’s winning streak a couple of years ago…

TH: The only team to have beaten Geelong there in five years. I think Geelong will win … just. What’s the record – 41 out of 42 – albeit the one loss was to the Swans but I think at the moment the Cats have got a fitter list and are probably just in better form than Sydney are.

Surprisingly, the former Premiership captains both pick their respective sides to win.

TH: And Geelong in Geelong is still the toughest road trip in the AFL.

CB: What about Sydney in Sydney?

TH: Geelong didn’t find it too hard last time did they?

Things are getting heated now!

CB: Touché. If you go back to 2005 and the second semi-final, Sydney’s record is pretty good…

Long pause. Tom refuses to bite about losing the ’05 semi-final. Always wise not to ask for Tom’s version of events about this night. Craig is more than happy to speak about it…

TH: Personally? I think we would have split them I reckon, over the journey.

CB: You’d probably say over our time, Sydney has been the most successful team in the competition, if you based it on finishing position on the ladder…

TH: Stats actually show that for the past 10 years Geelong’s been the most successful team with a win loss ration in the high-80 percent – won more Grand Finals, played in more finals than any other team, Sydney currently sit second on that ladder behind Geelong.

CB: That’s an interesting use of statistics. I’m sure I can find some statistics that show Sydney are far superior.

TH: If you looked at the actual consistent position they’ve finished, Geelong would be higher… Three-times winner, one-time second, finals nine of the past 10 years… I think that’s what the stats say, I’d have to check.

Craig and Tom stop throwing around made-up-statistics to actually focus on the game.

CB: The midfield will be interesting because Sydney have shown all year that they’ve got really good depth, I think they’re the lead clearance side in the competition … But they’ve probably been a little bit off the last couple of weeks. Who do the Swans send to Selwood?

TH: Who do the Cats send to Josh Kennedy? Jack? Dan Hannebery?

CB: Ryan O’Keefe?

TH: Ryan O’Keefe goes to Joel Selwood.

Fun fact of the day: O’Keefe qualifies for AFL life membership this week after playing 300 games total!

TH: Just to get things back on topic…

Thanks Tom.

TH: I would argue that there aren’t two clubs in the competition that would have a greater mutual respect and admiration for what each have done over the past decade. Two clubs and football teams built on really solid foundations of behaviours and trademarks and all those sort of things … Regardless of who wins I think it will be a good insight into September going forward.

The niceties begin.

CB: I’d agree with that. I think there’s mutual respect particularly if you look at the older players in each side – the Enrights, Bartels, Kellys versus the Boltons, O’Keefes, Goodes…

The Craig Boltons?

CB: The Jude Boltons ..

Craig glares.

CB: They’ve played many close games and finals over the years so there is mutual respect.

We get it, LOTS of mutual respect!

CB: I think Geelong are the only other side like Sydney that have revitalised their list without going down and they’re one of the emerging teams.. So there is some respect there.

Tom laughs.

CB: For the teams, between past captains of the club I can’t say.

TH: What was your win-loss record as a captain?

Things are getting personal…

CB: Ummmmmmm, yeah no I came in at the back end of that… I think I captained the one year we didn’t make the finals.

TH: That probably doesn’t need to go onto the website.

CB: Probably most of this doesn’t.

Well that didn’t happen. But they do actually like each other – check out the photo!