Having finished the home and away season as minor premiers, Sydney advanced to the Grand Final with a hard-fought victory over Fremantle, followed by a 71-point victory over North Melbourne in their preliminary final. Defending premiers Hawthorn, which finished second behind Sydney on the ladder, advanced after defeating Geelong by 36 points in their qualifying final, followed by a three-point victory over Port Adelaide in the second preliminary final.
The two teams met twice during the home-and-away season, with Sydney winning by 19 points at ANZ Stadium in Round 8 and Hawthorn winning by 10 points at the MCG in Round 18.
It was the second time that Sydney and Hawthorn had met in a grand final, having faced each other two years earlier in the 2012 AFL Grand Final when Sydney won by 10 points. The match was Hawthorn's third grand final appearance in a row, having also appeared in the 2013 AFL Grand Final when it defeated Fremantle by 15 points.
Pre-match entertainment
Ed Sheeran (left) and Sir Tom Jones (right) performed at the Grand Final as part of the revamped Pre-match entertainment.
Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones and English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran both performed as pre-match entertainment at the 2014 AFL Grand Final. The two were the first international acts to perform at a grand final since American singer Meat Loaf's infamous performance at the 2011 AFL Grand Final.[2] Both Sheeran and Jones were the first acts to be offered the sets by the AFL, with both acts accepting without hesitation. Jones said about the offer to perform at the game: "I understand there will be over 100,000 people in the stadium for the grand final which makes this spectacular sporting event something I'm really looking forward to. I also know that Australian football has really passionate fans so it'll be great to be a part of the atmosphere and excitement on the day."[citation needed] Sheeran said that the decision to play was not a hard decision to make, saying that "Having spent some time in Australia recently I know just how popular the game is and how big an event this will be."[3]
A post-match entertainment show featuring Sheeran and Jones was also held. There was no half-time musical entertainment.[6] The traditional Grand Final sprint held at half-time was won by Jordan Murdoch of Geelong, breaking Patrick Dangerfield's streak of three consecutive victories from 2011 to 2013.
Match summary
The 2014 AFL Grand Final was the 250th game for Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge (left), and saw Sydney's Lance Franklin (right) face his former club, having been a 2013 premiership player for Hawthorn.
First quarter
The first quarter began with the teams going goal for goal in the first 15 mins. Josh Kennedy kicked the first goal for Sydnay with a long bomb, before Paul Puopolo kicked a long-range shot for Hawthorn. Lance Franklin kicked the next goal for Sydney, and Luke Breust replied to make the score two goals apiece. From that moment onwards, Hawthorn controlled the quarter, with Brad Hill, Jack Gunston and Will Langford each kicking a goal in the second half of the quarter. At quarter time, Hawthorn 5.5 (35) led Sydney 2.3 (15) by 20 points.
Second quarter
In the second quarter, Ben McGlynn goaled within the first minute for Sydney. Thereafter, Hawthorn took control of the game and in a ten-minute purple patch kicked five goals to surge to a 47-point lead. Goals came from: Breust in the 7th minute; David Hale in the 10th minute; Langford in the 11th minute after storming through the centre and bombing from 50m; and two goals to Luke Hodge in the 13th and 16th minutes,[7] including one from a simple intercept of a misdirected Gary Rohan kick-in. Adam Goodes and Franklin responded with two successive goals for Sydney, before an intercept by Cyril Rioli resulted in a late goal to Jarryd Roughead. Having kicked six goals to three in the quarter, Hawthorn 11.9 (75) led Sydney 5.3 (33) by 42 points.
Third quarter
Hawthorn was the first to score in the third quarter, as Roughead and Gunston each added goals. Kieren Jack and Franklin responded with two goals, before Hawthorn kicked the next three goals: Matt Suckling; Roughead; and a goal dribbled through from the boundary line by Langford. Kurt Tippett kicked a late goal for Sydney, and at three-quarter time Hawthorn 16.11 (107) led Sydney 8.5 (53) by 54 points.
Final quarter
With the result beyond doubt, Hawthorn kicked a further five goals to Sydney's three in the final quarter. Goals were added by Breust, Roughead (2) and Shaun Burgoyne (2) for Hawthorn, and by Goodes, Franklin and Jack for Sydney. In the end, Hawthorn 21.11 (137) defeated Sydney 11.8 (74) by 63 points.
Overall report
Hawthorn dominated the match from start to finish, applying pressure on the Swans that was at times was brutal. Hawthorn led most of the key statistical indicators, including disposals 442–298, tackles 63–57 and inside-50s 64–44. Clearances were almost even, Hawthorn leading 38–36.[7]Jarryd Roughead was the top scorer for Hawthorn kicking 5.1 and Lance Franklin was the top goal kicker for Sydney, kicking 4.2.
Hawthorn defender Luke Hodge was named the Norm Smith medalist (best on ground) with 10 votes, for his 35 possessions and two goals. He edged fellow Hawthorn midfielders Jordan Lewis (37 possessions, seven clearances, seven rebounds) and Sam Mitchell (33 possessions, seven clearances, nine tackles), both with 9 votes. It was Hodge's second Norm Smith Medal, having also won it in 2008.[8] Minor votes went to Josh Gibson (32 disposals, six rebounds) and Will Langford (three goals, six inside-50s). No Sydney players polled votes.
Chaired by Nathan Buckley, the voters and their choices were as follows:[9]
Sydney did not change its team from the previous week's preliminary final, while Hawthorn omitted Jonathon Ceglar and Jonathan Simpkin in favour of Cyril Rioli and Ben McEvoy. Rioli was returning to the team after missing almost three months with a hamstring injury; he had appeared for Box Hill for limited playing time in the previous week's VFL Grand Final, which was his only match practice leading to his selection.[10]
The umpiring panel, comprising three field umpires, four boundary umpires, two goal umpires and an emergency in each position is given below. Most notable among the umpiring appointments was goal umpire Chris Appleton's selection for his first grand final, who had repaired his career after serving a suspension in 2010 for breaking the AFL's anti-gambling rules by placing bets on an AFL game in which he was not umpiring.[11]
The match commentary was conducted by Bruce McAvaney and Dennis Cometti for the Seven Network, marking the duo's sixth grand final appearance together as commentators since 2008 and their tenth overall. Individually, it was Cometti's sixteenth grand final[14] and McAvaney's fourteenth.
A total of 2,813,000 people watched the Grand Final on television, making the Grand Final the most viewed television broadcast of the day.[15]
^In 1897 and 1924 there were no grand finals and instead the premier was decided by a finals play-off. In 1948, 1977 and 2010, there were grand final replays after initial draws.
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